The Great Extended Drain Interval Debate

While some new vehicles today are being manufactured to last more than 50,000 kilometres without a tune-up, it is still common for many technicians and some auto makers to recommend oil and filter changes every 5,000 kilometres to help maintain engine reliability.

But over the last decade, there has been an increase in the number filter options and oil formulations offered by manufacturers that now allow vehicle owners to extend the drain interval well beyond, in some cases, the traditional 5,000 kilometre point where it would be recommended to change the oil and filter. One can’t help but wonder what had led to this trend towards extended drain intervals. What roles do oil manufacturers and OE car manufacturers play in the move towards this trend?

The Extended Drain Interval

So what is the extended drain interval? If you’re a filter manufacturer in this product category you’re likely describing a type of filter in your existing filter product line. Honeywell CPG, for instance, offers its Xtended Guard Filter as its flagship product in terms of longevity for under its Fram line, rated to provide engine protection for up to 10,000 kms. Simply, the extended drain interval describes technologies, with oil filters being one technology, that allow a greater time between having to change the motor oil and filter.

“Extended drain intervals can be the result of several factors: improved oil formulations, improved filter designs and materials, as well as improved design of the vehicles themselves, materials, technology and tighter tolerances in manufacturing resulting in less friction causing wear,” says Brian Fleming, director of marketing for Wix Filters.

It is not uncommon for manufacturers of oil filters to offer several options across their filter lines. Honeywell spreads its FRAM line even further by offering technicians four options. The Extra Guard, the Tough Guard and the Xtended Guard filters are based on increasing dirt trapping and dirt holding capacity, and require replacement every three-to four-thousand miles, 7,500 miles, and 10,000 miles respectively.

“[The extended drain interval] is associated with three things: modern oil technology (that is, synthetic oils and semi synthetic oils that have much more resistance to sludge and the breakdown of additive packages); oil monitoring systems built into most modern cars; and increased life filter capacity (the ability to hold and trap dirt),” says Jay M. Buckley, technical training manager for Honeywell’s Fram filter line. He is also an ASE Certified master mechanic for over 30 years of experience under his belt.

How Do Modern Oils Help In Extended Drain Intervals?

After all, what good is a filter if there isn’t any oil in the engine? The oil market has changed dramatically over the last decade, and the development of stronger, more robust formulations has led to better engine performance and longer replacement rates.

“A big factor is the emergence of synthetic oils and high-performance oils that are more stable over time. I think back to twenty or thirty years ago when the oil wouldn’t really hold up for an extended length of time. You had to do an oil change,” says Tim Martin, vice-president of K&N Engineering, Inc. “There might be factors like the amount of contaminants that the engine’s producing or that’s entering into the engine. Today’s engine tolerances are so much tighter and oil itself is more stable.”

Still, even with improvements in motor oils and filters, there is still much debate over extended drain intervals.

Should vehicle owners really wait to change the oil and filter at 10,000 kms., for example, or even longer, just because the manufacturers of the products or even the vehicle’s owner’s manual suggests that it should?

Many technicians, in reality, continue to recommend oil changes every 5,000 kilometres, and the reason has to do with maintaining the integrity of the engine and the protection the oil and filter provides to the engine’s sensitive parts. While nearly all aftermarket oil filters do an excellent job of screening for contaminants and can usually last past their quoted lifespan, it is the oil that re-circulates through the engine system, maintaining its performance and maximizing service life over time, that ultimately drives the engine forward. During normal engine operation, the oil becomes contaminated and the filter works to remove those contaminates, which slowly becomes saturated. Over time, the accumulation of those deposits in the oil filter makes it harder to remove contaminates and there is an impact on engine performance. So even if the oil and filter maker recommend a longer drain interval, and the car’s manual agrees, technicians are reluctant to push the next oil and filter change right to the limit. Instead, they will recommend to change the oil and filter before at recommended change interval in order to make sure the contaminate build-up does not harm the engine and performance.

“I would say that the biggest misconception is one (change) interval for all circumstances. I think that personal driving habits, the condition of the roads, the general maintenance of the vehicle, the climate, the demand you’re putting on the vehicle, all effect how frequently you should change the oil,” continues Martin, “I think the downside to not changing oil frequently enough is far greater than doing it earlier than normal.”

SSGM