how long can an engine go without an oil change?

[addyguy]

I'd just like to add to this thread that I think most 'engine death' these days occurs from lack of top-off oil.

If an engine is using oil, and is topped-off regularly, there is often no need to change the oil.

We had a UOA thread on here from a Saturn that went 240k w/o an OC. The UOA looked awful, but the engine still ran at 240k with just a quart added when the engine was almost empty. Here it is:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1196537&page=1

We had another UOA thread on here from a guy whose friends truck went over 40k on M1 0W-40. Only reason he 'brought it by' for an OC was he hadn't topped it off, and it was making lots of noise....if he'd topped it off, I'm sure it could have just kept going....

 

[JOD]

agree totally on the top-off thing. If a car doesn't consume any oil and you do a 60K OCI, bad things are gonna happen. If the car does consume oil and you don't top off during a 60K OCI, worse things are gonna happen!

60K with regular top offs certainly isn't ideal, but many engines can still live with it. The Subaru I linked to earlier in this thread seems to be doing fine after its 57K OCI.

 

[addyguy]

Here's one where things DIDN'T work out so well:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...true#Post224649

 

[SS1970chrysler]

One of the guys at work claims 85k on Amsoil in a Ford Focus. Also says he only topped it off during that time.
Needless to say, I'm highly skeptical of this one.

 

[440Magnum]

I personally know a guy who bought a little econo-car (business vehicle) back in the 80s (Corolla maybe?) and decided that as an experiment after changing the factory fill, he'd try changing just the filter and topping off with synthetic oil but do so very carefully on a 3000 mile interval. Technically, he only "changed" the oil once, and sold the car running very well with around 130,000 miles on it. Not exactly high mileage, and not exactly "zero" oil changes either.

Literally never changing the oil or filter? I'd be surprised to see many vehicles make it past 50-60k miles without some obvious symptoms.

 

[ARB1977]

There's no way i could ever do that. I get eager when my oil gets to 5K.

 

[Klutch9]

A couple of years back, two of my friends were dating but lived several counties apart. The girl owned a used Chevy Aveo 5-speed, and this car was driven HARD. Additionally, she learned how to drive a stick on this car, adding to the abuse the car took. Because they lived so far away, and because she usually drove out his way like 5 or 6 times per week, she put about 20,000 miles on her car in about 4-5 months! She texted me one day asking me about oil changes (I'm the go-to car guy in my circle of friends

). I ask her how long it had been... "Oh, about 20,000 miles. Is that bad?"

So I tell her to get her oil changed immediately. I have no idea if she did or not, but I heard that car idling a few months later when we were all hanging out with some friends; holy loud engine Batman! But it was an Aveo, so for all I know, it may have always sounded like that

 

[caravanmike]

don't forget this thread: never changing oil stories!
Link:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1474032&fpart=5

 

[CBR.worm]

Yeah, the old story of the Lincoln that ran a 100K on a 'single fill' and filter changes, but required 1 qt of make-up oil every 1K always cracked me up. Might as well have been doing 5K OCI's.

 

[Spazdog]

I had a Civic in my shop today with 85,000 miles. The little "wrench" light was on indicating maintenance was due and there was quite a bit of valvetrain noise.

The sticker on the windshield indicated that it was due for an oil change....at 24,000 miles.

the stick had a bit of black goopy stuff on the very end.

 

[Mr_Joe]

Some people have no problem neglecting maintenance then sending the car to an unsuspecting buyer 60,000 miles down the road.

 

[PZR2874]

^That's the problem with buying leased vehicles.

Makes me wanna choke a B^&*%

 

[4x4chevydude]

I get antsy after 3k miles to change it out, I cant imagine not caring and letting it go for 10kplus even...I would say 40-60k is the concensus here and I have to agree with those numbers I would imagine that around that time everything is sludge and clogged, maybe with filter changes and top offs you might be able to go 70-80k, but even so every time you only have 1qt of clean oil with 4 worn out ones...cant be good.