Down with extending your drain intervals!!!

[HTSS_TR]

The oil companies, car dealers, quick lubes and the oil exporting countries are appreciated your 2-3k miles oil change mindset, we are lining our pockets with your hard earned money for purchasing our oils and services more than we dream. Without your support, we would be on the street begging for hand out.

If 2-3k miles oil change are doing so good to your engines, just imagine how good your engines will be with 1k miles oil change. And as a side benefit, you will make us much richer too.

Again, thank you so much for making us so filthy rich.

 

[joel95ex]

It's nothing to get all worked up over. My accord has 353K miles which was mostly (at least 95%) dino on short 3K sOCI's, and since coming to BITOG I have increased those to around 5K. I run the durango on syn now anywhere from 6 to 8K. While I do believe that extended OCI's are good, I do think the biggest argument--if you can call it that, is that many people believe that although the additive package may still be good, the oil becomes dirty and/or look dirty. Although I am still recovering from the 3K brainwashing, I do think today's oils, whether dino or syn, with a good filter easily go much longer--such as 5K dino and 8 to 10K dino----that is on an engine without any mechanical problems

 

[SigShooter]

Gee with a 95 Lumina I wouldn't be all that concerned with a 3000 mile oil change.These cars have always been kinda junky.

 

[fdcg27]

Mark72,

Before I started lurking here years ago, I thought very much as you do.
I did 3K changes religiously, even though I went to synthetics around 1990.From what I have learned here, I have gone to 4K on dinos and 5K on syns.
Now, these are very conservaitve intervals, and they allow me a lot of latitude for those occassions where it is convenient to defer a change a bit, due to extreme cold or personal time constraints, for example.
I think you should seek to get value from what you consume, and the 3K change involves throwing away a lot of useful oil life.
I am throwing away useful life with my plan as well, although less of it.
Finally, if I ever find myself with a really long commute, like 90-100 miles each way, which is a distinct possibility, you can bet that I'll join the UOA crowd, and extend my intervals to a much longer mileage.

 

[ottotheclown]

Wait, oil color does mean something: If you notice your oil on the dipstick is yellow with very small pink dots mixed in a muddy hue of mauve you might have an issue. Other than Toyota who is busy under dash boards, I would go to your dealer asap.

 

[Trvlr500]

Originally Posted By: Mark72
Originally Posted By: Curtis Newton
Until you have run your Lumina during the same conditions with 5-6K oil changes, it is really hard to see the merits of your argument.

You keep your car really clean and it runs well; that is good. However, you could keep your car really clean with 5K intervals, your car could be running just as good and an added benefit that you have saved on importing oil. I'm just sayin' ....


I could care less how much oil they have to import. It's been proven that we are no where near tapping out the reserves stored underground like the G would have you believe in order to line their pocket books. My car lasting me as long as possible and not having a car payment are more important. I have no issue with running oil up to 5 or 6k, but I'm really speaking of those who go beyond. My best friend runs M1 extended performance and changes it twice a year since he bought the car brand new. each change it might have 3-4k on the oil. It comes out as black as a tire. Yeah yeah..so the argument that the oil still had additives in it, but I couldn't stand the thought of having dirty oil like that swirling around in my motor for the last 3-4 months before I changed it.


I drive a "73" relic. I used to use Mobil 1 and changed it whenevr I couldn't read the writing on the dipstick. Overkill I agree. Now I go by the "stink test". If it stinks, it gets changed.

These newer cars have fuel injection and computers to moniter the gas the engine uses. As long as everything is working right extended drain intervals are attainable.

Carbureted cars like mine need the oil changed much more often especially if you live in a cold climate and/or do short trips. Synthetic or dino makes no difference. The gas still gets into the oil.

As far as this country having an oil shortage? LOL. That is a lie. However, I can't see changing oil more than you have to.

 

[Trvlr500]

Originally Posted By: Captain_Klink
I really don't believe in extended either. My brother (passed away 5 yrs. ago) left his Dodge Colt to me, in his will. Now I know this car "only" has 215,000 miles on it - so it is just a baby - but my brother changed the oil every 2,000 miles - so that would be about 110 oil changes. The average price for a jug of oil, and filter, - it takes 3.5 quarts - and car was new in 1995, when oil was a lot cheaper, let's say average $12 per oil change, times 110 changes, works out to about $1300 worth of oil and filters - works out to 0.6 CENTS per mile for the oil. For the GASOLINE, it gets 40 miles per gallon, which is about 6 Cents per mile.

So 6 cents per mile for gasoline, and 0.6 cents per mile for the oil. So, you want to save money on the OIL???? - like how much? 0.3 CENTS per mile??? by doubling the OCI. This car runs like brand new, the compression and power are perfect, and it uses ZERO amount of oil. I have seen similar car to mine, but not well maintained, and BURNING oil. To repair that car, would cost MORE THAN $2000 dollars, which is almost TWICE what was spent for the proper maintenance. So I firmly believe in FREQUENT oil changes, and for me, that means change it 3000 - 4000 mile intervals. My Subaru, according to manual, with severe duty, needs oil change every 3000 miles.

