Low yearly mileage & Synthetic Oil Change Interval

[Hing]

Wondering peoples opinion on the following.

Got a 11 year old car V8 with 117,000 miles. In the past 2 years, my miles have dropped significantly from 12,000 a year to 2,000 a year. Chalk it up to gas prices!

Got another small car with 4 cylinders and gets great gas mileage which I still do about 10,000 miles a year.

Question is this: Given that Mobil 1 synthetic changes intervals are around 7,500-10,000. With 2,000 miles a year and the V8, that's about 3 years before reaching that mileage. I know there is also the rule of 3,500 miles or 6 months with regular non-synthetic oil.

So how many would you change the synthetic every year at 2,000 miles every 2 years at 4,000 or go even longer and just change the filter in between? Seems a waste to change synthetic at such low mileage when it supposedly last much longer. Anyone else have this issue? Your opinions? Besides getting rid of the V8 since it is great for those long road trips twice a year....

 

[Billy_D]

Change the oil once a year. Use a quality synthetic and quality oil filter and your should be good to go.

 

[spursfan600]

I would just go with an annual dino oci if your only putting on average 2000 miles per year.

 

[DeeAgeaux]

Get PP at Wally once a year.

Dino breaks down after a while.

 

[demarpaint]

There are members here in a similar boat. You didn't mention how the 2000 miles per year are driven. If the trips are long enough to get the oil to operating temp and burn off the junk a good synthetic oil can go 2 years.

Tell us how its driven?

 

[bepperb]

I'd also go once a year. The extra few bucks for Syn never bother me, likely you could go that OCI on dino, though.

 

[Crustacean]

only 2000 a year, but the filthy oil just sits there festering and turning to acid, get it out within a year.

I would consider conventional oil, only because the synthetic isn't doing you any favors for so short an interval.

Perhaps if you live in a cold climate synthetic would be better for ya during cold starts.

 

[Hing]

Thanks for all the quick feedback and opinions.

2000 miles a year is driven: 80% highway 20% local.

Live in the cold northeast and owner's manual recommends Synthetic 5w30. Been using synthetic for the past 11 years when it was 12,000 miles a year. Now, changing to Dino is an idea but figured it would be better continuing with Synthetic 10w40 given the lower miles but high mileage (117k) on the car and perhaps extending the interval to 2 years instead of 1 with dino.

 

[daves87rs]

Once a year sounds good.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd probably go 1 year with a synthetic. Look in the UOA section.

 

[Hing]

Thanks I'll check out the UOA section. Not to change my own topic but always wondered; no disrespect-mind you....why bother with a UOA when it costs $24 when you can just change the oil for the same amount and not worry about how the oil is. If the Oil analysis comes back ok, you still need to pay again for the next analysis. Determining the interval given your driving style and oil/filter combination only holds true if your driving style/brand of oil/filter stays constant....right?

 

[hannaco]

Well, sort of right. A UOA is useful for more than just seeing how the oil has held up. UOAs have spotted problems for me in the past. Little things like coolant in the oil which could have done real damage. A faulty oil cooler was suggested as the cause, and indeed that was the problem Without the UOA, the motor would have just died with a spun bearing.
You don't need to do a UOA, but for the little expense once a year it might prove to be useful one time.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

once a year and you can use conventional if you wish.

 

[Mamala Bay]

I would use a HDEO oil. Oil is sitting in the engine.

 

[FastSUV]

I have virtually the EXACT same situation and I have elected to continue doing M1 Hm formula synthetic once per year. BUT I would be curious to know whether dino or full-syn oil can resist fuel contamination better because I find myself starting the vehicle often to move it out of the way and it is only run for a minute.

Anyone know the answer because if dino is better at fuel contamination then that might be enough to tempt me to use a HM dino or HDEO instead of M1 synthetic.

I already know that many of the Marine companies require dino to be used in their motors for storage because it supposedly sticks to & protects the metal better than synthetic when "sitting" for long periods.

 

[demarpaint]

I went through the same thing up until about 1 year ago. I have an 88 Ford E-150 with 68,000 miles on it. Last year I started using it a lot more. This van would sit for weeks, sometimes months at a time and not be driven, especially in the winter. Many times I did 1 year OCI's on occasion 2 year OCI's. I ran Mobil 1 until last December when I changed over to PP. I moved the van around once in a while, and did a few short trips, but for the most part when I took it out I drove it at least 30 minutes.

That engine runs as good as new. I would suggest a good synthetic oil, and MMO in the gas. The MMO coats the combustion chamber and prevents flash rusting, mine is fed via an Inverse Oiler, but adding it to the gas will work too. I also invested in a Pre-Luber. I have a dash mounted toggle switch which I flip and pressurize the system with oil before I turn the key. Never a dry start, I really believe that helps any engine that sits a long period of time. If that is not practical get an oil that is noted for clinging to metal and has a very good low temp pour point. Again, MMO or TCW3 in the gas is a very good idea too. JMO

 

[Hing]

Thanks for all the quick opinions.

After some further reading on the forum, I'm leaning towards 18 month OCIs since majority of my miles are highway miles allowing more condensation to burn off. I'm of the opinion if I was more skewed towards short trips, I'd go with the 1 year OCI.

I'll look into MMO as well or something that is more clingy to metal.