What do you consider short trips?

[dedonderosa]

just curious to know what you guys actually consider short trips while commuting in the morning? 1-2 miles? cause i usually do my oil changes in every 5k miles and my morning commutes are roughly 6-7 miles. just wanted to get some opinions if that is considered short trips and i should continue to do the oci at 5k

car:
2008 civic si sedan
K20 engine
5w30 Castrol Edge Gold bottle
honda a01 oil filter
oci 5k miles

 

[Plumber]

Less than a mile for me.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd say in the summer where I live anything under 5 miles one way is a short trip. In the winter I would double that number.

 

[Merkava_4]

When your engine never gets to full operating temperature, that's a short trip.

 

[A_Harman]

Less than 20 minutes.

 

[2civics]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd say in the summer where I live anything under 5 miles one way is a short trip. In the winter I would double that number.

+1

 

[zrxkawboy]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
When your engine never gets to full operating temperature, that's a short trip.


this

 

[TiredTrucker]

11 miles. It is that far from my rural house to the edge of town.

 

[Kira]

I offer an alteration from this thread.

Short trip = When your engine, even at full operating temperature, hasn't had the time to rid the crankcase of water AND reach correct fuel contamination levels.

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: Kira
I offer an alteration from this thread.

Short trip = When your engine, even at full operating temperature, hasn't had the time to rid the crankcase of water AND reach correct fuel contamination levels.


I can get on board with this line of thinking. My cars almost never make a short trip and I think this is why they are giving me so many trouble free miles.

 

[Bamaro]

Miles or minutes are somewhat irrelevant. A short trip is when the engine doesn't have a chance to warm up.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Kira
I offer an alteration from this thread.

Short trip = When your engine, even at full operating temperature, hasn't had the time to rid the crankcase of water AND reach correct fuel contamination levels.


I think that's the best definition.

I am sure when it was -35 out and I was driving down the highway and the car was running at 180 (unless I turned the heat on, then it dropped), that did not count as a long trip as it never got up to temperature.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I am sure when it was -35 out and I was driving down the highway and the car was running at 180 (unless I turned the heat on, then it dropped), that did not count as a long trip as it never got up to temperature.

180F is warm enough to burn off moisture. It would just take slightly longer to do so. Presumably we are talking about oil temperature and not coolant temperature, because that is what really matters.

 

[Donald]

When the engine and exhaust do not get hot. You do not want water vapor hanging around in the crankcase nor exhaust.

 

[SHOZ]

Engines today warm up pretty fast as far as coolant goes. Oil takes 15 minutes at highway speeds to get up to it's normal temp.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
When your engine never gets to full operating temperature, that's a short trip.
This.

 

[Jetronic]

for a modern diesel: if the dpf doesn't have time to complete a regen

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

For me here in Phoenix, in the summer my coolant is up to temp before I even get off my block, so I bet the oil is up to temp within a mile. My wife drives 2 miles to work and I prob don't even need to qualify that as a short trip even in winter. "Cold" starts in my garage are like 90-95 degrees in the summer, and mid 60's in the winter.

 

[doyall]

Originally Posted By: Kira
... Short trip = When your engine, even at full operating temperature, hasn't had the time to rid the crankcase of water AND reach correct fuel contamination levels.


Might I suggest 20 minutes would be the minimum time after reaching full operating temperature to evaporate the water and fuel, presuming that the twenty minutes is not sitting at red lights, idling, or the like.

 

[SHOZ]

In the cold winter my oil temp will be hard placed to hit 180F. And that is with a coolant heater on the oil filter adapter,.