1 year OCI - When to change?

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I have a vehicle that based on my driving patter will require only one OCI per year. I'm doing ~8k miles per year and 95% city driving on synthetic oil. What would be the best time of the year to change the oil to maintain best oil performance throughout the year?

Would it be the best to change it before winter in November or right after winter in April? I imagine winter operation is harder on the oil than summer. Would you want to have the freshest oil with the most additives in the winter, or would you want "broken-in" and sheered oil in the winter and dump it in the spring? Does it even matter unless I'm looking for some sort of ultra long 20k mile OCI?
 
From my learning, fresh oil has the best cold weather performance so I would change before winter. You say you're mostly city driving so winter driving may not get your oil up to temp. It would be best to have the most acid fighting performance in cold temps.
 
If its di the extra fuel in the oil would help in the winter. ha ha just kidding. id say the freshest oil for the winter so change it out in the fall when it's still fun to change.
 
I have done mostly one year OCI ranging from 9-12k for the year and my usual way is change it in early spring. My car doesn't use much oil at all but over that distance a quart might be necessary in the fall and I might use 0-20 instead of the regular 5-30.

Because you are in Canada you might go with 0-20 year round. It's up to you, but I figure the winter leaves the most contamination in the oil. I also like to take long trips in the summer so I figure it stays cleaner through those months. Then I might add a quart before winter and then try to change it around Feb or March.
 
I have similar driving habits to the OP, and I know i could do an annual oci, but I do 6mos. (mainly b/c if i go longer i get "the itch" to change oil.)

Mid October when i get back from vacation, and again in early April. I currently have Syn in the car, but only b/c it was on sale for a killer price. (after sale and rebates i only paid like $10 for 5qts of PPPP)
normally i just use a quality Conventional.
 
Quit agonizing over this issue. Change the oil every 6 months {in the spring and again in the fall). What is more important, your car or a few dollars worth of oil?
 
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Quit agonizing over this issue. Change the oil every 6 months {in the spring and again in the fall). What is more important, your car or a few dollars worth of oil?

I agree, especially with 95% short trip city driving.
 
I see both fall and spring. Acid fighting vs. fuel dilution.

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Quit agonizing over this issue. Change the oil every 6 months {in the spring and again in the fall). What is more important, your car or a few dollars worth of oil?


My car's factory interval is 15,000 mi and requests synthetic oil so I thought if I do around half of that I would still be doing a safe and conservative OCI. If I did it every 6 months I would be doing 4k mi synthetic OCIs which seems too often to me. I am using Castrol black bottle 5W40.
 
Originally Posted By: 147_Grain
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Quit agonizing over this issue. Change the oil every 6 months {in the spring and again in the fall). What is more important, your car or a few dollars worth of oil?

I agree, especially with 95% short trip city driving.


Maybe a syn blend every 6 mos? I do a yearly OCI but I drive a lot of highway, in fact approaching a 20k year on one of them, so 6 mo OCI for that one. The other one will be due in a few months, I'll pick a time when it is convenient. It is lower mileage but not that much city, either.
 
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