months or miles

k2xj · Mar 23, 2005

My jeep isnt used very much. Pretty much just weekends. I know it is said that 3mths/3k miles are the recommended oci. But this seems like a waste to me because the 3 months always comes before my miles. Is it ok to wait for the mileage intervals to come insted of the months?? Oil wont wear down or wear out when it is not driven...correct??

PS...i will be using esso xd-3 15w40 HDEO in my next oil change..what kind of mileage could i expect to get out of this oil before a change is recommended.

THX

KW · Mar 23, 2005

I think time is the biggest factor. The ESSO oil should last do 6-8 months easily.

Morcos · Mar 23, 2005

yes i always have this dilema!
all cars=dino
on my car i go to about 4000 km (4 months)
dad's car " " 4500km even if it take about 4-5 months
moms van is same

MustangGT · Mar 23, 2005

I think your safe with any dino on six month intervals, Ford says 6 month/5000 miles for most situations. Of course then the dealer will tell you 3 month/3000 miles, and say the car will die otherwise.

pitzel · Mar 23, 2005

Distance most definitely. Oil doesn't merely go bad in a crankcase from time, but rather goes bad because of actual usage.

Not being familiar with that engine, I would say at least 3000 miles irregardless of time.

ebaker · Mar 23, 2005

I'd change it every 4 years or 4000 miles.

k2xj · Mar 23, 2005

4 YEARS???

haley10 · Mar 23, 2005

If your trips on the weekends are sometimes short ones, you will still be getting some fuel dilution and condensation in the crankcase will still reduce TBN.

That is a very good HDEO and you have a nice climate, so I'd probably think 6 months is very conservative. I would not exceed yearly myself.

rocketman · Jun 15, 2005

I'm kind of in the same boat now myself. My previous job had me using my 1999 Silverado 4.8L (178,000 km -- approx 110,000 miles) quite alot. This consisted of alot of highway miles, although not always long trips. I changed the oil (dino 5W30) every 4 months, roughly 3700 km (2400 miles?) I now have a new job that allows me to use a company vehicle, plus I ride my bicycle to work in the warm months about three days out of the 5 day work week since it's so close. My truck now gets alot of city driving with the odd highway run. I last changed the oil May 1, and have since put only 625 km on it in the 1.5 months. By my calculations, I will put approx 1600 km (1000 miles) in the 4 months. The vehicle runs like new, want to keep it that way, and for a long time. What is my best plan of attack now?

Bryanccfshr · Jun 15, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by k2xj:
My jeep isnt used very much. Pretty much just weekends. I know it is said that 3mths/3k miles are the recommended oci. But this seems like a waste to me because the 3 months always comes before my miles. Is it ok to wait for the mileage intervals to come insted of the months?? Oil wont wear down or wear out when it is not driven...correct??

PS...i will be using esso xd-3 15w40 HDEO in my next oil change..what kind of mileage could i expect to get out of this oil before a change is recommended.

THX

I say you can stretch it to 6 months-1 year depending on use and conditions.

mikemc · Jun 15, 2005

3-5k miles or 6 months on a dino seems like a good plan.

John_E · Jun 15, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by mikemc:
3-5k miles or 6 months on a dino seems like a good plan.

That's what I have always done with my non-turbo cars. I go for the 3K miles / 5K km instead of 5K miles / 8K km because most of my driving is "severe service" urban stop-and-go. I have my Passat on the same 3K mi / 5K km or 6 month schedule, but with Mobil 1 because of the turbo.

John_E · Jun 15, 2005

Interestingly, the owner's manual in my son's 1969 Camaro specifies an OCI of every 4 months or 6K mi / 10K km, whichever comes first. However, one should distinguish between a car driven a short distance every day and one driven for an hour on an open road once per week; clearly, the former is much harder on oil than the latter.

John_E · Jun 15, 2005

I had another thought -- it might make sense to key one's oil changes to cumulative gallons of gasoline burned, on the theory that urban driving consumes gas about 50 percent faster than open road cruising. For my Passat, I figure one oil change per 150 gallons burned would be about right.

Bryanccfshr · Jun 15, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by John_E:
Interestingly, the owner's manual in my son's 1969 Camaro specifies an OCI of every 4 months or 6K mi / 10K km, whichever comes first. However, one should distinguish between a car driven a short distance every day and one driven for an hour on an open road once per week; clearly, the former is much harder on oil than the latter.

I was thinking about using an hour meter myself They are inexpensive and easy to install and tell a more accurate story than the odometer.. between 80 and 100 hours an oil change seems like the equivelent of 5000-6000mile OCI for highway and 2400 where the mileage is stop and go with an average rate of 30mph.. Less guesse work.
I can then calculate my average speed that I travel each OCI.

labman · Jun 15, 2005

My 77 truck recommends running SE dino 7500 miles. I have 126 K on it. I have had it on 3 month intervals since the car I had in 1990 sludged up on 6 month OCI's on SG. The truck had a lot of extra miles put in it in the mid 90's.

Oh, by the way, the Pennzoil I picked at Wal-Mart today for my June oil changes is SM.

[ June 16, 2005, 01:41 AM: Message edited by: labman ]

widman · Jun 15, 2005

Of course, with all the dirt roads here our driving is severe, but my rule is 6000 km or 6 months. (exceptions for long distance commutes, etc, based on UOA).
So my wife's BMW and my biggest delivery truck get 6 months, The rest 6000 km.
It is FALSE to think that nothing happens when the engine is parked. Leave a car parked a few weeks with old oil in it and your analisis will show high lead from the bearings.
The time/km/fuel consumption factor is important, especially for vehicles where auxilary power is used all day (electric utility trucks and things like that that go 30 km per day but the engine operates 8 hours raising and lowering the basket). Also often for dump trucks that spend time waiting for loads and dumping. But not for normal cars.

blupupher · Jun 16, 2005

My wifes Tucson has the same issue. It may sit for 4-5 days not getting driven at all, and then a few short trips (< 10 miles) for a few days, then a 200 to 500 mile round trip every 2 months or so. She goes about 4000 miles every 6 months, so I have decided on a 6 month/5k OCI with a blend once my dealer freebies are done.

EricZoom · Jun 16, 2005

I have a 04 Mazda6 that only gets driven about 100 miles a week. I use M1 0w20 and do oil changes every 6 months/5k.

sgtgeek · Jun 16, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by pitzel:
Distance most definitely. Oil doesn't merely go bad in a crankcase from time, but rather goes bad because of actual usage.

Not being familiar with that engine, I would say at least 3000 miles irregardless of time.

Sorry to disagree strongly here friend...but BS!
Condensation is the worst thing that can happen and unless you have sealed your engine 100% you better be changing your oil every 5-6 months even (especially) if you haven't driven 1 mile..........

months or miles

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