New Oil Change Intervals

[Pat]

Yahoo tonight just posted new guidelines for when to change your car's motor oil.

Mr. Phillip Reed, a senior consumer advice editor for Edmunds. com advises up to 7.5K miles between oil changes, depending on your driving, stop/start, highway, mixed.

At any rate the 3K rule seems to be outdated due to metallurgy and formula of motor oil products. Other experts say consult your owners manual.

The article in question is on Yahoo now and is based on a New York Times report published on Friday, 10 Sept.

Don't shoot me I'm just a messenger.

[tbone]

I saw it. I don't care what they say. I don't like the look of the oil after 3k, and it makes me all warm and fuzzy when I change it. I let my E-150 van and Explorer go to 4k though. Nothing is too good for my Mistress.

[tbone]

Besides, it's just the greenies pushing this stuff. I wouldn't doubt it if they passed a law NOT ALLOWING oil changes before they're due.

[RoyLPita]

I still do mine every 2500-3000 miles.

[Pat]

In our owners manual-Scheduled Maintenance Guide- the normal schedule is 5K miles between motor oil and filter changes. (no time requirement).

In the Special Operation Conditions section a 3K mileage or three months limit is recommended.

There is also an Exceptions section that varies on normal time interval.

I remember the salesman and subsequently the dealership maintenance personnel always telling me 3K or 3 months and the little window sticker would reflect that.

[dakslim]

I saw it. I don't care what they say. I don't like the look of the oil after 3k, and it makes me all warm and fuzzy when I change it. I let my E-150 van and Explorer go to 4k though. Nothing is too good for my Mistress.

+1^^^^^I feel the same way.;)

[gdsqdcr]

Meh, I am a 5k interval person. I actually had an oil analysis done on my last car and 5k did not hurt it.

As for my truck and the wife's Honda. 5k ish oil changes. If those are late, a little less concerned.

Anthony

[Red91LX]

What a coincidence. I just changed the oil today!

[Joe Walsh]

Mobil 1 synthetic and a NAPA gold filter every 5,000 miles.

[SC Cheesehead]

I saw it. I don't care what they say. I don't like the look of the oil after 3k, and it makes me all warm and fuzzy when I change it. I let my E-150 van and Explorer go to 4k though. Nothing is too good for my Mistress.


Besides, it's just the greenies pushing this stuff. I wouldn't doubt it if they passed a law NOT ALLOWING oil changes before they're due.


+1^^^^^I feel the same way.;)


Meh, I am a 5k interval person. I actually had an oil analysis done on my last car and 5k did not hurt it.

As for my truck and the wife's Honda. 5k ish oil changes. If those are late, a little less concerned.

Anthony

^^^^^^ +1 on the oil analysis ^^^^^^ This is the only objective method to use to determine oil change frequency, esepcially if using synthetic or syn-blend oils. Oil color or mileage really aren't the best ways to go.

3,000 mile oil change frequency is just throwing money away unless you're subjecting the vehicle to extreme service, but then again, oil analysis would confirm that.

[computertech]

I still do mine every 2500-3000 miles.

What the man said :burnout:

[J D]

Saw the same article, and I call bunk! I've been doing 3k on the regular and my engine's internals are in top notch. Plus for second hand or more owners, sooner oil changes can help flush out and restore an engine if previously mishandled or neglected. Also if you read the comments, a lot of people who claim to have mechanical backgrounds refute the authors claims.

And I have been sending in oil for analysis at Blackstone, to pin down my oil change routine. I'm looking at about 4K between changes, but if I see if the oil drops, or it gets too brown or close to black I change it anyways.

Our modern combustion engine is built with such tight tolerances, and for thinner oil that has a much lower heat dissipation factor. Oil is good insurance, better to pay out a little more to keep the whole engine working for the life of the car, than to cheap out and lose the engine. After all I don't have the cash to drop an Aluminator or that new 5.0 in there if the engine fails.

Also If I Recall, an old Ford Ranger from Montana or somewhere out west went a million miles, and one of the things he said helped him get there was regular fluid changes including 3k for oil.

[SC Cheesehead]

Saw the same article, and I call bunk! I've been doing 3k on the regular and my engine's internals are in top notch. Plus for second hand or more owners, sooner oil changes can help flush out and restore an engine if previously mishandled or neglected. Also if you read the comments, a lot of people who claim to have mechanical backgrounds refute the authors claims.

