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cyrnel · 06-06-2006, 03:00 AM

Running the engine for a few minutes will add to the problem. Any modern oil in good condition will protect surfaces for months. Somewhat less in a hostile environment - say near the coast. Warming the engine a bit just condenses moisture which the oil additive package has to fight. This will exhaust the add package ahead of its time and promote rust, not fight it. I suppose if the oil is shot then mixing and splashing it around might deter rust briefly but that's fighting the wrong side of the battle. If it's that bad it's beyond its interval.

If you expect infrequent short trip use (never allowing it to come up to operating temp) take it out once a week for 15-20 minutes to burn off water and unburnt fuel. That'll minimize contaminants and extend the oil and engine life. I'd go with 6mo changes and not beyond unless you know better from oil analyses. Start with an oil designed for rough or extended use. They'll have extra additives and be better able to handle the unwanted junk. Diesel oils are ideal this way. Unfortunately most are 15W40 which is out of range for many smaller engines. (What does your manual recommend?)

If you can find them locally, Chevron Delo 400 is made in 10W30. Shell Rotella 10W30 is another good one. Both are ~$7/gal.

Synthetic oils are generally superior to dino but not just because of the oil. Your money is buying a more durable oil as well as a heavy duty additive package. If you aren't running at extreme temperatures then a Diesel oil like those above which have monster additive packages can outperform synthetics for pseudo-storage situations, and for much less money.

06-06-2006, 03:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	Running the engine for a few minutes will add to the problem. Any modern oil in good condition will protect surfaces for months. Somewhat less in a hostile environment - say near the coast. Warming the engine a bit just condenses moisture which the oil additive package has to fight. This will exhaust the add package ahead of its time and promote rust, not fight it. I suppose if the oil is shot then mixing and splashing it around might deter rust briefly but that's fighting the wrong side of the battle. If it's that bad it's beyond its interval. If you expect infrequent short trip use (never allowing it to come up to operating temp) take it out once a week for 15-20 minutes to burn off water and unburnt fuel. That'll minimize contaminants and extend the oil and engine life. I'd go with 6mo changes and not beyond unless you know better from oil analyses. Start with an oil designed for rough or extended use. They'll have extra additives and be better able to handle the unwanted junk. Diesel oils are ideal this way. Unfortunately most are 15W40 which is out of range for many smaller engines. (What does your manual recommend?) If you can find them locally, Chevron Delo 400 is made in 10W30. Shell Rotella 10W30 is another good one. Both are ~$7/gal. Synthetic oils are generally superior to dino but not just because of the oil. Your money is buying a more durable oil as well as a heavy duty additive package. If you aren't running at extreme temperatures then a Diesel oil like those above which have monster additive packages can outperform synthetics for pseudo-storage situations, and for much less money. __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195