I drive a 97 Camry 4cyl 85 miles a day 90% highway and 10% city. As a perk of the job, I get free oil changes every 3k. My car has 192k on it. I've been using syn power 5w30 since 75k. My car burns .25 of a quart every 3k. What is a better oil? Syn power or syn blend high mileage Valvoline? They have both. Does the high mileage offer me more benefit considering I change it every 3k regardless?
What would you do?
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3000 mile OCI's are simply OVERKILL...and a waste of good oil... and time.....especially with your driving routine (mostly highway).
You can easily extend your OCI...to 6000+...with Syn Power. As long as your not leaking oil or burning large amounts...you don't need a HM oil.
You can easily extend your OCI...to 6000+...with Syn Power. As long as your not leaking oil or burning large amounts...you don't need a HM oil.
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Synpower is synthetic and designed to be ran much longer than 3K. In the application that you present, the HM would probably be a better choice since you have 192K miles on the car and there are some sealing properties in the HM that may not be present in the Synpower.
You may want to inform your employer they could save quite a bit of money by extending the OCI to 5K minimum on conventional oil and 7.5K minimum on synthetic.
Just a thought...
You may want to inform your employer they could save quite a bit of money by extending the OCI to 5K minimum on conventional oil and 7.5K minimum on synthetic.
Just a thought...
I agree about extending my OCI. As far as waste is concerned, consider that I am one of over 50 cars in fleet.
maybe they should start doing oil analysis so they can extend oci's on observed oil conditions.
after 3000 miles the oil still has 3000-4000 miles to go
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Originally Posted By: markum
I agree about extending my OCI. As far as waste is concerned, consider that I am one of over 50 cars in fleet.
They all follow this same 3K OCI? If so, then yes, there is a considerable amount of waste in time, money, and resources.
I am guessing that fleet pricing on oil and filters is at least what I post here, but it is likely cheaper.
Provided I have calculated correctly:
3K OCI @ 20,000 miles per vehicle per year = 6 OCs per year per car or 300 OCs for 50 cars = $8,100 (HM @ $27.00 per OC) OR $10,500 (Synpower @ $35.00 per OC)
5K OCI @ 20,000 miles per vehicle per year = 4 OCs per year per car or 200 OCs for 50 cars = $ 5,400 (HM @ $27.00 per OC)
7.5K OCI @ 20,000 miles per vehicle per year = 3 OCs per year per car or 150 OCs for 50 cars = $5,250 (Synpower @ $35.00 per OC)
This would not count the labor cost that would be saved as well as the employees time to bring the car in for maintenance.
I agree about extending my OCI. As far as waste is concerned, consider that I am one of over 50 cars in fleet.
They all follow this same 3K OCI? If so, then yes, there is a considerable amount of waste in time, money, and resources.
I am guessing that fleet pricing on oil and filters is at least what I post here, but it is likely cheaper.
Provided I have calculated correctly:
3K OCI @ 20,000 miles per vehicle per year = 6 OCs per year per car or 300 OCs for 50 cars = $8,100 (HM @ $27.00 per OC) OR $10,500 (Synpower @ $35.00 per OC)
5K OCI @ 20,000 miles per vehicle per year = 4 OCs per year per car or 200 OCs for 50 cars = $ 5,400 (HM @ $27.00 per OC)
7.5K OCI @ 20,000 miles per vehicle per year = 3 OCs per year per car or 150 OCs for 50 cars = $5,250 (Synpower @ $35.00 per OC)
This would not count the labor cost that would be saved as well as the employees time to bring the car in for maintenance.
considering your consumption level, I'd stick with the Valvoline. I can't see any benefit to using a HM oil if you don't need it, and given your climate and the type of service, your mileage really isn't that high. In dog years, it's probably half of that!
As far as the OCI, is it mandated @ 3K? If not, I'd double it. If anything, it would be *marginally* less wear on the engine, and more convenient for you (half the number of changes to deal with). Even that's way sooner than necessary, but it's half the waste of what you're doing currently.
