I am on a 5000 mile oil change interval

goval · Nov 13, 2006

Regardless of the car or truck you own, if you use regular or semi-synthetic oil, you should change it every 3,000 miles, both oil and filter. If you switch to Full synthetic like I did, you don't have to change it so often, but every 5-6,000 miles. It realy depends of the kind of environment and driving you do. The better you take care of your engine now, the longer it will last. Fully syntheitc is the way to go, on all oils that you can, the oil drains slower on the engine, it's more "sticky", making the engine run better, and less wear.

12glocks · Nov 13, 2006

I don't think oil analysis is over the top. It is after all an evidence based practice not just somebodies opinion, we all know what that can be worth.

Say your vehicle is about to go off warranty, I say take a look and see if there are any problems. Another example would be if you have an aftermarket airfilter/intake. I have seen some of them suck in dirt and tear up engines, sand/dirt is abrasive after all. If your losing coolant and the dealer says there is not a problem, do an oil analysis. If there is antifreeze in the oil that is $20 bucks well spent.

What I have learned at this point is that you can use the cheapest oil you want for 3k and it will not be worn out at that point.

I am looking forward to doing 5k oil change intervals though since it will be more convenient. I am obviously very particular. If I thought it would cause any harm or consituted any risk, I would never even consider it. Of course I will use a synthetic product whcih should easily go twice as long as conventional.

More and more companies are going to oil life montors in there vehicles and between 8 to 10 k is when they tend to indicate changing the oil. IMO, this is probably correct. If I ever made it to even 7500 miles on synthetics I would be surprised though because I am so cautious. I agree that it is cheap insurance.

Synthetics do offer some advantages over conventional oils. They withstand higher temps and higher shearing forces such as those exibited under heavy loads. I don't think there are to many members on this board who would argue against using a synthetic rear dif fluid for example.

HudsonValleyTitan · Nov 13, 2006

I use mobil1 synthetic oil for really only one reason.....it doesn't gunk up due to heat so the engine stays clean. I still only go 5k miles on the oil and filter change....although you can go further if you like. I change my own oil (helps to have radiant heat in the garage floor) so it's easy and cheap to do. Wally world sells 5 qt bottles of Mobil1 for only $22. Purolator filters are about $4. I feel better changing it sooner than later.

cneary812 · Nov 13, 2006

Just remember that 3k oil changes will be here for a long time thanks to the "Jiffy Lubes" of the world. People are very resistant to change.

I myself haven't decided what I will do yet but will most likely follow my recommended 3750 for at least the first 3 years then 5k after that and yes Mobil 1 will be flowing through my titan.

nmanley · Nov 13, 2006

Didn't I say

This is an old question that will prove people have a wide view of opinions

:upsidedow

I tend to agree with DelawareDon and aztitan4x4. All though OTR trucks do turn a lot less RPM's per mile driven, hold about 8 gallons of oil and have 2 filters that hold a half gallon each.

Most people are still living in the past. Let's see we quit sending man to the moon over 30 years ago because it was too easy and nothing to gain. Now we have a reusable space ship that performs great when people with scruples don't let government cost cut the wrong programs. And oils are much better than they have ever been, so are filters.
Ain't debate grand :boxing:

KERR · Nov 13, 2006

i do it ever 5K with filter change then figure its not going to hurt anything not to do it ever 3K and i dont like the fact that Mercedes does it ever 10K. so i change the oil and filter on it ever 5K as well.

Make it easy to remember.. ever 5k oil and tire rotation

DelawareDon · Nov 13, 2006

Want to feel really uncomfortable? I have been an avid motorcycle enthusiast and rider for over 40 years. In many of the newer Honda motorcycles, Goldwings and Silverwings included, the recommended oil-change interval is 8000 miles, with the engine running on regular dino, non-synthetic oil. Not on my watch, sports fans!

MuskyHunter · Nov 14, 2006

For example: There are some over-the-road, long-distance trucks on the highway that have not had an oil change in over 400,000 miles. Yes....four hundred thousand miles. Filters are changed on a regular basis, and periodically, an oil analysis is performed to make sure the oil still possesses appropriate lubricating characteristics and viable additives.

Just a question but don't diesel engines tend to run cooler than gasoline engines and if so, is that not a factor in when the lubricant will finally break down?

