You Can't Change Your Oil Too Much!

[SavetheRimBrake]

Some people join the site, ingest technical info and make informed decisions about the safety of extending oil changes for their driving habit and vehicles; others just reiterate the mythology.

10K might not be for you, but it is not a concern for others. JMO

I spend $30 every 5,000 miles for M1 synthetic and a factory filter.

Other people spend $30 for each oil change and another $30 for a UOA with every drain so they can figure out if they can save $3 on oil and $1 on a filter.

 

[Ausfahrt]

Regardless of the quality of the oil, the byproducts of combustion begin to compromise fresh oil immediately.

 

[Zee09]

It is my opinion that frequent oil changes (≤5,000 miles) keeps timing chains healthy.

Diesel and GDI soot does not get filtered out.

The more chain you have, the more wear points, the faster it will "stretch."

No problem with that approach but I wonder if knowing what you are buying would have been a better approach in the first place. Yes I understand the "got to have it" purchase too.

 

[RooflessVW]

No problem with that approach but I wonder if knowing what you are buying would have been a better approach in the first place. Yes I understand the "got to have it" purchase too.

Feels weird having this question directed at me.

Yes, I knew exactly what I was buying and that these engines with frequent oil changes are much less likely to need chains later on in life.

Every single car with a timing chain benefits from reasonable oil change intervals.

 

[doublebase]

It is my opinion that frequent oil changes (≤5,000 miles) keeps timing chains healthy.

Diesel and GDI soot does not get filtered out.

The more chain you have, the more wear points, the faster it will "stretch."

This is why I think it’s so important to know your car/know your engine. Research it, experience it, spend time trying to understand if it’s an engine with timing chains, turbo, smaller displacement, direct injection, known oil consumption or engine/ring/bearing failures/PCV valve system issues/cylinder shutoff. Stuff like that. Know it. And make your decisions accordingly.

 

[64bawagon]

I still recall the "half oil changes" that were sometime done on the older OTR diesel trucks. The process of adding new oil to the crankcase I believe was called "sweetening" I discussed this with a Mobil engineer some 20+ yrs ago. We never used this process on our trucks at work but it does dispel some of the theory that the color of an engine oil actually means anything.

As far as following the OLM on modern cars, I know for a fact that GM does extensive testing in their labs at the Milford proving grounds (because I know people who have worked there) and they have a mountain of data that they used to come up with these recommendations. Thats not to say that the occasional engine doesnt perform as predicted and would benefit from tighter intervals but on balance I believe they are as reliable as anything short of a personal used analysis program.
I think many (not all) of the GM vehicles that have issues are due to neglect, especially the soccer Mom type vehicles.

 

[RooflessVW]

In before someone tells me their short-interval oil changes got their car to some high mikeage milestone...as if someone with 5-10K hasn't also had the same results...opps too late!

Come on man, you should know by now that longer oil change intervals reduce timing chain life.

Every single 4.2 I have seen that needed chains had an owner that religiously followed the SRI.

 

[RooflessVW]

The VW VR6, GM 3.6, Ecoboost, etc.

If they need chains, I'd put money on the owner following the SRI/OLM.

 

[Zee09]

Feels weird having this question directed at me.

Yes, I knew exactly what I was buying and that these engines with frequent oil changes are much less likely to need chains later on in life.

Every single car with a timing chain benefits from reasonable oil change intervals.

It wasn't directed at you specifically but a follow up to your post about vehicles that require more maintenance or specific issues you need to maintain at more frequent intervals.

 

[RooflessVW]

There's a reason that oil specifications have come to include chain wear testing...

Owners can't be bother to care, so they're trying to solve the issue with higher quality oils to increase part service life.

 

[4WD]

There's a reason that oil specifications have come to include chain wear testing...

Owners can't be bother to care, so they're trying to solve the issue with higher quality oils to increase part service life.

Indeed - and push rod engines are slowly leaving the market …

 

[Zee09]

This is why I think it’s so important to know your car/know your engine. Research it, experience it, spend time trying to understand if it’s an engine with timing chains, turbo, smaller displacement, direct injection, known oil consumption or engine/ring/bearing failures/PCV valve system issues/cylinder shutoff. Stuff like that. Know it. And make your decisions accordingly.

Agreed and preferably before you buy the vehicle.

 

[RooflessVW]

Indeed - and push rod engines are slowly leaving the market …

The ones that are still around have their own problems

 

[4WD]

The ones that are still around have their own problems

Yeah - I disable that stuff and use 5W30 once out of warranty …
Discussed the OLM -vs- 5k desired with dealership (newer) - they said I get a fixed dozen - so bring when you like …

 

[CKN]

BTW-this whole thread is "clickbait".

 

[Zee09]

BTW-this whole thread is "clickbait".

Sounds like an advertisement for..... FCP Euro

 

[TiGeo]

Come on man, you should know by now that longer oil change intervals reduce timing chain life.

Every single 4.2 I have seen that needed chains had an owner that religiously followed the SRI.

3K oil changes are unnecessary on any vehicle (non track of course) chains or not was the intention of my post. 5 to 7.5K with approved oil should be just fine. My Atlas has the 3.6 VR with chains...do ~5-6K for that fuel dilluter with all short trip use. 3K is way overkill. 10K wouldn't bother me if it was all highway/high mileage with 502 oil.

 

[Zee09]

3K oil changes are unnecessary on any vehicle (non track of course) chains or not was the intention of my post. 5 to 7.5K with approved oil should be just fine. My Atlas has the 3.6 VR with chains...do ~5-6K for that fuel dilluter with all short trip use. 3K is way overkill. 10K wouldn't bother me if it was all highway/high mileage with 502 oil.

I suspect the extreme oil change crowd are not using 502-504 oils and especially the more expensive and harder to find 504 spec. ( M1 exception noted)
Those 3k changes could get expensive... Let's not rehearse the FCP Euro return policy

 

[atikovi]

Sir,
It's been discussed on here NUMEROUS TIMES color has no bearing on what the oil may be doing/or not doing.

Then what exactly is the stuff in the oil circulating around the engine that is making it dark? Fairy dust? Anything in the oil besides the oil itself is adding some internal wear. Small maybe but something none the less.

 

[RooflessVW]

Then what exactly is the stuff in the oil circulating around the engine that is making it dark? Fairy dust? Anything in the oil besides the oil itself is adding some internal wear. Small maybe but something none the less.

Oil gets darker with heat.