Poll:100% Synthetic oil - change frequency

[Chuckanut]

Interesting. Our '07 Prius has an oil-change light that starts blinking at 4500 miles and glows steadily at startup around 5K. I usually get the oil changed before the reminder progresses to a steady glow.

The sump holds less than 4 quarts -- not much oil for an extended oil-change interval. On a Prius-specific forum I'm subscribed to (PriusChat), it's not uncommon to encounter threads about oil consumption in Generation 2 Priuses, as well as cures to clean out clogged oil rings on the pistons. I believe that's the condition the YouTube guy points out -- the clogging seizes up the oil rings, which causes them to wear down the cylinder bores.

Toyota also says the transmission fluid in the Prius is a lifetime fill, IIRC. I change mine every 50K. I think it's good protection. The transmission holds only a few quarts.

Hmm.... 50% of the time the engine is running? I'm not sure of that but I have nothing but my empirical observation to rely on.

I do wish automobile engines would also display their running time like we see with aircraft and and other ICE powered equipment. I suppose that is probably stashed away in the car's computer.

 

[TheWizard]

...I do wish automobile engines would also display their running time like we see with aircraft and and other ICE powered equipment. I suppose that is probably stashed away in the car's computer.

My 2016 F-150 has that info available on one of the screens and separates idle time hours from total engine hours.
That said, this information is of zero utility to me...

 

[NW-Bound]

Wow, this long-running poll started in 2007.

And the OP has not been back since 2012.

 

[Koolau]

Wow, this long-running poll started in 2007.

And the OP has not been back since 2012.

OP must have been a quart low.

 

[Timeisprecious]

I'm still not sold on synthetic, maybe you guys can help me understand.........

I know a LOT of mechanics that go with regular oil. They tell me that while synthetic DOES not break down as quickly as regular oil, it still gets dirty, and dirty oil causes problems in engines............

Plus, the synthetic oil I see is about twice as expensive as regular, so the cost would be the same whether I do regular oil every 3000 or synthetic every 6000??

Or maybe I am confused.............

I think that's about right (i.e., changing synthetic oil every 6000 miles or so).

 

[Chuckanut]

FWIW, my car requires 0W-16 oil. From what I have heard the only way to get oil that thin that protects the engine is to go synthetic.