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How often should you change your oil?

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Chemical
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How often should you change your oil?

Postby Chemical » July 24th, 2007, 8:27 am

How many kilometres should we drive between oil changes? 3000? 5000? 10,000 kilometres? They may all be correct. Short trips, cold weather or heavy loads shorten oil life. Extended highway driving doesn't break engine oil down as fast, so it really depends on how the vehicle is driven.

Some drivers still believe in oil changes every 3000 kilometres. Owner's manual may list oil changes every 10,000 kilometres or even more! In recent years, manufacturers are incorporating programs on vehicles that will monitor oil life for owners.

While many new vehicles monitor oil life, General Motors has been a leader in this area with oil life monitoring incorporated even on some 1996 vehicles. For 2003, almost all GM vehicles now have oil life monitoring for both engine and transmission oil. In the near future, these oil life monitoring systems will also be linked to vehicle maintenance schedule intervals.

Oil life monitoring is a programmed calculation in the powertrain control module based on engine revolutions. As the engine runs, the calculated number decreases until it is zero. Then the computer turns on the "change oil" light or message.



Other computer inputs will decrease the oil life number to zero faster than normal. Cold engine temperatures allow moisture, acids and unburned fuel to contaminate the engine oil faster, so engine temperature is used as an input. Engine load is calculated based on intake airflow, throttle position and engine vacuum. Light engine loads cause the oil life monitor to decrease at normal rates, while increased loads cause a faster decrease in calculated life.

So what makes oil wear out? Oil is a complex combination of hydrocarbons and additives. The oil itself is made up of long chains of molecules that can be "sheared" by mechanical motion inside the engine. The oil doesn't really wear out, but it's ability to withstand loads and separate moving components without allowing metal to metal contact is decreased as the molecule chains become shorter.

Additives, used in the oil to increase viscosity, prevent corrosion, suspend particles and prevent foaming, do wear out. Oil is exposed to high temperatures at the top piston rings causing additives to break down. Acids formed by water condensation in the crankcase and fuel dilution during cold starts also break down the additives. Dark or thick engine oil are signs of engine oil additive breakdown. It's time to change oil and filter.

Synthetic oil poses another problem. Because synthetic oil doesn't break down the same as regular oils, it can be used in the engine longer. However, contaminants still form in synthetic oil so it needs changing on a regular basis too. Oil life monitoring system programs are designed to calculate oil life based on the oil originally specified in the owner's manual. If the engine is filled with synthetic oil instead of regular oil, the oil life monitors have no way of knowing this and it isn't possible to change the programming for the calculations. The "change oil" indicator comes on before it is necessary to change the synthetic oil.

Of course, installing regular oil in vehicles originally equipped with synthetic oil is not recommended but if it did happen, the opposite would happen: the "change oil" indicator would not come on until long after the oil really needed changing. A vehicle with synthetic oil used in warm weather, light load highway driving could possibly be driven 16,000 kilometres before an oil change is needed, but regular oil used under the same conditions may need changing at 10,000 kilometres.

Dust is another variable to consider when determining oil change intervals. There are no sensors measuring dust entering an engine. Today's air cleaners and duct work seal well but vehicles driven in very dusty conditions can still have a little dust leak in. It only takes about 28 grams (one ounce) of dust at the piston rings to wear them out so it is fortunate that most dust entering the engine goes right back out the exhaust or is trapped in the engine oil. Vehicles with intake air dust leaks or those used in dusty conditions should have oil changed more often than oil life monitoring systems would tell us.

How many kilometres should you drive between oil changes? It all depends on driving conditions. One thing not to forget however, it to check oil levels often, regardless of oil change intervals.

I believe as Trinidad has a very hot & DUSTY climate, one should change oil alot more often to drian the dirt that gets into the engine via the air intake as oil & air filters only filter down to approx. 20 mircons.

I change every 5k on conventional castrol 10w30. I've done this with my first car & sold it with 270,000 km's and never burned a drop of oil.

Changing frequently i believe is the life of any engine. :wink:

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Postby crazybalhead » July 24th, 2007, 9:29 am

How many kilometres should you drive between oil changes? It all depends on driving conditions. One thing not to forget however, it to check oil levels often, regardless of oil change intervals.

I believe as Trinidad has a very hot & DUSTY climate, one should change oil alot more often to drian the dirt that gets into the engine via the air intake as oil & air filters only filter down to approx. 20 mircons.

I change every 5k on conventional castrol 10w30. I've done this with my first car & sold it with 270,000 km's and never burned a drop of oil.

Changing frequently i believe is the life of any engine.

