Oil Changes For A Backup Vehicle?

[Bob5150]

I have a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup that serves as a backup/Home Depot vehicle. I drive it less than 5000 miles per year. Does changing the oil twice a year (spring and fall) with a good filter and synthetic blend oil seem like a decent regiment?

I feel silly dumping oil that only has ~2000 miles on it, but I don't like the idea of oil sitting in there for a year.

 

[brandini]

Overkill

Do yearly!

 

[gregk24]

Spring and Fall with a good filter is what you should do if your a short tripper.

 

[dubie2003]

If you are not worried about cost or resource concerving, then keep what you are doing.

If you use a quality filter and oil and ensure the oil gets to temp every so often, you should be able to stretch to a year per OCI.

 

[The_Jeff]

I ran my dakota 18 months including 2 winters on the same oil with similar duty.

Remember, if you start it, you drive it and warm it up which is good for everything. Different than running a daycare van 1.5 miles morning and afternoon every day.

 

[danthaman1980]

I'd try to drive it and get it up to temp at least once a week - doing that should make up for occasional short trips. If you do that, and if you use a good filter and synthetic oil, there is no reason not to stretch that OCI out to a year.

 

[Bob5150]

I drive it to work once a week (10 miles each way), and I take it on the occasional longer trip as it's more reliable than my daily driver beater. I changed it at the end of April, and now, 5 months later with 1700 miles on it, it looks pretty dark.

I think I'll let it go until the spring time, I feel wasteful changing oil and a filter that have such few miles on it.

 

[HangFire]

I have been struggling with the same question with my underutilized Dakota.

When it was used more I was going by mileage and changing it 2-3 times a year. Since buying another car I recently I realized that it had been 2 years since the last oil change. I wasn't overly concerned as I only put a four thousand miles on it, mostly weekly 10-20 mile trips and several longer throughout the year, and I was using a synthetic. Nonetheless I changed it immediately and decided to look into a new OCI.

From Oil University I am informed I'm supposed to change it in the Spring because of wax formation (it is stored outdoors in cold weather), and from the BITOG forums I am informed that I'm supposed to change it in the Fall due to NOACK (evaporation of volatiles). However I think changing the oil twice a year is overkill when I'm putting 2K-3K a year on a synthetic oil.

Mobil 1's oil warranty says to change it at least every 10,000 miles or at least once a year and not use oil more than 5 years old. Since I switched from Quaker State Ultimate Durability to Mobil 1 0w-30, I think that is a good recommendation and I'll do that, just change it once a year. I do run it long enough to get rid of the condensation so I think that'll be OK. I like Purolator PureOne filters but there are other good choices.

 

[Zaedock]

I would change it once a year. My trail Jeep is always in low range, pulling logs at home or trailered to the trail. It never sees the highway. I change every 2 to 2 1/2 years. My last Uoa on a two year was fine.

 

[TFB1]

I don't get 4K mi per year on my '96 F-150 and change it maybe once a year... It doesn't complain, I don't think the last owner ever changed oil...

As long as you run one long enough to get the oil hot a couple times a month, once a year and probably longer is not a issue...

 

[T_CUDA]

Originally Posted By: dubie2003
If you are not worried about cost or resource concerving, then keep what you are doing.

If you use a quality filter and oil and ensure the oil gets to temp every so often, you should be able to stretch to a year per OCI.





It only takeS 1 GALLON OF USED MOTOR OIL TO MAKE 3QRTS OF REFINED OIL. It is not being wasted as long as you recycle your oil.

 

[Rolla07]

Honestly, 5k miles a year? I would change it once a year. I dont see how any oil is degraded within a year, despite short trips. If you want peace of mind, switch to Full Synthetic and leave it for a year.. 5k miles/ 1 year is totally fine for any oil. Every month or so take it on the hwy for a good high speed run.. and you will be fine.

 

[crazyoildude]

my 92 saab turbo convertible which is driven only a few time a year gets oil changed once every 2 years and engine looks like new inside
My collector cars get oil and filter every 2 years also but are not driven to much
My everyday cars and trucks is either once a year or every 6 months if the mileage is over 6000 in 6 months

 

[VinceF]

Is the Ram in good shape? If it is I would do whatever it takes to feel I was keeping it that way. I have an 07' Subaru bought new and only put 1500-3K mi/yr on it. I put Quaker State Ultimate Durability oil in it, change it every 6 mo, get it up to temp and drive it for a while when I do. Have an 86' Chevy that is worse than a beater I use more often maybe 3-4K mi/yr but don't worry about. Just keeping it running, whatever it takes. Since the Subaru is newer with FI instead of a carb I use the oil I drain from the Subaru in it. I'd run the oil in the Subaru longer if I used it more.

I'm thinking of draining and changing the filters every other oil change in both cars. Thinking about adding a 2nd filter to the Subaru. The ones that are supposed to filter to 1 micron.

Both cars take less than 5 qts to fill, and the Subaru 4.2, so I put 4 in and save a qt to put a fresh qt in the Chevy when I change, to get some fresh additives. I like using 5W30 in the winter, and 10W in the summer. If I was using new oil in the Chevy, it would be as cheap as I could find. It used to use oil, but since putting in the used Quaker State Ultimate Durability I haven't had to add between changes.

 

[DoiInthanon]

My woodlot 1993 pickup gets 1 to 2k miles per year. I change once a year with regular conventional oil. Seems to be doing well.

 

[nitehawk55]

My GMC get an oil change 1-2 years depending on how many miles which isn't many but it does get brought up to temp on a number of runs .

 

[bigt61]

I have a 92 Suburban that only gets about 500 miles a year. I use M1 and it stays in the garage. I change oil every 4 years.

 

[BISCUT]

Since I love driving my hoopdie (95 Camry) I have been putting on about 8k or less on my F150 a year. Last run was 8 months and 5500 miles on MC syn blend and MC filter. UOA was excellent. Now, I do not run very short trips. I try to run it at least once a week for a grocery run which is 12 miles each way with about 8 of those highway. Unless 32 or colder that gives me a little bit of time at the 180F mark for oil temp.

If you are not short tripping I would either use a synthetic MI or Pennzoil Platinum or Pennzoil Ultra as I feel good with those and do a yearly OCI or go to a good dino like Pennzoil Conventional or any other solid SN and do every 6 months.

 

[Bob5150]

Well, I changed the oil in my sister-in-law's car this past weekend. It was last done in December 2012, and was only driven 2700 miles in that time. The oil was very black and burnt smelling (synthetic). This in a car that has 97000 miles (same as my truck) and is driven on the same type of schedule as mine (some short trips, a 20 mile+ highway run every few weeks).

I think I will change it every 6 months. Plus my beater car could be going to the junkyard at any time, so I want to know that the truck is ready for daily driver use at any time.

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: Bob5150
Well, I changed the oil in my sister-in-law's car this past weekend. It was last done in December 2012, and was only driven 2700 miles in that time. The oil was very black and burnt smelling (synthetic). This in a car that has 97000 miles (same as my truck) and is driven on the same type of schedule as mine (some short trips, a 20 mile+ highway run every few weeks).

I think I will change it every 6 months. Plus my beater car could be going to the junkyard at any time, so I want to know that the truck is ready for daily driver use at any time.


6 months on syn is a waste, but it's your money. Black oil doesn't mean a thing besides the fact we don't know the maintenance history of your SIL's car. When was the PCV done, etc.
Any API syn on the market should handle a 5K run a year with ease.