And I have been sending in oil for analysis at Blackstone, to pin down my oil change routine. I'm looking at about 4K between changes, but if I see if the oil drops, or it gets too brown or close to black I change it anyways.

Our modern combustion engine is built with such tight tolerances, and for thinner oil that has a much lower heat dissipation factor. Oil is good insurance, better to pay out a little more to keep the whole engine working for the life of the car, than to cheap out and lose the engine. After all I don't have the cash to drop an Aluminator or that new 5.0 in there if the engine fails.

Also If I Recall, an old Ford Ranger from Montana or somewhere out west went a million miles, and one of the things he said helped him get there was regular fluid changes including 3k for oil.

Hear this from lotsa folks, old wives tales.

Color is not an objective measurement of oil condition.

Not cheap "insurance," just spending more money based on perception.

Not certain if I've ever heard of anyone losing an MM engine due to "old" oil failure. ;)

[fastblackmerc]

Get an oil analysis done. That is the ONLY way to determine the internal condition of your engine and oil change intervals. Go to http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ the test kits are free, the analysis is $$25.00. I get mine done once every 2 years. They recommend I change my oil at 6k intervals. I chose to do it every 5k (easier to remember for us old farts).

[Egon Spengler]

Just recently decided to stretch mine to 5k.

[Marauderjack]

I have done 43 "5000 Mile" oil changes and will soon do the 44th.....Mobil I since the first change......a bunch of FL-820S's until I installed the remote and now FL-1A's every change!!:beer:

[ctrlraven]

5K for the Marauder 7500 or so for my 08 Taurus.

[SC Cheesehead]

I used to run Amsoil in the late 70's, had it in my '71 LTD; changed it once a year, between 12K and 15K (oil filters changed at 5k). I sold the car at 125K miles, the next owner ran it up to about 150K, then one of the door hinges rusted all the way through and the driver's door fell off it (durn road salt and WI winters...), so the car was taken out of service.

Never used any oil, either while I had it, or the next owner, from what I heard.

[CBT]

Oil change milage depends on what I've done to the car. I changed it before MV8, with less than 3 thousand miles. But alot of those miles were put on during my trip to TN and IL, and I was cranking some RPM's. 5000 mile mark, meh, occasionally. But usually sooner for me. And I will change it soon, just because of the MV8 trip. I've said this before: it's not the miles, it's the RPM's baby! :cool:

[J D]

Hear this from lotsa folks, old wives tales.

Color is not an objective measurement of oil condition.

Not cheap "insurance," just spending more money based on perception.

Not certain if I've ever heard of anyone losing an MM engine due to "old" oil failure. ;)

True, but I did say but I did say that I default to the Lab Analysis of Oil now. (old habits die hard though)

And I do belive I remember hearing something about bearing seizing from using too heavy an oil. And check Blackened300A's motor on his cam cover install, the thing was clean as a whistle. Can't remember his oil change schedule though

[RF Overlord]

I totally agree with everything SC Cheesehead said above ^^^.

Changing any decent oil, and especially synthetic oil, at anything less than 5,000 miles is a total waste. 3,000 miles may have been a valid interval 40 years ago, but today's motors and today's oils are so far superior to those of the '70's that there's no comparison. The saying "This isn't your father's Oldmobile" fits here. While it may make YOU feel warm and fuzzy, changing the oil earlier than necessary isn't doing your car a favour, it's just wasting your money and our precious natural resource.

The only ones still pushing the 3,000-mile myth is the Quick Lube industry...and gee, they don't have an ulterior motive or anything do they? :rolleyes:

[BAD MERC]

I do the Marauder about every year which is about 1500 miles max. My 2006 12-valve Taurus gets Motorcraft oil and filters when the oil looks dirty - might be 3,000 miles, but that's probably too early. My wrecker oil is changed at 10,000 mile intervals. Which is once a month!

[tbone]

I totally agree with everything SC Cheesehead said above ^^^.

Changing any decent oil, and especially synthetic oil, at anything less than 5,000 miles is a total waste. 3,000 miles may have been a valid interval 40 years ago, but today's motors and today's oils are so far superior to those of the '70's that there's no comparison. The saying "This isn't your father's Oldmobile" fits here. While it may make YOU feel warm and fuzzy, changing the oil earlier than necessary isn't doing your car a favour, it's just wasting your money and our precious natural resource.

