Is time alone enough to require oil change?
- Thread starter Lazerred1
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If you have fully warmed it up occasionally like 20 miles runs, I see no reason to change. If it all 1-3 mile trips, I would say yes. JMO Ed
Just do it for the sake of the car!
5 or 6 qts of oil at around $2.50 per qt max an oil filter at lets say $6.00 max. What the heck change it.
If I had a 62 Vette, I'd put more than 500 miles on it a year...but yeah I agree put some maxlife in there to help with the seals
I would say no. At 500 miles/year I would run the oil at least 2 years, and maybe even 3 years before I changed the oil out. We have some UOA's where the oil was in for 2 years or more and the analysis's came back fine.
This UOA of someone who had a run of 2 years and 3000 miles on his oil. He changed the oil and had it tested. The results came back TBN 10.3 -- which basically means the oil was still virtually as good as fresh oil. It was a rather large sump of 30 quarts, but it turned out to be a complete waste of changing the oil because of relying on some time factor rather than the service factor.
UOA on 1970 Camaro 3 years/877 miles, oil was fine.
UOA … 2 years 7600 miles, oil was fine.
This UOA of someone who had a run of 2 years and 3000 miles on his oil. He changed the oil and had it tested. The results came back TBN 10.3 -- which basically means the oil was still virtually as good as fresh oil. It was a rather large sump of 30 quarts, but it turned out to be a complete waste of changing the oil because of relying on some time factor rather than the service factor.
UOA on 1970 Camaro 3 years/877 miles, oil was fine.
UOA … 2 years 7600 miles, oil was fine.
A UOA is at least $20.00 .The oil change costs less. P.S. what a car I had some real good memories with a 59 Vette.
The time interval thing is more for cars that get driven short distances. If you drive a car a mile a day for six months, you will put on 180 miles but the oil will be trashed.
If you drive that car 50 miles, and park it for two years, I would be confident after two years that the oil is good.
If you drive that car 50 miles, and park it for two years, I would be confident after two years that the oil is good.
Agree that UOA waste of money, I would let it go at least another 6 months or 2 years. I have one I let go 12=15 months or so with 3000 miles a year and when I did do UOA ( did a few at the year intervals) it was fine.
We change oil way too often because we apparantely have nothing better to do or love to do it as it makes us feel good. It will not make your engine last any longer
We change oil way too often because we apparantely have nothing better to do or love to do it as it makes us feel good. It will not make your engine last any longer
Patman
Staff member
My mom's car only gets about 3-4k worth of driving per year (and at least 1000 of those miles is me borrowing her car during the winter time) so I change her oil every two years. The last time I did it the oil had around 7500 miles on it and the analysis came back looking great. I'm changing her oil tomorrow actually, it'll be two years and somewhere around 7000 miles. I'll post the UOA this week.
Originally Posted By: Drivebelt
I would say no. At 500 miles/year I would run the oil at least 2 years, and maybe even 3 years before I changed the oil out.
Because it's important to save the oil, correct?
I would say no. At 500 miles/year I would run the oil at least 2 years, and maybe even 3 years before I changed the oil out.
Because it's important to save the oil, correct?
Thanks for the responses. It's really not the money or the effort to change it, rather a waste of oil. I know it's only 5 qts., but 5 here and 5 there adds up eventually.
I'd drive it more, but it's original and unhit and I'd prefer keeping it that way.
I'd drive it more, but it's original and unhit and I'd prefer keeping it that way.
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Originally Posted By: Lazerred1
Thanks for the responses. It's really not the money or the effort to change it, rather a waste of oil. I know it's only 5 qts., but 5 here and 5 there adds up eventually.
I'd drive it more, but it's original and unhit and I'd prefer keeping it that way.
My uncle had a 59, 60 and 61. All at the same time. Sold them when he decided to move.
Very nice.
THANK YOU for the photo!
Bill
Thanks for the responses. It's really not the money or the effort to change it, rather a waste of oil. I know it's only 5 qts., but 5 here and 5 there adds up eventually.
I'd drive it more, but it's original and unhit and I'd prefer keeping it that way.
My uncle had a 59, 60 and 61. All at the same time. Sold them when he decided to move.
Very nice.
THANK YOU for the photo!
Bill
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!
5 quarts is a small price to pay for that hot Corvette, and thats coming from a life long Ford guy!
BTW in that classic I would personally change the oil+filter every 6 months with synthetic.
I would want to take really good care of a car like that and I would change the oil at least once a year.
Time is important. The last time I checked Amsoil required an oil change at least once a year even if the mileage for the given oil (25,000 and even 35,000 miles for Amsoil) had not been exceeded.
Time is important. The last time I checked Amsoil required an oil change at least once a year even if the mileage for the given oil (25,000 and even 35,000 miles for Amsoil) had not been exceeded.
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