If you can run a quality conventional oil up to 5K why are people still using the 3K/3mth OCI? I know that the quick lubes(Jiffy/Valvoline)like you to be back quickly as a repeat customer but many mechanics(ASE)like the 3mth/3K oci too.Joe
3000 OCI-Why still?
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Old habits are really, really hard to break.
My Suburban OLM goes off at 4000 in Winter here because I do all 5-10 mile trips. Since the OLM data is uploaded to Onstar now.....I change the oil. Especially during warranty.
For various reasons.
Some mechanics recommend 3k OCI because they know that'll translate into 4,000/5,000 for some people. Also money like you said is a big driven factor.
Another reason is if you don't have the cleanest burning engine out there, the oil is going to get contaminated faster. Also maybe you have a *slight* headgasket leak or something along those lines and sometihng foriegn is seeping into the oil.
But I think the biggest reason to do a 3k OCI is because oil is so cheap, $10 every 3 months or 3k for a gallon of havoline and a supertech filter is well worth it for the guaranteed protection. It's cheap insurance.
Some mechanics recommend 3k OCI because they know that'll translate into 4,000/5,000 for some people. Also money like you said is a big driven factor.
Another reason is if you don't have the cleanest burning engine out there, the oil is going to get contaminated faster. Also maybe you have a *slight* headgasket leak or something along those lines and sometihng foriegn is seeping into the oil.
But I think the biggest reason to do a 3k OCI is because oil is so cheap, $10 every 3 months or 3k for a gallon of havoline and a supertech filter is well worth it for the guaranteed protection. It's cheap insurance.
They simply don't know any better. The people they see as being knowledgeable about that kind of thing tell them every 3 months or 3,000 miles. Auto parts store advertisements, Quickie lube employees, many car dealerships, family members/relatives.. The people who support the 3 month/ every 3,000mi signifigantly outnumber those who support extended drain intervals.
Why not?
Why wait for the future to determine whether the engine you have is a sludge monster or not?
Everyones driving styles are different. I find that MANY people push their oil beyond its limits. The 3k/3mo is an easy fix for that. Its also a good marketing move for quicklube places. Helps with unemployment!
Over maintenance never hurt anyone. Under maintaining a vehicle will almost definitely cause future issues.
As long as you use an oil recycler, I don't care for the enviro impact that someone is bound to mention sooner or later. IMO, wasting an engine is more damaging to the enviroment then recycling a few extra gallons of motor oil.
The same can be said over the long term performance degradation of any motor when comparing a well maintained one to one that is neglected.
If you don't push your oil, if you do use higher end oils, if you have premium filtration, if you have an engine that does not stress the oil, if you have the money for a UOA, then the 3k OCI is not needed and can be proved as such.
A UOA can cost more then 3 times as much as an oil change. When somone asks me to choose between a UOA and 3 extra oil changes within a given period, what do you think I would recommend?
IMO, all non synthetic oils prior to GF4 and prior to other newer OEM equivalent performance specs, were seriously lacking. Actually, prior to GF3/SL, IMO, mineral motor oil was pathetic! When did GF4 finally become available to the masses?
Oil consumption is also an issue. I find that too many owners watching the OLM or odometer just don't pop the hood frequently enough. If the dipstick came with a switch and triggered an idiot reminder light every 1k miles, then your less dependent on your sump capacity and the OCI. Their are too many engines that consume oil and negligent owners that don't know how to use the hood release or dipstick. The 3k OCI will save them from their ignorance. I still find an abundance of cars requiring long OCIs, per owners manual OLM 10k 7.5k whatever, that are 1-3 quarts low on oil.
I respect machinery because without it, we're just cavemen!
Why wait for the future to determine whether the engine you have is a sludge monster or not?
Everyones driving styles are different. I find that MANY people push their oil beyond its limits. The 3k/3mo is an easy fix for that. Its also a good marketing move for quicklube places. Helps with unemployment!
Over maintenance never hurt anyone. Under maintaining a vehicle will almost definitely cause future issues.
As long as you use an oil recycler, I don't care for the enviro impact that someone is bound to mention sooner or later. IMO, wasting an engine is more damaging to the enviroment then recycling a few extra gallons of motor oil.
The same can be said over the long term performance degradation of any motor when comparing a well maintained one to one that is neglected.
