High mileage oil and oil filters—worth the money?
Look around the oil section and you’ll find several companies now offering oil and oil filters specifically designed for high mileage vehicles. You never needed high mileage oil or special filters before, so what makes you think you need it now? Plus, what’s in that oil and those filters that makes them suitable for high mileage vehicles?
Plenty!
All engines (even new ones) have blow-by. That’s the combustion gas that squeezes past the piston rings and into the crankcase. But high mileage engines have more cylinder and ring wear and thus more blow-by gasses. That’s why oil in high mileage engines turns black much faster than the same oil in a new engine. As your engine wear, you’re literally blowing trash into the crankcase. It’s the oil’s job to take out the trash and the additives help it do its job.
Oil is made up of 25% additives. Those additives contain anti-corrosion chemicals, anti-foaming agents, anti-wear compounds (mostly zinc), and acid neutralizers. High mileage oil has a higher percentage of anti-corrosion, anti-wear, and acid neutralizers than traditional oil. Older engines need that extra protection because they wear out the additives faster. In addition to those additives, high mileage oils also contain seal conditioners. Nitrile seals get brittle and crack as they age and heat takes its toll. Seal conditioners soften the Nitrile seals and make them more pliable. That means fewer leaks from seals.
If you don’t feel like spending the extra money on each quart of high mileage oil, consider this special filter from Fram. Their HM (high mileage) filter contains a cartridge filled with additive gel. The gel sits inside the core tube of the filter and slowly melts as hot oil flows over it. The end result is additive replenishment.
For more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair.
If you just need information for a single repair and want to save money,eautorepair offers a lower price 1-week subscription for only $11.99. Or, if you’ll be working on this vehicle in the future, you can buy a 1-year subscription (Alldatadiy.com for $26.99, or eautorepair.net $29.99)
© 2007 Rick Muscoplat
Alldatadiy.com
eautorepair.net
Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.
Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem
Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems
If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES
Here are some quick links to speed up your research
Click on the link below for speedy navigation:
ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes
Alternator issues or how to test
Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues
Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues
Car Alarms or Antitheft systems
Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use
Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder
Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test
Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive
