Time vs. Miles for OCI circumstance

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Assuming I am using high quality oils (Castrol Edge EP, PPHM, or full syn MaxLife for the Caddy DTS / Castrol Magnatec Syn, PP, or PUP for the Mazda) and filters (Napa Gold, Platinum, or Fram Ultra), is there any real danger of exceeding a 1 year OCI (max would be 18 months) if I am under 10K miles between changes? Neither cars are under warranty, and I have been changing the Mazda at 7K miles and the Cadillac once per year (which equaled about 8K miles and still about 25% on the OLM). I'm thinking I could stretch the Mazda out to 1 year or 8K miles (whichever comes first) and the DTS to 10K miles or 18 months without any real concerns. Neither cars burn oil, but the Cadillac does have a minor version of "the Northstar leak", which means it leaks a little while hot/warm, but none at ambient temperatures.

The Mazda takes 5.5qts and the Cadillac 7.5qts as an FYI.

I do not currently plan on getting UOAs on either car, but I am open to the idea. I appreciate your comments/thoughts. Thank you.
 
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Originally Posted By: Miller88
Which engine is in the Mazda 6? If it's the MZR I4, I'd have no problem going 10K on it.


I think that is the one. It's a 2.5L inline 4 which I think is kind of a Ford/Mazda mashup (same or similar to the Ford Duratech). I know Mazda is fully independent now, but I never really understood the arrangement/partnership between them and Ford at the time. The way I understand it, the generation 6 we have is mechanically a Ford Fusion, with body, interior, and suspension by Mazda. It's been a great car, and the new 6 is on my short list when it is time to replace it in 2 or 3 years.
 
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You want to stretch the DTS out to 10k miles or 18 months but the manual will say change it after a year and Mobil 1 Annual Protection says to change the oil after a year so why would you stretch it out to 18 months!
 
I think Mobil1 Annual Protection states to follow manufacturers recommendations. That being said, given that the vehicles in question aren't under warranty, I would confidently run 10k with the right oil. Nor would I be afraid to exceed the one year mark with the right oil. But whereas Mobil Annual Protection places a limitation on themselves of one year, I would not want to exceed that. They know their limitations.
 
Originally Posted By: Dyusik
Oil doesn't have a wristwatch, or a calendar.


Truth has been spoken.
 
Originally Posted By: 03s
so why would you stretch it out to 18 months!


Because multiple used oil analysis on this site show it really doesn't matter how long the oil sits in the oil pan

It's not a perishable, like milk is
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Dyusik
Oil doesn't have a wristwatch, or a calendar.


Truth has been spoken.


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With my 1996 Contour, which I still have, and my 2002 F-150 I regularly ran 8,000+ OCI's in 18 to 24 month intervals and the engines were still spotless under the valve cover and the few UOA's I did showed no unusual wear metals. I used Mobil 1, Castrol Edge, Valvoline Synpower and Pennzoil Platinum. I did very little short tripping. Most of the driving was 9-10 mile trips on secondary highways with some longer distance highway driving thrown in.

Whimsey
 
^^

Thank you. Cool that you still have your Contour. I had a late 90s Mercury Mystique V6 that I bought used and drove for many years prior to selling it. It never left me stranded or anything like that, but it had lots of little issues that needed attention as it got older. It was a really fun car to drive, and I enjoyed it.
 
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Originally Posted By: Ddubya
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Which engine is in the Mazda 6? If it's the MZR I4, I'd have no problem going 10K on it.


I think that is the one. It's a 2.5L inline 4 which I think is kind of a Ford/Mazda mashup (same or similar to the Ford Duratech). I know Mazda is fully independent now, but I never really understood the arrangement/partnership between them and Ford at the time. The way I understand it, the generation 6 we have is mechanically a Ford Fusion, with body, interior, and suspension by Mazda. It's been a great car, and the new 6 is on my short list when it is time to replace it in 2 or 3 years.


Yep! That's the one! 10K on a synthetic and a good filter and don't look back!
 
Looking at UOA data and being involved in the thread about a member who has 62,000 miles on the same AmsOil fill (with by-pass filtering) with top-ups when he changes his full flow OEM style filters (10K IIRC), I'd say it should be easy to go 10K for both those cars given the oil you are using
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Originally Posted By: otis24
. But whereas Mobil Annual Protection places a limitation on themselves of one year, I would not want to exceed that. They know their limitations.



No

I bet it would be fine for more than a year. Since the are calling it AP, the are only warrantying it for a year. If warrantying is even a word. I don't think their issue is lack of longevity, rather they don't want people trying to run it forever and then suing them for not saying to change oil.
 
Originally Posted By: 03s
You want to stretch the DTS out to 10k miles or 18 months but the manual will say change it after a year and Mobil 1 Annual Protection says to change the oil after a year so why would you stretch it out to 18 months!


Because, as the OP stated, it only has less than 10K on it.

Originally Posted By: Whimsey
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Dyusik said:
Oil doesn't have a wristwatch, or a calendar.


Truth has been spoken.


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Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Looking at UOA data and being involved in the thread about a member who has 62,000 miles on the same AmsOil fill (with by-pass filtering) with top-ups when he changes his full flow OEM style filters (10K IIRC), I'd say it should be easy to go 10K for both those cars given the oil you are using
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'nuff said.
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With the oils and filters you have chosen you will not have any issues with extending the service life of your oil / filters to the limits you have noted. That is assuming you are not using the using the vehicles for any racing, heavy towing, etc.
 
In my lower use equipment (Dmax, Kubota, Mustang) I typically run 3 years or equivilant of 15k miles. Probably could go further, but I've not tested past that, so it would be unfair to ask something of others I don't do myself. UOAs always come back fine; so much so that I've stopped doing them by wrote, and only if I suspect an issue needs addressed. I've seen plenty of data to show there's no inherent danger in this act, in and of itself.

Oil and filters are perfectly fine out to that mark PRESUMING there are no other untoward indicators such as contamination intrusion, etc.
 
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Thank you, everyone. All good stuff, and it sounds like I am mostly on the right track.
 
dnewton3,

Just a quick question. If a vehicle sees very little use; like a show car that is driven from the garage to the trailer to the show, and then back into the trailer and back to the garage, would the motor oil in the sump have an unlimited life span? Or, would being exposed to metal and air lead the oil to deteriorate? Or, if someone would drive a car to the point of getting the motor oil up to the operating temperature, to burn off any moisture, and then parked the car. Say do this only once a month, could the oil last indefinitely? I'm just thinking about it, not that this scenario would ever happen.
 
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