Oil change: How often is too often?

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: brickisred
Thanks guys, as usual I always find an "issue" with a car I'm buying. Probably nothing to worry about. I just never heard of the 3 month thing and wouldn't do it myself. Can't imagine changing out oil after only 700 miles! This truck was probably just used on short trips and was only driven an average of 6935 miles a year. At 17k, the motor probably isn't even broken in yet.


If this is the only "issue", then you found yourself a real gem!

 

[ZGRider]

Originally Posted By: 4ever4d
Some people are just anal about things, my dad would change oil in May and have changed again before going to the beach on July 4th holiday vacation!An ounce of prevention prevents a pound of cure, or so i've heard!


Not saying anything disrespectful about your dad, but your comment made me wonder how many millions of people have done the same thing over the years and how many millions of gallons of good oil was wasted. A shame.

I used to subscribe to the 3k OCI thing -- glad I went to extended OCIs. 1yr or 10k on all my vehicles, but I have started to go by the GM oil life monitors lately.

 

[Herz]

The GM OLM helped me break my 3k limit.

 

[08_shelby]

I thought everyone knew that you need to fill the filter with oil before spinning it on That will prevent the starvation of oil on first start up after changing it.
Originally Posted By: brickisred
Originally Posted By: semaj281
Definitely better to over maintain than under maintain.


So you don't think there would be any ill effects on the oil pump or bearings by draining oil out of the engine so frequently?

My wife has an old Ford Explorer which takes me less than 15 minutes from drain to fill on an oil change. But on every occasion, I can hear the oil pickup run dry for just a second or so after adding oil back and starting up.

 

[labman]

Yeah, I prefilled until I though better about it.

 

[miker1]

The only one's who gain anything from 3,000 mile oil changes are the oil companies. The oil companies own all the quickie lubes so what do you expect them to tell you. If you look at used oil analysis results on this site any oil can do 5,000 miles. Several years ago Consumer reports magazine did a test of oils in taxis. They found that any oil on the market then (they have inproved since then) could safely go 5-6,000 mile with no harm to the engines. Follow the car makers guides or oil life monitor and you will be fine. Use a good filter also, going cheap with a filter probably hurts worse than extended oil changes. The filter is the first line of protection for wear particles in the oil. Here is the report; http://www.moneybluebook.com/articles/consumerreports.oilchange.php

 

[ARB1977]

My grandfather was the same way. Every 3K with runs of kerosene before each oil change.

 

[brickisred]

Originally Posted By: 08_SHELBY
I thought everyone knew that you need to fill the filter with oil before spinning it on That will prevent the starvation of oil on first start up after changing it.


I never used to do that until recently.

Do you really think that a dealer would do it? Nope. I took the old Explorer in for an oil change the other day when I was short on time. I asked the guy at the counter if he could have his mechanic pre-fill the filter with oil before he spun it on. He looked at me like I was an idiot. Says he couldn't do it as he'd get oil all over when he tipped the filter to screw it on.

I explained that the filter is placed vertically at the bottom of the engine and there would be no spillage. I doubt they did it.

 

[brickisred]

BTW, I just found out that the dealership the truck was originally bought from offers free oil changes for life, so that's probably why it was taken in so often...

 

[live_to_hunt]

I am like some other guys. I do way too many short trips. So I do my oil at 3 months. Some times I only have 1500 miles on a oil change. I bought the truck 2 years ago with 82k on it I now have 99K I have changed the oil 8x in two years I have done 17k

 

[aquariuscsm]

I`d say there`s no such thing as too often. The best oil is definitely not the brand of oil,but the cleanest oil.