Two years between oil changes

Patman · Dec 8, 2005

quote:

I can't wait to see it! make sure to get the sample nice and hot before draining, but I don't need to remind ya

Yep, I always give her car a good long highway run before I change the oil. I've got her car today actually, we got dumped on with 4 inches of snow, so I decided the Vette wasn't the best car for this situation.

So even though she does mostly short trips herself, I end up giving the car a good long highway run every once in a while. I'm sure today's trip to work will take me 2 hours, so the oil will be good and hot by the time I get there. Any moisture it's accumulated lately will be long gone.

Bamaro · Dec 8, 2005

Same situation here. Car is always fully warmed up. Only put a few hundred miles per year on it. Valvoline Max Life dino is now about two years old. Cant see how it can go bad just sitting there.

NCGuy68 · Dec 9, 2005

Gents...........

Any thoughts on my question a couple of post above?

theguru · Dec 9, 2005

NCG,

What is the question?

CATERHAM · Dec 9, 2005

Patman
Are you on the same oil filter since the last oil change on your mothers Honda and if so are planning on sticking with it until July/06?

michaelc80 · Dec 9, 2005

quote:

I have a show car that is only driven in the summer months.

Well don't hold out on us. What kind of car? Where are the photos? Give us a chance to appreciate it too!

Patman · Dec 9, 2005

quote:

Patman
Are you on the same oil filter since the last oil change on your mothers Honda and if so are planning on sticking with it until July/06?

Her car (which is a 2001 VW Golf) is still running the same oil filter, which is an OEM filter. I checked her mileage yesterday and she's only gone 9000km since July 2004. It would be even less if I didn't borrow it a few times each winter. I always make sure to "blow out the carbon" whenever I borrow it too.

NCGuy68 · Dec 9, 2005

I called Amsoil Tech about their suggested annual drain. They said do it no matter how few miles is on the oil. Said oxygen will cause the oil to form sludge.Could this possibily happen?

Car is a mechanically sound 96 Camry that sees around 4K highway miles each year.

NCGuy68 · Dec 10, 2005

Thanks for your thoughts bmw.

I'am thinking change the filter (Napa Gold/Wix) at the one year mark and let the Amsoil 5w30 go two years - about 8-10K miles.

Any reputable analysis labs here in the Southeast?

bmwtechguy · Dec 10, 2005

I would only agree with Amsoil's statement if it was 14K or 24K, but certainly not 4K highway miles. My in-law's 96 Buick Regal sees only about 5K miles per year. They are retired and drive this car 8-10 mile trips mostly, with longer trips on occasion. For several years now we have changed only the oil filter and topped up the oil at the one year mark. Then after another year, we change oil and filter. Before this routine, they were changing with dino about every 4K miles or about 9 months. My 73 year old father-in-law said the oil still looked like new after only 1 year and insisted it stay in there longer. So I convinced him to at least change the filter. He also drives a 96 Chevy 1500 4WD, but it gets the standard Amsoil-recommended routine since it sees about 15K miles per year and he drives it daily to his kitchen remodeling jobs. Both cars use Amsoil's 10w30. I've seen much worse looking oil come out of a BMW at 15K miles and 9 months. Some cars and driving conditions just need shorter OCI's. If you are not sure, send in a sample the first time (with TBN) and see how the oil is holding up.

Black Bart · Dec 10, 2005

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a show car that is only driven in the summer months.
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Well don't hold out on us. What kind of car? Where are the photos? Give us a chance to appreciate it too!
Here You Go

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1535340

theguru · Dec 11, 2005

I don't think the oil is going to sludge from simply sitting in the motor. It is usually a function of being beat up in the motor and/ or short trips without the opportunity to evaporate off the condensation.

johnd · Dec 11, 2005

I have a testimonial. I bought a 1962 Pontiac from an elderly aunt who finally admitted that she couldn't see well enough to drive. This was in 1980 and the car's oil change sticker showed that he oil had been changed 3 years before and had less than a thousand miles on it (42K mi. overall). The oil did look new at that point. I used it as a daily driver until I got hurt in 1987 and it set in the garage for a year. It developed a lifter tick and we changed the lifters out and replaced the oil pump for good measure at that time. When I sold it in 1999 it had 143K mi. on it and still passed it's compression test within normal limits so apparently the oil being left in so long had no discernable effect.

Two years between oil changes

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