Good Plan or not too swift?

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Car is '03 Corolla 1.8l 5 speed, oil capacity 4 qts. I changed oil @ 1000 miles to Red Line 10w30(although 5w30 is the "preferred" oil). The original plan was to go 5000 miles on this batch, then 7500 miles from then on without analysis. The engine will always reach operating temp as will the oil. In your opinions is this a safe bet? I'm beginning to wonder after reading so many suggestions to do an analysis @ 5K after the next change. Toyota's recommendations are 5000/7500 with petrol oil. Approx 3200 miles on car now. Whatcha think?
 
That sounds like a pretty safe plan. With oil analysis you will probably find 7500 miles is well within reason.
 
Agreed, you're almost certainly safe, but driving patterns & such vary. I'd spend the $8-15 on some raw numbers that second time. If nothing else, it'll provide an idea if you should be nervous near the end or if there's plenty of margin.

David
 
I know this is slightly off topic but I was wondering why so many people go with 7500 mile intervals? Wouldn't it be easier to remember an even number like 7000 or 8000 instead?
 
What, too cold up there to do arithmetic?
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It's between 5 & 10K? Doesn't this belong in the Question of the Day forum?
 
The oil should last that long pretty easily....I'll bet you could go 10,000. Is this a sludgey 4?

As suggested just do an oil analysis. It's worth it for another reason as well, IMHO: It talks about the health of your motor...funky assembly issues (extremely rare), leaky head gasket (rare but happens), leaky air intake (happens).

Oil Analysis it's not just for your oil anymore.

As for the 7,500 miles - I think several manufacturers say that, or 'mercicans just like 3/4 (as opposed to Canadians that like 2/3 - as in the kph vs. mph, $US vs $CAN.....
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Patman,
The 15K (7.5K x 2) mile marker is also a point where there is a factory recommended service. It would take care of both at the same time.
 
I see all of your points but I guess I'm just wierd (in the way that I take pictures of my odometers!) that I like to always change my oil right on an even number. So instead of doing an oil change at 119,500km, I would wait until it hit 120,000km for instance. That's just me the freak!
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By the way, 7500 miles works out well up here, as it converts to 12,000km, so it's a nice even number.
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PS-it's a nice warm 70 degrees here right now...........in my house anyways!
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Outside it's a bone chilling 13F.

[ December 16, 2002, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: Patman ]
 
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Prime numbers must be Patman's worst nightmare.
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[ December 16, 2002, 11:34 AM: Message edited by: satterfi ]
 
I doubt that the filter even needs to be changed.

And to answer the original question, 7500 will be a piece of cake if the engine is getting up to temp every time as you said.
 
Thanks all. Pablo this is not one of the sludgemonster 4 bangers. At present I'm using Toyota (USA made) filters because I got a great deal on a dozen. I hadn't planned on changing the filter during the 7500 (OR maybe 8000 Patman) interval.
 
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