Is time alone enough to require oil change?

[Jim Allen]

Lazerred1: On one hand, you have UOAs that show a good, modern oil with a strong anti-oxidation package will hold up in use similar to what you described. On the other, you have a bunch of hand-wringers, with very little factual evidence presented so far, trying to make you feel as guilty as if you were yanking a half-full bottle of formula out of the hands of a hungry baby. A good oil will last two years, especially since you likely have that lovely jewel stored in a nice garage and drive it long enough to get it good and warmed up when you do drive it. You may want to use an HDEO, diesel rated, oil in it as they have even stronger additive packages than passenger car oils. Plus, they have more ZDDP, which that flat-tappet smallblock will like better anyway. Bottom line, it's your, car, oil and money but I salute your not wanting to waste oil.

Oh, BTW, my old '62 Chrysler 300 (413ci, dual-quads 3.55/Sure-Grip) would blow the door off your 'Vette!

Wish I still had it!

 

[dnewton3]

Lazerred1 - I'm in exactly the same position.

I have a 1966 289 V-8 Mustang convertible. I put 500 miles on it a year, maybe a bit more? All summer driving. When I do drive it, it gets a full warm up; typically 30-50 miles at a time.

I run 10w-30 Rotella. Good additive package with plenty of TBN to fight the long term acid issues.

I have been changing it once every two years, but I'm seriously considering stretching it to every 3 years. It might be heresy to some,

but I sleep just fine at night.

 

[javacontour]

So why not have a relatively clean drain pan, catch the oil from the Vette and use it in the daily driver every 6 months, or however long.

If you think the oil still has life in it, put it to use in a ride that is going to get it's oil changed.

Use it as top off oil for something that consumes oil.
Use it in your lawn mower, etc.

If it were my car, I'd not leave the oil in longer than say 1 year. I'd probably be more inclined to do a spring and a fall oil change, one every 6 months.

But that's just my personal comfort level.

 

[Bamaro]

Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
That thing is gorgeous....sure 5 quarts is 5 quarts and I'm all for conservation. But lets be realistic, over 300 million cars on the road in the US alone X at least 2 oil changes per year X avg 4 quarts per oil change = 2 billion 400 million quarts of used oil a year! And it is all recycled.

5 quarts is a small price to pay for that hot Corvette, and thats coming from a life long Ford guy!

Its still a waste and not needed. Waste is waste.

 

[javacontour]

The other way of looking at it is which is the greater risk, wasting 5 quarts of good oil every year, or wasting a vintage engine due to breakdown if the oil isn't as good as you thought it was.

Seems the risk tends towards changing the oil. I'd rather risk wasting 5 quarts of oil than 500# of engine.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
The other way of looking at it is which is the greater risk, wasting 5 quarts of good oil every year, or wasting a vintage engine due to breakdown if the oil isn't as good as you thought it was.



Then the best advice is to get a UOA done and then slowly increase the OCI. I'm sure with only 500 miles per year you could go at least 3 or 4 years, and more than likely more, and the UOA would show no problems at all.