Originally Posted by dnewton3
Guys and gals -
Some of you are missing the point here. This is an experiment.
Generally, while most of us would agree this is not advisable to do, it's not ended in catastrophe; 60k miles with no BP filter is somewhat of a risk, but it ain't broke yet.
And yet, there's no signs of horrid destruction. Admittedly we'd like to see a UOA.
But the point is that those whom pontificate would predict certain doom are now somewhat confounded because the engine has not exploded.
I see value in this. While it's not advisable, it's at least anecdotal evidence that most products are far more capable than the average BITOGer would want to admit.
I personally have run ST dino oil out to 15k miles, with MC FL400S, under soccer-mom severe use in my wife's old Villager. And yet after a few of those OFCIs the UOAs were perfectly normal and the under-valve-cover evidence was clean as a whistle. I routinely run 10k mile OCIs with normal filters and the UOAs and visual inspections always come back fine.
Maybe, just maybe, the point to something like this is acknowledging that most of you anal-retentive folks who OFCI every 5k miles with syn lubes and syn media filters are just a bit over zealous? What we hear often is that it's "cheap insurance" to do really short OCIs and use super premium lubes and filters. Well, folks, the evidence shows that most any normal product is FAR, FAR more capable that what you believe.
And this little experiment is just proof that the extremes are not as terrible as you'd first think. I don't think any same person would walk away from this believing that 60k mile OCIs is prudent. But the point to learn here is that if you're running a 7.5k mile OFCI plan, and you accidentally over-run your OFCI by a few thousand miles, you can still sleep at night knowing your engine isn't going to explode in the driveway.
AMEN! Preach on brother! I'm with you every word.
I used to drink the coolaid, and use all the high dollar "wisdom", but finally realized, like most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in between. Oil seems to be one of only a few commodities in our life that is over engineered
So I've learned to back off to a more realistic approach. I don't use Redline or Amsoil, not saying they're not great, nor will I go 40k ocis, just a more reasonable approach, that will yield the same results.
I say a big thanks to the OP for giving use, even one data point, to show that it didn't grenade!