And doesn't heat cause varnish?
You Can't Change Your Oil Too Much!
- Thread starter Jay Freddy
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Yep that's my philosophy as well. Don't like changing in the rain or the freezing snow. So its early October and April. Its worked very well for over 20 plus years.
Same reason diesel engine oil is black in no time, blowby.
It's difficult to make any solid conclusions from this study. They only tested completely fresh oil vs used oil that had a minimum of 3000 miles of use. Oil is never completely fresh, as there's usually around a litre of oil remaining in the engine after an oil change, and we don't know how this mixing would affect the oil's wear properties. We also can't tell how long it takes for wear to normalize. We only know that it happens some time within 3000 miles. For all we know, wear could normalize within 50 miles after an oil change.
The study also only looks at valvetrain wear, and is based on bench tests instead of actual engine operation on a dyno, so its scope is rather limited. I've seen at least two other studies that use different methods and they don't show a very significant difference in wear between fresh and used motor oil.
Hey did you know...oh sorry.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
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
I have to read how you kindly go into excruciating detail to educate those unaware. Very kind of you as I myself suffer burnout from regurgitating info like this. Kudos to you
GM has AFM problems and Mopar has Hemi problems
Oh. I thought you were referring to old push rod engines like I have.
This all depends on your engine and driving conditions.
My commute is 2 mins to work. Sometimes in minus 20 for months. Even in our port injected vehicle the oil stinks of gas after 2months and 1500kms.
There is no real blanket statement for OCI's. Different engines, climates, and driving styles.
As a society we overdo everything. Just look at how much water is wasted on lawns just so we can have pretty grass.
By any chance, is this idea floated around by CAFE organization?
My test bed for not doing 3000 mile oil changes was my 2007 Corolla. It was the first vehicle that I extended to 4000 or sometimes 5000 miles before changing, and since it was my daily driver that usually happened within three or four months. When I sold it at 178,000 miles it still ran like brand new, and this was with 100% conventional oils.
Based on this result I elected to use full synthetic and extend the drain interval on my new 2016 Mazda6 to 7000 miles, and I was told by some here that even that was wasteful. Then I started learning about GDI and low tension piston rings. And then, I bought a used car with an unknown oil change history that also had low tension piston rings and a severe oil burning problem.
I have two decent vehicles and two somewhat reliable beaters. There’s no way in the current market I could replace my Mazda or Titan with equivalent vehicles at anything like what I paid for them, so I’ve decided that the best course of action for me is to be ultra-cautious with my maintenance of both. Both of them now get new oil and filter every six months regardless of mileage. The Chevy still gets conventional and a filter every August, but it rarely goes 2000 miles a year. The Scion just received its second piston soak and probably will get changed every 3000 miles in hopes of keeping the rings and drain holes clear. I suspect there‘s still a good bit of carbon left in that engine.
Based on this result I elected to use full synthetic and extend the drain interval on my new 2016 Mazda6 to 7000 miles, and I was told by some here that even that was wasteful. Then I started learning about GDI and low tension piston rings. And then, I bought a used car with an unknown oil change history that also had low tension piston rings and a severe oil burning problem.
I have two decent vehicles and two somewhat reliable beaters. There’s no way in the current market I could replace my Mazda or Titan with equivalent vehicles at anything like what I paid for them, so I’ve decided that the best course of action for me is to be ultra-cautious with my maintenance of both. Both of them now get new oil and filter every six months regardless of mileage. The Chevy still gets conventional and a filter every August, but it rarely goes 2000 miles a year. The Scion just received its second piston soak and probably will get changed every 3000 miles in hopes of keeping the rings and drain holes clear. I suspect there‘s still a good bit of carbon left in that engine.
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
What Causes Black Motor Oil? Is it a Bad Thing?
Find out why motor oil turns black and how that may affect your engine and, more importantly, if it signals the time for an oil change.
blog.amsoil.com
Very few cars have had engine failure when reasonable oci's were done. Those that did had design flaws that caused it not really oil related failures.
