OCI, not when but why?

[diyer2]

Once again.

Most vehicles I've owned, bought used,low miles went over 200K without engine failure or excessive oil use. I just changed the oil more frequently, oil was many off the shelf brands over the years. 

Edited September 9, 2025 by diyer2

[KARNUT]

16 minutes ago, Atlas said:

 

I'd rather work than be on welfare. Inhibited growth is driving an old minivan and thinking anyone cares that it has high mileage. Guess what? Nobody cares.

It’s one of 4. It has it has uses. It’s a Honda they really do last forever. I don’t know anyone on welfare. But you probably can’t absorb that.

[Atlas]

1 hour ago, KARNUT said:

It’s one of 4. It has it has uses. It’s a Honda they really do last forever. I don’t know anyone on welfare. But you probably can’t absorb that.

 

I definitely can absorb that, and I didn't say you were on welfare or knew anyone on welfare, but thanks for the information?

 

My current fleet is 6 vehicles. The oldest is a 2000, and the 2nd oldest is from 2022, two are diesel, 3 are gas, one is a battery-electric. but I've had all kinds of vehicles, and much, much older, and much higher mileage. I've just never found it interesting that vehicles go 100k, 200k with regular maintenance.

 

But, the boss says I need to get off the computer and back to making McMuffins. The drive-thru is stacking up.  

[Grumpy Bear]

10 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

I know, rhetorical question.
 

You, (and him to a lesser extent) have that motor figured out top to bottom. Unfortunately since most of the remaining examples are kicking around the backs of “buy here pay here” car lots, it’s pretty much  a lost cause. People will follow the OLM (if that) and these things will continue to fail. 
 

Interestingly the 2.5 LCV that replaced it seems to be fairing a LOT better. Local dealer has a 2017 Acadia 2.5 with 217k on it and it doesn’t appear to be ready for the scrap bin yet.

 

Ah, of course, rhetorical...my bad. 

 

Wife loves her Terrain and is hanging on with both hands. I continue to look for that adult driven, low mile, one in a million that someone treated to 2-3K mile OCI's. Found one in Chicago a few days ago (V6) and it was snapped up quicker that I could dial the number. Literally on the market for minutes. They are very comfortable vehicles and drive really well. I can see her attachment to it. 

 

Locally there was a low miler without a service history that I dismissed in under 3 minutes. Rocker cover full of carbon. Breather plugged and the oil inky and stinky. But boy was the detailing done well. Lots of toads. Few Princes. 

 

I'm starting to think the current buying public doesn't even know where the dipstick is or if they do, what to do with it.  

[Atlas]

28 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

I'm starting to think the current buying public doesn't even know where the dipstick is or if they do, what to do with it.  

 

Most of them do, but they rely on oil change monitors and app notifications for when to perform service. Increasingly, automakers are adding virtual dipsticks, or replacing physical dipsticks with virtual dipsticks, which has its benefits too. Oil color is no long a great indicator of oil health anyway. We live in this funny timeline where we insist on using fire to power our vehicles, so we still have to regularly change the oil in the fire machine.

[KARNUT]

1 hour ago, Atlas said:

 

I definitely can absorb that, and I didn't say you were on welfare or knew anyone on welfare, but thanks for the information?

 

My current fleet is 6 vehicles. The oldest is a 2000, and the 2nd oldest is from 2022, two are diesel, 3 are gas, one is a battery-electric. but I've had all kinds of vehicles, and much, much older, and much higher mileage. I've just never found it interesting that vehicles go 100k, 200k with regular maintenance.

 

But, the boss says I need to get off the computer and back to making McMuffins. The drive-thru is stacking up.  

When I retired I did uber for awhile. I love to drive and figure let someone else pay for it. I had to get back into my bubble. The four are just the ones I keep at home. If I counted the ones in the business I retired from that encompasses all the brands. I thought about being a greeter a Walmart. It took me awhile to get comfortable with retirement. I embrace it now. Older ones are my new hobby. My wife’s two a Genesis and Acura type R are from new. My older ones are within two years. I see a deal I buy it. My least favorite goes to family members. Rinse and repeat. I used to do that with new trucks. When I first started driving I did it with muscle cars. No lettered or numbered cars were safe. I finally stopped at 60. The first and last.

[OnTheReel]

1 hour ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

Ah, of course, rhetorical...my bad. 

 

Wife loves her Terrain and is hanging on with both hands. I continue to look for that adult driven, low mile, one in a million that someone treated to 2-3K mile OCI's. Found one in Chicago a few days ago (V6) and it was snapped up quicker that I could dial the number. Literally on the market for minutes. They are very comfortable vehicles and drive really well. I can see her attachment to it. 

 

Locally there was a low miler without a service history that I dismissed in under 3 minutes. Rocker cover full of carbon. Breather plugged and the oil inky and stinky. But boy was the detailing done well. Lots of toads. Few Princes. 

 

I'm starting to think the current buying public doesn't even know where the dipstick is or if they do, what to do with it.  

Like I’ve said before, carmakers have relocated the dipstick. It’s no longer under the hood, it’s behind the wheel.

