[Naim]

I'm at 30% oil life & leaving for a long road trip today, do I change the oil?
Not that I want to pinch every penny out of the oil but I just realized last night what oil life was at.

It's going to be kind of inconvenient and it's a last minute unexpected thing.

Driving from Milwaukee Wi, to Birmingham Al and back. Figure 1900 miles total.

I have Mobil 1 Syn 5W30 but i would need to run out and get a filter and change it.

Say if I am on the low side of the 30% left, would that be enough to get there and back?

 

[skinny2]

Is Mobil 1 currently in the engine? If so...you're good to go. No reason to follow the maintenance minder if you're running synthetic. If not...you're probably still ok. Most oil analysis comes back with lots of life left on the oil. I did mine with conventional oil with 15% oil life remaining and it was well within spec.

 

[Naim]

Dealer oil is what's in it now...

 

[nicomtl]

30% would be about 1500 miles on my van, so you may not make it back before hitting 0%.

On the other hand, you should be able to find a 30 minutes oil change place on the way. Not the best, but would do in a pinch.

Nicolas

 

[cnn]

Just enjoy the trip.

It is just a rough calculator etc.

I had the same thing: 30% left on the indicator, and yet I drove 3000 miles on it (the oil in the van now has 6000 miles on it).

I will change the oil soon.

On the other hand, if you want to change the oil now, then I use only Bosch Oil Filter because I think it is better than the "garbage" Honda filter (presumably made by Fram). You can get Bosch Oil Filter at local stores.

 

[mindoro]

I would change it only because for me, nothing is better than going on a long drive with "new" everything. Newly tuned up, newly changed oil, new plugs, newly washed and waxed - you get the idea.

 

[nicomtl]

Re-reading your post and the answers, I think it's probably a toss up as to whether you can make it without changing the oil but the fact that you care enough to ask the question means the peace of mind you will have after changing it now is worth whatever lost mileage the current oil and filter are still good for.

Nicolas

 

[dagmando]

You're fine, especially with Mobil 1. If you are using Mobil 1, then why use the monitor as M1 is for extended drains. Probably 10K in the Honda. At the 15% notification I am at a consistent 6K miles and that is when I take it in for the $20 Honda Express oil change. Change the filter in between regular oil changes?? You must a member of Bob the Oil Guy forum; sorry but it's mostly self-proclaimed 'experts' that brainwash people into silly decisions like changing an oil filter part the way through an oil change of <10K miles. Changing the filter is for the 25K changes that originated with Diesel semi trucks. Please, for the love of God, enjoy the van and don't fret over something you read on the internet.

 

[marjenmiller]

On the other hand, if you want to change the oil now, then I use only Bosch Oil Filter because I think it is better than the "garbage" Honda filter (presumably made by Fram). You can get Bosch Oil Filter at local stores.

Wix makes a better oil filter if you get their premium brands. Look for NAPA gold or similar brands that are made by Wix.

 

[skinny2]

30% would be about 1500 miles on my van, so you may not make it back before hitting 0%.

On the other hand, you should be able to find a 30 minutes oil change place on the way. Not the best, but would do in a pinch.

Nicolas

I wouldn't sweat it. Plus all highway you won't burn the OLM as fast anyway. Assuming the typical 6,000-7,000 on a full interval...you have about 1,500 easy. Like I mentioned, I did test on dealer oil change (castro, oem filter) and at 15% it still had tons of life.

 

[En3D]

check the oil level before your trip. don't worry about he indicator and change it after.

 

[davedrivesody]

You're fine, especially with Mobil 1. If you are using Mobil 1, then why use the monitor as M1 is for extended drains. ...

I think he has Mobil 1 on the shelf for the next change, but dealer oil in the engine (probably natural). Anyhoo, you are right - forget the MM when running synthetic, or just let it run two cycles to the next oil change.

 

[Dirkdaddy]

How much is two oil X cycles in your experience?

My Oldsmobile uses a variety of things to calc oil life, and for us that means about 6000 miles give or take. I use Mobil 1 and change with the light. Are you saying you go twice your meter before you change? M1 is great oil but that's a long interval if that's what you are doing. :dizzy:

 

[gfh77665]

The highway mileage you are about to drive is the easiest of all on the oil. You also have a great synthetic in there, and the MM is calibrated for regular conventional oil. No way I would change it now. I would drive happy, then upon return, change it then.

 

[kenny1773]

What really gets 'used up' with oil is the additive packs that are in them.

I was in a situation like yours a while back and what I did was pump 1 quart of oil out and add in 1 fresh quart (assuming you have a pump or an easy way to just drain 1 quart)

I felt perfectly comfortable putting an 'extra' 1000 miles on that oil change since I refreshed the additive pack with the one fresh quart of oil and it only cost me a couple dollars and a few minutes.

Short of doing what I state above, I would just change it. It seems that no matter how well I try to plan out a trip we always have a ton of extra driving I never thought about before we leave

 

[RinconVTR]

Re: I'm at 30% oil life & leaving for a long road trip today, do I change the oil?

I'm at 30% oil life & leaving for a long road trip today, do I change the oil?
Not that I want to pinch every penny out of the oil but I just realized last night what oil life was at.

It's going to be kind of inconvenient and it's a last minute unexpected thing.

Driving from Milwaukee Wi, to Birmingham Al and back. Figure 1900 miles total.

I have Mobil 1 Syn 5W30 but i would need to run out and get a filter and change it.

Say if I am on the low side of the 30% left, would that be enough to get there and back?

Yes, change the oil and be done.

 

[Indy Ace]

There are 643 Honda dealers between Milwaukee and Alabama. When the change oil light comes on, pull into the next convenient one for an express change.

 

[davedrivesody]

How much is two oil X cycles in your experience?

My Oldsmobile uses a variety of things to calc oil life, and for us that means about 6000 miles give or take. I use Mobil 1 and change with the light. Are you saying you go twice your meter before you change? M1 is great oil but that's a long interval if that's what you are doing. :dizzy:

My 02 doesn't have an MM, so I go by the odometer and the calendar. Honda recommends changing the oil and filter every 3,750 miles or 6 months under severe service. With my setup (Amsoil synthetic oil and EA filter), the oil still looks new at that mileage. So I let it go to 7,500 miles or 6 months. Even then, it's still light amber.

The MM is programmed for natural oil. Synthetic oil and filter will last much longer. Changing syn at the same rate as natural is a waste of money and resources. So your MM goes 6,000 miles between changes? Like you, I might want to change it before 2 full MM cycles (especially with a conventional filter) - maybe 1 and then 50% of the second. However, IIRC, herrhaus has gone 18,000 miles and the used oil analysis still comes back good.

 

[0dyfamily]

.....With my setup (Amsoil synthetic oil and EA filter), the oil still looks new at that mileage. So I let it go to 7,500 miles or 6 months. Even then, it's still light amber.....

I'm doing the same thing, except with Mobil 1. Ever since I started using the AmSOil EaO20 filter, I've noticed that the oil just doesn't get as dark as it used to whenever I checked the oil level. Same with the oil I drain out at 7,500 miles.

OF

 

[Naim]

Well I just got back from the trip.
Did not have any time to do an oil change with getting everything ready before we left...
Considering I was getting ~400+ miles per tank (around 25 mpg ) on the trip down and back, I am guessing that the wear and tear should have been pretty low.

Tomorrow I am off to get a oil filter. Just too tired to do anything today.