Should you decrease your OCI as vehicles get older?
Decrease OCI?
- Thread starter TheLawnRanger
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I'd say it really depends on the vehicle, and how well it is aging.
My 2010 Fusion, for example, with 272,500 miles on it, still gets 7,500 mile OCI's. UOAs show that this is still working well.
A vehicle in worse condition, or one exhibiting issues, might require a shorter OCI.. but IMHO, it's really a case-by-case thing. You can't make a blanket statement strictly based on the vehicle "getting older"
My 2010 Fusion, for example, with 272,500 miles on it, still gets 7,500 mile OCI's. UOAs show that this is still working well.
A vehicle in worse condition, or one exhibiting issues, might require a shorter OCI.. but IMHO, it's really a case-by-case thing. You can't make a blanket statement strictly based on the vehicle "getting older"
Probably the opposite if it is burning oil.
Originally Posted by TheLawnRanger
Should you decrease your OCI as vehicles get older?
If you want to minimize engine wear, probably yes if you are running long OCI's. I tend to start running the OCI's longer as the car ages, since the rest of the car is getting rustier and the car will be replaced before my longer OCI's are going to result in engine failure. No point in maintaining an engine to go 500k miles when its going through the shredder at 250k....
We drive alot of hwy so I don't even think me running 10-12k miles on dino is really abuse anyways.
Should you decrease your OCI as vehicles get older?
If you want to minimize engine wear, probably yes if you are running long OCI's. I tend to start running the OCI's longer as the car ages, since the rest of the car is getting rustier and the car will be replaced before my longer OCI's are going to result in engine failure. No point in maintaining an engine to go 500k miles when its going through the shredder at 250k....
We drive alot of hwy so I don't even think me running 10-12k miles on dino is really abuse anyways.
I think a lot of things as a vehicle gets older, mostly the owners love for the vehicle...it diminishes and then things change. That wax you used to put on every three months? Now it's once a year. Those 5,000 mile on...the...dot...oil changes? Now it's...when was the last time I changed the oil...was it really 10,000 miles ago?
I've heard an interesting take on oil changes as your engine stacks on the mileage. Go to a heavier weight when it hits 120,000 miles. And cut the interval back as the higher you go. Then when it reaches 250,000 plus, the opposite is true...you don't really care so you extend the drains and put whatever is laying around the garage in it. I was putting 0W20 in my 1999 Honda Accord, with 287,000 miles on it...stuff was flying out the tailpipe. I was putting so much in it I don't think I actually went through the trouble of changing my oil.
I've heard an interesting take on oil changes as your engine stacks on the mileage. Go to a heavier weight when it hits 120,000 miles. And cut the interval back as the higher you go. Then when it reaches 250,000 plus, the opposite is true...you don't really care so you extend the drains and put whatever is laying around the garage in it. I was putting 0W20 in my 1999 Honda Accord, with 287,000 miles on it...stuff was flying out the tailpipe. I was putting so much in it I don't think I actually went through the trouble of changing my oil.
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Originally Posted by TheLawnRanger
Should you decrease your OCI as vehicles get older?
Moral #1
I like the oil drain pans that allow the backyard mechanic the opportunity to inspect the oil. You can inspect it for color and I like some dark red/burgundy in my used oil. You can inspect it for streaks and I never found a rainbow-colored streak I liked yet.
You can inspect it for thickness, thinness and sludge. The spent oil may even look sooty.
Moral #2
One cannot do these inspections, if one uses one of those drain pans with a small hole in the center and a screw-on cap on it's side.
Never buy those. They are not very helpful. Wait........ that's Moral #3.
So let all that used oil in your drain pan help you decide, should you decrease your OCIs, or stay put. You will find it's morally correct to choose either one - even morally correct to increase the OCIs, if your wallet is lacking funds.
Should you decrease your OCI as vehicles get older?
Moral #1
I like the oil drain pans that allow the backyard mechanic the opportunity to inspect the oil. You can inspect it for color and I like some dark red/burgundy in my used oil. You can inspect it for streaks and I never found a rainbow-colored streak I liked yet.
You can inspect it for thickness, thinness and sludge. The spent oil may even look sooty.
