High Mileage oil

Tom R.S. · Aug 19, 2017

Slightly off topic but could apply to old iron too.
I put a lot of mileage on my cars - one has 168K and the other 225K. They both run great and I plan on keeping them both for a few years.
When I get an oil change they try to sell me high mileage oil.
Is there any benefit to this oil or is it just a gimmick?

LarrySTN · Aug 19, 2017

High mileage oil has seal softeners added and can help keep the oil seals working longer.

JD Seller · Aug 20, 2017

Like Larry stated it is supposed to have additives that help seals. I would be concerned about it reacting with the seals. Many of the leak sealer type products actually make the seals swell. If these high mileage oils have any thing that acts like that it could cause trouble.

I have several high mileage vehicles and high houred tractors too. I would just keep doing what you have been doing as far as oil. Good maintenance at proper intervals is more important than additives in my mind.

MikeJM · Aug 20, 2017

I have to agree with JD Seller, just keep up with your normal oil and change interval. I have an 04 Duramax that has almost 400k miles and over 19,000 engine hours that gets no special treatment only 20w50.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 20, 2017

Tom,
If you aren't leaking oil, I would keep doing what you are doing, change oil at regular intervals.

I change my oil in old tractors, change when it looks dirty or has less than 100 hours on it. I've been using the cheap Rural King oil with no problems. I think changing often is more important than using more expensive oils that last longer. Changing often also flushes out any condensation some may experience leaving tractors sit over winter. Just my opinion. If what you are doing isn't broken why try to fix it?

300jk · Aug 20, 2017

I have owned a bunch of vehicles with over 200k miles and never used it. I also forget what they consider high miles. If I am remembering right it it well under 200k. To me that's really not high miles these days. Maybe 20 or 30 years ago it was. Never saw a need for it. I also stick with the 3000 mile oil changes even though they say you can go longer. Currently drive 2007 dodge 5.9 Cummins with 240,000 plus miles. Regular 15/40 at oil changes.

Destroked 450 · Aug 20, 2017

They say if your car has over 75,000 miles you should be using high milage oil. It's a big marketing scam as far as I'm concerned.
2 of our pickup's have well over 200,000 miles, another is at 172,000.
I have changed to a heavier oil in them, 10W40 from 5W30 in the low mile truck, the others get the same 15w40 Delo I run in my tractors and yes they are gas engines in the trucks.
A while back our V6 Dakota needed a oil change so I stopped at one of those quick lube centers in town, the guy claimed using 15W40 diesel oil in that truck would cause damage and shorten the life of the engine. I pointed out the 215,000 miles on the odometer and said. "Well I've only been using 15W40 in this truck for 165,000 miles, guess I'll just take my chances." You should have seen the dump look on his face, they still made me sign a paper stating they where putting the wrong oil in.

If high milage oil is so important why don't they make it for diesels, my last semi went 1.2 million miles before it was overhauled using regular 15W40.

pat sublett · Aug 20, 2017

Oil doesn't wear out, but is diluted by carbon dirt and fuel leaking by your pistons. It is a gimmick. The oil that is burned is replaced by fuel blow-by. If you run it long enough, you won't have anything but fuel in the crank case. Change oil to get rid of the contaminents, not to replace worn out oil, it dosen't matter how good the oil is. That said, synthetic oil drastaclly reduces friction.

jeremy in NE · Aug 20, 2017

Do NOT use it. I tried it on a car that had 150000 miles. The lifters started chattering at 500 miles. Drained it right away but the damage was done. I do not know if it is true but when I worked at the auto parts store the big wig of our district claimed it to be recycled.

D beatty · Aug 20, 2017

You can use Lucas oil stabilizer with your oil and do the same thing. I had some seals seeping and used it and they stopped seeping and that's been 7 years ago and still don't seep.

jimg.allentown · Aug 20, 2017

I see no benefit from so-called "high mileage" oils. Personally, I stay with the same oil through the life of a vehicle. If an engine uses oil, there is a reason for it - like worn out rings, loose valve guides, or bad valve seals. Most of today's engines have higher nickel content in the engine blocks and use chrome compression rings. That combination adds up to an engine with a very long lifespan. Most of what will go wrong with an engine will be from other causes than from anything in the block assembly. Heads, valve guides, and valves are the most common problems that occur. I cannot think of anything that an engine could need at higher mileage that it does not already get from regular oil changes with good oil. Also, most seals in an engine these days are made of long life material, and generally last the life of the engine. The engine in my daily driver has 275,000 miles on it. I replaced a head recently, and the block shows no significant wear. No ridges and the original crosshatch honing pattern still shows.
The whole "high mileage oil" thing seems to me to be a way to charge more money for the same old thing.

SVcummins · Aug 20, 2017

Seal stop leak works good ... for awhile

Redcow92 · Aug 21, 2017

dont use it!...son-in-law used it in my 2004 Cherokee he had borrowed and it went to using oil immediately...he was adding mobil-1 for high mileage vehicles it ruined the motor.

Tom RS · Aug 22, 2017

Thanks for all of your responses.
Confirmed my thoughts on the "snake oil".

High Mileage oil

Tom R.S.

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LarrySTN

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JD Seller

Well-known Member

MikeJM

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Geo-TH,In

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300jk

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Destroked 450

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pat sublett

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jeremy in NE

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D beatty

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jimg.allentown

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SVcummins

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Redcow92

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Tom RS

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