As far as the OCI, is it mandated @ 3K? If not, I'd double it. If anything, it would be *marginally* less wear on the engine, and more convenient for you (half the number of changes to deal with). Even that's way sooner than necessary, but it's half the waste of what you're doing currently.
I'm an analyst with a medical company. I do not use my own car, they provide me with a company car. The oil changes along with other maintenance is just one of those perks we get.
Considering it's not your money, I'd go with synpower.
Synthetic oil changes every 3k will keep that engine running for a loooong time. Also, considering it sounds like you're already having good luck with synpower (that's very low consumption), I'd stick with what you're doing. I think HM oil would be a step back in your case.
Synthetic oil changes every 3k will keep that engine running for a loooong time. Also, considering it sounds like you're already having good luck with synpower (that's very low consumption), I'd stick with what you're doing. I think HM oil would be a step back in your case.
Originally Posted By: Oregoonian
3000 mile OCI's are simply OVERKILL...and a waste of good oil...
Yes, but at least you don't have to worry about getting varnish stains with a short OCI ...
3000 mile OCI's are simply OVERKILL...and a waste of good oil...
Yes, but at least you don't have to worry about getting varnish stains with a short OCI ...
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My neighbor changes his Valvoline oil every 2000 miles!! I kid you not. When he removed his engine at 301,000 miles for replacement I was amazed at how dirty the oil pan, pick-up tube and pushrod galleries were. With a drain interval bordering on absurd, that engine should have been spotless.
My conclusion from this was that maybe he should have used a different brand of oil.
Car is a 1993 Mustang 5.0. Engine replaced at 301,000 miles just because.
My conclusion from this was that maybe he should have used a different brand of oil.
Car is a 1993 Mustang 5.0. Engine replaced at 301,000 miles just because.
Originally Posted By: FowVay
My neighbor changes his Valvoline oil every 2000 miles!! I kid you not. When he removed his engine at 301,000 miles for replacement I was amazed at how dirty the oil pan, pick-up tube and pushrod galleries were. With a drain interval bordering on absurd, that engine should have been spotless.
My conclusion from this was that maybe he should have used a different brand of oil.
Car is a 1993 Mustang 5.0. Engine replaced at 301,000 miles just because.
Wow. Valvoline Conventional?
Hey - got pics you can post??
My neighbor changes his Valvoline oil every 2000 miles!! I kid you not. When he removed his engine at 301,000 miles for replacement I was amazed at how dirty the oil pan, pick-up tube and pushrod galleries were. With a drain interval bordering on absurd, that engine should have been spotless.
My conclusion from this was that maybe he should have used a different brand of oil.
Car is a 1993 Mustang 5.0. Engine replaced at 301,000 miles just because.
Wow. Valvoline Conventional?
Hey - got pics you can post??
I have one of those sludge prone 97 4cyl Camry's and change the oil every 5K using full syn if that's any help. Mine has 230K on the engine and seems to be going strong. You'd probably be fine using dino at that interval but given that there is no cost to you of syn, why not use the syn? A little bit of overkill in the 5S-FE engine isn't a bad thing.
Try Valvolines Maxlife full synthetic 5w30 if you can get it from them. Most of the versions floating around are SM flavours with a nice dose of moly in them.
Originally Posted By: markum
I'm an analyst with a medical company. I do not use my own car, they provide me with a company car. The oil changes along with other maintenance is just one of those perks we get.
Sounds like the maintenance of the company car fleet needs to be reviewed. They should institute a program of UOA's to find the most cost-effective oil and OCI combination.
I'm an analyst with a medical company. I do not use my own car, they provide me with a company car. The oil changes along with other maintenance is just one of those perks we get.
Sounds like the maintenance of the company car fleet needs to be reviewed. They should institute a program of UOA's to find the most cost-effective oil and OCI combination.
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