Every 6 months or one year OCI

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I have two questions one specific to my current situation and one generic
1) Specific - I changed oil Early June 2018 . M1 5W20 with M1 110 filter . Since then and now I have got 8000kms on the clock
In mid Aug 2018, I found a leak in the oil filter so my filter was changed. Stupid pit top student poured a full 1 liter bottle whereas an oil filter only contains 300ml or so oil. So I had to take out 300ml oil out else it was an overfill.. Then as my car burns oil, I add another 500ml in somewhere Dec 2018.. Then my car stayed outside Mechanic's garage for full 2 months in -30 to -40 deg C while I waited for parts. In these 2 months the car was started 2 to 3 times to move it from one side of garage to other side. Finally car was fixed in Feb 2019 and I added another 500ml in March to bring to full mark on dipstick. car sitting outside for 2 months in those crazy winter months and also being started a few times might have made my oil acidic, moisture full and oxidized? I took it to highway for a 100kms to burn moisture etc but thought of asking.
should I change oil now?
2) I was thinking to switch to M1 EP 0W20 and do yearly OCI. In winters , I do have to do some short trips but every couple of weeks do take the car to highway 50 to 100 kms.. Is yearly OCI fine or I should stick to 6 months here in Winnipeg. or perhaps go 9 months?
 
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I guess I'd probably ask...in a typical year, how many miles are you driving?Because I'm assuming the car sitting outside your mechanic's place isn't happening every year. Something to consider...car sitting or not, you're driving in really cold temperatures during the winter up there in Canada. That's considered extreme driving conditions...mix that in with short trips and I think maybe the once a year oil change might not be ideal. Not saying it's going to hurt anything, or not, but it's not ideal.
 
Originally Posted by asker123
2) I was thinking to switch to M1 EP 0W20 and do yearly OCI.
That will work well. Sounds like you will be doing about 10,000 miles a year, and Mobil1 Extended Performance 0w20, a great formula that is practically all-PAO, can go 1 year or 15,000 miles. I would use a Fram Ultra oil filter since its better than the Mobil1 oil filter. Use Mobil1 Annual Protection 0w20 if you can get it. Either oil will do. ..... Nice choice going to a "0w" oil in Winnipeg Winter Weather (WWW).
Just keep the oil level between the add and full lines for that long annual oil change. Thats where some people fail, not remembering to check oil once a month.
 
Don't even sweat it. Change the oil when the oil life monitor tells you to or go by mileage.

Your oil is fine sitting for months on end. Was the car submerged? Doubt it so I would not worry about acidity or moisture. Your engine will be just fine with a few unaided cold starts in the winter, mine have been doing fine for years. Your car will long rot away before you run into oil related issues.

My Trailblazer gets what ever 5w30 group 3 synthetic I find on sale at Cambodian Tire. I change the oil when the OLM tells me, which is around the 24,000km mark. This usually falls around that 1.5 to 2 year mark now. I have been doing this for years. It gets plenty of cold starts (not garaged) and many times without the block heater. It runs great and I think it begins to use a bit of oil when north of the 20,000km mark. It is still going strong at 227,000km. The body and chassis are showing its age though.

I second the use of PetroCan oils. They make great products. The only reason I use something other in my gassers is the price. I can garner a bit of savings when found on sale as opposed to the bulk dealer. The diesel oil is another story and I will continue to use their product.

Sure this is my opinion, anecdotal but based off mine and others many years driving and maintaining vehicles in Sask.
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Petro Canada syn and change every six months.... May 1st and Nov 1st.


Just curious. Why do you recommend PC oil, but you don't use it yourself? Let's pretend it is equal to M1 EP. I rarely see it outside of a PCan gas station, and it can cost upwards of twice as much as EP, when EP is on sale. Am I missing something here?
 
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PC oil from the distributor is a good deal. If you really want to compare prices, compare a 1 L PC at the gas station versus a 1 L non-special synthetic at Canadian Tire or Walmart Canada, and all of a sudden, PC doesn't look so bad. I recommend all kinds of choices. What works best for the person buying is the most important thing. At least in Winnipeg, he'll have his pick of Canadian Tires, Walmarts, NAPAs, and distributors.
 
Originally Posted by Yuk
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Petro Canada syn and change every six months.... May 1st and Nov 1st.


Just curious. Why do you recommend PC oil, but you don't use it yourself? Let's pretend it is equal to M1 EP. I rarely see it outside of a PCan gas station, and it can cost upwards of twice as much as EP, when EP is on sale. Am I missing something here?


