"High Speed" Driving & Engine/Oil

[HowAboutThis]

Curious if there is opinion/evidence on how well oil holds up on a long journey through the Rockies and across the flyover states. For instance, a Toyota running synthetic 0w20 during the summer, climbing the mountains and then once on the flat setting the cruise at 80+mph. Weather might be 75 or might be 105.

Is this "extreme" driving conditions? Or is the highway cruising easy on the engine and oil?

I should add, seems like the flyover states always have a 20+mph headwind adding engine load...

 

[ammolab]

Long highway runs are about as easy on engine oil as you can get.

 

[joe02151]

it would be dependent on RPM more than speed, My motorcycle cruises on the highway 70-80 mph @6-7k RPM where my work truck would be at 3k RPM I would be interested in this topic too

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Curious if there is opinion/evidence on how well oil holds up on a long journey through the Rockies and across the flyover states. For instance, a Toyota running synthetic 0w20 during the summer, climbing the mountains and then once on the flat setting the cruise at 80+mph. Weather might be 75 or might be 105.

Is this "extreme" driving conditions? Or is the highway cruising easy on the engine and oil?

I should add, seems like the flyover states always have a 20+mph headwind adding engine load...

No, those are not extreme driving conditions. Over the Rockies though make sure your cooling system is up to the task due to the altitude (and cars overheat here during winter easily).
Extreme driving conditions is autobahn when you nailing your car between 80 and 155mph during night between Munich and Hamburg.

 

[RDY4WAR]

Steady state cruise on the highway is light duty for the engine and oil. I wouldn't be concerned about it. I'm about to embark on a 2200 mile round trip from Georgia to Oklahoma, and I'm more concerned about how to keep our 1 year old entertained on the road than the engine or oil.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted by edyvw
[ Over the Rockies though make sure your cooling system is up to the task due to the altitude (and cars overheat here during winter easily).


Never really thought about this... fewer air molecules to conduct heat away?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Mountain driving at high altitude, and driving with a load that cause your mpg to drop at highway speed Has always been determined to be severe driving because you are using more fuel. Speed is a load that the engine has to work to overcome.
Non severe driving is where your mileage is best. A sweet spot between 40-60 mph is best for oil longevity. slower is bad because the oil doesn't get up a lot of temperature and may indicate driving conditions that use more fuel per mile,, faster is bad because fuel use goes up due to work required to overcome the wind resistance as do other factors such as downshifts running higher rpms to maintain that cruise control speed into the headwind you mentioned.

Monitor fuel use. If it is dropping during the trip so you can maintain a faster pace and make time(I do it all the time and mileage drops from22 to the mid teens in my Tacoma @80 +mph) then you need to consider those miles as more severe
Just because it is "normal" driving doesn't mean it's not harder on the oil.
Non severe driving conditions will get you ran over on the interstate. There is a penalty for speed.

 

[HowAboutThis]

See, this is my thinking. What's deemed "heavy load"? That's my question. 85mph with a 25mph headwind will drop me from about 40mpgs at 70 and calm to 32-34 mpgs. And if I hook up Torque app I guarantee my engine load will be up. But is that enough to change at 5k miles instead of 10k? 7500?

 

[PimTac]

Going across mountain passes means your engine will run faster due to the lower gear you are in. It's all dependent on the vehicle.

As long as everything is up to snuff, the 0w20 will be fine.

 

[MNgopher]

Assuming the cooling system is working properly, no nothing described is considered severe or extreme.

Severe operating conditions typically are:
-Trailer towing
-Dusty Conditions (Primary use)
-Extended Idling operations
-Primary off road driving

Extended at operating temp work is some of the easiest conditions on engine oil (again, assuming the cooling system is functioning properly).