Moral #2
One cannot do these inspections, if one uses one of those drain pans with a small hole in the center and a screw-on cap on it's side.
Never buy those. They are not very helpful. Wait........ that's Moral #3.
So let all that used oil in your drain pan help you decide, should you decrease your OCIs, or stay put. You will find it's morally correct to choose either one - even morally correct to increase the OCIs, if your wallet is lacking funds.
Maybe. Depends on the UOA.
I have an 06 Malibu with a 4 cylinder ecotec engine that burned almost no oil at 100,000 miles. Now, at 220,000 miles, it burns 1 qt/ 3,000 miles. Normally I would think about extending the OCI as the fresh oil replenishes the additives, however I'm finding quite a bit of carbon buildup in the pleats of the oil filter media suggesting I should change oil earlier. There doesn't seem to be a straight simple answer to Lawnranger's question.
I think every member on the BITOG board should decrease they're OCI by at least 1/2. Most of the OCIs on here make me cringe.
Interesting question. I tend to believe go thicker but keep the OCI the same as each new spec is introduced TBN retention tends to be more stringent.
Yes if the service interval changes. I was going to let the oil in the 4 runner ride for a year, but the last 6 months she has been doing some extreme short tripping and low speed driving and idling.
Although only 2500 miles on the oil she has accumulated 200 engine hours. That's a 14-15 mph on average. So in this case it is getting dumped with very low miles. She treated the 1010 FJ I had the same way but it was cold and snowy where we loved and I ignored it. It served me well regardless, So maybe it doesn't matter. But I will prefer to have 10w30 in there with her driving habits anyway,
Although only 2500 miles on the oil she has accumulated 200 engine hours. That's a 14-15 mph on average. So in this case it is getting dumped with very low miles. She treated the 1010 FJ I had the same way but it was cold and snowy where we loved and I ignored it. It served me well regardless, So maybe it doesn't matter. But I will prefer to have 10w30 in there with her driving habits anyway,
Yes in New Braunfels the 10w30 would suit your Toyota well.
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Probably the opposite if it is burning oil.
Pretty much true
As engines age, I generally go longer and longer on oil changes.
I have had some that I just stopped changing oil in completely - - i just added it as it needed.
Probably the opposite if it is burning oil.
Pretty much true
As engines age, I generally go longer and longer on oil changes.
I have had some that I just stopped changing oil in completely - - i just added it as it needed.
For the last 41 years I have done 10K OCIs with M1 oils. Some engines had well over 300K MILES with 10K OCIs for the entire time. Also not one engine ever increased in oil consumption. At present my 2007 Ford Fusion 2.3 still uses about 3-4 OZ per 10K OCI as an example.
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Originally Posted by das_peikko
I think every member on the BITOG board should decreasethey're their OCI by at least 1/2. Most of the OCIs on here make me cringe.
Sorry, had to correct this first..
Every member? So you're saying the 7,500 mile OCI that my Fusion gets should be reduced by 1/2? Even though it's the exact OCI specified by Ford for this car?
I think every member on the BITOG board should decrease
Sorry, had to correct this first..
Every member? So you're saying the 7,500 mile OCI that my Fusion gets should be reduced by 1/2? Even though it's the exact OCI specified by Ford for this car?
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Every member? So you're saying the 7,500 mile OCI that my Fusion gets should be reduced by 1/2? Even though it's the exact OCI specified by Ford for this car?
For those that believe in the 'evil car manufacturers' who are planning to force the vehicles into engine failure by reccomending 'too long' of OCIs, this is not at all out of the realm of reasonable.
Every member? So you're saying the 7,500 mile OCI that my Fusion gets should be reduced by 1/2? Even though it's the exact OCI specified by Ford for this car?
For those that believe in the 'evil car manufacturers' who are planning to force the vehicles into engine failure by reccomending 'too long' of OCIs, this is not at all out of the realm of reasonable.
If there are no apparent problems with the engine, maybe decrease slightly, to account for the probably slightly higher blowby and therefore oil contamination a more worn engine is going to have.
So say if you change oil every 5000 miles maybe make than 4500 or 4250 as the engine ages, that is atleast what i would do.
So say if you change oil every 5000 miles maybe make than 4500 or 4250 as the engine ages, that is atleast what i would do.
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