"or yearly" OCI recommendations

[NibbanaBanana]

I have seen and heard of a number of manufacturers recommending OCI's at xK miles "or yearly" which ever comes first.

I have a 1993 E350 with a 5.8L gas motor that I only put 1K or 2K miles on per year. I use M1 10w-30 and end up only changing oil every five years or so at 7500 mile OCI's. I bought the van used and don't have an original owners manual so don't know what they called for back then. The truck only has 67K miles and the engine is clean as a whistle.

Why do they specify yearly oil changes? Should I be changing more often?

 

[ZeeOSix]

I'd certainly be changing it more than once every 5 years. I think the longest I went was about 18~19 months on a low driven miles car, but I always ensured the engine was at full operating temperature for a long time before parking it.

 

[Ducked]

I've seen a post on here claiming to have seen UOA data that supported 3 years for low mileage (under the severe service mileage limit). Think this was related to the possible onset of oxidative polymerisation in the (probably conventional, though I don't think they specified) oil.

Bit anecdotal but the poster didn't link to the data and I havn't seen any myself.

If the engine is "clean as a whistle" and you're on synthetic oil I'd say you're probably OK, as long as, when you do use it, the engine is getting good n hot, as the above poster says.

Keep an eye on it. Maybe do blotter tests. Find out what the severe service interval for your vehicle is and stay under that.

 

[Kuato]

Several UOAs on here of oil in use for 2 years have shown good results. With the low mileage you drive it certainly doesn't make sense to change yearly, especially if when you DO drive it, it gets nice and hot on the highway.

In your place, I'd take a sample each year and have it analyzed to see how the oil is doing. Leave it in, and only change when the UOA says it's at the end of its life. Then you'll know what the best interval is for your truck.

To answer your original question, IMO the "or yearly" is because most people aren't BITOGers and fail to keep track of their oil changes and 1 year is easy to remember - plus they might do only stop and go short trips in a major city, which is tough conditions for motor oil

 

[RooflessVW]

I would do annual or biannual oil changes in that car. Once oil has been introduced to combustion byproducts and condensation from being parked, it will degrade.

 

[Ducked]

To state the heretical bleeding obvious, a UOA will cost more than an oil change, so it only makes sense for the OP if he's a seeker after truth. And 2 years ain't nothin.

OP, if you find the truth, share it, because this question keeps coming up.

If you've got 5 year old oil in your car right now, a UOA on THAT would be informative. You might even be able to crowd-fund it.

 

[BrocLuno]

I think you are on the right track. I might change it at 5K, so maybe every three years. I don't think time matters that much to the actual oil.

But, they think it'll get a dealer change, so it's time to look at all the inspection points. And that needs to be done once a year for safety sake ...

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
I think you are on the right track. I might change it at 5K, so maybe every three years. I don't think time matters that much to the actual oil.

But, they think it'll get a dealer change, so it's time to look at all the inspection points. And that needs to be done once a year for safety sake ...
I thought I was the only person that understood the need for 3 month 3,000 mile oil change intervals because that is the only time the hood gets lifted on some peoples vehicles.

 

[BrocLuno]

Yeah, it's that hood lift thing, not an oil thing

 

[FCD]

Maybe it also depends on the type of car? i think a classic like my car with a carb, points ignition and that burns some oil would probably need oil changes every year or 18 months or so despite the fact that in 18 months i do about 2000 miles, a modern car could probably go 2 or 3 years given low mileage

 

[InvalidUserID]

Probably just so that you don't forget to do it. On my Camaro, I barely put 2k in the past two years (even though it gets up to temp & highway miles when it does get driven) but I'm starting to get an itch to just do dino oil OCI once a year for the peace of mind of getting fresh oil in every 12 months.

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
If you've got 5 year old oil in your car right now, a UOA on THAT would be informative. You might even be able to crowd-fund it.


That would be interesting to see but with TBN and TAN.

I would do a 2 year oil change in this case.

Some European manufacturers have recommended 2 year changes in the past. With 2 years I think you are still being conservative without changing the oil "too much".

 

[mjoekingz28]

Just wait for it to begin burning oil and never remove the drain plug again.




Next!