If you don't push your oil, if you do use higher end oils, if you have premium filtration, if you have an engine that does not stress the oil, if you have the money for a UOA, then the 3k OCI is not needed and can be proved as such.
A UOA can cost more then 3 times as much as an oil change. When somone asks me to choose between a UOA and 3 extra oil changes within a given period, what do you think I would recommend?
IMO, all non synthetic oils prior to GF4 and prior to other newer OEM equivalent performance specs, were seriously lacking. Actually, prior to GF3/SL, IMO, mineral motor oil was pathetic! When did GF4 finally become available to the masses?
Oil consumption is also an issue. I find that too many owners watching the OLM or odometer just don't pop the hood frequently enough. If the dipstick came with a switch and triggered an idiot reminder light every 1k miles, then your less dependent on your sump capacity and the OCI. Their are too many engines that consume oil and negligent owners that don't know how to use the hood release or dipstick. The 3k OCI will save them from their ignorance. I still find an abundance of cars requiring long OCIs, per owners manual OLM 10k 7.5k whatever, that are 1-3 quarts low on oil.
I respect machinery because without it, we're just cavemen!
What I don't quite understand is the 3 month part. What's the point of that?
That part is definetly just for $$$. Just like the air filter that has to be replaced every 12 months.
Although I wouldnt leave the same oil in the car for over a year if I didnt get 3000 miles by then. No "but it's the same as being in a bottle on a shelf" yes thats true if that bottles been sitting on a shelf in my driveway.
Although I wouldnt leave the same oil in the car for over a year if I didnt get 3000 miles by then. No "but it's the same as being in a bottle on a shelf" yes thats true if that bottles been sitting on a shelf in my driveway.
The main reason why I was wondering was because on my old car, I didn't drive it much. Only about once a day, which was the equivalent to about 3k-4k a year, sometimes 5k if I take a vacation. I would only change the oil twice a year, and everything seemed fine, even though I wasn't too comfortable with not following that 3 month recommendation, even though I didn't know why it was there. I thought it had something to do with additives, but I have no idea.
dusty roads, harsh winter weather.
Three months or three thousand mile OCI. Whicever comes first. I checked my oil in the cav the other day and it was still a little bit clean. The impala is due for a change in April, so I'll do them both at that time. For that car I just have to reset the OLM. It also will give me an excuse to someday start a stash of Pennzoil 5w30.
My first car came in 1960. Many of the then old timers were doing 1 to 2k oil change intervals then. 3k was the long interval that would start becoming accepted by some. The argument in those days was not multi-grade or not, it was detergent oil or not. Multi-grade was certainly available but was not universally accepted, not even close. In those days I ran Delo 30w detergent and went for long intervals, 2k miles if everything was in good shape. I put my self through school buying cars and flushing them out with MMO but never used multi-grade. Multi-grade oils were over fifty cents a quart and that was out of the question. So if you see an old timer doing 3k intervals he's moved up from 1 and 2k intervals of his youth. Someone that is doing 3k is at least failing on the safe side of the question and how can you fault them for that. After all you're reading this post, aren't you? By being a member and spending time here you're failing on the safe side, too.
I am getting antsy with my current OCI. I have dino castrol startup in there with about 12-15oz of LC20(REALLY smoothed the engine out perfectly!). I am about 5K right now, I changed it in the middle of September.
I have a dodge I4 2.5L. I don't know if its tough on oil honestly.
I have a dodge I4 2.5L. I don't know if its tough on oil honestly.
I did 3.5 oci last time and the first synthetic change but I take over 6 months to get 3 to 4k miles all city so I'm changing twice a year.
I like what unDummy said in his post.
The lifters in my 4.0 Jeep start getting clicky @ 2500 miles.
Lonnie:
Thanks for the post I had thought I was the only one the remembered the 1,000 mike OCI with non-detergent on my 1954 Merc, also plugs, points and condenser every 10,000 miles. It was a long time before I would use a multi weight oil let alone 3,000 miles. I have finally got to a 5,000 OCI but only cause I use full synthetic oil.
Big Mike
Thanks for the post I had thought I was the only one the remembered the 1,000 mike OCI with non-detergent on my 1954 Merc, also plugs, points and condenser every 10,000 miles. It was a long time before I would use a multi weight oil let alone 3,000 miles. I have finally got to a 5,000 OCI but only cause I use full synthetic oil.
Big Mike
Dumb or what/ WE had 3K OCI in the 80's. Moved on since then as have oils.
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