"High Age" oil

[otis24]

High mileage oils have been developed specifically for vehichles that have "high mileagr". Many use 75k miles as a benchmark for a high mileageh vehicle.

Do older vehicles that have lower miles have specific needs/problems because of their age that might make them a candidate for a "high age" motor oil? For instance, I have a 1991 Chev K1500 with only 86k miles. What might the characteristics of such an oil look like?

 

[Joe_Power]

 

[bbhero]

I am curious about this as well. I have a 98 Camry with 74k miles on it. Runs great, I have changed the oil in it already at 70k miles. No leaks but some minor consumption like half a quart in 3300 miles. Which I did believe could happen.
So yeah I am wondering about this too

 

[Nick1994]

Does it leak oil? Burn oil? If so then HM oil may help. If it doesn't leak or burn oil it doesn't need it.

In my 97' Camry with 197k miles I didn't use a HM oil, and my Beetle with 171k miles I don't use a HM oil.

 

[bbhero]

Yeah it has no leaks. But it dies burn a bit of it. About 1\2 qt in a little over 3k miles. . . so, it is doing a bit of that.

 

[Quest]

none of any of the so-called "high mileage" automobiles I maintain (incl. all of those within the family) gets the so-called high-mileage oil treatment.

My take is that : so long as the engine (crank/cam seals, valve stem seals,etc.) aren't leaking oil, your engine can (should) simply stay on with ordinary motor oil.

Only if any of the mentioned problems appear to your engine then you may have to consider using those so-called high-mileage oil. But then again: the result is a hit-or-miss affair.

Q.

(wifey's camry already past 210k, no oil drips/leaks/burns and still on PYB/QState green)

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: bbhero
Yeah it has no leaks. But it dies burn a bit of it. About 1\2 qt in a little over 3k miles. . . so, it is doing a bit of that.
That's 1 quart in 6,000 miles. Doesn't sound bad to me

 

[bbhero]

Yeah I think you are spot on there. Car runs really good. Very lucky to have it. My lady's grandmothers car. Was mint condition inside and out. Pretty cool.
But yeah I agree with your assessment

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: bbhero
Yeah I think you are spot on there. Car runs really good. Very lucky to have it. My lady's grandmothers car. Was mint condition inside and out. Pretty cool.
But yeah I agree with your assessment

Yeah my brother has a '96 Lexus ES300 with the 3.0L V6 (same as Camry) and it burns a quart of oil in 500 miles easily. Runs fantastic, but THATS some extreme consumption lol.

 

[bbhero]

Yeah man no doubt!! Holy cow ! Yeah I ZERO reason to complain huh ??

 

[andrewp1998]

My 01 civic seems to use more the last 2 ocis, and uses more in fall to spring change( in winter) then in spring to fall. About 1 qrt in 5k the in summer and then even more in winter.. I short trip like 95% of the time. Also it goes through the 20 w quicker than the 30w.

 

[jrmason]

My version of high mileage oil is full synthetic. I pour it in, and don't dump it until Ive accumulated some high mileage on it.

My 98 Ram CTD uses 9000 5w40 @ 15-20k mile intervals

01 Beetle TDI uses 9000 5w40 @ 15k mile intervals

08 Mountaineer uses 9000 5w20 @ 15k mile intervals

I obtain a UOA at every oil change and all 3 of these engines are doing well at these intervals with plenty of TBN, low wear metals, etc.

 

[Olas]

70 thousand miles on a 1982 car, using redline with no leaks and no measurable burning.

Maxlife could be a useful high age oil with its seal softeners and what not, or you could be thorough and replace the components that have degraded as they aged.

 

[eljefino]

It's marketing for "special conditions" that aren't all that special.

Like hand soap that won't dry your skin out. Hey, that's me!

 

[Oil Changer]

Typical BITOG scripted answers to a HM oil question. Your engine was factory filled with SG/SH which are both obsolete. When I first came to this site SL was all the rage and members were freaking out over the switch to SM.

In a nutshell, a HM oil is heavier, has additive levels closer to what your engine made for, higher levels of detergent which it most likely needs and added seal conditioners which I am also sure it could use. All of these things will benefit your classic.

