OCI older car, modern oil

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can I extend the OCI for an older car if I use today's modern oils? I have a 2005 Scion XA that recommends 6 months
or 5k miles but that is based on oil technology from 15 years ago (which I believe was SM rated oil). with new oils can I extend the OCI?
 
What is your driving pattern?

I actually think engines of that era are easier to extend the OCI since they aren't direct injection.
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I had an '03 echo with the same engine as your xA; I also have a yaris with the 1NZ-FE; for my driving pattern (36 miles highway to work) I run 12-15K miles with an extended drain oil (amsoil)

Mobil 1 AP or EP should be up to the task too.

If you are short tripping or have significant blowby, probably best not to extend your OCI

Awesome engine btw.
 
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Me thinks something like Supertech Synthetic paired with a filter of your choice would be fine for double the OEM recommendation if your engine is clean, maintained, trouble free, and you do alot of highway.
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
can I extend the OCI for an older car if I use today's modern oils? I have a 2005 Scion XA that recommends 6 months
or 5k miles but that is based on oil technology from 15 years ago (which I believe was SM rated oil). with new oils can I extend the OCI?


Get a UOA. It's the only way to be sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGOtZDk6wRc
 
I run regular Mobil 1 in my 1NZ-FE at 9000 to 10,000 mile intervals. I've got over 280,000 miles on it currently and it uses the least amount of oil out of all my vehicles. No issues, no weird noises, nothing. It works fine.

I just replaced the valve gasket on it for the first time and the cams looked great. I have not pulled the oil pan.

Here is the thread I started when I changed out the valve cover gasket:

Thread
 
Having older vehicles myself and plenty of UOAs, here's my recommendation:

short trips / severe duty - stick with 5-6k or whatever the manufacturer recommends

primarily highway use / light duty - 7500mi conventional oil, 10k synthetic.
 
Originally Posted by kschachn
I run regular Mobil 1 in my 1NZ-FE at 9000 to 10,000 mile intervals. I've got over 280,000 miles on it currently and it uses the least amount of oil out of all my vehicles. No issues, no weird noises, nothing. It works fine.

Good to know. I might have to reconsider my choice and interval. How is it driven?
 
Every 6 months is not a bad plan anyway. I rather go by the calendar than miles for more than a few reasons.
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
can I extend the OCI for an older car if I use today's modern oils? I have a 2005


2005 is older?!?!?

Wow, I'm driving a round in fossils.......
 
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by VQLT
can I extend the OCI for an older car if I use today's modern oils? I have a 2005


2005 is older?!?!?

Wow, I'm driving a round in fossils.......


LOL
crackmeup2.gif
 
My 1999 Ford ohv 4.0L gets 5000 mile OCI and 7000 on M1 EP. Use all the latest synthetics (conventional oils jugs are hardly any cheaper). It has 267k miles and in the last 2 years has done 35k miles a year. I have to add 0.5-1qt between oil changes. I'm sure extending would be fine but I have no desire to change what's working. In fact I think the old low simplistic, lower powe old engines would tolerate extended changes far better than these modern engines that call for 10k changes. Oil changes and maintenance are fun for me so I'm constantly changing oil, filters, ball joints, bushings, transfer case fluids etc. I blame cordless tools mostly for my willingness (not for the oil changes).
 
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Originally Posted by ndfergy
Good to know. I might have to reconsider my choice and interval. How is it driven?

Well it only has what, 108 horsepower? So it spends a lot of time at the upper RPM range. I drive mostly city with some highway to and from work.
 
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by VQLT
can I extend the OCI for an older car if I use today's modern oils? I have a 2005


2005 is older?!?!?

Wow, I'm driving a round in fossils.......


My thoughts exactly, 2005 was like, yesterday?
 
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Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by ndfergy
Good to know. I might have to reconsider my choice and interval. How is it driven?

Well it only has what, 108 horsepower? So it spends a lot of time at the upper RPM range. I drive mostly city with some highway to and from work.

Thanks. So you don't baby it, that's what I wanted to hear.
 
We had a 2000 Toyota sienna with 250k miles we just several months ago and bought a new 2018 Subaru Forester. So in comparison, the Scion now seems old.
 
I have this same engine and I am hesitant to extend the OCI because my car burns so much oil.

To all you 1NZ guys... how much oil do you burn ?
 
Originally Posted by CELICA_XX
I have this same engine and I am hesitant to extend the OCI because my car burns so much oil.

To all you 1NZ guys... how much oil do you burn ?

Not much. The most I've used is about 1/2 a litre on a 7000km summer interval - 1/3 down from full.
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
can I extend the OCI for an older car if I use today's modern oils? I have a 2005 Scion XA that recommends 6 months
or 5k miles but that is based on oil technology from 15 years ago (which I believe was SM rated oil). with new oils can I extend the OCI?


I went to 10K/1yr OCI three years ago on my wife's 2005 Ford Focus. Naturally aspirated, port injection, nothing fancy in the valve train.No complaints.
The justification for this lies in several ideas.

1.) Your car and mine, being EPA compliant and having a catalytic converter will have quality of combustion tightly controlled to protect the catalytic converter. This precise control of combustion and excellent ring sealing should mean minimal exhaust products getting into the oil, just like today's cars with 10K OCI.
2.) As for the 1 year part of it, 1 year has been appearing in many owners manuals for sometime.
3.) Higher TBN or higher TBN retention oils are widely available. I am comfortable with a starting TBN of 9 per ASTM D-2896, or lower with evidence of good retention.
 
Originally Posted by VQLT
We had a 2000 Toyota sienna with 250k miles we just several months ago and bought a new 2018 Subaru Forester. So in comparison, the Scion now seems old.



Good point ^^^^^^^^^


Even my 2008 Nissan Altima VQ two door coupe seems "old" compared to brand new vehicles.

Though my car does not look old I think... Even with 302,600 miles...

[Linked Image]
 
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