Update to oil change interval question: oil analysis results

[prof fate]

Most are 7500 miles now.

Our '13 silverado had free oil changes..but the oil life monitor had to show 10% or less life left to get the oil change. 7000 miles was pretty routine, a bit longer once and a bit shorter one long hot summer we towed a lot.

I've no idea what the monitor is...computer calculation or some sensor or ??

I do my subaru every 5k, or shortly thereafter, full synthetic. I do 5mi trip to work, and back 4 times a day, and then to the farm 2 more times at 4 mi. Country roads so not much stop n go, but lots of what I'd call short trips. It gets warmed up and I shut it off.

it's got to last me till the tractor is paid off...it's at 75k miles, 5.5 years to go so another 90k I hope! As long as it doesn't rust out the rest is pretty easy to deal with.

Transmission is most likely gonna be the pricey sob to deal with. I hear a CVT can run $7,000. MAybe a used one...

Try reading your owners manual, you will never worry about 3000 mile oil changes again.
ALL manufacturers recommend higher mileage then that.


Well... on the other hand they just build the engines, oil companies sell oil.

 

[Elkins45]

Try reading your owners manual, you will never worry about 3000 mile oil changes again.
ALL manufacturers recommend higher mileage then that.


Well... on the other hand they just build the engines, oil companies sell oil.

Yeah, I know. My first new vehicle was an 81 Toyota truck and even back then I think they specified an 8000 mile interval. I have heard that some vehicles with oil life monitoring systems can recommend as much as 16K.

My 2007 Corolla got 5K changes using conventional 5w-30 and it was still running like brand new when I sold it at 178K. My new car uses 0w-20 and I want to make sure it is still good at 5K.

 

[SDT]

The WIX oil test kit was only $9.99 from Rock Auto, plus $4 to mail it to the lab. It was totally worth it to me to find out if I was doing any harm.

I bought two of them. I'm going to let my car go for 5000 miles and test it then. I have a sneaking suspicion that the 3000 mile oil change internal everyone recommends is way too frequent and all they are doing is wearing out their drain plugs.

It is more frequent than necessary for most folks but not for grandma who lives in winter climes and starts her car once a week to drive it two or three miles to the grocery store.

Manufacturers are in a no-win situation when publishing oil change intervals in owners manuals.

SDT

 

[shooterdon]

My 99 Mercedes called for 10k miles. It had 275k miles on it when I had to get rid of it (hit a doe and fawn at the same time). It was going through about a quart every 4000 miles and still ran great.