Use M1 10W-30 HM in the summer, an A3/B3 long -drain oil with the excellent SL additive package. Very stout oil with an HTHSV of 3.5. It will be fine in the cold but since you're in SD you can use the similar 5W-30 in the winter if that makes you feel better. Who cares what Scooter's sister's cousin's nephew's uncle uses in whatever with whatever miles? So what. That information is unverifiable and doesn't help you one iota.

 

[jrmason]

What is it specifically your comparing HM oil to? Conventional? Compare it to full synthetic and the "stout" add packs and detergents dont seem so stout. I'm really not sure why people even mess with these blends. If your on a budget or adhere to the manufacturers drain intervals, conventional works just fine. If your looking to extend your drain intervals or are operating in severe climates or conditions then synthetic should be the choice. It will outperform a synthetic blend in every way, and is only marginally more.

 

[Oil Changer]

The OP isn't comparing any oil to any oil. The OP is asking if his low mileage for it's age vehicle could benefit from a HM oil. The answer is yes.

Since I'm the only respondent that used the word stout and you quoted it, I'll reply. Stout is in reference to the oil's HTHSV of 3.5, the natural HTHSV of a 30-grade and has nothing to do with the additive package.

Reading. It's fundamental.

Originally Posted By: jrmason
What is it specifically your comparing HM oil to? Conventional? Compare it to full synthetic and the "stout" add packs and detergents dont seem so stout. I'm really not sure why people even mess with these blends. If your on a budget or adhere to the manufacturers drain intervals, conventional works just fine. If your looking to extend your drain intervals or are operating in severe climates or conditions then synthetic should be the choice. It will outperform a synthetic blend in every way, and is only marginally more.

 

[CourierDriver]

Originally Posted By: otis24
High mileage oils have been developed specifically for vehichles that have "high mileagr". Many use 75k miles as a benchmark for a high mileageh vehicle.

Do older vehicles that have lower miles have specific needs/problems because of their age that might make them a candidate for a "high age" motor oil? For instance, I have a 1991 Chev K1500 with only 86k miles. What might the characteristics of such an oil look like?
I still have friends in the world of expediting in cargo vans . One of them has over 800,000 miles on it, chevy v8 and he uses good old walmart brand oil, go figure, but changes it every 3 or 4k miles....many of my driver friends are at the 300k to 500k range in a cargo van.

A standard citizen in town driver cannot fathom that. Most start to panic near 100k miles and in reality, that is really low miles or about 5 years driving for them--about the same time frame they just got it paid off....

 

[jrmason]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
The OP isn't comparing any oil to any oil. The OP is asking if his low mileage for it's age vehicle could benefit from a HM oil. The answer is yes.

Since I'm the only respondent that used the word stout and you quoted it, I'll reply. Stout is in reference to the oil's HTHSV of 3.5, the natural HTHSV of a 30-grade and has nothing to do with the additive package.

Reading. It's fundamental.

Originally Posted By: jrmason
What is it specifically your comparing HM oil to? Conventional? Compare it to full synthetic and the "stout" add packs and detergents dont seem so stout. I'm really not sure why people even mess with these blends. If your on a budget or adhere to the manufacturers drain intervals, conventional works just fine. If your looking to extend your drain intervals or are operating in severe climates or conditions then synthetic should be the choice. It will outperform a synthetic blend in every way, and is only marginally more.


I was asking you what you were comparing HM oil to since you were the only one claiming "excellent" additive packs and "stout" HTHSV.
"Excellent" and "stout" compared to what? Your first post professed your knowledge, but you neglected to tell us what HM oil is "excellent" and "stout" compared to.

Reading is indeed fundamental, perhaps you should give it a go.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
In a nutshell, a HM oil is heavier, has additive levels closer to what your engine made for, higher levels of detergent which it most likely needs and added seal conditioners which I am also sure it could use. All of these things will benefit your classic.

That's where I benefited from MaxLife in the old F-150 - yes, I know MaxLife is a cuss word to you, but you get my point. Normally, if one wants a higher HTHS oil or one with more ZDDP or detergents, an HDEO is a good option. However, 15w-40 in a Saskatchewan winter isn't a good idea, whereas a 5w-30 high mileage makes a little more sense.

The 5w-30 MaxLife slowed the leaks to be about similar to the 15w-40 HDEO - both of which were way ahead of any ILSAC rated 5w-30. With either the 15w-40 or the HM, I didn't have to add oil over the OCI, which was my goal.