For the cost of oil vs. the cost of the truck, I would rather err on the safe side with regular 3000 mile changes rather than chance anything.

frmrFORDman · Nov 14, 2006

i myself run a blended oil half dino half synthetic.i use a 4000 mile interval. a gentleman i work with comutes 130 miles round trip everyday. he uses the same oil and interval i do, (he basicly changes his oil once a month) his 97 ZX2 now has 290k on it. get this no blowby and less then 10%reduction of compression. in his previous vehicle he used a paraphin based dino (the big green Q ) the 94 esscort died with only 160k.the last 10k the oil light came on while the car idled. i bought the esscort and redone the motor in it. the bearings were a pretty copper color. for those of you who dont know bearings are normaly silver. (lead coated over copper) im sold on synthetics and when i get to the 10,000 mile mark thats what im gonna use. and im going to a 5k interval. it will be about $9 higher per change but ill go to twice a year interval instead of three. so the money is the same.

daschtick · Nov 14, 2006

Dorsey said:
I'm with you on the oil change - Mobil 1 at 5000 mile intervals. Makes it easy to remember when to change it. I think the filter every 2500 miles is overkill. I change it with the oil every 5000 miles. I use the OEM filters from courtesy.

I follow this exact procedure, even down to where I buy my filters. For me, it is really easy and cheap insurance, plus considering that my truck only sees 8500 miles a year, my oil usually lasts 7 months between changes.

Timster13 · Nov 14, 2006

nmanley said:
Let's see we quit sending man to the moon over 30 years ago because it was too easy and nothing to gain. Now we have a reusable space ship that performs great when people with scruples don't let government cost cut the wrong programs.

Not to jump off topic here, but our re-useable spaceship is a disaster without even taking the questionable government oversight and behavior into account.

Originally the Space Shuttle was designed to reduce the cost to space by using reuasable components. In the end it turns out that the amount of maintenance and upkeep far outpace the re-usability. A single Space Shuttle launch costs many times of what an Apollo era launch cost even when cost increases and adjustments for inflation are taken into account. And this was long before the additional restrictions that were imposed on NASA due to the Columbia accident. Also, the Shuttle is not capable of anything other than low Earth orbit.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Space Progarm and I think the Shuttle is cool, but the entire program has failed miserably when compared against it's original objectives. Never mind the fact that we lost 2 of them in service (Space flight is a dangerous business), but if NASA were to strictly follow the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investiagtion Board, the usefullness of the Shuttle is reduced to almost zero (with the exception of servicing the International Space Station - another government lark with no clear mission or objective).

BTW, the new designs of spacecraft for possible future missions to the Moon are all based upon the Apollo era hardware with upgraded electronics.

I do agree with you that oils are much better these days though.:cheers:

12glocks · Nov 15, 2006

Hudson Vally Titan:

I used to use Mobil 1 in everything. I have started using Penzoil Platinum now. I have seen some head to heads with Mobil 1 (oil analysis in the same vehicle) where Pensoil Platinum exibited lower wear. It's what I am using now. I will do a OA on it at 5k and see how it performed. It's about $8 cheaper per change. Then I will do another OA before the truck goes of warrenty. I think our 5.6 engines are very well built compared to say, the big 3 offerings. Like I mentioned, the 20 bucks with give me the data to see if there is a problem or if I need to dump my verhicle. I highly doubt either scenario but you never know.

Now there is nothing wrong with Mobil 1 either. Like a lot of products in this world they have the name brand so they can sell for higher. I would not blame you for sticking with Mobil 1. I think Pensoil Platinum is one of the sleeper synthetics out there.

Like I mentioned before. Most of the oil is outstanding today compared to years ago.

HudsonValleyTitan · Nov 15, 2006

12glocks said:
Hudson Vally Titan:

I used to use Mobil 1 in everything. I have started using Penzoil Platinum now. I have seen some head to heads with Mobil 1 (oil analysis in the same vehicle) where Pensoil Platinum exibited lower wear. It's what I am using now. I will do a OA on it at 5k and see how it performed. It's about $8 cheaper per change. Then I will do another OA before the truck goes of warrenty. I think our 5.6 engines are very well built compared to say, the big 3 offerings. Like I mentioned, the 20 bucks with give me the data to see if there is a problem or if I need to dump my verhicle. I highly doubt either scenario but you never know.

Now there is nothing wrong with Mobil 1 either. Like a lot of products in this world they have the name brand so they can sell for higher. I would not blame you for sticking with Mobil 1. I think Pensoil Platinum is one of the sleeper synthetics out there.

Like I mentioned before. Most of the oil is outstanding today compared to years ago.

