Do you get the oil change "itch"?

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You know, where it's not quite time to change your oil yet but you want to anyways?

My itch usually starts rolling around 4 months or 2k miles.

Can you change your oil too often and have it damage your engine?
 
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
Can you change your oil too often and have it damage your engine?

I don't think you'd damage it, but it is true that most wear occurs right after an oil change, probably due to the engine/filter running somewhat dry for the first few seconds, until it all gets circulated again, so IMO, changing the oil/filter too early is counterproductive and wasteful.

My oil change "itch" doesn't kick in until about 12 months or so.
 
I get the itch cause i think, if its right or wrong, that clean, new oil is better for my cars or truck. i am limited in my oci for my versa for 6000km cause of warranty so any oil should do just fine in that short of km. My truck gets about 3000km in a year so it gets yearly changes. The camaro is getting work done but it usually gets 3000km 6 month changes.

I have a nice unopened jug of PP for the next change in the versa which it has a PP fill in it right now which is gonna be sent to blackstone so im getting the itch for sure.
 
2000 miles out you have a very serious case. Maybe 200 miles out for me, but in all fairness it takes me 6 months to shop for a set of tires so I guess I have my own problems.
 
I do, getting better though. Finally am determined to let the G5 run the OLM. Over 13000km now which is the longest I've ever let it go. The wife's and son's cars need them more frequently so that helps!
 
Hence why i ALWAYS prime my oil filters and as a result, the oil pressure light goes out MUCH faster vs on a completely dry oil filter. I've tested this.

Two of my car's have oil filters that mount vertically, facing up, so i'm able to prime them for several minutes while the oil is draining and then fill them up all the way to the top and screw them on. This results in EVEN FASTER disappearance of the oil pressure light and less engine chatter during the initial start up.

Back to topic... I usually get the oil change itch a few hundred miles short of my OCI. I'd plan to change it at 10k for example but would get ready to dump it at 9,600 because it's "close enough". I end up forcing myself to continue by not looking at the trip B mileage (my oil change counter) and end up going over my goal by a few hundred miles. UOA always shows that i could have gone longer so my OC "itch" needs to be calibrated because it's off by a few thousand miles.
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Originally Posted By: abycat


I have a nice unopened jug of PP for the next change in the versa which it has a PP fill in it right now which is gonna be sent to blackstone so im getting the itch for sure.


I forgot about the UOA. When i'm getting close to the sampling time, i also want to get under there and send off the sample ASAP but i also want to run consistent OCIs so the lab analysis is consistent so i still end up waiting until it's time to pull the sample and never do it early.
 
Originally Posted By: Artem
Hence why i ALWAYS prime my oil filters and as a result, the oil pressure light goes out MUCH faster vs on a completely dry oil filter. I've tested this.

Two of my car's have oil filters that mount vertically, facing up, so i'm able to prime them for several minutes while the oil is draining and then fill them up all the way to the top and screw them on. This results in EVEN FASTER disappearance of the oil pressure light and less engine chatter during the initial start up.

Back to topic... I usually get the oil change itch a few hundred miles short of my OCI. I'd plan to change it at 10k for example but would get ready to dump it at 9,600 because it's "close enough". I end up forcing myself to continue by not looking at the trip B mileage (my oil change counter) and end up going over my goal by a few hundred miles. UOA always shows that i could have gone longer so my OC "itch" needs to be calibrated because it's off by a few thousand miles.
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I've never had an oil pressure light come on after an oil change, even briefly, on either vehicle. Nor did we have it when we had the Rav4. Strange!
 
I get it at about 5k mi, and it gets worse when you have oil and a filter waiting to go in.

I am able to hold-off until 7k mi, or 6 months, but its hard. I have given into temptation before.
 
I am slowly weening away from the itch. I believe my current fill has 6500KM or so (more than I used to do in total in an OCI) and I am not planning on changing for at least another 3000KM.
 
I start getting the itch after about two years. I then gather my UOAs around me and tell myself, "Hook & roll, Jim, hook & roll!. Don't let that oil change monkey beat you."

To me, oil change methadone is many (too many) gauges.

As to too frequent oil changes harming the engine, I think there are minor wear consequences from both the first start and that short period when the new oil is breaking loose the old barrier material from the the bearing surfaces and putting on it's own. All this is very minor but cumulative. The main harm is to the unwise owner's wallet and to the world resource bank.
 
Originally Posted By: cutter
Not during the summer or winter, that's for sure.


I agree! I definitely don't enjoy changing the oil when it's 90 degrees outside, and it's even worse when it's below freezing! So for me, the early spring and fall are the best oil changing times. So I don't get the urge at all to do it at any other time of the year.
 
I change mine twice a year regardless of mileage... In fall and spring so I can avoid doing anything in winter months.

Generally it comes out to about 5-7K for the summer OCI and about 4-5K for the winter OCI.
 
I have the itch bad. I'd change oil every 1,000 miles if it were reasonable. I'm addicted to changing fluids.

It's hard for me to wait 5,000 miles, but I do.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
In this heat, the only itch I get is to get inside where the AC is.


Agreed, I change mine in the spring and now am running one year OCI(went two years on my pickup that had around 2800mi)... As far as itch, naaahhhh it's more like [censored], I have to change the dammed oil...
 
Changing the oil too often will only damage your wallet. Your engine will run for eternity though.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
You know, where it's not quite time to change your oil yet but you want to anyways?

My itch usually starts rolling around 4 months or 2k miles.

Can you change your oil too often and have it damage your engine?
 
Originally Posted By: johnsmellsalot
Changing the oil too often will only damage your wallet. Your engine will run for eternity though.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
You know, where it's not quite time to change your oil yet but you want to anyways?

My itch usually starts rolling around 4 months or 2k miles.

Can you change your oil too often and have it damage your engine?


I would rethink that statement.
 
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