This is correct. I dont think Petro Canada oil is that famous in Canada. I dont see it in stores and I wouldn't go to Petro Canada gas station to buy oil ( I buy gas from Esso) and I dont think oils or any other things as such are ever on deal in gas stations. So I will continue sticking with classic M1 5W20 or 0W20 or 0W20 EP.. Its just that I need to take a decision on 6 months vs 1 year OCI.
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Petro Canada syn and change every six months.... May 1st and Nov 1st.


Quote
Just curious. Why do you recommend PC oil, but you don't use it yourself?

I cannot find Petro Canada in the Detroit area and I do not have a Passport for Canada entry.
 
If you really wanted to, there are Petro-Canada distribution channels in the States.
wink.gif
I think their American office is in Chicago. I don't remember who, but I do recall at least one BITOGer in the States using it without coming up here for it.
 
Originally Posted by Garak
If you really wanted to, there are Petro-Canada distribution channels in the States.
wink.gif
I think their American office is in Chicago. I don't remember who, but I do recall at least one BITOGer in the States using it without coming up here for it.

I only recommended it to save the OP money on Canadian purchased oil, for a vehicle that's at least 16-17 years-old now with over 170KM's. It's cheaper than EP and even vanilla Mobil-1.

This thread is not about me. I already have my two years stockpile of oil for three vehicles and two years is my limit.
 
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The concern with short trips is when they are repeated, meaning they are part of your normal routine. Doesn't sound like this is your case. Your saving grace is the longer highway runs every couple weeks, that will help to purify the oil and clean things up nicely. Generally, use the Mobil 1 0w20 EP changed yearly with the premium filter and you will be fine. But of course don't stray too far from your owner's manual instructions.
 
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I think the comparable PC synthetic oil to that of Pennzoil/QS maybe worked out to less than 50cents a litre against PC when the others were on sale at Cambodian Tire. But I should double check as prices always fluctuate.

Now the PC Duron semi synthetic 10w30 I use in my Diesel comes out to less than 5$ a litre all in, all day, every day. That's cheaper than T5, Motomaster and regular Citgo 10w30 semis when found on sale. Now T6 when on sale and with the rebate will come out cheaper than PC 0,5w40.
 
Originally Posted by DGXR
The concern with short trips is when they are repeated, meaning they are part of your normal routine. Doesn't sound like this is your case. Your saving grace is the longer highway runs every couple weeks, that will help to purify the oil and clean things up nicely. Generally, use the Mobil 1 0w20 EP changed yearly with the premium filter and you will be fine. But of course don't stray too far from your owner's manual instructions.


actually I do not drive monday to friday as I take bus to office. On weekends sometimes those crazy winter days, you really feel like somehow just manage to do grocery hence the short trip.
oil in Canada costs a lot. When on deal , I pay almost 37 to 40 dollars just for oil and 10 dollars for filter
then I pay 20 to 25 dollars to mechanic to change oil so 75 dollars for an oil change .
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
I only recommended it to save the OP money on Canadian purchased oil, for a vehicle that's at least 16-17 years-old now with over 170KM's. It's cheaper than EP and even vanilla Mobil-1.

And it's a very valid, well reasoned suggestion.
 
Update : Today I changed oil from mobile1 5W20 to mobil1 EP 0w20 for the first time. So far so good , couple of hundred km driving, I feel no change in how car drives and even feel that engine is less noisy.
Also even though in Winnipeg, I am determined to do once a year oci from now onwards changing the oil and filter every spring.
My reasoning is that because car burns oil, I will start with fresh oil each spring with mobil1 EP 0w20 but when the oil level goes down in late spring and summer, I will add mobil1 EP 5W30 and then when oil level goes down again in fall and winter I will add mobil1 EP 0w20...that way, engine will have some fresh EP 0w20 oil before the crazy -45 deg celcius hits.
The reason to do yearly oci in spring rather than fall is that if I change oil in fall it is more likely that some short trips in extreme winter will make oil go bad and I will have to drive with bad oil in spring and fall
whereas by changing the oil in spring, due to higher summer temps and long distance driving it is less likely for EP oil to go bad before winters and after the winters when the oil goes bad due to short trips in extreme low temps, the bad oil will be dumped soon after in spring.
Let me know if anyone sees any problem in this..Cheers
 
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