You can change too much costing time, money and oil. But if it makes you happy then do it.
You can change too much costing time, money and oil. But if it makes you happy then do it.
Since this is my hobby, oil changes are all about enjoyment.
Change it as often as it makes you happy and your wallet allows.
Change it as often as it makes you happy and your wallet allows.
Not sure, quite possibly.
According to much of what I'm reading here, I've been changing my oil too often for years.
But obviously it depends on the oil, the motor, and how they're being used.
5 vehicles? But why?I maintain 5 vehicles within my family. No one gets an oil change before 12K, I'm not doing 20 oil changes/year, I have a life. I'm running Amsoil SS, which many refer to as a "boutique" oil, I prefer to call it good. I do UOA and have a history of somewhere between 46-50 oil reports, so if anyone wishes to accuse me of "abusing or neglecting" my vehicles, take it up with Horizon testing.
You are free to change oil as often as you like; I'm not the one crawling under your car(s).
Kids? Sounds like a parenting/responsibility training opportunity.
dnewton3
Staff member
It's not a question of changing oil too often ...
It's a matter of poorly defined questions which illicit loose, hastily thrown together blanket answers.
As Astro14 said, one can change oil too often or not often enough. This all depends upon a slew of considerations
- what lubes are used?
- what engine/equipment is it being used in?
- does the equipment have a history of known problems such as sludge, coolant, fuel leaks which make shorter OCIs prudent?
- is there history to prove it's a well-wearing engine which can tolerate longer OCIs with no undue concerns?
- what are the environmental factors, if any?
- what operational factors exist which may be of concern?
- what air filter is in play?
- what oil filter is in play?
- what other tools are in play (UOAs? PCs?)
To give a one-size-fits-all answer to this question is a fool's errand; it solves nothing and just confounds the issues for those who are noobs to the topic. In fact, this is just the flavor-de-jour at BITOG. It used to be about thick/thin lubes. Before that it was about filter efficiency. Many people on BITOG have a habit of trying to summarize something into a single consumable bite, and the reality is that the world is much more complex than that.
How is this any different than asking "What's the best hunting caliber?" Well for starters, what firearm are you using? Are you hunting game or target shooting for fun? Is this a scored match or just weekend plinking? At what distances? Etc ...
The problem in giving good advice isn't because of a bad answer; it's the result of a poorly considered and constrained question. To get an accurate and reliable answer, you need to have a well defined question which addresses many relevant parameters.
As is said; garbage in = garbage out.
It's a matter of poorly defined questions which illicit loose, hastily thrown together blanket answers.
As Astro14 said, one can change oil too often or not often enough. This all depends upon a slew of considerations
- what lubes are used?
- what engine/equipment is it being used in?
- does the equipment have a history of known problems such as sludge, coolant, fuel leaks which make shorter OCIs prudent?
- is there history to prove it's a well-wearing engine which can tolerate longer OCIs with no undue concerns?
- what are the environmental factors, if any?
- what operational factors exist which may be of concern?
- what air filter is in play?
- what oil filter is in play?
- what other tools are in play (UOAs? PCs?)
To give a one-size-fits-all answer to this question is a fool's errand; it solves nothing and just confounds the issues for those who are noobs to the topic. In fact, this is just the flavor-de-jour at BITOG. It used to be about thick/thin lubes. Before that it was about filter efficiency. Many people on BITOG have a habit of trying to summarize something into a single consumable bite, and the reality is that the world is much more complex than that.
How is this any different than asking "What's the best hunting caliber?" Well for starters, what firearm are you using? Are you hunting game or target shooting for fun? Is this a scored match or just weekend plinking? At what distances? Etc ...
The problem in giving good advice isn't because of a bad answer; it's the result of a poorly considered and constrained question. To get an accurate and reliable answer, you need to have a well defined question which addresses many relevant parameters.
As is said; garbage in = garbage out.
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