Why the 5000 mile synthetic oil change interval?

This guy gets what I said. I didn't say that all of them did it but gm has said that it's acceptable for it to consume 1qt for 1000 miles. What about the piston ring issue with the Lexus is250 or that Lexus es470. We have a customer that comes in everytime they fuelnup their car for an oil top off because of bad piston rings.

 

This is exactly why Hyundai is replacing so many engines right now in the Sonata and Santa Fe. The manual tells people they can go 7500 miles between oil changes, but some engines are in fact burning through a quart of oil every 1k miles. After about 4K miles dipstick is bone dry, and then the bearings seize up. When they recalled mine their fix was to install a new dipstick that added an extra 1/2 quart of oil.

A lot of people are idiots that don't know how to pull a dipstick, and most of those people couldn't tell you if their vehicle was running dino or synthetic.

 

My buddy and former coworker had his engine lock up due to this. Hyundai bought the car back from him.

 

They're also called "customers".

being ignorant about their daily used transportation that is their life blood is not really an excuse, there is a choice that many don't make, or choose to ignore because there is a cost involved if they take it somewhere, even for basic maint.

 

It's only a 30k dollar piece of machinery your making payments on and more than likely upside down on. Why the hell would you want to take care of it? If you don't know how to take care of your vehicle being ignorant on the fact that it needs to be maintained is not an excuse. It's your vehicle. It's not the mechanics responsibility to make sure you bring your vehicle in for service, it's yours.

 

Yep, and many people think the oil pressure light is supposed to let them know if the oil is low. That doesn't always work out so well, by the time that light comes on the damage is done.

 

oh how may folks who believe the "guage" on the dash actually relates to real world events.

most oil pressure "switches" are just that, ON and OFF and a preset position on a pretty dash. an actual pressure transducer or bulb switch costs $$, per unit its cheaper to use a binary switch.

There are exceptions....

 

There is the oil pressure switch and the oil level sensor that chevrolets have. They will have that retarded light that comes on that says check oil level moron

 

seen several of those that don't work, or work "soon enough"

GM's "oil life monitoring" system cost them a lot in warranty, timing chains and engines, i'm SO glad i GTFO before that shit storm !

 

Like the 3.6 that needs a timing chain replaced at 100k miles?

 

Losing up to 1 qt every 1000 miles is the standard used by GM, Subaru, Toyota, BMW, etc. to cover their asses against warranty claims.

Oil consumption is not related to oil change interval actually. Going strictly by the book, you are supposed to check your oil level and top up every time you refuel... BMW even sells a genuine oil bottle trunk pouch just for this purpose!

BMW Genuine Oil Travel Bag

https://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-Oil-Travel-Bag/dp/B000NDPTIM

 

GTFOH! It even comes with gloves and hand wipes! How prestigious.

 

I run syn but change oil n filter every 5 k.... why, cus i plan on keeping my truck for a long time and its cheap insurance.

That stated. my 4.0L doesnt use any oil.

My 2001 chevy 2500hd with its 6.0L v8.... that was a different story. 1-1.25quarts every 1k miles.... likely due to horrible piston tolerance (which made for WICKED piston slap, im talking like a can of bolts poured down the intake sound) and definitely due to a rear main seal leak.

 

Oil needs to be changed???

 

Check my oil every month or every road trip. I change mine every 6 months regardless of miles. Between 6K to 7500 miles. Mobil One 0W30 or EP 5W30 with toyota filter. Currently at 48K.

 

Subaru settled 2 class action lawsuits against them for 2013's and some 2014. Lots of trouble, bought back some of them, fixed some them. Some lawsuits still going.
My wifes 2014 crosstrek is ok though. 30-40 mpg and no oil use.

 

I should've made a lawsuit against Subaru for my 08 wrx and it's 100k mile piston ring failure. Stupid car. I'll have you know that I changed the spark plugs in that piece of shit once and I only cried for 3 hours

 

Same situation with Hyundai. I sold my 2012 Sonata with only 40k miles on it, I just didn't trust keeping it since since others have been burning oil and seizing up with under 80k miles on them. Class action lawsuit forced Hyundai (and Kia) to extend the short block warranty to 120k miles, but still just not worth the headache to me.

 

If you're wondering if the oil can go longer than you're currently changing it, grab a sample and send it to Blackstone Labs for an analysis. They'll tell you the condition of the oil, the remaining additives, the metal dissolved in it from wear, etc. as well as their calculation of remaining useful life in the oil

I've been changing my 2005 4.0 with synthetic every 5,000 miles. It doesn't seem to use much oil between changes, perhaps 1/2 a quart. One of these days I may get around to sending a sample for analysis.

FWIW, my 2009 BMW used to automatically call for oil changes based on capacitance of the oil and the amount of gas run through the engine every 22,000 miles or so. I changed it every 7,500 regardless. My 2015 BMW (on BMW's revised sensing / gas usage system) is currently popping a "change oil" notice on service display 11,000 miles, and is getting changes every 5,500 miles. Granted, both of them have 7 quart sumps, and specifically call for a certain class of oil with a high level of additives to deal with acidic combustion products over time.

 

I've seen 1 qt/1000mi written in GM (and others, I believe) owner's manuals.