Air cooled engines need the very best oil?

[Zaedock]

Factory oil life monitor on a 2002 Dodge Dakota STX?? The only “factory oil life monitor” 2002 Dodge Dakotas came with was the milage odometer.

I’ll say it again. Motor oil is cheap engine insurance!

I’m not saying factory OLM on your Dakota. What I’m saying is that a similarly model year car with one allowed 6500+\- intervals with the same result. Changing oil at 2,000 miles is simply an economic waste. UOA testing can offer a better insight into a change interval to save you money, time and resources.

A good example would be a summer interval on our
vehicle I mentioned - approx 7K miles. Still a clean, non burning engine and only one change vs three.

 

[Cherrybomb]

It's also very important on any air cooled engine to keep the fins clean and all shields in place.

 

[z71bill]

I started writing the oil change date on the mower deck with a magic marker.

On my one older Honda I am running out of room.

It takes me 10 minutes to change the oil + 12.5 ounces of oil.

I have used a complete hodgepodge of different oil types and grades - even mixed different oil.

Say a 0W20 full synthetic + 10W40 or 5W30 and SAE30 what ever I had left over.

I never go past a year - and if the oil starts to look a little dark I will just change it even if has been 8 months.

Such little effort and small cost I don't see why anyone would try and stretch it out.