6 Month oil Changes/ Syn or Dino?

[discodan]

Hello Everybody, I just purchased a Used 2007 Jeep Liberty with 15K miles in the US and imported it back to Canada so the OEM warranty is not valid anymore so I don't have to follow the recommended oil change intervals. I would like to keep the vehicule at least 10 years and more, rust will decide that part. I drive exclusively CITY DRIVING 5 miles to work and 5 miles back (monday to saturday) so I don't really rack up the miles. I read that driving short distances is bad for oil also. I was thinking of changing the oil twice a year, before and after winter, approximately every 6 months (which will give me about 2500 miles each time). Are Dino oils good enough for 6 months of driving short city trips or is it better to go with synthetic? Would I be wasting my money if I use synthetic? Your comments are greatly appreciated! thanks.

 

[Ken42]

Dino would work in my opinion but...... You need to take it out and drive the [censored] er gas out of the oil once in a while. say 80 kmh for an hour or so once a week for fun. Be safe be legal though.

Ken

Wow Pee is censored

 

[Bryanccfshr]

A conventional 5w20 would work wonderfully for the application you describe at 6 month intervals. It rarely gets to -20°c or 0°f for winter lows usually winter is slightly warmer due to the marine climate.

I am jealous of your city.

 

[Camu Mahubah]

Dino and the interval you already have in mind should work just fine!

 

[KA426]

I think I would go for the synthetic route except I would take her out for a long drive once in a while. You may need to change the oil only once a year on Amsoil, Mobil 1, or PP.

 

[FZ1]

I prefer synthetic for 6 months. It ain't the miles;it's the months.

 

[KA426]

What about Amsoil? Don't they promote 25K or one year?

 

[pickled]

Just go with M1, PP, or Amsoil XL + a WIX and your Liberty will remain happy! Sounds like short trippin' so I say go synthetic for the severe service. If you go dino go a diesel fleet style oil. Some of the petro Canada oils look pretty darn good Eh?!

 

[JohnBrowning]

Esso XD-3 0W30 change it twice a year and do not worry about the miles. Use a cheap filter like regular puralator nothing fancy or expensive just avoid Fram and OEM Mopar since most of those are Frams too. Change your ATF and Filter every 30,000 miles and use either OEM Mopar ATF+4 or one of the many liscensed ATF+4 products.Esso XD-3 is approved for gasoline and diesel engines so it is a robust oil and it is Canada friendly in it's ability to take the cold and it's price and availability.

 

[KA426]

Mr. Browning,
I just ran into a whole stack of Mopar filters for the 3.9, 5.2, and 4.7 at Wal Mart and they were made by either Wix or Purolator. Believe me. I know the Fram design all too well.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Dino.

 

[Camu Mahubah]

If you are going to do 2500 mile oil change intervals(OCI) then I recommend dino. If you were going to go past six months I might recommend syn. You are not. So run dino.

Actually run whatever helps you sleep best at night! If short trips worry you, run syn. It is up to you!

Personally I would run dino. Although you are abusing the oil at such short trips, I don't think you are abusing the engine at such short oci's.

You must sleep well at night! If it bothers you, skip a meal or two and run syn!

 

[Big Jim]

Or run synthetic and change it once a year.

 

[tsmay51]

Dino 2 times a year if climate permits.

 

[02zx9r]

either or would work, really depends on what makes YOU feel better.

Some say (including me sometimes) that it is a waste to run syn for short intervals. Not sure how cold it gets in your parts but if it is extremely cold I would go M1.

If not that bad a dino will work just fine.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Any brand name dino twice a year with Purolator Premium Plus filter

or

Any brand name synthetic once a year with Purolator Pure One filter.

 

[FrankN4]

What you describe is actually very hard on an oil. Just about the time you get the oil up to temperature, you shut down and get blessed with condensation. Then you don't get it up to temperature long enough to burn off the condensation. These are also ideal conditions for sludge and varnish. Someone said to take it out and drive it at a good clip(legal) until the oil gets up to temperature and stays there for a few minutes. PLEASE DO THIS. I think this is critical.

If it were my Jeep and I lived where you live, I would use a synthetic and change it and the filter as you outlined, before and after winter. I know you wouldn't use the grade of oil that I would use but I would say a synthetic 0W or 5W-30 would be about right. Since you have no warranty issues, I would recommend Amsoil. Amsoil is kinda expensive(maybe) so any of the over the counter name brand synthetics would work. Mobil 1, Valvoline Synpower, or Pennzoil Platinum. Any of these with a Wix or Purolator filter would run $30.00 American and less. $60.00, American, is a good price for peace of mind and great engine protection for a year.

 

[PandaBear]

Cheapest Dino 5W20 for winter and 5W30 for summer.

 

[discodan]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Any brand name dino twice a year with Purolator Premium Plus filter

or

Any brand name synthetic once a year with Purolator Pure One filter.


Thank you all for your replies.
Actually the "once a year" oil change kind of interest me now. Since I live in a condo complex, we are not allowed to do "mechanic work" on our vehicles so I have to go to a garage everytime for oil changes which gets expensive. Like I said it's those short trips everyday that worry me about the oil quality. So it would be safe to put in my Jeep 2007 (15K) some synthetic oil and change it only once a year without worries?

 

[Gary Allan]

Got an outlet that you can plug into? (are these condos or townhouses?).

In a Canadian winter ..synth regardless of the mileage for me.

There are some services that there are no practical solutions for ..and this is one of them. Your mileage is so low that there's a conversion of scale that makes most remedies too costly for the insult that they bring to the table.

You can surely use as light an oil as you can find. You're maybe at a 50 weight by the time you turn off the key.