Changing oil too often
- Thread starter psdtdi
- Start date
Think it's more along the lines of different brands (additive packages competing against eachother). Not changing with the same exact oil every 1k as an example..
Propflux01
$100 Site Donor 2026
I think that might have come in part from the old saying of zinc bonding to parts, then getting flushed away with the new oil, not allowing a good bond to occur, that, and the dry starts after oil changes.
Do a search here "too often" and you will come up with several other similar threads such as this:
You will find a link to an SAE study (Ford sponsored I think): http://papers.sae.org/2007-01-4133/
which states "As in the previous study, the results showed that the aged engine oils provide lower friction and much improved wear protection capability." This infers that having "too new" oil in your vehicle is more wear prone than "older" oil.
You will find a link to an SAE study (Ford sponsored I think): http://papers.sae.org/2007-01-4133/
which states "As in the previous study, the results showed that the aged engine oils provide lower friction and much improved wear protection capability." This infers that having "too new" oil in your vehicle is more wear prone than "older" oil.
Subjects the engine to excessive detergents? that's a new one.
I know some guy adamantly believed changing oil more frequently resulted in higher wear metals per thousand miles but he did 1 used oil analysis per change and tracked them and that's not worth anything.
I know some guy adamantly believed changing oil more frequently resulted in higher wear metals per thousand miles but he did 1 used oil analysis per change and tracked them and that's not worth anything.
Wear is greatest during early life. Change the oil early, and often during the break in period, to remove metal particulate matter from the oil, which increases wear. Once break in wear slows down, hopefully at about 10,000 miles or so, you can extend change intervals. There are some long threads here discussing this. The forum's most loved, and hated, oil youtube dude, Lake Speed Jr, advocates this approach, and I support his thinking.
Unless the engine is operating in extreme conditions (stop and go driving, short trips, driving in extreme temps, trailing etc).
In those cases, you need to shorten the oil change intervals.
In my twenties I was working or managing auto shops and I probably changed my oil way too frequently as was easy to do since in a shop all day and we were racing our cars back then so a little insurance of spotless oil. These days I'm on my back with Rhino Ramps so those too early changes are long gone. 
I do 6 months or 5k miles whichever comes first. If someone said they were doing 3 months or 3k miles like the old days I don't think anything bad will happen besides a little lightening of the wallet. So I guess it depends how often do you consider too often but without frequency, samples, lab, engine tear down any answer is educated speculation at best I suppose.
I do 6 months or 5k miles whichever comes first. If someone said they were doing 3 months or 3k miles like the old days I don't think anything bad will happen besides a little lightening of the wallet. So I guess it depends how often do you consider too often but without frequency, samples, lab, engine tear down any answer is educated speculation at best I suppose.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
These discussions always devolve into the "Cheap Insurance", "Waste of money and resources" and "My driving style is special" arguments. Empirical data has no place in it.
Every time you change oil, there's a .001% that you'll leave the drain plug out, or drop it off the lift, or get in a wreck driving to the oil change place, or ??? Can't think of any advantage changing oil after a thousand miles under normal conditions and at some point the minuscule chance of something bad happening exceeds the advantages of changing clean oil. Then there's money spent.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
This was a topic here several years back based on iron dropping in the used oil analysis as the miles increased …
I think DI/TDI has become far more mainstream since then - and many run 5K-10K with no used oil analysis …
I think DI/TDI has become far more mainstream since then - and many run 5K-10K with no used oil analysis …
Not detrimental but a waste of a resource and additional disposal of used oil and filters.
I suppose you could get a little wear if the filter is not prefilled, if you change often that's the only extra wear I could see. Then if you prefill there is a chance of getting dirt in the filter or unfiltered oil going through an engine. Other than that, it would be a waste of money changing too often.
Asked a Tribologist if there was any benefit in changing oil early.
“Yes!” he replied “You create very high quality waste oil!”
This is a thigh slapper in tribology circles….
“Yes!” he replied “You create very high quality waste oil!”
This is a thigh slapper in tribology circles….
Aren't we at a point where we need to be asking, "Are the OCI guidelines in the owners manual good enough, or would it be better to use them as a starting point, then adjust from there based on used oil analysis?"
That's what I am starting to do. If I go by owner's manual guidelines (6 months/5000 miles), I'd be changing my oil at about 3,000 miles, and I could do that, that's not really too often, based on the calendar. UOA, however, has indicated I can go much further than that. Based on that, I am pushing it out a little at a time to see how it goes.
That's what I am starting to do. If I go by owner's manual guidelines (6 months/5000 miles), I'd be changing my oil at about 3,000 miles, and I could do that, that's not really too often, based on the calendar. UOA, however, has indicated I can go much further than that. Based on that, I am pushing it out a little at a time to see how it goes.
I think it’s a bit ridiculous to have time-based OCI tied to a calendar. A car can sit in the garage all winter and the amount of oxidation is tiny because there was no fuel burned and no heat applied to it.
Changing your oil on time or earlier is always better than when is overdue.
I recall a few years back on here reading about protective chemical layers being partially stripped off early in each oil change from
fresh detergents, etc. Don't know if that's still a supported thesis.
fresh detergents, etc. Don't know if that's still a supported thesis.
Not changing oil and filters often enough has led to the demise of millions of engines over the decades. I've never heard of one where when an owner ruined their engine by changing it too often. That's a bit like getting your clothes too clean.
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