Should I change my oil now or wait?

[sicko]

Should I change my oil now, or wait?

It's been about 5 months since my last oil change using Mobil 1 0w30 and a Purolator PureOne filter. Normally I'd change my oil every 6 months, but the vehicle is very easy on oil, and since the last oil change I've put a little less then 2k miles on it.

The only reason I'm questioning changing the oil is b/c I'm going to be traveling and wont be driving it for the next 3-4 months. During that time my sister will drive it occasionally but that wont be more than a total of 200-400 miles at absolute most.

The vehicle does a few short trips during the week with no real idling worth mentioning, but then usually gets one or two good highway trips on the weekend (30-60 min each way).

So what are your thoughts? I have more Mobil 1 0w30 to use, I also have conventional Havoline DS 5w30 I could use, and I've got another PureOne filter. Should I leave it alone for now, should I change the oil now but not the filter, should I use conventional now and then change it with Mobil 1 when I get back?

Part of me is leaning towards changing the oil (with Mobil 1) but not the filter, and then doing a full oil change a couple months after getting back (more Mobil 1 w/PureOne filter). But I can't help feeling like that's just wasting perfectly good oil. Because of this the other part of me is thinking of taking it on a nice long highway drive a couple days before leaving to burn anything out of the oil, then leaving it alone and changing the oil/filter when I get back from traveling.

I know I'm probably WAY over thinking this, but all thoughts and opinions are welcome.

 

[VK56VD]

Keep the oil and filter that is in there now. Check the oil and top off if needed.

You can easily enjoy a 1 year interval from the date of your last change.

Enjoy 7 more worry free months on this current oil fill you have in your engine.

 

[Durango]

sicko,

I too suggest you keep the oil in but I advise if possible to have your sister drive it once or twice per week to simulate your normal driving habits. I'd say maybe 60-90 minutes per week is good to fight off moisture accumulation and keep a good oil coating through out the entire inside.

When you get back you can re-evaluate your OCI situation.

Durango

 

[Nick R]

Either have your sister drive it more, or change it, use some mister in the engine, and then leave it till you get back.

 

[daman]

Leave the oil in it'll be fine....


just have your sister take it on a long commute once an awhile to get the oil hot,it'll be fine,you would be waisting good oil/filter.

 

[fdcg27]

I agree with everyone else.
Oil should be just fine.
If the car is to be driven, it would be better if it were driven some decent distance once a month, enough to get the oil up to temp and get the engine control system into closed-loop operation for most of the drive.
This should prevent any internal corrosion and evaporate any moisture from the oil, while also avoiding excessive fuel dilution.

 

[sicko]

Hey guys, thanks for the help. I've decided to hold off on the oil change until I get back. That way it will get me on the 6 month OCI interval that I want (Thanksgiving weekend, and Memorial Day weekend).

Unfortunately my sister isn't going to be able to drive it any more than that, but I'll at least ask her to take it out on the highway once a month.

Thanks for all you help

 

[teddyboy]

Make sure that your sister runs the AC everytime that she drives the car. I agree with other posters who advise that she drives the car for some distance.