It is very penny wise and pound foolish to run long OCI. Like they used to say in the Quaker State ad - you can pay me now.... or you can pay me later. I would rather pay more for oil, and send the used oil for recycling, instead of having to pay for a new engine, just to save 0.3 CENTS per mile. Especially when the REAL COST of owning a motor vehicle is over 30 CENTS per mile, which is 50 times the price of changing the oil every 2,000 miles(averaged out from 1995 - 2010)

The "cost" of 2000 mile oil change, increases the ownership cost by 2%, but this pays for itself, because the engine does not need to be replaced, which means the oil changes are actually for free, and you are not stuck having to buy a new car, means you are a better steward for the environment. - cheers, Captain Klink.


Well said. That is why, in the face of all this environmental [censored]. An old 60's or 70's vehicle is FAR more environmentally friendly. It's already been paid for just as any older vehicle is. Buying one vehicle and KEEPING it for a VERY long time is the answer. Gas mileage really isn't a concern. For now.

 

[FZ1]

I change my Synthetic oil every 6 months,Fall and Spring,whether it "needs" changing or not.

 

[otis24]

"Carbureted cars like mine need the oil changed much more often especially if you live in a cold climate and/or do short trips. Synthetic or dino makes no difference. The gas still gets into the oil."

And here is the rub in the dino vs. synthetic debate. I do short trips in cold weather and do "extended" drains (if you consider 5K miles extended). I do believe that synthetics offer benefits over dino oil given my "severe" driving conditions. IF synthetics do not hold up to extended drains in severe conditions as the above argument suggests, then would dino's hold up less so? And IF that were the case, wouldn't you want to do a 1000-2000 mile OCI using dino oil under these conditions?

 

[ps49556n]

I don't know if any of you guys watch the show "King of the Hill"....it is a GREAT show and has some great lines, my favorite being this one:

Hank: "I change my truck's oil every 3,000 miles or when I am bored, whichever comes first"

It sounds crazy to some people but this is what I do to my vehicles as well. I am fortunate enough (or unfortunate depending on how you view it) to have the time to be able to perform my own oil changes in my own garage with my own tools and such. Oil changes and any maintenance work is a pleasure to me and something I would NEVER pay someone else to do.

Someone else said it here that many folks simply look at oil changes from a nickel and dime standpoint and that is perfectly acceptable...everyone is different and may not be able to afford to change oil as frequently or may not have the time or facilities to do so. Whatever their reason, if they want to run extended drains they certainly can, given they do it properly.

Regarding the money point...the costs associated with oil changes really are miniscule compared to fuel and other potential wear items. Unless you are running a large taxi fleet it just seems dumb to me to be fretting over oil costs when they boil down to fractions of pennies per mile.


to each his own

 

[toyotaguy]

Very well put!

 

[toyotaguy]

Reference fuel cost, I know thats right! I spend more on that then buying Ultra, or mobil 1, or whichever synthetic i feel like running that oci

 

[teddyboy]

You may want to consider repeated military actions in the middle east over the past 20 years before deciding that you don't care about how much oil we import. Your perspective is rather odd for someone using a hanging on the cross metaphor.

 

[ZZman]

In the old days of leaded gas, softer metals and looser tolerances and no computer controls 3,000 miles was probably a smart bet.

But Now cars run tighter and cleaner. Oil and gas tech has gotten better. I would say 5,000 miles should be standard now for dino and 7500 standard for Syn oil.

 

[NightRiderQ45]

some of you have wayyyy to much time on your hands. it's just oil people and regular ST oil can put 500k on a motor with good maintenance.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Mark72
The Lumina I'm speaking of has 152k on it. I know some of my references to hanging on the cross were sort of "out there", so I hope I offended no one. Just being a goof more than anything.
I change my oil in it every 4 months, no matter how many miles on the oil. sometimes I'll have 3-4k on it, and sometimes I'll have only 2k on the oil.


Why not take a chance and step it up to 6 month OCIs? That won't be so drastic for you, and easier to deal with. Your engine will never know the difference, and last just as long.

 

[Trvlr500]

Originally Posted By: otis24
"Carbureted cars like mine need the oil changed much more often especially if you live in a cold climate and/or do short trips. Synthetic or dino makes no difference. The gas still gets into the oil."

And here is the rub in the dino vs. synthetic debate. I do short trips in cold weather and do "extended" drains (if you consider 5K miles extended). I do believe that synthetics offer benefits over dino oil given my "severe" driving conditions. IF synthetics do not hold up to extended drains in severe conditions as the above argument suggests, then would dino's hold up less so? And IF that were the case, wouldn't you want to do a 1000-2000 mile OCI using dino oil under these conditions?


Yep. And the other reason is that dino is usually cheaper. It all depends on your driving habits and the car you drive. Any brand new car off the lot will handle extended drain intervals because they are computer controlled.

A severe service drain interval for a new whiz-bang computer controlled engine would be about the same as an extnded interval for a 60's or 70's carbed engine. I would think.

 

[Mark72]

It makes me VERY happy, especially after what this indivudual stated who owns runs a quick lube. Although he agrees oil can go longer, here is what he had to say...

. “If you go to your oil filter companies and start talking to them, their oil filters – on severe driving – really start to get loaded up by 4,500 to 5,000 miles,” he explained. “It’s kind of self defeating if you want to run 7,500 or 10,000 miles on it, to use a standard filter.”

Ok, he does state a "standard filter", but I still stand behind my premis for a shorter OCI.

 

[znode]

Oil filter companies say you need to change oil filters often, and quick lubes say you need to change oil more often?

No way!

Give me some independent lab results, will ya?