Change oil when dirty?

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Glockycharms

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Alright now, how many of you cannot wait several thousand miles and go ahead and change the oil as it is dirty?

Do you get a lot of ribbing from your buddies or do they agree with this?

I have a 347 (stroked 302) and i was told to change the oil as soon as it gets dirty according to the engine builder.

If i where to follow his advice what would be the right oil as it would not be in there as long?

This car was NOT built to be beaten on and taken to the track and i want this engine to last me a bit.
 
Technically the oil gets "dirty" the first time you drive the car. Did he tell you how to tell when the oil is "dirty" enough to change?
 
Please define "dirty". I'm guessing you're referring to color. I think it's pretty well accepted that an oil's color has almost nothing to do with the fluid's actual health. Some oils' add packs turn dark almost as soon as they're exposed to heat. A perfectly running diesel will blacken (not just darken) its oil very quickly. Passenger cars and PCMOs seem to be a mixed in this department, some combos darken fast, and some don't.

It appears that you're thinking that dark = dirty. Not so!

If you're seriously bought into this idea, there are two things you can do (that I can think of right off the bat). First, you can throw away a lot of time and good oil doing what are most likely needless changes. Second, run a UOA or two on your car as it gets the oil to the point where you consider the oil "dirty". If that point is anywhere between maybe 2,000 and 5,000 miles, and your engine is tight and running well, I'd bet that you will be very surprised at how good the oil remains, despite its darkness.
cheers.gif
 
LOL! In that case, diesel engine owners/operators may have to constantly changing oil when they detect the first sign of black in the oil which already sooty anyways.....

Smiles....(something not right about the logic here)

Q.
 
With Dino oil I just change at 3k or 3 months, whichever comes first (always the 3 months). Sometimes I push it longer, time wise. Usually I barely get 2k miles in 5 months. I hear that the additives can wear out over time, even if you don't put many miles on the oil (if someone could verify this that would be awesome).
 
I understand, however we are not talking a daily driver car at all.

It is car that will be a garage queen taken out in good weather when i have a chance.

This Iraq war/military is driving me nuts with the lack of time for a life!!
 
Quote:

I have a 347 (stroked 302) and i was told to change the oil as soon as it gets dirty according to the engine builder.


Click to expand...


Substitute "watery" for "dirty" because you can't tell if it's dirty by looking at the color of oil on the dipstick. But since cool oil is thick it's time to change when it drips off the dipstick like water.
 
Blotter spot test is useful to determine color change vs. actual "dirt" aka suspended solids. I run one about every 200 mi.
 
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