Should I extend my oil changes

[TDOHGL01]

with using Castrol Edge W/Titanium 5w30 and K&N oil filter. I've been doing it at 3,000 mile intervals before I changed to this filter and oil configuration which I am nearing the 2000 mile mark and it is still able to see through very well.

 

[A_Harman]

Yes. At least 7500 miles is reasonable in that year GM car running on synthetic oil. Does your car have an Oil Life Monitor?

 

[d00df00d]

Color or clarity doesn't really tell you much about the oil's condition. If you want to know whether you can run longer between oil changes, it's best to do oil analysis.

 

[TDOHGL01]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Yes. At least 7500 miles is reasonable in that year GM car running on synthetic oil. Does your car have an Oil Life Monitor?
No it doesn't I am glad it doesn't because it would drive me nuts.

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Color or clarity doesn't really tell you much about the oil's condition. If you want to know whether you can run longer between oil changes, it's best to do oil analysis.
I will when my next paycheck comes in because I still have a sample container to send in just haven't had the time to do it yet.

I know most of my miles are all 12 mile one way trips to work and back. Most of it is all 50mph and 40 mph except about 3 miles which is 25mph through a small city.

 

[tig1]

I don't know a thing about Castrol oils but I do 10K OCIs with ease usingM1 oils. Frankly, you are wasting oil doing what you do.

 

[Astro14]

Do the UOA - in Vermont winters, particularly with short trips, you'll get a fair amount of condensation, and the OCI may need to be shorted (which, with a synthetic, I would say is closer to 5 or 6K instead of say, 8 or 10K) as a result, but the only way to know in your application is with the UOA.

I've found that a 7500 mile interval is very, very conservative when using a good quality oil (as you have been) and driving my car in mostly city use. Granted, I am now in a mild climate, not Vermont.

Look, the UOA is cheaper than a single oil change - if it allows you to safely extend your interval, and cut your oil change expense in half, then it's money well-spent.

 

[Bamaro]

Originally Posted By: TDOHGL01
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Yes. At least 7500 miles is reasonable in that year GM car running on synthetic oil. Does your car have an Oil Life Monitor?
No it doesn't I am glad it doesn't because it would drive me nuts.

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Color or clarity doesn't really tell you much about the oil's condition. If you want to know whether you can run longer between oil changes, it's best to do oil analysis.
I will when my next paycheck comes in because I still have a sample container to send in just haven't had the time to do it yet.

I know most of my miles are all 12 mile one way trips to work and back. Most of it is all 50mph and 40 mph except about 3 miles which is 25mph through a small city.

If these trips get your oil to operating temp for a couple minutes or more, you could easily double what you do now.

 

[Corvette Owner]

7500 miles is okay for synthetic oil. But, you should get a UOA doen to see for sure.

3,000 miles oil change is "old school", with today's basic oils.

 

[TDOHGL01]

I know during the winter I usually get some yellow moisture on the inside of the cap but none during the summer.

 

[JOD]

While a UOA is useful if you want to do extended intervals, you could significantly increase your interval without it being an "extended interval". I honestly wouldn't bother with a UOA unless you want to do more than 5K in the winter and 7.5K in the summer. Even those intervals would be very conservative.

I also think pulling a sample @ 3K will be a total waste of money. The oil just won't be far enough into its service life to tell you anything. I'd wait to 5-6K at a minimum before doing a UOA.

 

[TDOHGL01]

Originally Posted By: JOD
While a UOA is useful if you want to do extended intervals, you could significantly increase your interval without it being an "extended interval". I honestly wouldn't bother with a UOA unless you want to do more than 5K in the winter and 7.5K in the summer. Even those intervals would be very conservative.

I also think pulling a sample @ 3K will be a total waste of money. The oil just won't be far enough into its service life to tell you anything. I'd wait to 5-6K at a minimum before doing a UOA.
That sounds like what I am gonna do this time around and wait to do a UOA until the end of this summer. or so.