Should I change my oil?

[Bambam]

Originally Posted By: RevGTO
Listen, guys, I don't know how such a simple question evolved into all this. I don't post up on here much as you can see; don't assume I'm a newb. I've had UOA's done and I understand their benefit.

That being said, I'm not an oil expert either. I really had a simple question: the conventional wisdom (included in factory owner's manuals) is that OIL MUST BE CHANGED ONCE A YEAR no matter what. I question that. I have a sump full of expensive oil with very few miles on it. I don't want to dump it. So I was asking for some opinions on that subject from the the most oil-knowledgeable source I know: BITOG.

All was good until one response that was condescending and ad hominem. Maybe you guys get questions like this all the time and are sick of it; I understand that from other forums I'm on.

I have a Blackstone bottle sitting in my garage ready to go. I could have gone that route. Just wanted to get some opinions, that's all.


Grow thicker skin and move on.

 

[BoiseRob]

Originally Posted By: Bambam
Originally Posted By: RevGTO
Listen, guys, I don't know how such a simple question evolved into all this. I don't post up on here much as you can see; don't assume I'm a newb. I've had UOA's done and I understand their benefit.

That being said, I'm not an oil expert either. I really had a simple question: the conventional wisdom (included in factory owner's manuals) is that OIL MUST BE CHANGED ONCE A YEAR no matter what. I question that. I have a sump full of expensive oil with very few miles on it. I don't want to dump it. So I was asking for some opinions on that subject from the the most oil-knowledgeable source I know: BITOG.

All was good until one response that was condescending and ad hominem. Maybe you guys get questions like this all the time and are sick of it; I understand that from other forums I'm on.

I have a Blackstone bottle sitting in my garage ready to go. I could have gone that route. Just wanted to get some opinions, that's all.


Grow thicker skin and move on.


Or MAYBE.... he's right and you should listen to his advice without (edit - mod) ...

 

[RevGTO]

Originally Posted By: Bambam
Grow thicker skin and move on.
Ok, tough guy, thanks for the advice. Apparently for you, offering a clarification equals sensitivity. Such a manly man.

 

[RevGTO]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Further, the "one drop" oil test is, at the very least, at bit ambiguous, and could trend towards total bunk. Oil on a blotter really cannot tell you much at all. Here is a direct quote from one site I found:
"ONE-Drop measures the amount of sludge in the oil." Not one mention of any other ability; just "sludge". There are millions of UOAs world wide that show perfectly good oil that would be "dark" or "black" on that blotter test. Oil color is NOT a sole condition for an oil change. Oil color can only tell you one thing; the oil is either new or it isn't. But it cannot indicate whether the oil is actually good or not. Further, I cannot find any proof or even suggestion that an "oil drop" test would address things such as fuel, coolant or dirt contamination. Also, the "one drop" oil test cannot tell you about wear metals at all, although I suppose if you could see metal particles on a "one drop" blotter, you'd have a REALLY big issue, because if you can see metal particles with the naked eye, you've got engine problems that FAR surpass oil color. Coolant, fuel, insolubles, silicon, TBN, wear metals; those type things can be well defined in a UOA, but your naked eye isn't going to pick up any of those things on a "one drop" blotter test. You can put your faith there if you choose, but my advice to all these reading would be to do a whole lot more research and cognitive, rational thinking before trusting a "one drop" test for oil condition.

But you must accept that you opened up yet another "what if ..." thread with minimal data, solicited opinions, and then got mad when someone didn't provide an agreeable answer.

The only way to know FOR SURE is to do a UOA. That is about as simple and factual as it gets. And that was contained in my first post.
Good info - thanks. Didn't get mad; just didn't find the first post helpful and responded in kind. The info about the limitations of the oil drop test is quite helpful - thanks again and done.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: RevGTO
No, the LS1's (except in Corvettes) did not call for synthetic. LS2 - yes.


Okay, thanks for the information. From the years when it was in service, I wasn't positive.

Anyhow, like I said in a previous post, I think the one year oil change on non-severe service (or any such timed non-severe service interval) is for the manufacturers to cover their behinds under warranty. Plenty of people do buy a nice, new vehicle (like a Vette) and let it sit for at least eight months out of the year and hardly touch it even in the summer.

They think they're doing their engines a favour by starting it once a week, once a month, or whatever, and idling it for a few minutes, then shutting it down. That behaviour certainly isn't contrary to warranty, but we all know what that will do to oil. So, the manufacturer doesn't want someone complaining of a sludged engine that's only two years old with 600 miles on the thing and they recommend annual or six month or whatever period oil changes.

Since you don't engage in any of the above odd behaviour, you're not under warranty, and you're appropriately storing the vehicle, I don't see a problem with leaving it, especially since you've put very high quality oil in there to begin with.

 

[Bambam]

Originally Posted By: RevGTO
Originally Posted By: Bambam
Grow thicker skin and move on.
Ok, tough guy, thanks for the advice. Apparently for you, offering a clarification equals sensitivity. Such a manly man.


Thanks for noticing.

 

[dnewton3]

I'm as guilty as all here for amp'ing up the emotions, and for that I yet again apologize. So allow me to lead us all into a more "tolerant" tone.

It is my OPINION that the oil could go much further. Like I said, there are many UOAs that show where syns and even dino oils are pushed way past a year and do perfectly well. The "or one year" mantra is a safety factor that the OEMs use so that they don't have to worry about any bad conditions in an OCI for warranty purposes. Those are likely no longer a concern here; please correct me if I'm wrong about the warranty coverage.' The one year OCI limit allows for a safety factor where any type of contamination can be controlled. If the equipment (engine in this case) is in good operating condition (no leaks, dilution, etc) then it's very reasonable to think that such a quality oil could go way past one year. The oil itself has absolutely no idea how old it is, after all. Oil can theorhetically last indefinitely, and only contamination and depletion will end its usefull life. And only a UOA is going to tell you how much life is left, not a calendar.

I remember a conversation about a Corvette owner who was concerned about using Mobil 1 all the time becaue it was factory fill. The 'Vette engine is a high performance engine, and in racing app's (even weekend warrior types) perhaps the temps in a Vette or Firebird might be an issue. But given the limited info we have about the OP's use (low annual mileage, and no racing that we hear of) I'd think any dino could handle the type driving it's likely experiencing. Since syn was the choice, I'd certainly suspect that much longer OCIs are possible here.

But guessing and knowing are two different things. Only a UOA will tell you for sure. So I say I'm sorry for being so blunt, but I stand by the factual basis afforded only by a UOA. A UOA removes all opinion, and leaves only facts for analysis.

My initial post was condecending; that was wrong of me. But the Facts about UOAs will withstand all attacks. Want to know if you oil will last? Get a UOA. That takes away the opinions.