Question about changing oil by month or mileage?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Messages
342
Location
Chicago
So the last time the previous owner changed the oil on my car was at 122,418 miles fully synthetic and now the car has 129,400 but the thing is he changed it back in March of 2019 and it should be done every 10k miles according to the owner's manual but its almost been a year so should it still be ok? I plan on changing it soon either way just wanna know what your opinions are on that? He was a old man who didnt put much mileage on it just use to go to work and home pretty much.

2006 AUDI A8 4.2

[Linked Image]
 
Last edited:
If he was short tripping his mileage, then it may be past due for an oil change, but since you are the new owner, now YOU establish the OCI you want to have based on YOUR driving scenarios.

However I dispute the idea that he didn't put much mileage on it if it has been 7K in less than a year. That may not be an average mileage but is far from low, and yet if all he did was go back and forth to work, possibly it wasn't short tripped at all to get 7K/yr.

If you want to do it yearly, sure now is a fine time. It won't hurt to change oil every day, just waste oil and time.
wink.gif
You're close enough that you might as well change it when that is convenient.
 
I've always done a couple of short oil changes on a new to me car with a good cleaning oil like PYB. And check all your fluids and service them unless they've been recently done.
 
I do the oci when you get a chance in the next month or two.

Has the engine had a timing chain serviced?

These are very complex .

[Linked Image]
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
I do the oci when you get a chance in the next month or two.

Has the engine had a timing chain serviced?

These are very complex .

[Linked Image]




The timing belt and water pump were replaced at 77K miles.
 
Anything that anyone says, including the Oil Life Monitor, is all speculation until you have a Used Oil Analysis done by a test lab.
No one knows what kind of oil or driving conditions have been used/encountered, how do you expect an intelligent answer?
An honest answer is perhaps you're OK; most likely you're OK, my two cents is that "an old man" who had his timing belt and water pump replaced at 77K miles probably took decent mechanical care of the car.
Change the oil when it is convenient to do so for you, find something more important to obsess over.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...-change-since-2013-should-i-be-concerned
 
For me its a balance of both....
typically, winter OCI get changed early... lots of city stop-go and short distance, sometimes in extreme cold >> possible condensation and fuel dilutions issues...
IMO this season is harder on oil rather than the engine itself.
summer OCI, on average run longer.. because of more highway miles
my 2c
J.
 
Desired Mileage, unless the vehicle idles long spells or in much stop & go traffic. That's when you shorten the OCI, but at your discretion.

I have let new oil stick for only a few weeks. I've also let it stick for two years. It all depends on how the engine's being driven and how often. Depends on how the dipstick looks after a couple hard-driven OCIs.
 
I'm a 6 month, 3K man myself. $20 for an oil change with Toyota filter makes this a no brainer for me.
 
I was doing 3k then 6 month or 5k then 5k. I hit 5k in 9 month time frame so now I am rethinking it and see if I can go once a year which is less than 7500. As far as oil it was Conventional, High Mileage, Synthetic and now Synthetic Blend but will go with Synthetic on next oil change to see if OLM or year comes first. Keep in mind this is over 40 years of changes. Oils today are much better than yesteryear. We even have a new oil specification that will be out in May that should help engines last longer with less oil changes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top