The only ones still pushing the 3,000-mile myth is the Quick Lube industry...and gee, they don't have an ulterior motive or anything do they? :rolleyes:

I LIKE feeling warm and fuzzy. Like a liberal after an Obama speech announcing more giveaways.......:banana: Who are you to take that feeling away from me?

We have plenty of oil. Don't worry about it!

[JOEMERC]

i change oil and filter once a year ,i put 5 or 6 thousand a year on her. Mobil -1 ,motorcraft filter .i dropped trans pan at 25000 miles and new trans. Filter also. Any thoughts when to flush radiator,manual says 10 year 100,000 miles.i think thats too long ,any thoughts,thanks.i only have 29000 miles on it now.

[RF Overlord]

We have plenty of oil. Don't worry about it!We do? Wow...I guess I am misinformed.

[tbone]

We do? Wow...I guess I am misinformed.

Yes, you are misinformed. There's enough oil shale in the Western USA ALONE to take care of our oil needs for 400 years by some estimates! Not to mention Canada's oil shales, Anwar, Gulf oil, Middle East, Arctic, Antarctic, Siberia.......... The list goes on forever! The world is literally swimming in oil. Do a little research and become informed. Stop listening to the greenies, the ones that started this whole debate. You know, the ones that WON"T LET US DRILL ANYWHERE! Sheesh!

"While oil shale is found in many places worldwide, by far the largest deposits in the world are found in the United States in the Green River Formation, which covers portions of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Estimates of the oil resource in place within the Green River Formation range from 1.2 to 1.8 trillion barrels. Not all resources in place are recoverable; however, even a moderate estimate of 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil from oil shale in the Green River Formation is three times greater than the proven oil reserves of Saudi Arabia. Present U.S. demand for petroleum products is about 20 million barrels per day. If oil shale could be used to meet a quarter of that demand, the estimated 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil from the Green River Formation would last for more than 400 years".

And this is ONE deposit in the USA alone!

It's all about the politics of oil!

[boatmangc]

I change my MM oil once a year or 12,000 miles whichever comes 1st.
My MM might get 5000 miles a year. I am now running Amsoil Dominator 5W20 racing oil in it.
I have a 06 Sprinter van with a 5 cyl Mercedes diesel in it that monitors it's own oil with their ASSYST system and says when it needs to be changed based on rpms, temp, load, etc. It has yet to ask for an oil change before 13000 miles.
I also have a 96 F150 that has run Amsoil since new with oil changes @ 25000 miles and filters every 12,500 miles. I run their filter and their bypass filter. It now has 215,000 miles on it. No leaks, no smoke, no oil consumption. It is also still on it's original transmission with Amsoil ATF flush and filter every 50K.

IMHO a good synthetic oil really doesn't break down, it just gets dirty, change the filters and keep it clean and it'll treat you right.

Te reason for annual oil changes is not because the oil is bad but because acids form in a crankcase by the nature of the internal combustion engine, and is also contaminated by fuel additives (ethanol) and they can do damage.

And again, I am not an Amsoil dealer. I would use Royal Purple if I wasn't using what I use. Anything besides dinosaur oil.

[guspech750]

I call hogwash!! They just want us to blow up our engines and buy hybrids and gas sippers. "F" them.

[Zack]

4000 miles on conventional oil here

[Big Black Beast]

I find 5000 miles is easier to keep track of.
I'm easily confused.:rolleyes:

Supposedly every 3000 is for "exteme conditions", whatever those are.

[CBT]

I find 5000 miles is easier to keep track of.
I'm easily confused.:rolleyes:

Supposedly every 3000 is for "exteme conditions", whatever those are.

Those would be the conditions that apply to me :D

[SC Cheesehead]

those would be the conditions that apply to me :d


+2.... ;)
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[MMarauder03]

Those would be the conditions that apply to me :D

From what I've heard you need more lube than the average Joe.

[DEFYANT]

I used to change the oil so often I didnt keep record! Now, any where between 3k - 5k on synthetic Moble 1. No issues here.

Ole F250 gets discount dino. No issues there either.

[DOOM]

Change mine every 3k.

Due to my driving habits! :burn: :drive:

[Windsor58]

Every 3k here. Due to supercharger and lead content (in my foot...)