Destroy Your Engine With 10k Oil Changes!

Robert Sanborn
4 days ago
3 min read

Introduction

- Want your car to run longer and cost you less? This blog teaches you about motor oils, when to change them, and which additives really work.

API Lists Severe Service Conditions (American Petroleum Institute)

Requires more frequent oil changes from 3,750--5,000 miles depending on car manufacturer

Stop-and-go driving that increases engine wear. (Just about all drivers)
Frequent short trips (less than 10 miles) that do not allow the engine to reach optimal temperature.
Heavy towing or carrying loads that stress the engine.
Dusty conditions from dirt roads.
Driving in extreme weather conditions (very hot or very cold).

Evaluating Your Driving Habits.

If you are like most drivers in the U.S. you are driving under severe service conditions!

Understanding Drain Intervals

Marketers boast 10,000 mile oil changes but very few drivers can change at this level,
and under ideal conditions.
Check your car's Owners Manual it will list severe service drain interval.

My research shows 3,750 to 5,000 miles.

Your engine will wear out earlier if you do not follow these guidelines.

Why Most Motor Oils Are The Same

At this time the API motor oil specification calls for SQ, for gasoline engines

and CK-4 for diesels.

Testing new oil costs hundreds of thousands of dollars - API sequence testing for a s single oil formula costs $230,000-$350,000 for passenger cars and up to $1 million for d diesel oils, so only big companies can afford it.

Only a few companies make additive packages - Major suppliers like Chevron's Oronite , ExxonMobil and Shell's joint venture Infineum , and Lubrizol do most of the expensive testing and sell pre-made additive packages to smaller oil companies.
Many oil brands just buy the same packages - Most oil companies purchase these ready-made, tested additive packages, mix them with base oil, and put their own label on the bottle - which is why different brands often perform so similarly.
All oils only meet minimum standards - API licensing requires paying $6,000 plus ongoing royalties Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System, but the tests only set basic requirements that every oil must pass, creating a "lowest common denominator" effect.
No oils include heavy-duty additives - API standards don't require extreme pressure agents or other advanced protection additives that could help engines under severe driving conditions, so most oils provide only basic protection. ProTecta built their reputation on these additives.
Bottom Line: When different oil brands use the same additive packages and only h have to meet the same minimum standards, they end up performing very similarly despite different marketing claims.

Importance of Extreme Pressure Additives

The API in their Motor Oil Guide states the following: Because of higher unit loading, higher engine speeds, and the smaller size of certain parts, modern engines have many components that operate under boundary or extreme pressure conditions much of the time. This is why motor oils are fortified with effective boundary lubrication additives."

Imagine that- -they left out extreme pressure additives, which are not the same as boundary additives. ProTecta is fortified with extreme pressure additives. See the picture below that the API points out the extreme pressure points in an engine,

Creating a Maintenance Schedule

I suggest you start out with a 4,000-5,000 mile drain interval and perform an oil analysis.
The current new car rate for engine wear is about 35 ppm. Oil analysis gives you a great baseline for monitoring your engines health. Remember auto manufacturers engineer their cars to wear out to sell you a new one. If you're going to beat the 12.6 year average and a little over 100,000 miles you need to use additives that protect extreme pressure conditions and use them regularly.

Conclusion

Understanding severe service driving and selecting the right oil change interval will increase your car's longevity.
Motor oils all meet the same API standards and motor oil producers can only advertise they exceed the highest standards, which are also the lowest, as there is only one, so why spend the money to greatly exceed the standard as API won't let you advertise that in a tightly run industry.

Key Takeaways

Severe service driving is common and requires special attention to when to change your oil as 10,000 miles will increase the odds of engine failure.
Extreme pressure additives are vital for protecting engines under demanding conditions.
Properly evaluating driving habits can lead to better vehicle maintenance practices.
Regularly checking for signs of oil degradation by using oil analysis will help avoid costly engine repairs.
Developing a personalized maintenance schedule with additional additives like ProTecta Engine Treatment can enhance vehicle performance and durability.