10k OCI -- Valvoline Synpower

[15951]

Hi everyone,

Curious as to your thoughts as to whether a 10k OCI is reasonable for our commuter vehicle -- info below. We've been doing a 10k OCI the past 3 oil changes with Valvoline Maxlife synthetic or Synpower synthetic (whichever is on sale), and it seems to be running well with no issues. 10k miles happens in 3 months, so there's no extended time interval. The car has 187k miles and we're hoping to get another 30k or so (1 year) before calling it quits. Thanks for your input!


1. 2005 Ford Taurus, 187k miles
2. Manual calls for SAE 5w20 Motorcraft syn blend @ 5k OCI. Ford later allowed/preferred 5w30, so that's what we use.
3. Live in Lexington, KY
4. Drive "normal" -- fairly easy, but not blue hair-like

5. Car spends most of it's time on highway on 120 mile commute with very little time idling or stopped -- mostly constant speed of 70-80 mph
6. Amazingly, no real problems. The oil pan is weepy, and I have to add a quart of oil every 4k miles or so. Nothing out of spec.

 

[tommygunn]

It will probably work fine for the interval you describe, especially since you have to add a few quarts of fresh oil.

Napa has their house brand synthetic on sale for $3.49 per quart until the 31st. It is rebranded Synpower. You might want to stock up on it, but you only have a few days left, so get there soon

 

[SatinSilver]

Sounds good to me. There's a guy on here with a F-150 that does 10k oil changes on conventional oil with good UOA results. 100k miles on the truck. He uses Mobil conventional.

 

[JethroBodine]

Manual calls for SAE 5w20 Motorcraft syn blend @ 5k OCI..? What's so hard to understand about that? So you are going to save the cost of 3 oil changes?

 

[dparm]

10k on a synthetic is doable, but SynPower's starting TBN is quite low compared to the competition. I'm not sure I trust it for that sort of interval.

 

[15951]

Originally Posted By: JethroBodine
Manual calls for SAE 5w20 Motorcraft syn blend @ 5k OCI..? What's so hard to understand about that? So you are going to save the cost of 3 oil changes?


I understand it just fine, but I'm choosing to use full synthetic with the assumption that I can go longer on an OCI with same. What's so hard to understand about that?

It's not about cost, it's about not wanting to change the oil every 6 weeks unless absolutely necessary.

 

[HTSS_TR]

"Car spends most of it's time on highway on 120 mile commute with very little time idling or stopped -- mostly constant speed of 70-80 mph"

Good dino could do 10k OCI too.

 

[JethroBodine]

Originally Posted By: 15951

It's not about cost, it's about not wanting to change the oil every 6 weeks unless absolutely necessary.



If that is the case then I would use Mobil1EP or Amsoil and an extended life filter

 

[tommygunn]

Originally Posted By: dparm
10k on a synthetic is doable, but SynPower's starting TBN is quite low compared to the competition. I'm not sure I trust it for that sort of interval.


But adding a couple quarts will replenish the TBN. The OP will have to add 2 during the OCI (losing a quart every 4k)

 

[tinmanSC]

While Valvoline has a lower starting TBN, I see no reason why highway driving should be a problem with this OCI. Valvoline turns in some great UOAs are higher mileage, and TBN isn't everything. I also run Valvoline SynPower 7,500-12,000 miles. I do burn a little oil between OCIs, so I top up, which makes TBN less of a concern. Since you said you add oil between OCIs, I can find no problems at all with what you are doing.

 

[Rolla07]

Considering all hwy miles i think itd be fine. Good quality syn and good filter and dont worry about it. Especially considering you are adding 2 1/2 quarts of oil during that time. Might be a good idea to run a high mileage blend.

 

[15951]

Originally Posted By: tommygunn
Originally Posted By: dparm
10k on a synthetic is doable, but SynPower's starting TBN is quite low compared to the competition. I'm not sure I trust it for that sort of interval.


But adding a couple quarts will replenish the TBN. The OP will have to add 2 during the OCI (losing a quart every 4k)


Yeah, that's about what I have to add between oil changes. Thanks for the input!

 

[simple_gifts]

There was a UOA on a 6cyl Duratech with Amsoil posted a few years back. 27,000 miles on 0W-20 with good wear numbers.

If I were doing that type of driving, I'd seriously take a measured approach (UOA) and determine how far you can go between changes; why guess. A few tests will pay for themselves in reduced OC.

 

[EA82]

I would run 10k oci on any oil, since you are trying to get rid of the car in a year.

 

[15951]

Originally Posted By: laserred96gt
I would run 10k oci on any oil, since you are trying to get rid of the car in a year.


I know what you're saying, but my conscience won't me. I need to be able to look the person I sell the car to in the eye and tell them the car was taken care of while I had it.

 

[15951]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
There was a UOA on a 6cyl Duratech with Amsoil posted a few years back. 27,000 miles on 0W-20 with good wear numbers.


That's pretty amazing. They must have been changing the oil filter periodically during that time, right?

 

[bigt61]

I would run the 10k with just regular MaxLife semi-synthetic. That would be a breeze with the kind of easy miles you're doing. It would also probably help with that weeping oil pan - at least more so than would a straight synthetic.