Last oil change 15 months, 2100 miles ago...change or still good?

[ArtDecoWorld]

Vehicle is a 1987 Toyota Van with 235k miles.
Last oil change was 15 months ago. Oil was roughly a 50/50 mix of Valvoline high-mileage 5w-30 and Delo 15w-40. Filter is K&N.
2100 miles - use is split between short, around town trips, and freeway drives of 1hr+ (at least half the miles).

Change or keep on rolling?

 

[JeffKeryk]

I would probably drain the oil and leave the filter. I use a MityVac, so it is easy peasey. Maybe wait another month if you like.

 

[Silver]

I'd go 2 years if I were on a budget without worry. I wonder if filters start to break down over time. I dunno.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Me I'd wait for the next sunny convenient day and get it done!

 

[SevenBizzos]

Nah, I wouldn't bother. I'm not scared of 15 month old oil.

 

[AKhan87]

hmm, I don't think your oil cares about time.

I would focus on what mileage to change the oil for 50/50 mixed driving

 

[FCD]

I've run conventional for 2 full years without a problem.

 

[Malo83]

Dump that Frankenbrew and filter.

 

[Fauxchemist2009]

It needs to be changed, especially if not an oil burner(no top off in last 2,000 miles)

 

[Dave1027]

I'm going to 3k on both my vehicles. It works out to be about 2 years.

 

[Fauxchemist2009]

I'm going to 3k on both my vehicles. It works out to be about 2 years.

That's fine it most applications. I'm just OCD and would always change around 12 months if I had low mile vehicles but the way we drive; oil changes every 3 month's. Castrol or Supertech

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

That oil is barely broke in. There was a fellow on here awhile back that posted a UOA on 5 year old Valvoline he had in a seldom used pickup truck that had about 1700 miles on the oil. The UOA was so typical it was boring. He could probably have run that same oil another 5 years. But you are free to consider my advice as being worth what you've paid me for it.

 

[Blueshound]

The Oil was underground for millions of years before it ended up in OP's minivan. The Oil has no idea that the earth has started its second trip around the sun since it started work at the minivan. The Oil will be fine for another trip around the sun ...

 

[super20dan]

i routinely go 2 years between oil changes on my lawn service truck. it does only 2000 miles a year .

 

[blupupher]

I am at 2 years/4100 miles on my '02 F150, but I do add a quart about once every 1000 miles, so it is always getting fresh oil in it.
Initial fill was Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 and a Mobil 1 filter, top off oil has been 5w-20 Supertech conventional oil.
Still trying to decide when I am going to change the oil and filter.

If your van were mine, I would revisit it at the 2 year mark.

 

[lenjack]

It's ok to wait. I say this after 40 plus years of using synthetics.

 

[Schandyman]

Forget it… oil and filters are cheap. Drain fill and swap out the filter.

 

[CharlesInCharge]

Depends on how much you care about or need the vehicle, or how easy it would be to replace. I think about 1 year is about the max for oil IMO once it's introduced into a vehicle and driven. Oxidation, moisture, chemical breakdown, mixing with fuel and old oil (10% of the oil in your engine is from 2, 3, or 4 oil changes ago, so could be from 4-8 years ago if you're changing it every 2 years!). In other words, given some small % of oil remains, if you're doing oil changes at 2 years then oil from 3 changes (6 years) ago is still in that engine...

Walmart priced oil and filter would be under $30. Oil change can be done in well under an hour taking your time.

In my case I my oil change prices (due to intelligent buying practices) are essentially free. I can do the change in about 30 minutes to an hour if I take my time, including cleanup. I try to do several cars at the same time for efficiency.

 

[jstert]

i regularly have changed my snowbird yaris’ oil & filter by 18 months with a decent semisynthetic 5w30 (kendall or valvoline, but last fall was toyota synthetic) but it usually hasn’t reached 3k miles. i have never understood not changing the oil filter when getting new oil (do you put on dirty underwear again after showering?). a walmart quicky conventional oil & filter change is still about $20.

 

[demarpaint]

I've gone many times 2+ years with my 88 E-150. In fact since I've been slowly winding down my business this October will be a 3 year OCI, if I change it. I estimate I will have about 3,000-3,200 miles during that interval.