s2000maniac

umm idk about that. ima pretty aggressive driver. everytime i get the chance to ride my s2k i drive like it like i stole it. the way i understand it is if you keep the car at a higher rpm constantly then the oil tends break down easier and quicker.

Armend17

I say change your oil with castrol syntec fully synthetic black bottle mine's doesn't get black until around 3000 miles and i beat it real good.

Arcoril

Again, a used oil analysis will answer your questions. I agree with OMG VTEC. Most synthetics can easily take 7000 mile OCIs even in extreme conditions.

If you want to do a 3000 mile OCI for your own peace of mind, get that oil analysis and see how much life is remaining. Among other things, you're going to want to look at the "total base number" in the report. This is a measure of the oil's alkalinity; the lower the alkalinity, the more contaminants are suspended in the oil. A high TBN tells you that the oil still had plenty of life left.

Here's what your $25 test from Blackstone gets you: 2008 S2000 UOA @ 4000 miles. Well worth it in my opinion.

edspecR

lol psychoazn is a member of these forums... what happened o_O

INDYMAC

If your engine oil is working properly, then it will become darker as you use it and even become black (sometimes difficult to see on the dipstick but obvious when you drain it) by the end of your OCI. A well formulated engine oil contains detergents and dispersants that clean internal engine carbons and deposits and then carry these contaminants in suspension. Some are held in your filter, and some are too small to be trapped and are continued to be held in suspension until you change your oil. If your oil does not get darker in use, then the oil does not have adequate dispersant properties and the contaminants are falling out of suspension. That means they are being left in the engine somewhere, if in fact there is any cleaning going on at all. Pennzoil Ultra was formulated with extraordinary cleaning and dispersion in mind. That is why you are seeing the oil turn darker than your previous oil. If you don't like this, the answer is simple. Just go back to your previous engine oil.

chef-j

^+1

IAmTheRealAsif

Did you guys know 7 11 and wawa sell motor oil?

slipstream444

I'm not sold on that...

I use Amsoil, which boasts the highest TBNs you're really going to readily find... and I don't utilize the "25,000 miles" the oil is designed to support.
There is more than detergent package at work here - and I think an AP1 is better suited for 7,500 mile "normal" driving (gentle) - and closer to a 4,500 mile (or less) if you drive it like you stole it.

Penzoil makes a pretty good synthetic - not quite in par with Amsoil, but a good synthetic. I would keep it in the 4k mile range - my personal preference (and just about where I keep it with my AP1 on Amsoil ATM).

WTBS (and as it's been mentioned before) the color of the oil is not something to be concerned with. If you're running a high quality oil - color can vary greatly based on the conditions. Clear is not better than dark when it comes to oil, unless you have another indicator showing a probable issue.

Long of the short - use a quality oil, use OEM filtration, be wise on your RPM usage (RPM stands for "ruins people's motors"... and your motor does have a set number of revolutions before it will quit) - IOW: enjoy your car, but temper your ego ever-so-slightly to save some of those revs for times when your ego can benefit the most...

Bror Jace

"Pennzoil Ultra was formulated with extraordinary cleaning and dispersion in mind. That is why you are seeing the oil turn darker than your previous oil."

+1 ... This is most likely what's at work here.

If you have a car with an unknown service history, it may have accumulated sludge in the recesses of the motor and oils such as the newer Pennzoil formulations are designed to aggressively clean out these formations.

Problem is, people can use an oil with a weak detergent/dispersant additive package and the oil stays cleaner longer, giving you the false impression that it is doing a great job.

The flip side seems to be what's going on with the OP's motor: a good oil is likely doing a good job of cleaning up previous neglect but it appears as if it's failing quickly. The truth is it is NOT turning black because it is burnt or otherwise defeated ... just full of old (cleaned up) residue that it is holding in suspension.

Personally, I'm not sold on the added cleaning ability of Pennzoil Ultra over the Platinum (which is a very good oil for street use). Given my attention to regular service, I doubt any engine I've owned in the last 20 years has seen any sludge formulation whatsoever.

My current fill is Pennzoil High Mileage Vehicle for it's slightly-thicker formulation and stout additive package.

I'll dump it in the spring after about 3,000 miles and switch to Pennzoil Platinum, I think. Maybe if I can put 5,000 miles on the Platinum next year, I'll do a UOA.