Something for the 3k oil change crowd

[3 Mad Ponchos]

I dug out the owner's manual for my 1970 Dodge Charger. Here's page 48:

In case you can't read that, I'll spell it out for you:

Change the oil every 4,000 miles.
Change the filter every 8,000 miles.

And this was 33 years ago!

I think the quick-lube people have one of the most successful propaganda campaigns ever.

Cheers, 3MP

 

[edwardh1]

I switched to 4 moths or 4k miles 3 years ago.

I have never been able to find out when "Merica" went to chaging the oil filter every oil change or why. maybe in the 70s?
Anyone know. Maybe be related to the thought (to me) that filters are cheaper today in constant dollars than they were 20 years ago.

Consumer reports says change every 7000 miles or whatever the mfgof the car says . my infinity for severe service is 3750

 

[Mike_dup1]

I agree. I was driving a friends Jeep and there is a quick lube sticker that says she is due for here next oil change in 3000 miles or 3 months. I asked her if she puts 3000 miles on it 3 months, she does not. Does she change oil every 3 months, you bet. She is worried something will happen. I casually mentioned to here that every 3 months was unnecessary, she says. Oh those guys are so nice and they really know how to take car of my car.

I had a young lad working for me for several summers on my survey crew. His frat bro worked for the local quick lube. He ahd some stories to tell about how they run the business. The owner has them pushing things no matter what. If one of the service guys does not try to sell wiper blades, new air filter or look for burnt out lights etc, he gets a a$$ chewing. Funny thing is my worker wanted to take company truck there for an oil change, I could not have cared less. Never cost us a dime, his bud is so pissed at the owner, he screws him every chance he gets.

 

[edwardh1]

Years ago when my Honda had 3500 miles on it (new) they came in the jiffy lube waiting room and showed me the "old' air filter and said that they should be changed every 15k miles.
i said i agree and I will change it when the car gets 15k.
Nice try though.

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by edwardh1:
Years ago when my Honda had 3500 miles on it (new) they came in the jiffy lube waiting room and showed me the "old' air filter and said that they should be changed every 15k miles.
i said i agree and I will change it when the car gets 15k.
Nice try though.

---

A long time ago before I started doing oil changes for my family's cars, I took my mom's car into a lube shop for an oil change, and they recommended changing the air filter. I kid you not, the air filter in there at the time was less than a week old and still obviously looked brand spanking new. I had to laugh.

 

[JonS]

I was at a car show this summer, and a '67 mustang 289 had a sticker on the firewall that said 10w-30 every 6000 miles or 1 year.

 

[ALS]

My 81 Turbo said change every 3,750 my 87 Turbo says change every 5,000 and the new Volvo's say change every 7,500.

 

[Kirk]

My 2003 Dodge 3500 Cummins HO, 7500mi towing, 15000 light duty

 

[friendly_jacek]

Ken,
The toyota engines were so bullet-proof then, they would last with or without oil (almost literaly).
Can't say the same thing nowadays...

 

[Jimbo]

My '84 Toyota truck had the same schedule. It had an unusually large oil filter for a four-cylinder engine.

The '94 Chevy 4.3 truck was one year or 7500 for light duty models and six months or 6000 for HD.

 

[Cary]

Manual from my 1967 XKE: "Oil Change Interval- There is no need to change the oil in your vehicle. It has been specifically designed with a controlled leakage/anti-rust sytem requring for no oil changes for the service life of the motor.

To properly utilize this system simply open the bonnet whenever you add petrol and add one litre of oil to the motor. Please only utilize 40 weight or 20w-50 oil in your motor. Should you find the oil to thick to pour, simply place the can in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes, or if on the road, in the engine compartment to heat up.

The oil filter should be changed every 4000 miles or one year whichever comes first."

Okay, so I couldn't help myself.

Cary

 

[Quattro Pete]

FYI, the owner's manual for my dad's 1980 Fiat 125 (1.5 liter gasoline engine) recommended changing oil and filter every 20K km.

 

[pscholte]

quote:

---

Originally posted by JonS:
I was at a car show this summer, and a '67 mustang 289 had a sticker on the firewall that said 10w-30 every 6000 miles or 1 year.

---

Was that an original Ford factory sticker? I had a '67 289 Mustang and I don't remember that. Maybe it was because my oil connoisseur tendencies even at an early age blinded me to the presence of the decal. I know I changed my oil more often than the sticker you saw promotes.

 

[Pluto5]

Well, this week I received an ad for service from my Chevy dealer which said "3,000 maintenance" with the 3,000 in a picture of an odometer. On the inside in small print it said to change the oil when indicated by the oil life monitor or every 12 months.

 

[Oldswagon]

It seems to me that if some of the dino's today can't live up to the normal driving conditions oil intervals set out back in the early 1970's, perhaps they aren't the best guide. Keep in mind warranty periods were considerbly shorter during this era, so I am sure the auto makers could have cared less about minimizing engine wear.

For reference, I have some other older car oil change intervals.

The owners manual for my 1972 Gran Torino Sport states 6,000 miles or 6 months for normal service, and 3,000 miles or 3 months for severe service. The oil filter is to be changed at every interval. My car was always changed every 2000 miles since new (I am the second owner of the car and have all the records). This is probably why the engine still has like new compression and virtually no oil consumption with 140K on the clock.

My 1965 Chevrolet manual states that the oil should be changed every 60 days above 0*F, or every 30 days under 0*F. It also states that only 5W20 oil can be used at temps below 0*F. It says not to exceed 6000 miles on any oil regardless of time. The oil filter was recomended to be changed every third oil change or every 6000 miles (which ever comes first).

My 1975 Chevrolet owners manual states 3K or 3 months for severe, and 6K or 6 months for standard conditions. It says change the filter every second oil change.

 

[mikeinaustin]

regarding :

"In case you can't read that, I'll spell it out for you:

Change the oil every 4,000 miles.
Change the filter every 8,000 miles"

you forgot to mention that it actually says or "every 3 months" which ever comes FIRST.

so even then they bounded it by time not just miles.

 

[Ken42]

My 86 Corolla says Change every 10,000 miles or 1 year for normal service and every 5,000 miles or 6 months for severe service. Some will argue that this was a missprint on the part of Toyota.

Would a 86 Dino oil even last a year back then