Mobil 1 5W30: Annual Protection Vs Extended Performance Vs Advanced full synthetic

1999 Acura Integra at 135k
I have been using Advanced full synthetic 5w30 for a long while - change every 5k - my annual mileage might be around 7k.

I noticed that the oil is getting darker towards oil change at 5k - this time it was worse when I changed at 4.7k (this time more came from freeway driving) - it used to show no difference when driving before and after an oil change. But there was considerable difference this time around in drive quality.

So I am re-evaluating what to use - there is also High Mileage oil. There is no leak yet nor oil loss (incidentally I have to take it for an early brake oil flush 16% early - perhaps all points to age). Mobil 1 website has all these oil options for my car https://mobiloil.com/en/product-selector?Year=1999&Make=QWN1cmE%3D&Model=SW50ZWdyYQ%3D%3D&Engine=TFMgNC1DeWwgMS44IChCMThCMSkgKEdBUyk%3D

It looks to me Extended Performance more aligned since my annual mileage is under 10k. Then change every yr instead of 5k? Should I go for better filter too - I have been using O’Reilly’s brand.

What would be better for my car?

Keep doing what you have been doing. It got you this far. 5k oil changes are great. I would use a better filter but that is all.

What does the manufacturer recommend? That’s the oil to use.

Tester

I guess if you are worrying about what oil to use you must have passed the emissions test.
Mustang is right just keep doing what you have it seems to work.

It might be this - they may not be making the regular oil anymore - I can call on Monday:

Honda doesn’t make oil. They make vehicles.

Tester

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What I meant was they might be selling oil for cars of certain age - local dealer has parts for 2003 onwards only online

The vehicle and the oil do not have any idea how old they are and don’t care . You are making this way to complicated . Just have the correct weight is all you need to care about.

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Oil getting darker might be a sign of uncleaned air getting to the engine. Check integrity of the filter, its gaskets, and the ducting to the intake manifold.

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@shanonia
This seems to explain everything going on with the car - will be back with more findings.

Poor crankcase ventilation will cause oil to darken quicker and result in the reddish shellac. Of course extended idling and stop and go traffic will also give that result.

The Jalopnik article should be understood for what it says: at change intervals of roughly 4000 miles on that engine, the listed oils (and probably filter used) don’t seem to make an appreciable difference.

if 5000 miles or more, uncertain
other engines, uncertain

+1
IMHO, the extremely-cheap PCV valve is one of the most frequently-overlooked parts of a vehicle’s maintenance regimen.

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I just put a new PCV valve as a precaution - oil was very blakish (Mobil 1 full syn)
This is the 2nd change of PCV for its 135k mileage

Where is this crankcase ventilation in my car - or is this the PCV valve?

If the oil is doing its job well and cleaning the engine, then it will turn dark. I am not sure how much weight I will put in that. Some do a used oil analysis, but not sure if that will help you.
Just keep motoring.

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The PCV = Positive Crankcase Ventilation and it needs to be kept cleaned or replaced but it is actually the less significant half of the ventilation system. A hose larger than the one on the PCV valve runs from the valve cover or a block vent over to the air filter housing. That vent system can get old and the hose collapse internally and the 90* elbows on the end connections can become totally plugged with carbon and sludge. When plugged the oil gets dirty quickly and buildup of sludge begins. That ventilation system is a significant reason that extended oil change intervals are possible.

This is the picure of the engine
http://gtcarlot.com/data/Acura/Integra/1999/10136597/Engine-49453582.html

Another - see a brownish hose from near the motor oil opening to the vent hose - is this the one you are referring to:
http://gtcarlot.com/data/Acura/Integra/2000/2554796/Engine-46482186.html

Where it connects to the vent hose, there is a U shape bypass. Believe there is some damage and that a friend put some tape over it - I removed it today to clean the manifold.

Congratulations , Sciconf . The count is not official yet but you may have set the record for oil related threads by having at least 11 threads if not more .

By now you should be an expert on oil for vehicles.

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You’re overthinking this. The color of the oil is not an indication of its wear or its ability to lubricate the engine.

It may help alleviate your OCD to send a used oil sample to a lab for analysis, but I’d just keep doing what you’ve been doing.