"Stop Changing Your Oil"

[LightningBG]

I have certainly never owned a vehicle that was going through a quart every 1000 miles. That seems ridiculous.

Right now I change mine about every 8K miles, normally before the indicator goes off. Use Mobil 1 Full Syn. It's an 05 Envoy and takes about 7 quarts, and I've never pulled less than 6 out of it at 8K miles. And I even have a tiny leak somewhere (so says the driveway). I bought the vehicle at 35K miles, now have 150K. No problems so far (knock on wood).

[1968]

[Whoaru99]

You likely drive under more optimal conditions than many others.

You mean like towing a 16-ft cargo trailer at CGVWR up an down freeways at 75 mph for about 180,000 of those 220,000 miles?

I grant you though the relative simplicity of the engine compared to some. Still though, there's lots happening...or that could happen, anyway, if the oil was no good.

[deadeye]

It all depends on what your comfortable with I guess. Besides that, what kind of oil and filter probably can help too.

At work I see LOTS of timing chains, timing control solenoids ect (not supposed to ever really go bad) due to lack of oil changes. Yet people who change it religiously never have problems (well documented with years and years of service records). Our recommended interval it 3750. They hybrids running synthetic run 7k.

I know it's considered wasteful or whatever to change oil at 3k or 5k but all the oil we use/dispose is recycled so take that with a grain of salt.

IDK, if you live in California and its constantly 75 with little humidity then its probably cool to go forever. Here, especially in the winter months, condensation makes stuff kinda nasty too. So beyond normal contaminants you have that to deal with.

The oil life monitors make me LOL. Really, do you want to trust that stuff??? I work in OEM parts and yeah... About that. I am not trusting anything like that with my motor. I see every single sensor on a car fail. ALL of them. Not saying that they don't work but it is a factor of WHEN it fails. Its a big responsibility for a sensor.

Personally, I watch what my oil looks like. I mark my sticker for 4k. If its looking really nice at 4k I will go another k. If I have been pulling the boat or ripping through the woods its probably looking really nasty so I change it. I do run really good oil and filters (Eneos synthetic and Purolator pure 1 filters) too so I have confidence in what I use. I just feel better when it gets done. One less thing to worry about.

[delcecchi]

So far neither of my cars burns anywhere near a quart per thousand. If they did all I would have to do is keep them full and put on a filter periodically.

I try for the 3-4k range just to be conservative. Cars are pretty expensive. On the other hand, for the service places to be pushing the 3k is sort of sleazy too.

[Whoaru99]

The oil life monitors make me LOL. Really, do you want to trust that stuff??? I work in OEM parts and yeah... About that. I am not trusting anything like that with my motor. I see every single sensor on a car fail. ALL of them. Not saying that they don't work but it is a factor of WHEN it fails. Its a big responsibility for a sensor.

It all goes back to being smarter than the rig you're operating. It doesn't take much.

Apparently I give too much credit to people to understand that if (something like) your oil life monitor has been indicating due around 5,000, but all of a sudden it started saying something considerably different, they'd ask a question.

Again...perhaps I give people too much credit. Seems more and more people have found if they feign ignorance they can shirk responsibility.

[Jaspernuts]

Certain makes and models and different engines handle the oil life monitor better than others. All of the fleets have gone to it to save money. GM 's 2.4 cant handle it and its burning up camshafts and timing chains. I do several tickets a day on this engine. Word is the manufactures are now going to move away from this OLM, because its starting to increase their warranty dollars!

[Whoaru99]

Knowing full well that warranty speaks, that would be good reason to do it, not just oil change theory from 40 years ago.

Sounds like someone screwed up the algorithm for that engine. They'll probably revise it and have a software update.

[Jeremy airjer W]

On the other hand, for the service places to be pushing the 3k is sort of sleazy too.

I think you would have a much different opinion if you where wearing the service centers shoes.