Thanks for the info. I've also see comparos that put Mobil1 ahead of all others like Amsoil and Redline. But you have to be real careful as to exactly WHO is doing these tests. I can't imagine much, if any, difference between good synthetics. However, as I stated earlier, I use it more for the no gunking/coking properties than anything else. Any good synthetic should accomplish this as well.

12glocks · Nov 15, 2006

I concur about any good synthetic acomplishing your goals.

I think most synthetis are good, based on what I have seen.

And you are correct about the whole testing scent, that is why I mentioned comparisons in the same vehicle.

Again, there is nothing wrong with Mobil 1.

Hatch · Nov 15, 2006

Timster13 said:
Not to jump off topic here, but our re-useable spaceship is a disaster without even taking the questionable government oversight and behavior into account.

Originally the Space Shuttle was designed to reduce the cost to space by using reuasable components. In the end it turns out that the amount of maintenance and upkeep far outpace the re-usability. A single Space Shuttle launch costs many times of what an Apollo era launch cost even when cost increases and adjustments for inflation are taken into account. And this was long before the additional restrictions that were imposed on NASA due to the Columbia accident. Also, the Shuttle is not capable of anything other than low Earth orbit.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Space Progarm and I think the Shuttle is cool, but the entire program has failed miserably when compared against it's original objectives. Never mind the fact that we lost 2 of them in service (Space flight is a dangerous business), but if NASA were to strictly follow the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investiagtion Board, the usefullness of the Shuttle is reduced to almost zero (with the exception of servicing the International Space Station - another government lark with no clear mission or objective).

BTW, the new designs of spacecraft for possible future missions to the Moon are all based upon the Apollo era hardware with upgraded electronics.

I do agree with you that oils are much better these days though.:cheers:

Think of the Shuttle program, and the ISS for that matter, as "Earths concept cars", you have to remember that the Apollo program your comparing the cost to was designed for one thing only, 3 guys sitting on something the size of a futon from here to the moon. Very limited resources available (read as: none) for science experiments, and payload capacity was near zero, so only unmanned rocket shots were used to put satellites in orbit.

Sometimes the best reason to do something, is just to do it and learn from building it and then watching it melt/explode/fizzle/do nadadamnthing. There cant always be clear and defined goals and objectives. Half the things guys do are motivated by nothing more complex than "chicks dig it!" :cheers:

We'd have a fleet of space shuttles if we could eliminate government graft. I saw a show a long time ago, must be 15 years or more now, and they were comparing the amount of graft in annual tax dollars lost to what it's purchasing power would be. IIRC it was like 4 shuttles, 12 super carriers, or 60 armored tank divisions, and those numbers included staff and support. And that was annually!!!

anyway, back to the oil thread, I'll probably be going with Mobil 1 when the time comes.

Nuke · Nov 30, 2006

nmanley said:
This is an old question that will prove people have a wide view of opinions...

I have a different schedule, that nobody else has mentioned yet.

Every 3 months.

With several vehicles in my 'fleet', I can't possibly keep track of the miles on each one. Even if I could, I would spend all my free time buying, changing, and disposing of oil. So I take 1 day in January, April, July, and October and do all the vehicles. I make one trip to the store and one mess in the shop. It always works out to be 2500-5000 miles. If you do it that often, it doesn't matter whether you use synthetic or not, or what brand of filter you use. I started this schedule in college, when I was only home 4 times a year.

Changing synthetic oil every 3000 miles is pouring money down the drain pan.

dustanmont · Dec 19, 2013

Being an Amsoil dealer can you guess what I run?
I use 5w30 signature series which under low stress conditions can be ran 25k or a year.
I of course do not drive like a grandma and I live in oklahoma where it's pretty hard to not drive in extreme conditions.
Signature series under extreme conditions is good for 15k or a year and amsoil has two brand name filters (both made by wix) the 15k and the 25k filters. Sadly there is not a 25k filter for the titans otherwise I'd run that one as well. I'm going to be changing my oil in 10 months from now when my year is up because I only drive about 10-12k a year. If you all enjoy changing your oil all the time and don't mind putting a Dino oil in then stick with that. I find Amsoil pretty convenient and I save a lot of money.

AZPRO4X · Dec 19, 2013

The question of the day is, How did you even find this thread ? Hahaha

I am on a 5000 mile oil change interval

goval

12glocks

HudsonValleyTitan

cneary812

nmanley

KERR

DelawareDon

MuskyHunter

frmrFORDman

daschtick

Timster13

12glocks

HudsonValleyTitan

12glocks

Hatch

Nuke

dustanmont

AZPRO4X

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