When to Change Oil?

[C4Dave]

1999 Taurus 3.0 Vulcan with 145,000 miles. I usually change at 5000 miles. I drive to work 25 miles each way, with about 17 miles on the highway at 65-70 mph.

I'm using Pennzoil Platinum 5w20. The oil is at 5000 miles right now, but it looks like it has 3000 miles on it. I know looks can be deceiving, but I've been using PP for the last 2 or 3 changes. During the other changes, the oil would look dark by 3000 miles, but this time it looks much clearer. Maybe the previous changes cleaned everything out.

How far would you go? I'm thinking about 7500 miles.

 

[DieselTech]

yup 7500 sounds good to me

 

[tig1]

PP is very good oil. My sons 91 Ranger(340K miles) has that engine and does 10-14K OCIs with M1, so 7500 should be no problem for PP.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I think a mod should move this topic.

 

[ZZman]

I like the 5-7500 range.

 

[hardcore302]

why change something that has been working for u?

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: hardcore302
why change something that has been working for u?

+1

 

[labman]

You could try a UOA or 2.

 

[ihookem1]

I would go 10k and by the time the engine is junk everything else will be junk too.

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: hardcore302
why change something that has been working for u?

Why not?

I agree that 7500-10000 is a reasonable number.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
I think a mod should move this topic.
AGREED, Mods this is posted in wrong forum, gotta keep the UOA threads clean and to the topic. THX - A.G.

'If this post is not moved in 10 minutes, I'll be back in eleven with squeaky shoes' - Groucho Marx

 

[ARCOgraphite]

"I have nothing but confidence in you, and very little of that" - GM

 

[y2k345]

4-5000kms for me. all my vehicles are 1991-99

 

[ottotheclown]

If you are driving in Astoria, Queens NY, you should not go pass 3,000.If you are driving in Walla Walla Washington you could go further down the line of OCI. IMHO

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: ottotheclown
If you are driving in Astoria, Queens NY, you should not go pass 3,000.

Please explain that one.

 

[ahoier]

Go as long as you are comfortable with

And if possible, take a UOA as you are draining the oil. Most that can happen, the results will tell you to a) go longer on the OCI next time, or b) oh [censored], you ran that a little too long, bring that OCI back down a tad.



Bottom line, you're running a good oil, take a little risk and then get a UOA if possible to see how well it turned out for ya.