OIl change intervals--months, or miles?

[JDgreen227]

Late last fall, I changed the oil in all our vehicles, my JD, my GMC, my Buick Lesabre, and my wife's Saturn L-300. All got a premium filter and the JD got Deere oil, and the vehicles got Mobil 5W-30 conventional oil.

Being retired, I drive very little, since last September's oil change the GMC has gone maybe 300 miles, the Buick 30, YES, THIRTY MILES. The Saturn gets the majority of the mileage put on it, maybe 2500 since the last change, so I will change the oil and filter soon. They say change oil every six months or 3,000 miles, well to me, going by the time interval would be stupid for the Buick and GMC.

The JD, on the other hand, racked up 35 hours of snow removal during the winter, and I usually change the oil and filter every 50 hours (overkill, I know) so it will get a change next week.

About the two low mileage vehicles... I always wonder how long you should wait to change oil on an ultra low mileage engine. The job has always been a DIY for me, and I do enjoy the task.

Thanks for your input.

 

[davygp38]

I don't know if there is an official oil change interval for ultra low mile cars, but I can tell you what I do. I have a Ford Super Duty. I only put 1000-1500 miles on it per year. I just change it once a year. I have had it for 8 years.

 

[daman1]

Todays oil's are better the ever,yearly oil changes would be perfectly fine for you,heck i would do two years(i have many many times).

and yes waaaay over kill on your JD,your waisting oil and filters. That too put on yearly OC.

 

[SSdoxie]

If these were mine I would chage the Saturn twice year, GMC once, sell the Buick - not driving it enough to justify cost of license and insurance, and stop changing oil @ 50 hrs on the JD unless it only takes you 5 - 10 minutes to clear snow each time you use, not giving engine time to warm up good. At 50 hr. intervals you are barely giving oil filter time to filter out contaminates from the new oil before you change it again. Every filter becomes more efficient as starts to collect debris. Low hour like yours, probably 100 hrs. would be better.

 

[RalphVa]

I change the synthetic oil in all my vehicles once/year. Am considering going to every other year since I noticed that I only put about 3k miles on both the pickup and the cabrio last year. Went to 5w20 in the beastly pickup. It's running about 190 miles to 3/4 tank now instead of 140-160, and about 300 at 1/2 tank instead of 240-260. It only gets 26 mpg, kinda lousy.

I want a diesel small pickup.

Ralph

 

[bp fick]

I factor the months, instead of the miles. Our lives have changed. We don't commute to work anymore. At the same time, oils have gotten better and we've are using better oils as well, either semi or full synthetics.

I like not having to crawl around getting myself and my clothes messy. Enjoyed it more as a younger man when we changed oil every 90 days. Not any more. Twice a year now on the road vehicles.
Once a year on the tractor, push lawn mower, roto-tiller, etc.

Even that is probably overkill.

 

[JDgreen227]

If these were mine I would chage the Saturn twice year, GMC once, sell the Buick - not driving it enough to justify cost of license and insurance, and stop changing oil @ 50 hrs on the JD unless it only takes you 5 - 10 minutes to clear snow each time you use, not giving engine time to warm up good. At 50 hr. intervals you are barely giving oil filter time to filter out contaminates from the new oil before you change it again. Every filter becomes more efficient as starts to collect debris. Low hour like yours, probably 100 hrs. would be better.

You gave me the most thought provoking response...so here is my reply. The Buick is still looking nearly factory new, because we use the Saturn for my wife's work commute and the Buick only costs me $700 a year for insurance and plates and we do take it on long trips during the nice weather. The snow removal on the JD is always at least two hours, maybe longer, so it easily reaches and runs at operating temperature every time I take it out. The 30 miles I put on the Buick were one long trip (long, yeah) at one nice day last month.

Interesting that you say to cut back the oil changes on the JD to 100 hours, one extra change a year at 50 hours costs me about $20, and the oil is really dirty when I drain it. Yeah, I know that's normal for a diesel and a sign the oil is doing it's job...appreciate your input.

 

[Transit]

If you are unsure, why not do an oil analysis to see where things stand?

 

[nybirdman]

I have switched to synthetic on my vehicles other than the tractor..on commuter vehicles change the filter at six months,oil at one year,regardless of miles.My newest(2010) the book says 7500 mile changes,not like the old days of 3000.I change my tractor by hours,by the book.
one truck
two cars
one tractor
two mowers
two four-wheelers

 

[zene55]

It depends on your trips and conditions the vehicle is driven in. Starting the engine is where most damage to it occurs. I would think if your miles are from very short trips, you started and stopped the engine a lot you would need to change it more often than if you trips were fewer but longer. I use mobil one in my cars and change the oil every 10k miles. I only have 15 hours on my tractor so I am not close enough to worry about it yet.