Change oil before trip?

[72westy]

I just changed the oil in my 94 P-30 28ft Fleetwood Southwind back in July and have driven 1,609 miles since. Now looking at a possible trip from Renton, Wa. - Orlando, Fl. Should I change it prior or just wait until I return? Running Valvoline Full synthetic with Mobil 1 Extended Performance filter. I pulled a sample on my last change after ~ 4,000 miles over 14 months and the TBN was 6.1 with no abnormalities. Then I was using Valvoline VR-1 Racing 10w-30 conventional.

Engine is 454 TBI w/4L80E trans currently 64.XXX miles on it.

 

[wwillson]

No need to change it now, as you'd be throwing good oil away.

 

[Lubener]

You are good to go with your present oil.

 

[ctechbob]

Yep, I doubt 1600 miles on the oil is going to make a big difference one way or the other. Plus you're going to be cruising long distance, the easiest use case for the oil.

 

[ripcord]

Highway miles are the easiest on oil. No need to change. If it's keeping you awake at night, you can have it changed at a Pep Boys or somewhere on the way back, but personally, I would just keep it topped off and wait to change it when you get back.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Sounds like a cool trip. You best be starting south ( like the Canada geese), December is around the corner!

 

[72westy]

Sounds like a cool trip. You best be starting south ( like the Canada geese), December is around the corner!

I'll be heading down the 5 to 99 (Ca.) to Bakersfield then shoot across and down to the 10 then east. Likely head out mid Dec. (1 month trip)

 

[demarpaint]

I'd wait on changing the oil.

 

[MetalSlug]

i usually change oil 2-3 day before the trip and right before the trip check the oil again and good to go cross the country.

 

[SatinSilver]

Check the oil level frequently throughout the trip and bring some top off oil with you.

 

[ecotourist]

I took a fairly long road trip in my Honda Accord V6, lets say a 4500 - 5000 km round trip. The OLM was reading 40% (oil life left) as I was about to leave. That's too soon to change the oil. A normal change interval is 8,000 km but longer on a long trip. The OLM counts down in 10% increments (until the last 10%) so there's no way to tell whether "40% left" means there was 40% or 31% oil life left.

What to do? I decided to leave it and go.

But no sooner than having left it counted down to 30% (oil life left). I thought I'll never complete this trip without "going over". But the count down slowed right down and I still had 5% oil life left when I got home.

So the OLM thinks that a road trip is very easy on oil.

 

[AutoMechanic]

No need to change it until you return.

 

[dlundblad]

Keep it in. You’re already running some good stuff.

Road trips aren’t hard on oil. 1000 miles in a few days isn’t 1000 miles over a month’s time.

 

[jeepman3071]

You are good to go with your present oil.

+1

Also, I'd wait until after the trip. Highway miles are easy on oil, and you actually have less potential for issues not disturbing anything before the trip.

A year ago I went on a road trip to NC, TN, and VA with my BMW. I changed the trans fluid about a week or two before I left with MaxLife ATF. Anyone who has used MaxLife ATF knows how much it smells. I had no leaks, and the underside of the car was completely dry after the change, but I think just the residual film from filling that had gotten stuck to the plastic skid plate made me get whiffs of it occasionally on the trip. I knew there weren't any leaks and there was nothing on the ground, but smelling it every so often gave me an uneasy feeling at times.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I just changed the oil in my 94 P-30 28ft Fleetwood Southwind back in July and have driven 1,609 miles since. Now looking at a possible trip from Renton, Wa. - Orlando, Fl. Should I change it prior or just wait until I return? Running Valvoline Full synthetic with Mobil 1 Extended Performance filter. I pulled a sample on my last change after ~ 4,000 miles over 14 months and the TBN was 6.1 with no abnormalities. Then I was using Valvoline VR-1 Racing 10w-30 conventional.

Engine is 454 TBI w/4L80E trans currently 64.XXX miles on it.

Well good to see someone posting from my old stomping grounds. Long trip like that I like to change before I go. I take the stuff I need to change it again on the road. I like changing on about a 5500K OCI when I'm pulling my 14,000 lb. fifthwheel.

 

[Zee09]

Run it like you stole it....lol
Its good to go.