Nobody take responsibility for anything anymore. It's always somebody else's fault. I think I need to start a post about how many times a day we drain less than half a quart of oil from a car. You would be surprised how many people think its time to change the oil when the oil pressure light comes on. You would also be surprised how long it takes people to figure out how to open there hood when they stop buy to have us check there oil level!

I just had a customer a few months ago with a late model Subaru that was making all kinds of noise from the engine. We pulled the dipstick and there was nothing on it. We pulled the drain plug and a shot glass of oil came out. She couldn't believe the car ran out of oil because she still had time left before her next service interval. She honestly thought it was subaru's fault because she ran her car out of oil. She had a hard time understanding that the oil needed to be checked periodically whether or not your due for an oil change especially with the extended service interval that Subaru recommends.

We have customers that repeatedly come in for service with less than a quart of oil in the pan. We tell them repeatedly to check there oil often. It never sinks in.

Can you imagine if we started putting factory recommended service mileage stickers in the window and started having all the customers coming in with locked up engines. Who do you think there going to blame? Certainly not themselves! It's our fault they ran out of oil!

Sleazy, I think not!

[Esox_Magnum]

My change oil light comes on and I try and get it changed within a month or 2, currently it's been on since July but I just havent found the time to go get it changed....About all my truck does is pull my boat and take me ice fishing and the reminder only comes on at about 8000 miles normaly...

[BobT]

I think we're forgetting a couple things: Shelf life and Usage. My 2009 Ford F150 owner's manual recommmends changing the oil every 7,500 miles OR every 6 months EXCEPT under certain conditions.

Quote:

Ford Motor Company generally recommends getting an oil change every 7,500 miles or every six months for 2008 and newer model year vehicles, whichever comes first.

However, you should change your oil and filter more often – every 5,000 miles or every six months for 2008 and newer model year vehicles, whichever comes first if you do any of the following:

Tow or carry heavy loads

Idle or drive at low speeds for long distances (If you drive in city traffic with stop lights, stop signs, and rush hour traffic this would apply)

Drive in dusty conditions

Drive off road frequently

Use E85 fuel more than 50% of the time

Because I live in rural MN and drive almost 20 miles daily to work on paved highways I don't have to put up with rush hour traffic or stop lights regularly where I would be idling a lot. I do tow my boat on occasion during the summer and I haul my ATV around occasionally. I also live in Minnesota where we have winter driving conditions, which are prone to creating much higher levels of condensation in engine oil and that is one of the worst contaminants we can have. For this reason my service advisor recommends 5,000 mile interval or six months and I decided to follow his advise.

I personally think 3,000 mile intervals on newer vehicles is a bit extreme for most of us but not if you spend an hour a day sitting in stop-and-go traffic or tow a 20' boat half the year and only drive about 5 miles a day to work, which will result in high levels of condensed moisture in your oil.

Engine oil is like greese. It's the cheapest and easiest maintenance plan you can employ for your equipment. Failure to do so will result in high maintenance cost and significantly reduced lifespan. As far as waste goes, if we are all the conservationists we claim to be, we are recycling our used motor oil.

[jwhjr]

Main point - Check your oil level regularly. If you don't or don't know how, bring it in for service more frequently. I personally go up to a year between oil changes depending on which vehicle (can be 12-15K), but I check the oil once a week on both of our vehicles. My 2004 Silverado needs less than half a quart added in that timeframe, whereas our 2011 Traverse uses about .5 qt every 4500 miles or so. I add oil if needed between changes.

[Whoaru99]

Can you imagine if we started putting factory recommended service mileage stickers in the window and started having all the customers coming in with locked up engines. Who do you think there going to blame? Certainly not themselves! It's our fault they ran out of oil!

Perhaps the decal should say. "Check engine oil level every time you put gas in the car." and actually address the problem.

[shizzy]

My Wife get's her's changed at the 3K mile mark. We have discussed it a time or two but she says it makes her feel better so I let it be. I know she never checks her oil, so it's up to me to remember to check the level, so as far as I'm concerned, it's better for her to go in more frequently.

