Year long oil change, too long?

[JeePing]

Recently did an oil change on my 15 model gmc with 5.3 motor. Cut open an oil filter found what looked like a ton of sludge/carbon at the bottom of the can.

This is ~7,000 miles on a filter over two year span. First year ran I think supper tech advanced synthetic for 2,500 miles. Last year was valvoline extended protection.

Been using 0w20, decided to fill it with Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30 this go round.

After some googling and asking ai, seems like it might be a good idea to change oil every six months. Regardless of how many miles.

Truck is mostly used to tow a boat to the lake, 45 ministries one way. So it sits quite a bit most of the time. Also I try and burn e85 most of the time. I think it burns cleaner, keeping top end carbon free.

 

[svtrit]

I love E85 but won’t burn it in a vehicle that sits. It opens to door to water in the fuel and corrosion. Until recently I was putting ethanol free gas in my 2020 Wrangler since it sits so much. Cost is causing me to use E10 now, but it isn’t sitting for more than a week unlike winter where it sits for a couple months.

I do a once per year change in my Wrangler that is a weekend toy that sees 3000 mile per year. 2 per year would be wasteful.

I also make sure it gets fully warmed up when I do drive it. I’m about to take it on a 500 mile trip, but most of the time it’s local trips and it’s driven at least 15 minutes at one point when I do take it out.

 

[zzyzzx]

Year long oil change, too long?​

No not really.

 

[Astro_Guy]

My Ford C-Max PHEV calls for two years or 20k miles. Both of those markers occured on almost the same day last August. The UOA came back in good shape. I have to agree with others that the use of E85 in a vehicle that sits doesn't seem wise.

 

[iCurious]

Not endorsing but my friend’s parents has a 2010 RX350 low mileage and he changed the oil 2 years later and it wasnt as bad as expected. He used Mobil 1 Extended Protection.

 

[Selmorides]

I change every six months. Two cars mostly short trips, maybe 10K miles combined. Cheap when you DIY.

 

[JohnnyG]

I think your problem is the E85 and short, infrequent trips.

 

[QwikKota]

The filter is filtering. What's the problem? Is there sludge in the pan?

 

[JeePing]

I think your problem is the E85 and short, infrequent trips.

I wouldn't think 45 minute one way trip towing a boat is short. I could be wrong.

The filter is filtering. What's the problem? Is there sludge in the pan?

Do your oil filters look like mine?

 

[JeePing]

I love E85 but won’t burn it in a vehicle that sits. It opens to door to water in the fuel and corrosion. Until recently I was putting ethanol free gas in my 2020 Wrangler since it sits so much. Cost is causing me to use E10 now, but it isn’t sitting for more than a week unlike winter where it sits for a couple months.

I do a once per year change in my Wrangler that is a weekend toy that sees 3000 mile per year. 2 per year would be wasteful.

I also make sure it gets fully warmed up when I do drive it. I’m about to take it on a 500 mile trip, but most of the time it’s local trips and it’s driven at least 15 minutes at one point when I do take it out.

It doesn't sit with E85 in it.

 

[Japanese]

This is ~7,000 miles on a filter over two year span. First year ran I think supper tech advanced synthetic for 2,500 miles. Last year was valvoline extended protection.

Been using 0w20, decided to fill it with Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30 this go round.

That's big and healthy improvement.
I think annual oil changes will be fine and no longer than 5K miles.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Do you have history on the vehicle before you owned it?

If it got abused and fed quick lube conventional with infrequent changes, it could be a bit gunked up. Now that you're running decent synthetics in it and changing at reasonable intervals, you could be cleaning all kinds of things up and yes, that would get caught in the filter exactly like you see.

Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30 is a great idea. Only change I'd make would be changing the oil filter yearly.

 

[mkiv808]

I'm always looking for LESS ethanol, not more.

I don't think you need to change the oil more.

The biggest change I would make is always changing the filter with the oil.

 

[GI_GRIFF]

good idea to change oil every six months. Regardless of how many miles.

Exactly-perfect-Great idea. 6 months or 5000 miles, whichever comes first with oil filter too. Valvoline Restore and Protect is the best choice right now to clean up gunk and ring deposits. You can run it forever if you want, it will prevent future deposits once things are clean inside also. It has an excellent anti-wear package, considered by Valvoline as their top-best gasoline engine oil they sell. It is not made or sold as an extended oil change interval oil like some others out there. It would be a good idea to run a used oil analysis on it now and then also. Use Polaris labs or some lab that uses the proper testing for fuel dilution. Just not Blackstone labs. Stick to a 0W or 5W-30 engine oil. After you get your UOA results back, then you can stretch your intervals out if you want, depending on the results of you UOA. Take care!

 

[QwikKota]

I wouldn't think 45 minute one way trip towing a boat is short. I could be wrong.

Do your oil filters look like mine?

You make it sound like cutting open filters is a normal thing, hah.

No, I would not say towing a boat that long is short tripping a vehicle at all.

 

[SC Maintenance]

If your towing mostly - which I think you said, then you need to follow whatever the severe service interval is.

 

[JeePing]

Do you have history on the vehicle before you owned it?

If it got abused and fed quick lube conventional with infrequent changes, it could be a bit gunked up. Now that you're running decent synthetics in it and changing at reasonable intervals, you could be cleaning all kinds of things up and yes, that would get caught in the filter exactly like you see.

Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30 is a great idea. Only change I'd make would be changing the oil filter yearly.

Bought it in 17 with 35k miles or so. Always used oil with dexos label.

 

[JeePing]

I'm always looking for LESS ethanol, not more.

I don't think you need to change the oil more.

The biggest change I would make is always changing the filter with the oil.

Felt like such a waste to change that fram with only 2,500 miles.

 

[JeePing]

You make it sound like cutting open filters is a normal thing, hah.

No, I would not say towing a boat that long is short tripping a vehicle at all.

I assumed lol

If your towing mostly - which I think you said, then you need to follow whatever the severe service interval is.

Shortest time interval is a year. That’s what I have been doing.

 

[DCDG]

20 years ago I would have said 6 months-7500 miles now with these engineered to fail vehicles 6 months-4-5000 miles.