3500 miles on M1 10w30

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
1,100
Location
Durham, NC
So while changing out the radiator on my Chevy Cavalier yesterday I checked the oil. Since my daughter is using it now in college it doesn't get much use, 3500 miles in the last 6 months.

The Mobil 1 10W30 is still pretty clean. Kind of a dark amber color. I use Pure One filters on it. Changed it 6 months ago, 3500 miles on the oil.

Usually I change the oil at 6 months or 10K miles which ever comes first in this car.

I am wondering if I should change it before she goes back or let it stay for some more run time. I am tempted to just change it but I guess there is no reason to throw away good money.

The car is a 2000 Chevy Cavalier LS, 2.4L DOHC, 182,000 miles, doesn't burn oil, runs great.

Thanks guys.
 
Take a sample and send it to Blackstone or somebody. I just put it in my truck and plan to sample it in June. I may not get 3500 miles in a year.
 
I would take one of two possible strategies:

1. If you change at 6 months 3500 miles use Mobilclean 5000 10w30
2. If you want to go 12 months 7000 use Mobil1 EP 10w30
 
Originally Posted By: Oldwolf
Probably not for 2 months or so. She lives near campus, in Asheville, NC.


I would change it in 2 months when you see the car again. Just my two cents.
55.gif
 
Good choice, leave it in. The new GM software often lets you run well past 10K miles on a change - and that is on conventional oil.

Both my severe use tow vehicle and our commuter Escort are near 300K miles and show no discernible engine wear of any kind...
using Mobil 1 0W20 and 20K OCI.

The previous Escort commuter car went 300K miles using Mobil 1 5W30 and 10K OCI. It then sold it to a young engineer who bought it to commute with!! Since that engine was clearly perfect... that is why I moved the next cars OCI to 20K, again I see no wear of any kind.

No, I would not recommend this long interval on any of the known "sludge motors".
 
Hey...it's been 2 months since I posted this and she has put maybe 500 miles on the car.

Since it is pushing 200k miles I am thinking I might want to consider a change in viscosity.

Do you think Mobil 1 0w30 would be too thin for the little 4 banger? It's done so well on M1 10w30 though...maybe I should just stick with the same oil. I suppose I could use the Extended Performance variation on it though.

What do you think, a waste of money?
 
I would consider using Mobil 1 HM 10W30 or the newer 5W30. These may be Mobil's best synthetic oils. They have better add packs then other oils they make. I would think that this should be a once a year oil change for you. Good luck.
 
Originally Posted By: Boss302fan
I would consider using Mobil 1 HM 10W30 or the newer 5W30. These may be Mobil's best synthetic oils. They have better add packs then other oils they make. I would think that this should be a once a year oil change for you. Good luck.


That hasn't been my experience with M1 oils. I found their 5-30 didn't burn off as much as the 10-30HM. Also the 10-30EP had a higher TBN at 10K than the HM. I would say the HM oils are fine for their purpose.
 
Last edited:
My daughter will be back this weekend for her Spring Break. So I went ahead and picked up a PureOne filter and 5 qts of M1 10W30 for it. I wanted to get the M1 10W30HM but they were out. The regular stuff will have to do.

The engine in this car had been serviced with M1 synthetics for nearly 100k now. Before that I experimented with some syns but mostly used Havoline dino and also the Advance Auto brand which was Havoline at the time I think.

Right now I am dealing with getting a tire shipped to her! Seems she ran over a curve and tore the sidewall of one of the new Goodyear tires I put on last summer. Hope it can get installed before Spring Break.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldwolf
Hey...it's been 2 months since I posted this and she has put maybe 500 miles on the car.

Since it is pushing 200k miles I am thinking I might want to consider a change in viscosity.

Do you think Mobil 1 0w30 would be too thin for the little 4 banger? It's done so well on M1 10w30 though...maybe I should just stick with the same oil. I suppose I could use the Extended Performance variation on it though.

What do you think, a waste of money?

Well I'll tell ya i have the same car 2000 sunfire 2200 I4 with 189,xxx miles on it and it has 0w30 in it right now as we speak,matter of fact im going to try AFE 0w20 in it this spring when it comes due.

no worries run the 0w30 it's still a 30w when warm just like the 5w30,,you'll be fine.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top