High Mileage Oil Change

High mileage oils contain specialized additives that enhance engine longevity and optimize performance in three key ways:

1. Detergents to eliminate sludge buildup.
2. Conditioners to keep rubber seals and gaskets flexible.
3. Additives that lubricate worn metal parts and help maintain compression.

How Does High Mileage Oil Work?

As engines age, rubber seals can distort and become brittle, leading to less effective sealing. Additionally, friction from moving parts causes wear, often to a “broken-in” state. These issues can create tiny gaps in the engine system, resulting in oil leaks, burning oil, increased friction, and a loss of compression in the engine cylinders. This deterioration negatively impacts engine performance, increases oil consumption, and accelerates wear on metal components.

High mileage oil addresses these issues in several ways:

Viscosity Adjustment: High mileage oil is formulated to be thicker at the higher end of its viscosity range, which helps fill gaps in seals and connections between metal parts. This increased viscosity also ensures generous lubrication for metal components without exceeding the manufacturer’s oil specifications.

• Seal Conditioning: The conditioners in high mileage oil chemically interact with seals and gaskets to keep them flexible and effective.

• Sludge Prevention: Detergents help prevent the formation of sludge and remove any existing sludge buildup.

For most high mileage vehicles, the benefits of high mileage oil outweigh the increased cost. With the average age of cars and light trucks at nearly 12 years², many owners are driving higher mileage vehicles and keeping them longer. Delaying the need for major engine repair isn’t just a theoretical question.

Another factor to weigh is the health of your engine’s seals and gaskets. Rubber compresses and distorts with time no matter how much or how little you drive. The seal conditioners in high mileage oil counteract that effect on a chemical level to minimize leaks.

Consider switching to high mileage oil if your vehicle has 75,000 or more miles, or if you notice any of these problems:

• Blue smoke from your exhaust system.

• Increased oil consumption.

• Oil stains on your garage floor or driveway.

• Oil streaks on engine parts.

• Louder engine noise.

High mileage oil should be changed on the same schedule your vehicle’s manual recommends. For vehicles made in the past decade or so, automakers usually recommend changing the oil every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, or if your dashboard oil change reminder triggers. The traditional 3,000-mile oil change interval still applies to some older cars, but many cars with these higher oil change intervals have already reached high mileage status. So check the manual – and heed your vehicle’s oil change indicator. (In some vehicles it takes your actual driving patterns into account.) No longer putting those miles on your car? Follow your manual’s time interval instead.

Can you wait longer between oil changes by using high mileage oil? Midas doesn’t recommend it, given the engine problems these oils help prevent. If your older vehicle is already showing signs of engine wear — such as burning oil or losing compression – you should be extra careful to follow your recommended oil change schedule.

Synthetic oil provides numerous advantages that enhance the benefits of high mileage oil, including a remarkable 47% performance improvement over conventional oil, as demonstrated in AAA testing.

High mileage oil is available in several formulations: full synthetic, synthetic blend, and conventional oil. It’s crucial to adhere to the oil change specifications outlined in your owner’s manual to maintain engine health and ensure your warranty remains valid. With some powertrain warranties extending up to 100,000 miles, many high mileage vehicles still have coverage; however, using the incorrect type of oil could potentially void that warranty.