Using vehicles with OLM's in Colorado driving, the change interval has not varied appreciably between mountain pass / extended trip operation, and regular day to day use.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

5-10k miles are simple solutions, you can be your own oil life monitor without having to choose black or white between 5 and 10 k which are just easy ways to remember service.
.I would track your hard miles and mileage for the trip . For these heavy fuel use miles I would deduct at the 5k OCI rate so while normal good milage miles you are using 10% of oil life for every 1000 miles at The higher burn rate you are using 20% per 1000 miles so for every 1000 miles at this burn rate you could deduct 2000 miles from your planned OCI of 10k. At this rate if you do 5 k miles at the high burn rate you are done. If you do 4K miles and return to easier driving you would have 2k left
If you don't have a function to track the tank fuel mileage you can simply keep a trip log and look at your fuel burned at the end of the trip. Most vehicles keep good fuel logs now.
.
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
See, this is my thinking. What's deemed "heavy load"? That's my question. 85mph with a 25mph headwind will drop me from about 40mpgs at 70 and calm to 32-34 mpgs. And if I hook up Torque app I guarantee my engine load will be up. But is that enough to change at 5k miles instead of 10k? 7500?

 

[KrisZ]

Perhaps Toyota considered MOFT in their recommendation. The lower the RPM the higher MOFT required. Assuming same wind resistance, an engine that spins 2k RPM at 80mph will require thicker oil to maintain MOFT than the same engine geared to spin 3k RPM at 80mph.
With today's vehicles being geared to have lower RPM even on 4 cylinder models, what's commonly considered "easy" on oil, may not be so.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Well the good thing is, any resistance at all due to wind and the CVT kicks down to wherever it's programmed to and stays there...I guess...

 

[BrocLuno]

What Toyota and what load ... Sienna with roof rack or Thule's and 6 on board will be a fair load and may be bucking wind. Supra with 2 on board and just overnight bags, no big deal.

 

[andyd]

You should be able to drive any Toyota with its recommended oil for 10k miles, provided you top off if/as needed.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Originally Posted by BrocLuno
What Toyota and what load ... Sienna with roof rack or Thule's and 6 on board will be a fair load and may be bucking wind. Supra with 2 on board and just overnight bags, no big deal.


Corolla with the high performance, twin turbo, 345hp 4-cylinder. Or it's 135hp or so. I can never remember...just me and luggage. No roof racks.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Originally Posted by BrocLuno
What Toyota and what load ... Sienna with roof rack or Thule's and 6 on board will be a fair load and may be bucking wind. Supra with 2 on board and just overnight bags, no big deal.


Corolla with the high performance, twin turbo, 345hp 4-cylinder. Or it's 135hp or so. I can never remember...just me and luggage. No roof racks.




So this entire thread was either based on a hypothetical situation or we were led on by the op.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by eljefino
Originally Posted by edyvw
[ Over the Rockies though make sure your cooling system is up to the task due to the altitude (and cars overheat here during winter easily).


Never really thought about this... fewer air molecules to conduct heat away?

Yes, thinner air and drop in power. For every 1,000ft in naturally aspirated engine drop is approximately 3% (tht is why Turbo or supercharged engines RULE at altitude). So at 10,000ft you are already 30% down in power but weight of the car is the same. Add to that thinner air and if system is not good, and there is pressure loss, lower atmospheric pressure will contribute to faster overheat.
But, I cannot tell you how many cars I have seen overheating here at temperatures below 0. Venture to Pikes Peak at any time of the year (14,112ft and in summer temperature is in 40's at highest) you will see at least one vehicle smoking under the hood due to steep incline+thinner air.
Even when system is OK, temperature needle will start going up at Pikes Peak. At that point ventilation at max power and heat on max solve issues (if system is OK).

 

[JLTD]

I think you will be fine. Check out the UOA on the 4Runner....the 1400 miles of towing was headed West from Ohio to Colorado, all high speed highway and 5th gear locked out. RPMs well above 3000 most of the way and some brutal winds blowing at times. Was using 5w-20 but don't think it would make a difference from 0w-20.

The long road trip was Colorado to Montana and back with a lot of vertical and Wyoming highway speed limit is 80mph.

If you are concerned about it then you can run a 0w- or 5w-30, many many folks on FJ Cruiser and T4R sites running 30 grades long term with no issues. I am currently running a 5W-30 and will have a UOA in a couple of months.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...iles-2015-toyota-4runner-4-0#Post4972499

Hope that helps.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

No worries, Just make sure your brakes are not due for a change.