Time vs mileage

[Scum_Frog]

I never understood the time duration in the XXXX miles or 3 months whatever comes first oil change requirement.

In a vehicle that is run regularly, but does not meet the mileage number why would you want to dump out the oil at 3 months or whatever time duration is given as it varies by vehicles these days...I just gave the classic three months as an example.

I never understood this, nor have I ever followed it.

 

[tmorris1]

Because an oil company wants to sell you oil.

 

[demarpaint]

For many years I always went by miles and didn't pay much attention to time. When I bought a new vehicle which had a warranty I started to pay attention to time again. I think the oil companies have a hand in the time element. Truth is if you look at UOA reports the time in service doesn't seem to matter much. We have people here who have used oil up to 2 years or in some instances even longer w/o issue. Once again warranty requirements and common sense come into play.

 

[SuperDave456]

When I was in High School and in college and worked in a garage I had one guy bring me his van with the sticker saying "3 months or 3000 miles" I looked at the sticker and the odometer and it still had 1500 miles before the 3000 mile mark.

I walked up front and asked him about it. He said "My wife uses it for picking up kids at school and soccer practice. All it ever does it idle with the A/C on full blast. I change it every 3 months just to make sure things are good."

After everything is said and done a $30 oil change on a minivan is cheaper than many other parts that could go wrong.

And yes, the oil companies are greedy.

BTW, the statistic that I last heard is that the average mileage that Iffy Lube services is 9000 miles.
That's 9000 miles on a Conventional oil change... an average... that means there are many 10,000 and 12,000 OCI's people give their beaters with conventional oil.
Sure did shock me when I heard it.

 

[ryan2022]

Good post,

Ive wondered this a lot. My wife drives 5K miles in 6 month. I always feel creepy going that long because of the timing.

I still think people should start posting the time in use on the used oil analysis.

 

[ChuckBerry]

I remember that Ford (I think) suggested for the Crown Vic PI that 1 hour of idling = 33 miles driven. Pity that older cars never came with sufficiently smart displays that idling time could be tracked. With new fangled oil life monitors it obviates the need for any other tools, though.

 

[Burt]

Originally Posted By: ChuckBerry
I remember that Ford (I think) suggested for the Crown Vic PI that 1 hour of idling = 33 miles driven. Pity that older cars never came with sufficiently smart displays that idling time could be tracked. With new fangled oil life monitors it obviates the need for any other tools, though.


If one hour of idling equals 33 miles driven, then what does one hour's worth of driving at 20 mph equal? Hmmm...

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: ryan2022
Good post,

Ive wondered this a lot. My wife drives 5K miles in 6 month. I always feel creepy going that long because of the timing.

I still think people should start posting the time in use on the used oil analysis.


IMO engine on time, and miles driven are a very good indicator. Some people swear by the OLM, but then you read about some of these sludge stories. So once again common sense should also factor in.

There are a lot of people who live in some rural areas of the US that have no idea what it means to drive 25 miles and take up to 2 hours to do it. Last night my wife left work at 5:30 and came walking in at 6:50 her trip is 24 miles, and that was good ride home. There is where engine on time plays in, not everyone has an OLM, or perfect driving conditions.

 

[ChrisD46]

The time rule is for people who make a lot of short trips where acids . corrosives , water , etc. never get a chance to burn off (water) out of the oil . From what has been posted on this site - it takes a sustained drive of around 14 miles to get oil heated to the point where it can burn off junk (within reason). Of course , at some point the oil becomes too saturated for even sustained drives to burn off impurities and must be changed . As for dino , I subscribe by the 5 month or 5000 mile rule max .

 

[jazeo]

Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
The time rule is for people who make a lot of short trips where acids . corrosives , water , etc. never get a chance to burn off (water) out of the oil . From what has been posted on this site - it takes a sustained drive of around 14 miles to get oil heated to the point where it can burn off junk (within reason). Of course , at some point the oil becomes too saturated for even sustained drives to burn off impurities and must be changed . As for dino , I subscribe by the 5 month or 5000 mile rule max .


I agree and as Demarpaint mentioned for those who find themselves stuck in traffic for 2 or 3 hours daily it can be helpful to use sparkplugs 1 heat range hotter!!

 

[Artem]

I try to change my oil before the 1 year mark, regardless of miles, granted that this has only happened once in my life with our 98 Toyota Camry V6 which stood around undriven for months at a time and when it did get driven, it was for very short trips.

It racked up a good 2,000 miles but it had been a year since the last change, so i changed the oil.

I service my grandmother's New-ish Buick with Conventional oil and tell her to come and see me every 6 months because she doesn't rack up enough miles during that time period.

 

[callbay]

I have several veicles that I change every two years beacuse of low milage driven. Cars and boats. Never had a problem. I enjoy changing oil but I hate to waste money!

 

[unDummy]

Short tripping is different than low mileage driven.

If you drive 2 mile trips 5-10x a day(soccer mom), then that's short tripping. This situation will typical beat the oil up quickly and is a candidate for sludge, varnish, consumption, moisture and fuel buildup.... I wouldn't blindly go more than 3 months OCI's with this vehicle.

If I take my convertible out for a 200 mile run, 3-5x a year, than that's low mileage driven. I can go a couple years on the oil in this garaged vehicle.

No one is trying to force you to buy oil or change it too often. But, I'll sell( @100% profit margin ) and install( @$150/hr ) a new engine, transmission... for you when its time.

You can use the UOA w/tbn to 'help' determine the OCI. Its really simple.

Without the UOA, you determine your margin of error with your oil choice and interval.

My "margin of error"... never replaced a component due to lubrication failure.

My neighbors/colleagues... there isn't a week when someone isn't having to repair an engine, steering pump, transmission, transfer case, rear-end, brake hydraulics....and there are only 200 of us in the building.

An engine is more of a waste of money than a few extra gallons of oil.

The lack of common sense with vehicle's maintenance is incredible.

 

[Jim Allen]

Well said, unDummy!

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: unDummy
Short tripping is different than low mileage driven.

If you drive 2 mile trips 5-10x a day(soccer mom), then that's short tripping. This situation will typical beat the oil up quickly and is a candidate for sludge, varnish, consumption, moisture and fuel buildup.... I wouldn't blindly go more than 3 months OCI's with this vehicle.

If I take my convertible out for a 200 mile run, 3-5x a year, than that's low mileage driven. I can go a couple years on the oil in this garaged vehicle.

No one is trying to force you to buy oil or change it too often. But, I'll sell( @100% profit margin ) and install( @$150/hr ) a new engine, transmission... for you when its time.

You can use the used oil analysis w/tbn to 'help' determine the OCI. Its really simple.

Without the used oil analysis, you determine your margin of error with your oil choice and interval.

My "margin of error"... never replaced a component due to lubrication failure.

My neighbors/colleagues... there isn't a week when someone isn't having to repair an engine, steering pump, transmission, transfer case, rear-end, brake hydraulics....and there are only 200 of us in the building.

An engine is more of a waste of money than a few extra gallons of oil.

The lack of common sense with vehicle's maintenance is incredible.


Nicely said. I don't understand the obsession of extending OCI's past mfg recommendations in severe service or short hop driving. In fact I don't see the logic in extending it in normal service either unless you are really piling on the miles. Part of car ownership is maintaining the vehicle. When in doubt change it out, or get the oil tested and see just how far it can go. Following an oil companies sales hype or what a saleman tells you IMO is a mistake. Either follow the OM or use data obtained from your vehicle, not someone else's vehicle, or a used oil analysis report you read here. JMO