 

You might have to expand your search. Bet there’s still a few cream puff examples left in Florida. I import what I want from the south because I can’t stand rust. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Recently had an exchange with a fellow using Valvoline R&P on a relatively high mile motor. One that had started to use a wee bit of oil. A manageable amount by most measure but measurable nonetheless. After a few oil changes of R&P he noted that the consumption was now half or less the original value so on the next change he went back to a shelf synthetic and his usual 7.5K OCI's. 

 

So I asked the thoughtful question. If this product did as you say, indicating his routine regime was failing him and saying so, why go back to it? Take the hint and shorten the OCI or/and continue to use the R&P. 

 

The reply stunned me. "My considered history says high mile motors use oil and doing something about it now would be fruitless" (Paraphrased) 

 

I made note that this product CLEANS fouled rings and FREES stuck ones thus the lower consumption and that he was lucky it worked as if the bore or ring faces were actually physically damaged it would not have. Asked if he thought this product added worn metal back to a worn cylinder and bore OR restored seal by cleaning and freeing the rings. A reasonable question given the reply. 

 

Crickets. Then the usual insults for being so bold as to inquire about the logic. 

 

I'm learning that results will not influence those set in a thought pattern that is counter indicated and working against their own best interest. Seems it is more important to be 'right' that to improve their program.  

 

Duct Tape will not fix stupid but it will allow you to wrap it up and mail it to Alaska. 

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

 

Would I miss the mark if I said most people that read my drivel believe I'm in favor of selecting the oil with the highest possible  HTHS viscosity and the highest SAPS possible? Would that be accurate? Oh, I think so. But is it? Not hardly. What I write is:

 

"Use an oil with ENOUGH HTHS and SAPS"

 

Once you get past the idea I'm not calling for everyone to use an SAE 70 Break-In oil the question then becomes,

 

"What is enough"? 

 

Well,...Is it true that I believe 2K miles is the maximum any oil should be in service? Or did I say:

 

"OCI is determined by testing if maximum OCI length is the goal".

 

Okay, so what is enough and for how long? Is it rude to answer a question with a question? 

 

What are YOUR expectations and goals?

 

Kido's, the arguments start when it is explained what is ENOUGH and for HOW LONG based on the MAXIUMUMS found in research anyone can obtain and your expectations and experiences fall well below that bar......Let me take the cat out of catty.

Your right!

 

Your expectations do not rise to a level anything I say will benefit you. You met your goal...being right. Be happy. 

 

[Atlas]

@Grumpy Bear ...who are speaking to?

[jwhjr]

18 minutes ago, Atlas said:

@Grumpy Bear ...who are speaking to?

To hear (read) himself talk is my guess.

[KARNUT]

Why insult the man? It’s noted that I’ve had issues with the man. We don’t really have conversations. But even in disagreement things are learned. I don’t  want to resume conversations, really. But the negativity is really not helpful. 

[jwhjr]

1 hour ago, KARNUT said:

Why insult the man? It’s noted that I’ve had issues with the man. We don’t really have conversations. But even in disagreement things are learned. I don’t  want to resume conversations, really. But the negativity is really not helpful. 

I apologize.  I guess I need to back up my opinion with 86 paragraphs that say nothing but purportedly prove my point.  I'll do better next time.

[KARNUT]

19 minutes ago, jwhjr said:

I apologize.  I guess I need to back up my opinion with 86 paragraphs that say nothing but purportedly prove my point.  I'll do better next time.

I don’t understand half the things he posts. I would guess he may be very intelligent. I’m average but very successful. I only post back by experience. So when I question the logic of things sometimes I get in trouble. I admit I lived in a bubble of like minded individuals. I’m still learning the logic of individuals thinking. I finally realized people can rationalize anything. Example. At dinner it was mentioned by my grandson he hit a deer. I asked is your car drivable. He said yes because he was driving his mother’s. But it wasn’t his fault. I said yes it was you should have been driving your own car. Is it fixed I asked. Again he looked surprised. I said you need to get it fixed. You shouldn’t use a car from someone else unless you can fix or replace it. Many people have that logic. Well they have insurance. Shouldn’t work that way. That’s my logic, his was different. 

[customboss]

On 9/10/2025 at 11:06 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

Recently had an exchange with a fellow using Valvoline R&P on a relatively high mile motor. One that had started to use a wee bit of oil. A manageable amount by most measure but measurable nonetheless. After a few oil changes of R&P he noted that the consumption was now half or less the original value so on the next change he went back to a shelf synthetic and his usual 7.5K OCI's. 

 

So I asked the thoughtful question. If this product did as you say, indicating his routine regime was failing him and saying so, why go back to it? Take the hint and shorten the OCI or/and continue to use the R&P. 

 

The reply stunned me. "My considered history says high mile motors use oil and doing something about it now would be fruitless" (Paraphrased) 

 

I made note that this product CLEANS fouled rings and FREES stuck ones thus the lower consumption and that he was lucky it worked as if the bore or ring faces were actually physically damaged it would not have. Asked if he thought this product added worn metal back to a worn cylinder and bore OR restored seal by cleaning and freeing the rings. A reasonable question given the reply. 

 

Crickets. Then the usual insults for being so bold as to inquire about the logic. 

 

I'm learning that results will not influence those set in a thought pattern that is counter indicated and working against their own best interest. Seems it is more important to be 'right' that to improve their program.  

 

Duct Tape will not fix stupid but it will allow you to wrap it up and mail it to Alaska. 

 

 

Can’t fix stupid. Next!