Hermann
Site Donor 2023
Sometimes Stupid happens.
Could changing oil too often damage the engine?
- Thread starter Saikou
- Start date
Unfortunately or fortunately not much about advanced science of engine oil and it's playground (engine) is an "established fact" on bitog ... that is if you consider and read all threads and opposing views! lol
Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
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It doesn't. You and your car would get older regardless of your membership here.The older I get and the older my car becomes, the more often I change the oil. I’m sure being a member of this forum has nothing to do with it.
Good point.
It's funny I always felt if I change the brand frequently, I may spread their weaknesses or strength more evenly. Meaning they cover each other and it would be more beneficial in a long run. Whereas if I used exact same oil every time, I may end up with a more disparity, e.g. cleaner this but dirtier that, more wear here but less wear there ...
Just subconsciously and no science behind it (that I am aware of) and I don't act on it. However, the ways sales and prices go, it's been happening!
I am aware that noise and wear are not necessarily directly related. However, I suspect the differences I have heard were related to AW abilities rather than VI as AW play their role when the engine is cold and boundary lubrication is more prevalent. This would also explain why I found a correlation between the presence of metal-based additives and the sound - I am sure the oils with zero Bo/Mo had VI as well while the ones that sounded harsher had no Mo/Bo.
I do not claim I can hear different sounds with a warm engine. When warm most of the friction should be in a hydrodynamic mode and I am unable to differentiate that. All the differences I have noticed were when idling a cold engine (normal summer/spring temperature). (Transition to Ravenol and the first 200 hundred kilometers is the only exception). Moreover, it is not loudness and vibrations as such, it is totally different and unpleasant harmonics present in the sound.
Once I heard a difference with a warm engine - it was when the 0w-20 oil got so hot that the idling engine sounded and vibrated more like a cold engine rather than a warm engine. Normally, the warm engine when idling is almost difficult to hear in the cabin. After a fast ride during an unusually hot day (110+F outside) and close to 100 mph speeds (Honda 0w20 oil (y.2017) already used for 5Kmiles) the idling engine did not sound smooth and happy as usual. Once the 0w-20 cooled down it was a nice and happy idling sound again. I slowed down and replaced the oil soon. I have never experienced anything like that with any 0w-30 A3 oil and this experience made me a bit hesitant to use 0w-20 in hot weather/high load regardless of all the knowledge of the same wear protection in the tests included in ACEA, API and MB approvals.
Change it as often as you like. Your car, your money, and no one here is doing the work or paying for it. 
One other thought no one else said: I’ve yet to see a car in the salvage yard because the engine oil was changed way too often.
Usually they’re there because they weren’t changed nearly enough!
One other thought no one else said: I’ve yet to see a car in the salvage yard because the engine oil was changed way too often.
Usually they’re there because they weren’t changed nearly enough!
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Changing the oil too often wastes natural resources and money. We tend to have significant resources in the USA, which is overall a great thing. But even in the first world, we're considered very wasteful individuals. I had a friend from Norway once stay with me, and he saw that I threw away my bear costume after only one use, and would buy a new one thereafter. He told me not only would they wear it more than once, they'd wash it only after 7 or 8 uses. In the winter, maybe a dozen or more.
Great, but I dont care.
Among the worst 3-word expressions on the planet.
small JOKE TIME:
If your oil filter is not of 'base side up' design and desire to pre-fill it you can.......
Fill the filter as high as you like then pop it in a freezer overnight. The resulting thickening will give you enough time to spin it on.
Add the rest of the oil to the pan.
Wait 24 hours for the cold oil to reach ambient temperature (in either Celsius or Fahrenheit). before starting.
Your local "10 minute oil change place" will now be, "Your 24 hour oil change place".
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Interesting, I saw that some put bushings in the freezer to make them easier to press in....
The freezer is a small help but liquid nitrogen is much better.
My wife's car has, among other niceities, a digital oil pressure gauge function. Before starting one morning I toggled to get the oil pressure reading. The moment the engine turned over, it shot to @ 85 psi. After about a minute, it had settled into the 40 psi range. At 85 psi, I doubt there was much of a chance for any harm to occur.
Time for PD pump talk ... where is ze? lol I think M1 0W-40 was already mentioned. No? The two pillars of every thread!
I am told that cold oil in general is not as protective as warm/hot oil. Real cold oil even less. Something about additives to "warm up" and activate ... like When grandma does in cold winters after getting home and then she starts cooking for you!
I am told that cold oil in general is not as protective as warm/hot oil. Real cold oil even less. Something about additives to "warm up" and activate ... like When grandma does in cold winters after getting home and then she starts cooking for you!
Last edited:
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Unbelievable and selfish.
Some oils have bigger cleaning abilities than t
I try to use the same reasonable quality oil repeatedly and from time to time I use oil with declared good cleaning abilities for a shorter OCI. Most of recent oils declare that they keep the engine clean, while only a few declare cleaning abilities. Ravenol has above-average descriptions that enable it to differentiate among its oils. The amount of information is a reason I like their oils. And their prices are acceptable here. E.g. was using Ravenol SSO 0w-30 as it meets my needs and I do not expect any significant cleaning abilities from this oil. On the other hand, Ravenol DXG 5w-30 declares ability to clean by having good amount of Group V base oil therefore after 60 000 km on SSO I will use DXG for once.Good point.
It's funny I always felt if I change the brand frequently, I may spread their weaknesses or strength more evenly. Meaning they cover each other and it would be more beneficial in a long run. Whereas if I used exact same oil every time, I may end up with a more disparity, e.g. cleaner this but dirtier that, more wear here but less wear there ...
Just subconsciously and no science behind it (that I am aware of) and I don't act on it. However, the ways sales and prices go, it's been happening!
The single expression that sums up the human race as a whole to the rest of the planet.
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