Oil change interval for a performance engine

[aldive]

Jon, what Amsoil oil do you use? What filter?

 

[Turdle]

ASL 5w-30
Motorcraft filter--FL802S

 

[Charlie]

Here in Sacramento Calif, the county transfer station (aka garbage dump) accepts used oil and filters for no fee. I see county owned vehicles which have a sticker "This Vehicle uses Recycled Oil" so at least some of it goes for that purpose.

Maybe I am just missing something..but if the county vehicle are using crap oil, then won't they need repairs sooner, ect ect, just spending more tax dollars?

 

[dogfriend]

Maybe I am just missing something..but if the county vehicle are using crap oil, then won't they need repairs sooner, ect ect, just spending more tax dollars?

They re-refine the oil to recycle it:

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/UsedOil/Rerefined/

 

[aldive]

Maybe I am just missing something..but if the county vehicle are using crap oil, then won't they need repairs sooner, ect ect, just spending more tax dollars?

And chances are this "used" oil is perfectly good oil just as it is.

 

[storlied]

Was he serious about the 1 year thing, what would that do?

 

[storlied]

I don't even think mine would stick around for a year, I would seize up my engine within that year.

 

[aldive]

My last oil change was 30,625 miles with a good UOA report. I could have gone longer.

UOA data at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200647&highlight=30k

 

[storlied]

What exactly is amosol? type of oil and filter that'll last 6 months?

 

[Mbrooks420]

It depends on the mileage you would drive in that year. If you drive 20k a year and changed the filter halfway through, and topped it off your motor would be fine. Changing the oil every 3-4 runs is too much, unless your motor is fresh. I can see changing a fresh motors oil a few times at short intervals. The point of the oil analysis isn't to see if the oil you took out is good, it's to see if the oil change interval you are using is good. If your oil has no problems at a 100 hour interval, you know you can probably go to a 120 hour interval. Maybe you should run 2 similar trials with the same hours, laps, or passes, and then have an analysis on both the Amsoil, and the Supertech. Then if the cheaper oil stands up to your interval, you can still change it too frequently, but do it cheaper.

 

[aldive]

What exactly is amosol? type of oil and filter that'll last 6 months?

Amsoil is a manufacturer of oil and related products.

Amsoil site Dead Link Removed

Amsoil store Dead Link Removed

 

[storlied]

does it just last longer?

 

[Mbrooks420]

It has additives in it to make it have a longer life, as well as being a good oil from the start. I am currently using Mobil 1 extended life, and I believe the service life according to them is either 20k or 25k. I don't run it that long, but I usually go well over 6 months. Probably somewhere around 12k.

 

[techieman33]

I think you need to run the mounty for 6 weeks and get a UOA done, and make a few "track" passes and get a uoa done on that to see what's really happening to the oil. And just do it once or twice to see what happens. It might save you money in the long run if your only changing it every 3 months instead of 6 weeks.

 

[CDW6212R]

There is a environmental impact factor that could be considered also.

Send me your AMSOil that you drain out after 4 or 5 runs. I'll have it tested and if its still ok, I'll run it for a year in my Explorer. :

Wow Jon, lots of good posts in here, above is my favorite.

I don't have a link to it(didn't bookmark it), but someone else pointed out recently that the oil system is about third of four important engine life factors.
The most important is the air filter, the massive percentage of engine wear comes from air borne material which gets past the piston rings. Limiting that source of contamination can do much more than any oil etc. The 2nd big source is the PCV system, if the crankcase contamination isn't efficiently sucked out, that adds to the materials which get into the oil, and hurt the engine.

Tons of performance vehicles are everywhere running cheap air filters, or wet filters(which filter poorly), and non functioning PCV systems. If you have a air filter breather on an engine which didn't have one stock, then the crankcase is likely not being kept as clean. A performance engine needs better PCV operation, not OEM or worse.

I have the Amsoil best oil, and their filter, in my 99 work truck. It sees severe duty, so I hope to reach 15,000 miles between oil/filter changes. The cost was near $52 total, that's cheap if you could do that just once per year, with no oil additions. If you have a significant oil consumption issue, you have a problem. A new engine built right should not need extra oil added.

I have been part of a thread on the Corral forum lately. It is amazing the number of people who think 20W-50 is a magic oil, or they think an engine builder puts magic into an engine, and it requires a specific oil.

If you are racing, real racing, you may have a need for frequent oil changes, or high dollar oil/(special specs blah blah, bearing clearances). For normal engines, including any built for street use, the quality of an oil is vastly more important than the weights, or change interval.

Jon, please don't use the cheap crap oil, I see it as a big risk, and for your engine investment, not good. Others are correct here, do a couple of oil analysis tests to confirm your oil's condition. When you know that you can trust the oil to last a certain period, you can save money, and stress.
I plan to run my new 332 with the same Amsoil and filter that's in my 99, for the same 15,000 miles(after the first 3-4000 miles). I shall have an oil bypass system on it before then also. Regards,

 

[reserved50]

this is funny, change your oil before it turns black, or maybe dark brown (even better). Thats when its probably broken down. I know for sure a Ford oil filter will not give you any problems, same with Mobil 1 synthetic 10W30 . I personally think going by mileage or dates doesnt mean much unless you have a condition such as over fuelling causing the oil to dillute etc.

 

[aldive]

this is funny, change your oil before it turns black, or maybe dark brown (even better). Thats when its probably broken down. I know for sure a Ford oil filter will not give you any problems, same with Mobil 1 synthetic 10W30 . I personally think going by mileage or dates doesnt mean much unless you have a condition such as over fuelling causing the oil to dillute etc.

The color of used oil is no indicator of its viability.

 

[reserved50]

yea, I know it wouldnt be 100% true if it was propane etc. it would just break down before it ever gets dark. Most people dont take their oil out every day to be sampled at a lab or have a fit when 3 or 4 months has passed when the vehicle just sat. 6,8 or 12K whatever is just a general baseline for the average driver also, varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, especially for warranty purposes. Anyone that changes their oil after its black is just silly, then they'll complain how the varnish gummed up their lifters etc

 

[CDW6212R]

Most of the time the oil will darken almost immediately, and not change color much after that. Any vehicle with an oil cooler will always have dark oil, there is old oil left in the cooler.

 

[dogfriend]

Anyone remember Arco Graphite oil? Kinda hard to go by color when the stuff is completely black as you pour it in the engine.


When your oil turns dark, it is doing what it is supposed to do: keep contaminants in suspension so they don't end up sticking to the inside of your engine. What you really want to know is when those detergents are depleted and no longer effective. You can't tell that from the color.