Question about oil change intervals eclipse 2000

[vtecboy]

Hello,
i have a 00' eclipse v6 with 90,000 miles on it...i bought this car 4 years ago with 84,500 miles on it.
The first oil change i used chevron sae 5w30 and fram filter,i replaced that oil after 6 months of use but i only drove the car like 1000 miles.
Then i switched to mobil 1 high mileage 5w30 and bosch premium filter, i used that oil/filter for 10 months but only 1500 miles. And then again mobil 1 HM/bosch premium and change at 1500 miles.
As you can see i dont drive more than 2000 miles a year,because my school is 1.6 miles from my house.
Now its been a year with this oil/filter. But i only did 756 miles!!. If i wait for 3000 miles its going to take like 3 years or more.
here's a picture of how the oil looks like,hard to see but it is not dirty at all.
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/5569/00003512.jpg

How often i should change my oil in this situation?... I really like the car and i want to keep this car my entire life so i want it babied. But i'm confused on how often i have to change my oil.
And what you think about this setup (mobil 1 high mileage with bosch premium filter) ???

Thanks

 

[DrDusty86]

I would use Pennzoil yellow bottle and a Wix filter. Send a sample in at 3,000 miles, then go from there. My gut says 1.6 mile trip even in Clowiforia will result in fuel dilution.
Dusty

 

[Burt]

Have Blackstone labs sample it. My bet is they will comment "looks like this is protecting your engine well, go 2,750 miles next time!"

 

[abycat]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
I would use Pennzoil yellow bottle and a Wix filter. Send a sample in at 3,000 miles, then go from there. My gut says 1.6 mile trip even in Clowiforia will result in fuel dilution.
Dusty


You dont think he should send a yearly sample cause 3 years is crazy long when he is technically in the severe service category. Just asking cause I am in the same boat with a bit more miles.

I drive about a mile to my work yard and drive back obviously but sometimes my truck gets a good workout pulling a heavy trailer or hauling stuff. I do have to drive more than 3 miles every once and a while.

But im waiting for 3000km with the mobil HM in it cause it will be just at a year.

I wonder what a UOA on his oil would look like yearly or more? His oil might be pretty worn out Having combustion by products in it for more than a year. I dont know if that is correct, I havent figured out the more technical properties of oil yet but im trying. Maybe the oil could be extremely oxidised or the TBN could be super low. Im pretty curious.

Would like to hear some others opinion as well.

Ha ha nice one burt. I would not bet against that.

 

[vtecboy]

Originally Posted By: abycat


You dont think he should send a yearly sample cause 3 years is crazy long when he is technically in the severe service category. Just asking cause I am in the same boat with a bit more miles.





Abycat,What "severe service" means?

Thanks for the replys.

 

[vtecboy]

HELP

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: vtecboy
HELP


Okay, I'll try.

What is your severe service interval in the manual? What oil grade does it recommend? I'm guessing 5w30. What API and ILSAC specifications does it call for (i.e. SJ, SL, and energy conserving or not)?

Considering your ultra short trips, it would definitely be severe service, and I wouldn't ignore the time aspect of the severe service recommendation. When they say 3000 miles or 3 months, whichever comes first, that time recommendation is based upon people doing ultra short trips or long periods at idle, and so forth.

If the oil doesn't ever get up to operating temperatures, it's certainly not going to get rid of any moisture. The only way to get rid of it, then, is early changes.

If it were me, I'd follow the severe service interval with any name brand conventional of the appropriate grade and a decent filter. However, I'd also look at getting it up to temperatures more regularly and doing what I could to minimize short tripping, be it walking, biking, or taking the bus.

If you want to baby your vehicle as much as you can, the 1 mile at a time trips aren't going to accomplish that.