When do I change my oil?

[MGregoir]

Oil: Pennzoil 5w30
Filter: Wix 51040
Engine: GM 3100 SFI
Mileage: Start of OCI was 143,690 km (89,304 miles).

Conditions: 10 miles each way on highway, moderate temperature, low load plus longer duration runtimes 1-2 times a week for 2-3 hours. No idling, little stop/go driving.

The engine is mechanically sound with no coolant or air intake leaks.

The oil currently has 6600 km (4101 miles) on it, is fairly clean on the dipstick, and the level has not gone down. 2000 km of this OCI were basically a trip one direction and back the other.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/posts/1157590/ is a used oil analysis from the Mobil 1 I absolutely assaulted this winter.

What are the thoughts here?

 

[Dale_Knight]

M1 was doing great why did you change motor oil?

 

[Chris71]

Change the oil and filter at 5,500 miles

 

[Merkava_4]

I change my oil and filter every 4 months regardless of mileage.

 

[MGregoir]

Pennzoil 5w30 was $9.98 for one OCI.

Mobil 1 5w30 was $38.99 for one OCI.

I bought it because it was winter and I could not use my block heater in temperatures approaching -35, and it was all cold weather, short trip city driving with the car getting little "excercise."

Pennzoil will perform just as well as Mobil 1 for my present use.

I changed my oil last on May 5.

 

[wcbcruzer]

I go 7-8k miles on Mobil 1 with my Accord. No sweat.

 

[MrCPU]

I always change my oil during a waning or new moon. I figure it's symbolic of throwing out the old, and starting new. Of course, figuring out which weight oil to use numerologically speaking creates its own set of headaches.

 

[zrxkawboy]

If it were mine, I'd go 5k miles.

 

[addyguy]

I went 9k miles on YB 5w30 w/Havoline 10w30 'SJ' as a top-off, and it was too long:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...rue#Post1159905

I'd go between 5-6k miles.

 

[Steve S]

The winter conditions seem brutal. But how are the summer conditions?

 

[MGregoir]

Easy, 65-75 degrees, today might approach 90, almost entirely highway miles.

 

[FZ1]

6 months. Fresh oil in the Fall.

 

[MGregoir]

Six months would be too long, at present rate I would have 11,500 miles on it by then.

 

[FZ1]

Agree. 3 months? Fresh oil over the coldest months of your year.

 

[MGregoir]

I am thinking 5,000 miles and I will be due for another oil change in October when I winterize my car. I am moving to a location with a much milder winter and where I will be able to plug my car in when it gets below 0 F so I am not as worried as I was last winter.

 

[Drivebelt]

I usually consider 5k miles a somewhat conservative target even with a fair amount of city driving on a modern conventional. These Group II/+ oils can hold up for 5k even in some pretty harsh conditions. With a fair amount of highway miles and a lot of driving in a relatively short time, I would go as far a 5- 6k miles (9-10k km). The recent photos in that other thread of 7500 mile OCI's on Jay's RSX using 5W-20 conventional are impressive. I don't see that engine being any cleaner with synthetics. Although, your V6 may be a little harder on the oil than a 4-cyl, so, I might not want to go that long (7500miles) without a used oil analysis.

I see you got a used oil analysis using Blackstone on that Mobil 1 oil change. How did you do this? Here in Edmonton I can't find either a Wearcheck or Blacktone. I'm thinking of getting a used oil analysis on my 2 year oil change and am looking where to get one. Any suggestions.

 

[MGregoir]

I ordered a sample container from Blackstone and sent it to their lab in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was $4.50 of postage on top of the UOA cost. Go to the Blackstone website, order a sample container, and ship it off to them.

In Alberta there is Fluid Life, MetroTech Systems and AGAT.

 

[Drivebelt]

Quote:
In Alberta there is Fluid Life, MetroTech Systems and AGAT.


Thanks MG.

Is there no problem sending these samples through the mail to the US for Blackstone?

Have you tried any of the ones in Alberta?

 

[MGregoir]

For industrial use, I have dealt with Fluid Life, no issues with Fluid Life. The double sealed containers Blackstone uses are mail-safe and there are no problems.