Would you Change it ?

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I have an 02 Silverado 2500HD that I dont drive very often and it stays in my garage. I just checked my book and I changed the oil last June at 61000 with PP and Pure 1 oil filter....its now almost a year later and I only have 1000 miles on the oil. I use the truck to tow my boat and mostly to tow my drag Mustang to the track. As you can see by the milage - I didnt do much racing last year and this year looks to be slow as well.

Would you dump the PP and Pure1 and change it because its a year old ?

Just as a side note - the 1000 miles are mostly highway - not very much short trips.
 
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I would not change it, and why use PP when you only drive 1000 miles per year?

Johnny, why change the filter with only 1000 miles?
 
It's not the miles but the time that filter has been setting there saturated with oil. May be absolutely nothing wrong with it but as I stated, would just make "me" sleep better at night.
 
I have a truck that gets used similarly. I do a yearly oil change, just for peace of mind. It costs so little in reality, plus it gets me under my truck looking around, etc.

I personally feel that for a seldom-used vehicle, the lube that will flow best and cling best is the best option. This means the right chemistry to deal with water, have some polarity to cling to the surfaces, good additive chemistry, etc. In my opinion this drives to syn.

So for all the folks who want to save $20 by not running it over an OCI of 1000 miles, that's fine... but if $20 is that big of a deal, the OP, or me, or anyone else shouldn't have an additional vehicle, which costs hundreds in insurance a year, let alone other upkeep... Otherwise, when there is compelling data that says that something else is better than syn for long-sitting vehicles, then by all means, let's discuss.
 
Conventioal oil can easily handle a one year OCI, with low miles. I do a one year on my BMW and drive about 5,000 Miles per year max. (summer only)

Will go to a 2 year OCI when I use my Pennzoil 5W50 this fall.

Patman has gone 2-3 years on synthtic one of his cars. UOA shows the oil is fine
 
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I think the reason people like synthetic over conventional in these instances has more to do with the ability of the oil to stick to the metals better. A once a year change, the difference in cost between dino and syn is not really that much for a 1 time a year thing.
 
I wouldn't change it.

I've proven to myself, using the best objective means I have at my disposal, that time has little meaning to oil when measured in the kind of intervals we are talking about here. Especially when it's in a vehicle that's stored in a relatively temperature stable storage environment and, when driven, it gets a good long drive. If you were to UOA the oil in your truck, you'd likely find it was perfect.

I have one tractor that soon will finish a three year interval and the oil tested fine at one and two years... we'll see how it does at the end of three when I change it this fall. Take note that this tractor is stored in moderately suboptimal conditions... an unheated horse barn.

I routinely run our pickups and car past a year (18 months or so), now going by miles alone (we put about 5K annually on one pickup and the car and about 1K a year on another pickup, which I will change at 3 yrs). All these have been verified by UOA, by the way, most of them posted in the UOA section. I also have another tractor that's on a two year interval, because it does the tractor equivalent of short hops.

Long time intervals isn't a "universal" recommendation. Poor storage or environmental conditions could dictate a shorter interval. Getting that small annual mileage in short hops, without the benefit of a long run occasionally, might be another. There could be other factors.

As to the oil brand and type, I'm not sure it matters all that much in the realm of one, two or three year intervals. My equipment is using run-o-the-mill dino Rotella and does just great. The PP, or another syn, has better oxidation resistance than a conventional oil, so if you think you need that extra protection, it's hard to argue against a "better" oil. I'd use the oil you like for whatever reason. If I were going to dump it at a 1K/1 yr interval, I'd probably save a few bucks by going to a less expensive oil than PP, but's that's me.

I've not seen any oxidation tests looked at from the storage and not the high temperature aspect. In other words, subject them to similar conditions they would be under inside a stored engine and measure the effects. I know it doesn't seem to show up adversely in my UOAs, and the others in similar circumstances that have been posted, but it would be interesting to carry it to the next level. If anyone knows of such tests, we'd all be grateful to hear about them.

Perhaps the best advice from above is that a truck sitting is not being looked at. In some cases, that may be enough justification to change the oil. If the OP does his own maintenance, the cure is simple: Schedule a periodic "Checkup" followed by a 20-30 mile run (the truck not the owner ( : < ). If it's a shop maintained truck, then could be checked semi-annually by a shop, but expect some pressure to change the oil and techs are often under pressure to find "something wrong" to upsell.

To each their own, but I would rather KNOW I have to change the oil, not FEEL I should. I just have not seen enough objective evidence that oil needs to be changed in the moderate time intervals we are talking about, bearing in mind some caveats. I've proved to myself just the opposite... at least in my own situations.
 
Originally Posted By: shpankey
I think the reason people like synthetic over conventional in these instances has more to do with the ability of the oil to stick to the metals better. A once a year change, the difference in cost between dino and syn is not really that much for a 1 time a year thing.


Which begs the question if we are only drive 1000 per year, how long will the vehicle last? Do we need to worry about oil sticking to parts?
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
It's not the miles but the time that filter has been setting there saturated with oil. May be absolutely nothing wrong with it but as I stated, would just make "me" sleep better at night.


The filter paper used in filters is designed for long term oil exposure and will not break down like other paper. I saw a filter from a low use marine engine 8 years old and the paper looked like any other. Exposed to oil the whole time. Fuel filters are the same; desiged for the long term.
 
Thanks for the feedback - I think I will just leave it in for now and see how much driving I do with it during the remainder of the summer - if I dont change it out - I will right before the winter.
 
My 03 Dodge Dually has just turned 3000 miles on the Amsoil 15w40 thats been in it going on 3 years.Oil still looks clear.Gonna change it in a month or so.Just ordered 3 gallons of oil last Saturday night.I got Acute Leukemia right after I serviced the truck.Been out of commission a while.Wife is just this year using it to show reining horses.Trailer stays hooked to it 24/7.
 
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Well, most manufacturers recommend XX miles or one year, whichever comes first.
For what little it costs, I'd change it.
May not be needed, but can't hurt.
Why don't you drive the thing more?
Sitting hurts any vehicle more than does moderate use.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: shpankey
I think the reason people like synthetic over conventional in these instances has more to do with the ability of the oil to stick to the metals better. A once a year change, the difference in cost between dino and syn is not really that much for a 1 time a year thing.


Which begs the question if we are only drive 1000 per year, how long will the vehicle last? Do we need to worry about oil sticking to parts?


We do have to worry about the oil and its additives protecting exposed parts from corrosion due to condensation and moisture.
 
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