When it feels like too long......

[daves87rs]

Short of the day I tried another oil (and old went back in hours later), I have kept QSUD (and a delco filter) in my 2004 Cavalier. After nearly 28 months, It was replaced by some Synpower and another Delco filter. Keeping the oil in a little longer went a bit longer than planned....

Without the knowledge that I picked up here on BITOG, this never would have made it past three or four months. The plan was supposed to be an 18 month one, but things (including the weather) got in the way. Being the third car (and not out in bad weather), it never got much over 2000 miles on the oil, though I tried to give it a freeway run when I could. The oil itself was still pretty clean....

What did I learn from this? That this poor car is going back to yearly oil changes (or semi if the miles go up) for both it's sakes and mine. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I swear it was making noises to me....though with the new stuff, quiet as a 11 year old ecotec can possibly be. I'm debating on a UOA, but I am not really sure if it will show me anything...though maybe for wear, as the car can go weeks without being driven (also my debate for Magnatec/Edge)


Thought I would share.....and it did feel like too long! (darn OCD

)

 

[Donald]

I think its subjective. Your feeling bad for neglecting the vehicle.

Many of us delay oil changes especially in the winter with snow and cold temps. But thats another advantage of synthetic oil in that if you had to push it a month or so it would not be a big deal.

 

[B20z]

Seems to me like most people have no problem overdoing stuff like oil changes, because they are easy/simple (relatively at least). Meanwhile, the brakes, hoses, and whatever else do a 10-year run.

Your OCI plan is a good match to your Cav.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Changed the oil on the 2013 Dodge GC yesterday. OLM was on. ~9 months, 9786 miles, 3 trips, 3800 miles, the rest local driving. M1-0W-20 AFE. The last 2 or 3 weeks I started to hear a valve tic on start up, Just a few tics, less then a second. But I could hear it...

Oil went in light amber, came out medium amber, all 6 quarts of it.

Fresh fill with PP 0W-20 and a Purolator Classic Oil Filter, Model# L36135 .

 

[HerrStig]

"OCD" = "Oil change disease".

 

[bigt61]

With Full Synthetic oil, 28 months and 2000 miles on a 2004 Cavalier Ecotec is nothing IMO. Even 4 years would be fine - 5 quart sump, just keep it topped off.

 

[stchman]

If I live in upstate NY like the OP, I would get the LONGEST life oil I could buy along with the longest life oil filter and change the oil and filter once a year when the weather is nice.

From everything I have read and YouTube's South Main Auto channel, cars in that area don't last nearly as long as a cars in the rest of the county. The cars appear to rust out long before the engines wear out.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I think its subjective. Your feeling bad for neglecting the vehicle.

Many of us delay oil changes especially in the winter with snow and cold temps. But thats another advantage of synthetic oil in that if you had to push it a month or so it would not be a big deal.


True!