I'll go about 5K in my Ranger but mainly because it's got the old reliable 3.0L pushrod V6.

With all this said, oil is cheap and I know I'll never cause harm by changing it out a couple miles early.

[1968]

[Whoaru99]

I'm totally ok that someone blows up their engine due to ignorance or stupidity. Bet it never happens again.

However, the point of that post was because of the posts discouraging extended drain interval because some percentage of people are either ignorant of facts or just plain too stupid to understand the need to check oil. If you're trying to help then help the right way by reminding people to check the oil rather than using unnecessary oil changes as a Bandaid for ignorance or stupidity.

[RebelSS]

I've changed my own oil for 30+ years at 3000-3500 miles, mainly because I do all city driving, and short hops, often many 2-3 miles, and in the winter, not allowing time for the oil to get hot. I've gotten myself in the habit of checking my oil and all fluids EVERY weekend, and the tire pressure every other. It takes maybe 2 mns to do all that, half of it is visible eyeballing of fluid levels without having to use a dipstick/capstick. I have a 2010 vehicle with oil monitoring that comes on around 7000 miles; I set it at 50% life left when I change the oil. After working on engines all my life, I've never had an oil-related failure, and don't plan to. Just my

[Alagnak]

I'm totally ok that someone blows up their engine due to ignorance or stupidity. Bet it never happens again.

However, the point of that post was because of the posts discouraging extended drain interval because some percentage of people are either ignorant of facts or just plain too stupid to understand the need to check oil. If you're trying to help then help the right way by reminding people to check the oil rather than using unnecessary oil changes as a Bandaid for ignorance or stupidity.

+1

It's unfortunate that mom/dad, or drivers ed instructor, or car salesmen can't set some time aside and make a prospective driver/car owner aware of the fact that they SHOULD check their oil every time they fill their tank up. For some reason that was lost somewhere along the way for a lot of people. You just so happen to have the perfect amount of time to check it when the tank is being filled anyway.

[1968]

Don't bet on the mercedes lady learning anything, she has enough money to be as stupid as she wants. Plus mercedes compenated her with a goodwill warranty extension. Hardly encourages learning. Plenty of other people never learn even when it often becomes a crisis situation that is financially crippling.

I can assure you I don't do any unnecessary oil changes. Even my daily driver that rarely goes over 1k because I have a 4 mile round trip to work.

Checking oil has been around as long as cars have been. It's no secret! I offer any client free in between checks and top ups. To date I've done Zero. How much easier can that be and who's fault is that? Perhaps I'm to be their life coach as well. Anyone want to pay me to be a live in mechanic? Are you listening Leno?

[delcecchi]

Didn't mean to insult anyone, but selling an oil change to people who trust the service person just because some folks are too ignorant to check their oil or have someone else check it seems to be a stretch. Surely there are other solutions.

Service personnel not being up front with a customer like me about correct oil change interval is disappointing. What else are they telling me about my vehicle service requirements that isn't true?

[shizzy]

What else are they telling me about my vehicle service requirements that isn't true?

they will try to tell you that your manufacturer "requires synthetic oil" and will use scare tactics to up sell. Despite going in with specific instructions for the service writer, it happened to my wife and required an "angry husband" call to the shop and then their corporate office to rectify the situation.

All said and done, R.T.F.O.M. and don't be afraid to do what you know is required.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Service personnel not being up front with a customer like me about correct oil change interval is disappointing. What else are they telling me about my vehicle service requirements that isn't true?

You owners manual has all that info!

[thatoneguy]

Which has nothing to do with service personnel providing inaccurate or misleading information. Not everyone can memorize a service manual.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Not to mention how many different models with different options with different services! It's almost impossible to keep track off!

[1968]

Reminds me of a funny warninig sticker. If you can't read this, do not use product.