Oil changing on US Chrysler conversion van

[ex-Gooserider]

I have a 2010 gas engine Chrysler Town & Country w/ a Braun Entervan conversion - essentially the same as a Dodge Caravan.

Because of my work at the Asylum, which is about a 30 mile drive each way (mostly highway, and high speed if I pick the right times of day for the trip) I am seriously racking up the mileage. Currently the onboard "average ECO" readout tells me I'm running between 18 and 20 mpg, which even at the relatively low cost of US gas, gets expensive quickly... I just passed the 25,000 mile mark on the odometer

I'm just past the recommended oil-change interval by mileage, though by time I'm not due until September... Far as I know, I'm running conventional multi-weight dino-squeezings in the crank case.

I am considering the idea of whether or not it is worth switching from dino-juice to a full synthetic oil, such as Mobil One... Downside is that it would greatly add to the cost of my oil change. However the synthetic oil fans claim that you can go to a longer change interval, and also that in at least some engines, the lower viscosity of the synthetics gives better gas mileage and engine power...

I know you have a lot of experience w/ performance engine stuff BM, and wondered if you (or anyone else) had much in the way of opinion about whether it would be worth making the switch....

ex-Gooserider

[Burgerman]

Oil change in US = 3K MIKES.
Oil change in UK = 6K OR 10K miles, on the SAME cars/oil. 12k on some cars.

Its all about marketing/expectations/and what you are used to...

Oil needs changing when its anti corrosion properties are used up, or its been overheated, or its loaded with carbon. Which usually happens first by miles.

So change the oil when it starts to look dirty, as in you cant see through it easily.

Synthetic is better. And I use 0w 40 mobil 1 full synthetic, as its the best there is. If you are interested in fuel saving use the 0w 20 or 0w 30 synthetics.

[motoman]

For funsies I liberated an oil sample kit from work and sent in a sample from my 07 odyssey with 8000 miles on it. Blackstone said there was still plenty of the additive package left and to go 10000 on my new oil. That was the first time I had it checked and usually go 6 or 7 thousand between changes. The oil change guy always looks at me funny and says I'm late for my change. I usually tell him 3000 mile oil changes are just a way for them to maximize profits.

[Burgerman]

Its true.

I actually think its 12k miles in europe, rather than 6k. Or 10k? Either way its masses more than the US/Canada.

The other thing is oil quality. I used to build race engines making 300 to 500 bhp per litre... Drag bike engines. After seeing what crap oil does I use Mobil 1 Synthetic, and in 0-40 grade in my van. It will never wear out. US site http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... 0W-40.aspx

[motoman]

I've been using Mobil 1 also, pretty much since I got the van. I nearly have 60000 miles on my van and the oil report said they could not make up numbers better than what I've got so I guess I'll keep doing what I'm doin.

[Burgerman]

Do you use the thin 5 20, or the wider range 5 30? As recommended by Mobil?

I use 0 40...

[motoman]

I've been using the 5W-20 for the duration

[ex-Gooserider]

I have to say that I'm somewhat disappointed, in that I can't see that switching from Dino to Mobil1 has done anything for my fuel mileage. I'm probably going to stick with it since it's better for the engine, but wish there was more I could do to get the mileage up...

I'm usually in the high 19 to low 20mpg range according to the dashboard MPG display, which imho stinks...

I did get a certain amount of grief from the mechanic when I did the last change, as Chrysler seems to want a 5W-? (I forget the top #) oil as their minimum spec, and I insisted on doing a 0-? oil instead. Next change I'm probably going to go to the 5W given that the mileage doesn't seem to benefit from the 0W...

I also run the tires hard - at the maximum sidewall pressure or a bit over, seems like this helps more than the oil did.

ex-Gooserider

[Burgerman]

I have to say that I'm somewhat disappointed, in that I can't see that switching from Dino to Mobil1 has done anything for my fuel mileage.

0 flows around motor faster from a cold winter start. Its still thicker when cold but not so much so.
20, 30, 40, is viscosity at high temperature. Even 40 grade is relatively too thin when really hot in say a turbocharger or race engine in summer.

Your engine sees wear benefit from thin oil when cold. And also wear benefits from the thicker 40 grade when hot. So its always best to go with the widest viscosity range, but unless you live in siberia or death valley theres no "need". The thinner oils are used (5 or 10 - 20 grades) for a tiny fuel mileage gain. You can see this in controlled conditions, on a dynamometer as a really tiny power gain but not in real world conditions.

So I go with the thinest cold oil (0) for fast circulation and the thicker hot (40) grade for best protection when hot and hammered on motorways and summer use! Either way its not remotely critical on big low power motors.