Extended Oil Change Interval
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SS1Eagle
:D Ok back on track here. I received my AMSOIL air filter recently along with my order of 0W-30 motor oil and filter. I quickly installed the filter and it fit perfectly! The oil filter is the small type which I don't mind. It's the protection I have now. I got the Buy One Get One Free deal. Found 2 air filters in my box but the invoice states one air filter shipped. Definitely a keeper!
I have one puzzling question though, there is an Oil Change Interval stated on the side of the box. If I am reading this right I don't have to change this oil in how many X thousand miles? I think the definition of Severe Service is dragstrip duty but that's my opinion what would you recommend?
Just washed the SS and took it out for a spin with the new air filter. Here's a pic of the SS ready to get the AMSOIL transfusion. Yes that is cardboard on the garage floor. All 3 layers of thin paper stock to catch any fluids but it feels good on my back. :yup:
Yes, just keep in mind that under Normal and Severe service categories, there is the Modification category.
Modifications – Engine operating under modified conditions are excluded from extended drain recommendations.
Not sure if your car is modified or not but the air and oil filtration you now have with the Amsoil Ea filters foster excellent filtration and helps the motor oil to stay cleaner longer.
Motor oil longevity depends on many factors, one of which is the type of oil that was used previously. If conventional petroleum based oil was used, chances are there could be deposits of broken down oil left behind. This is what happened in my car while running a well known conventional motor oil brand for 130,000-miles of engine life. And that’s with an impeccable maintenance record e.g., spark plugs, plug wires, cap and rotor, pcv, air, oil and fuel filters, valve adjust, and traditional 3,000-mile/3-month oil changes.
Under that service history, the oil previously used left behind hard baked on deposits under my valve cover that two trips to a solvent tank would not break loose.
At the 130,000-mile mark I did an Amsoil Engine Flush before installing 4.5 quarts of Amsoil SSO 0W-30 to top off the crankcase capacity. I followed the Engine flush recommendations to a tee and noticed what looked fine carbon like particals suspended in the oil when the old oil and flush was drained out. This is why you install a mid-grade oil filter before doing the flush.
I ran the SSO for 10 months and 7,500-miles before getting a baseline UOA test. The UOA report reviled that I had 3% fuel dilution most likely due to severe stop and go driving; I only live three miles away from my work so my engine consistently doesn’t have a change to get up to operating temp. So with the fuel dilution and dirty engine internals it really gave the SSO a run for its money. At 7,500-miles the TBN was knocked down to 3.5 when it began its life at 13.2. The other component of the UOA that was flagged was Aluminum which was still considered to be within normal tolerances. At around two months into the oil change interval, I was down a quart and added. Then at the eight month mark I was down roughly two quarts and added. The car does not leak or smoke. The prognosis behind the oil consumption is thought to be the dirty engine condition and fuel in the oil really taking it’s toll on the oil’s additive package. If I can figure out how to keep the fuel dilution down, and allow time for the robust Esters and comprehensive additive package of the SSO to continue to clean out the engine, I should be able to run this oil to around 10,000-miles, which is approaching Amsoil’s recommendation of 15,000-miles for severe service duty. My car operates at less than ten miles at a time and has over 100,000-miles on it; that is considered severe service duty. And who knows, maybe by the time the engine gets cleaned out I’ll be able to run the oil closer to 15k. Time and future UOA reports will tell.
The moral of the story – get a UOA test done if you’re interested in taking advantage of an extended drain interval. And again, with the top grade motor oil, oil filter, air filter you invested in, a traditional 3,000-mile/3-month oil change would be a waste. You should be able to go well beyond that when validated by a UOA. Try doing two 3,000-mile oil changes first before getting a basline UOA done. Then base your extended oil changes off what the UOA report reveals.
BTW, way to take advantage of the EAA83-EA air filter Buy One Get One offer. That’s enough filter for 200,000-miles of use.
UOA information click HERE
EAA83-EA air filter information click HERE
CompSyn
