How often do you change your oil?

[4wheeldog]

I do 5k changes with all my 4 wheeled vehicles, and 3k changes on motorcycles. All the cars/trucks get Mobil 1 synthetic. The BMW R1150RT gets 15W/50. Kawalskis get HDEO, either 5W40 or 15W/40, Delo or Rotella.

Filters vary somewhat, though both Toyotas and my BMW motocycle all take the same filter.

I have been using 0W/30 AFE in the Subaru and the old 4runner. I have switched the truck to 5W/30 plain vanilla or EP, because it mostly tows my travel trailer.

 

[skaughtz]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
How does rotations extend the life of tires? Are they all different? What about directional tires?

I think I read TiredTrucker gets over 400'000 mileson his tires.


At least on a front wheel drive car the drive tires (front) experience far more wear than the rear tires due to pulling/turning/alignment issues/etc. Rotating the tires allows for even wear across all four tires, essentially achieving the maximum functionality out of all four tires. At least, that is how it has always been explained (and makes sense) to me.

Perhaps "extend" is the wrong word to use. "Maximize" is probably more appropriate. If you never rotated your tires, you would end up with two bald tires on the front and two decent tires in the rear. Switching them would then yield you two decent tires in the front and two bald ones in the rear. Not the best idea for safety. Rotating them routinely helps to ensure that each tire has the same amount of tread as the others. Then, when it comes time to get new tires, the discounts on purchasing four tires are usually much, much better than when purchasing only two.

 

[tig1]

I have been doing 10K OCIs regardless of time since 1978 with M1 oils. I have never had a problem with that, my engines have gone well over 300K, stay very clean, and have never showed any sign of wear.

 

[stchman]

Every 6500 to 7500 miles.

 

[SilverC6]

I change at 4,500 - 5,500 miles unless I'm surprised by one of my wife's "Oh, by the way, I drove to Tahiti last Wednesday" updates.

I have one car in my fleet that I change in the 3,000 - 4,000 mile range due to fuel dilution and a relatively small sump.

I've been using on sale/clearance synthetic including PP, PU, M1EP, Castrol Edge Gold, and NAPA (Valvoline) Synthetic.

Why use dino when synthetic is just as cheap and offers all that extra synthetic goodness.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: SilverC6
Why use dino when synthetic is just as cheap

Doesn't dino go on sale, too?

 

[WobblyElvis]

Twice a year and most, usually 7,000 to 9,500 miles sometimes up to 12,000miles. I use cheap Canadian tire house brand synthetic and conventional usually mixed together.
OLM goes down to about minus %50.
2.2 GM ecotec engine.

 

[geekster]

In the Acura I change it at 5,000. My wife short trips it everyday. 2-3 miles at most. OLM said it had 30% on it at a tad over 5,000 on the last change. On the KIA I go to 4,000 then change and the dip stick smells like a gas can by that point. It's driven 13 miles each way 4x a day. That is 8 miles of straight "country" highway at 65 and the rest is typical stop and go. I only change it then due to the dilution.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Every 3/3k like clockwork.

 

[Snoman002]

OLM on all three. Pontiac G8 GT, last OCI was a touch over 10k with PP. Pontiac Solstice GXP, no idea how many miles as we just bought it, no idea what's in it even. Grand Caravan 3.3, whenever the light goes off, and I have NO flipping clue how far apart in mileage that is. It was previously on synthetic and often it would go well beyond the light just due to laziness. Now it is on PYB it will go till it tells me to change it. It has 100k miles and I'm beyond being anal retentive about it.

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: skaughtz
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
How does rotations extend the life of tires? Are they all different? What about directional tires?

I think I read TiredTrucker gets over 400'000 mileson his tires.


At least on a front wheel drive car the drive tires (front) experience far more wear than the rear tires due to pulling/turning/alignment issues/etc. Rotating the tires allows for even wear across all four tires, essentially achieving the maximum functionality out of all four tires. At least, that is how it has always been explained (and makes sense) to me.

Perhaps "extend" is the wrong word to use. "Maximize" is probably more appropriate. If you never rotated your tires, you would end up with two bald tires on the front and two decent tires in the rear. Switching them would then yield you two decent tires in the front and two bald ones in the rear. Not the best idea for safety. Rotating them routinely helps to ensure that each tire has the same amount of tread as the others. Then, when it comes time to get new tires, the discounts on purchasing four tires are usually much, much better than when purchasing only two.


You're correct. Extend is also correct because tires will wear differently on different locations of the vehicle. Front tires will have more wear inside and outside from camber and turning and just general geometry of the steering system. Rotating keeps them all wearing much more evenly so the full width and capability of the tire(as it was designed) will be utilized.

 

[alex16]

For my 14 Mirage doing 7K for the summer months in Central Pennsylvania on redline and 5k for the winter on sustina about 6 months each change.

Jeep gets 2-3K miles a year on T6, gets changed just before winter (Lots of idling and abuse off road/winter beating).

Oldsmobile gets less than 3K and once a year change before winter PYB.

 

[ccap41]

I pretty much just stick to 5k intervals. I used to only do 3k but then I learned that it's just a waste. Even 5k still isn't maximixing my oil and filter capabilities(Penn. Ultra) but I like to get under there and check things out and if I'm taking the skid plate/belly pan off I'm going to make it worth it. I enjoy doing it anyway.

My scooter is about 1000 mile intervals(no canister filter) or once at the beginning of the riding season.

 

[Nick1994]

I change every 10k with the Beetle.

Once yearly with the Trailblazer and Jeep Cherokee. They only do about 4,000 a year. Fram Ultra stays on for 2 years.

Buick Rendezvous gets changed every 4-5k miles

1970 Beetle once a year, this last time with Mobil 1 TDT.

 

[killswitch83]

My 2011 Sonata 2.4L GDI has been getting approx. 5k-5500 mile OCI's before I started short-tripping due to distance to work. Going to be changing it this weekend at a hair over 4k and doing an UOA to see if I can still extend it to 5k or so, we'll see....

 

[slacktide_bitog]

In cars with an OLM, I follow its suggestions, with the cheapest synthetic on sale, usually Napa synthetic, which is rebranded Synpower.

When there's no OLM, I go to 10k on an ACEA-rated synthetic (PP/Edge/M1)

 

[xshoex]

my 96 jeep i change about about 3k. i use dino, right now 15w40 napa, and i run it hard. offroad alot, especially in this 100* heat everyday its deff getting run hard.

the kia every 5-7k depending on if its burning oil or not. i used supertech 10w30 in it and it burned ALOT now back on QS and well see how she likes it.

 

[Redpatches]

Every Spring and Fall, whether the cars need it or not. I keep wanting to do only a 12 month OCI on the Prius but wind up doing the oil change anyway since I have plenty of oil/filters in stock.

 

[Uregina09]

I change oil in my vehicles every April and October regardless of mileage, although I never exceed 10k kms or so in a six month period. We have brutal winters in Saskatchewan so I like fresh oil before and after winter.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: rickmeseke
i used supertech 10w30 in it and it burned ALOT now back on QS and well see how she likes it.


How does SuperTech 10W-30 get burned up in a late model 2011 Kia ?