Have a 2004 Volvo S40 with 35000 miles. I used castrol edge 5w30 advanced oil. My last change was 3/2023. I have put 1026 miles since that change. Pulling the dip stick, the oil looks just as new as the day I changed it. With so few miles, how long can I wait before changing the oil.
OCI for 2004 Volvo S40
- Thread starter skipv44
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With that mileage, check back with us in a year.
I love short oci’s, but the oil does not degrade meaningfully over this amount of time, and calling for such a rapid change is simply ignoring the totality of the situation.
In some cases it's a cheap insurance.
A DIY oil change at the moment is about US$40-50 with quality oil and filter, doing it every other year makes it what $20-25 a year?
With that little driving you remove not only degrading oil but also moisture. That money isn't a waste. $100 or just over that for next 10 years in oil changes? More than reasonable.
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Again, I disagree. But I respect your opinion and how you wish to take care of your own vehicles.
Lol, of cause I meant $200+ for ten years.
FCPeuro $18 to ship it back for me.
I'm in much the same boat. I put about 500 km or so on the Honda Accord every year and my last oil change was in January, 2022. I used Castrol Edge 5W-20. The oil looks perfect on the dip stick. I even take it on a long drive once a year or so. I'm going to change it as soon as we get a nice day. 3 years is long enough.
I have enough oil on hand for 3 or 4 changes.
The oil doesn’t degrade just sitting in the pan. I would take a nice long drive if possible when you can. A UOA would be able to tell you when better than we could
I put some Mobil 1 0w30 in a beaker and put a flat cover over it. That left the spout area on the beaker uncovered. I then put it on the shelf in the garage away from all natural light and checked back every year. I wouldn't go past 3 years. It noticeably darkened in the first year and by the end of year three it was looking like aged compressor oil. I threw it out after 6 years.
Look it might have been ok, but how much is a yearly UOA vs just a change every couple of years?
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Have we seen analytical evidence of oil degrading in a year or is it an IMO thing?
Take it out for a 20-30 minute ride, once a month, the oil should be fine for another year or longer. Try a two year OCI doing that, take an oil sample and send it off for analysis, base your OCI on that data.
Your engine has Variable Valve Timing which works on oil pressure. I would change it annually.
I doubt the oil degrades in a couple years or in three years but I would consider whether moisture gets into it. Is the garage heated, or does it get cold in there in the winter? I've pulled cars out of a cold garage on the first warm day of Spring and before long various large iron parts like the transmission or the rear dif will have condensation on them. Does that happen also inside the engine? I don't know.... The engine itself is mostly sealed and not exposed to outside air.
Patman
Staff member
For people who have cars that they rarely drive (which would never happen with me anyway) I would ask if they have another car that could use that same oil. Then drain the oil in the rarely used car every six months but catch it in a clean container and put it in the other car that gets driven more often.
It would honestly bother me to throw away oil with less than 5000 miles on it (unless it’s the factory fill)
It would honestly bother me to throw away oil with less than 5000 miles on it (unless it’s the factory fill)
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The reason a time interval is applied is the way the low miles were put on.
if the 1,026 miles were put on in short 3 mile drives - the oil is probably done.
If the miles were put on in 100 mile trips - the oil is probably still in great condition.
if the 1,026 miles were put on in short 3 mile drives - the oil is probably done.
If the miles were put on in 100 mile trips - the oil is probably still in great condition.
Definitely a “have your cake and eat it, too” solution!
I change the oil in my WRX once a year despite driving it barely 6000 miles in four years. I have used the old oil from it to top off my Impala a few times. Heck I should probably do the entire fill on the Impala using the stuff.
