O C I interval ? for 99 chevy tahoe

[HankMcMauser]

I have a 1999 chevy tahoe was the wife's rig but now I'm driving it up till now I've done cheap dino oil at 3000-3500 mile intervals, but now it's going to be an extremely short run rig
1 mile to work and home for lunch then again in the evening 4-5 miles /day usually.
What would you all recommend?
I just picked up the napa $14.99 synthetic special but haven't done it yet
Hank

 

[jstutz]

With those very short runs, i would use dino and change it out every 3k. those short runs like that are hard on oil because of the fuel dilution and condensation build up. Synthetics will not help you with this. In your case there is no substitute for changing that stuff out.

 

[dsmith41]

Originally Posted By: jstutz
With those very short runs, i would use dino and change it out every 3k. those short runs like that are hard on oil because of the fuel dilution and condensation build up. Synthetics will not help you with this. In your case there is no substitute for changing that stuff out.


I agree, I guess. It will take you 8 years to get up to 3,000 miles if I did my math correctly though. Of course you will probably average more than 5 miles a day so it won't really take that long. Dino would be my choice at a shorter interval.

 

[HankMcMauser]

kinda what I was thinking , okay another question, I've heard it said once you go to synthetic,you shouldn't switch back to dino oil is this true or just an old outdated tale?

In other words should I use this oil I just purchased or return it?
Hank

 

[HankMcMauser]

8 yrs between oil changes... and to think I was considering starting to ride my bicycle once it starts warming up that'll probably stretch it to 10 yr OCI !!!lol

 

[beast3300]

Originally Posted By: HankMcMauser
I have a 1999 chevy tahoe was the wife's rig but now I'm driving it up till now I've done cheap dino oil at 3000-3500 mile intervals, but now it's going to be an extremely short run rig
1 mile to work and home for lunch then again in the evening 4-5 miles /day usually.
What would you all recommend?
I just picked up the napa $14.99 synthetic special but haven't done it yet
Hank


When I did the exact same driving I started with PP but then realized money wasted. I switched to PYB because I was doing 3 month (regardless of mileage) changes. By then the condensation on the bottom of the oil cap should me that I didn't want to extend any further than 3 months.

To each their own. I would have roughly 1800 miles in 3 months.

 

[dsmith41]

Originally Posted By: HankMcMauser
kinda what I was thinking , okay another question, I've heard it said once you go to synthetic,you shouldn't switch back to dino oil is this true or just an old outdated tale?

In other words should I use this oil I just purchased or return it?
Hank


You can switch back and forth all you want with no ill effects. I wouldn't do it regularly but I'm just OCD about that sort of thing. Another synthetic myth is that it can cause leaks. This is false too, unless you already have leaks.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: jstutz
With those very short runs, i would use dino and change it out every 3k. those short runs like that are hard on oil because of the fuel dilution and condensation build up. Synthetics will not help you with this. In your case there is no substitute for changing that stuff out.


Agree 1000%

 

[HankMcMauser]

thank's that's kind of what I thought but just wanted to make sure. If napa keeps running a special every now & then I may stay w/the synthetic as it's as cheap as what i was running before , usually was valvoline/castrol dino &walmart supertech/fram filters