Mobil 1 and every 7500 miles.
Oil Change: Frequency?
- Thread starter Macfrommichigan
- Start date
That's a man after my own heart.
My 2000 Mercury has 330K miles. I change the oil about 6K to 7.5K miles. On changes I use Walmart Supertech synthetic. And since it looses a little these days I top off periodically with Walmart Supertech Dino oil. By the time I change it again I'm about at 50/50 blend.
The filter is as important as the oil.
But on a modern vehicle changing more frequently than the manufacturers recommendation doesn't make any sense to me. YMMV, it's your car.
I used to subscribe to "Farm Show" magazine. They had an article once about an old farmer that NEVER changed his oil or filter. Said he just topped off the oil if it got low. I think he'd had 2 or 3 Ford F150's over the years and got between 250 and 350 thousand miles out of them. I forget his reasoning.
We change the synthetic oil once a year. In a heavy vacation year we go about 5,000 miles on the big car.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
I'm not surprised, and very possible.
I can see no engine oil changes becoming somewhat common in the not too distant future. We already have "lifetime" transmission and differential fluids for cars and trucks. Briggs and Stratton is making small engines that only require the topping off of engine oil, no oil changes for the life of the engine.
When you top off oil you are adding back anti-wear, detergent, and anti friction additives, so it makes some sense, on paper. And, many engines are being designed with top-side oil filters which allows changing of the engine oil filter without the need for draining the oil. Engine oil filters have a bypass built in, so if the filter media becomes clogged the oil will still flow, but bypass the filtration.
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Thanks for the education.
My dad told me he used old motor oil to polish his Model A and Model T when he was a kid. So I used some used motor oil on my '71 Chevelle one time in high skool. I'll be danged if it didn't work! Shined like you wouldn't believe.
I remember that.
So question: I had my oil changed in my Yaris just over 7000 miles ago, with synthetic and a long life filter. Dipstick check is perfect. Oil clean as new and right up to level. Ok to go another 1000?
Yes, you can.
Thanks. Going on a road trip for a wedding in a month or so, and just thought I'd wait another couple of weeks.
Thanks, Dave
- Thread starter
- #51
What is problematic is NOT checking it. Oh, not every other week like in olden days, but certainly now and then, before a trip, etc. Once you are down a quart, it is a fast ride to engine trouble.
370,000 on a 94 chevy truck and it still runs like new. I change every 3000 miles. I know it may seem extreme in this day and age but at 50,000 dollars for a new truck, it is cheap insurance.
Amen. You are my new hero.
- Thread starter
- #54
We have this idea that in the 50s and 60s vehicles only lasted 100,000 miles. But remember, odometers were turned back.
Rust killed a lot of cars back then.
Rust killed a lot of cars back then.
All true.
I never had any 50s cars, but had a couple of 60s ones. Both were over 100k mile cars. Neither had motor problems. I don't really recall either using much oil as well.
My 1969 Chevrolet went for 169,000 miles and I sold it to a friend. He ran it till 220,000 and sold it. I ran my1972 Ford till 173,000 and then gave it to my sister. She demolished it in an accident at 177,000. The engines on both ran fine on old fashioned oil that I would change every 5,000 miles. Yeah, engines back then, as today, could run forever with a little care and attention.
I still have my grandfathers 66 chevy C10 Stepside. Not a spot of rust anywhere, still runs great, and again...3000 mile oil changes. Admittedly though, it is hard to kill a 250 inline six. 
once a year regardless of miles.
Modern oil is good stuff. Running 10-15K miles per year on it is fine.
Save the planet.
Modern oil is good stuff. Running 10-15K miles per year on it is fine.
Save the planet.
My 2002 Toyota Tundra has over 250K miles on it and I've always changed my own oil. I've always used synthetic oil and premium filters. As the synthetics have improved I went from 5K to 10K to 15K oil changes. I will now do yearly or at 25K, which ever comes first. I use K&N oil filters and K&N permanent air filters. I add Lucas Oil Treatment to the oil when changed. I usually use Regular gas, but every 1K miles I gas up with Premium and add a bottle of Lucas Upper Cylinder Treatment to the gas. The engine runs like new and will probably outlast the chassis. I think I changed the spark plugs at the first 60K miles with Bosch Platinum plugs. Probably never change them again unless the engine starts to run rough. I think the Lucas products help keep the fouling down, but who really knows.
Wife's car is a 2016 Avalon. It still only has 17K miles on it. I used to change the oil on her previous Avalon, a 1996 model. The '96 had 195K miles on it when we donated it. Still ran fine but the interior and paint job were pretty rough. The new 2016 Avalon I let the dealer deal with, too much a PITA to get to the newfangled filter! It will now get yearly oil changes now that it's done with the free 2 yr. service.
Wife's car is a 2016 Avalon. It still only has 17K miles on it. I used to change the oil on her previous Avalon, a 1996 model. The '96 had 195K miles on it when we donated it. Still ran fine but the interior and paint job were pretty rough. The new 2016 Avalon I let the dealer deal with, too much a PITA to get to the newfangled filter! It will now get yearly oil changes now that it's done with the free 2 yr. service.
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