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Postby trinianouk » July 24th, 2007, 9:35 am

Once again...great read.

I've been using Castrol GTX 10w30 for the past 6 years in my car and change oil every 3 months...doesn't matter how many miles I travel...its easier to check :wink: and I work just 10 mins from my home so I never cross 3-5K.

An important point brought up here is the contaminants that can poison your oil. So.. the question is does it make sense to buy those expensive synthetic oils and put it in your conventional engine? Turbo/High performance engines may be different.
Yes, it may take a longer time to break down than mineral, but can be contaminated just as fast as synthetic and so should be changed more frequently I guess.

Just my 0.02 cents
Last edited by trinianouk on July 24th, 2007, 10:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Postby Greypatch » July 24th, 2007, 9:57 am

change my oil every 4-5 weeks...close to 5k no matter.

beed driving from Penal to POS for over 7 yeard daily...never had a car/vehicle with engine oil related broblems..


BTW great read man.

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Postby 3stagevtec » July 24th, 2007, 11:47 am

good read.. i usually change around 5-6k. started off using only OE Honda 10W30 but now is quaker state synthetic...

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Postby eitech » July 24th, 2007, 1:41 pm

i feel i gonna change back to castrol 20w50 mineral at my next oil change. i will change every 3mths or 5000km as i used to. i ain gettin no perfomance difference, no better fuel mileage..my pocket jus have less money..hmm...regular oil change intervals is d better way to go

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Postby pimptacular » July 24th, 2007, 5:34 pm

use castrol synthetic an change it every 3 months or 10000km

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Postby venum » July 25th, 2007, 8:13 pm

I change every 5000 km

shell helix plus (15W 50)

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4G18 sohc - driven softly

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Postby eitech » July 25th, 2007, 8:58 pm

so with the synthetic yuh still have to change it within a 3mth period?

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Postby 10-01 » July 26th, 2007, 11:33 pm

i do a oil change every 5000k wrks grt 4 me :!:

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Postby sss » July 27th, 2007, 7:12 am

i am paranoid with oil i change every month call it overkill i don,t care and i use mobil-1 15-50

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Postby trinianouk » July 27th, 2007, 7:54 am

sss wrote:i am paranoid with oil i change every month call it overkill i don,t care and i use mobil-1 15-50


:faint:

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Postby eitech » July 27th, 2007, 9:02 am

wtf....when yuh feel yuh does be paranoid...it does always have sumone who does come and huff yuh title...lol

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Postby Raziel » July 31st, 2007, 11:24 pm

Redline

And I change it every 3 months, which for me is around 3K

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby kamakazi » May 24th, 2019, 9:04 pm

Good Day

Reviving a somewhat old thread to continue a discussion on oil change intervals that kinda developed in the New Vehicle Prices thread. So to the discussion:

https://blog.modbargains.com/15000-mile-oil-change-myth/

I agree that 3000 mile (5000km) oil changes are a bit short, but after seeing what can potentially happen after 10000-15000 miles (16000-24000km) I am just not buying into oil changes that are so long.

I can live with 5000mile (8000km) changes, will not go over 6250 miles (10000kms)

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Sundar » May 28th, 2019, 1:41 pm

agreed, i don't ever cross 10,000km, however the real question should be about the oil filter being functional for that extended period of time.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby adnj » May 28th, 2019, 1:54 pm

Everything that you need to know regarding oil change is in the owner's manual. If you choose to change at a different interval or use a different engine oil spec, it is your perogative.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby X_Factor » May 31st, 2019, 7:33 pm

Read sometime ago on amsoil site that it's how many times the oil gets heated to working temp and cools. Is what really breaks down an engine oil
I use amsoil and change every 6mths with a Purolator pure one filter rated for extended use
Prior to that I would do a filter change and top up at 3mths

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby kamakazi » June 1st, 2019, 2:26 am

I read somewhere that chemical breakdown is what is mainly responsible for engine oil degradation.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Dave » June 1st, 2019, 6:58 am

Very true and that's where the argument of synthetics come in as they are less susceptible to breaking down than non synthetics.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Strugglerzinc » June 1st, 2019, 3:17 pm

adnj wrote:Everything that you need to know regarding oil change is in the owner's manual. If you choose to change at a different interval or use a different engine oil spec, it is your perogative.


This. Everyone thinks they know better than the manufacturer.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby kamakazi » June 1st, 2019, 3:53 pm

Strugglerzinc wrote:
adnj wrote:Everything that you need to know regarding oil change is in the owner's manual. If you choose to change at a different interval or use a different engine oil spec, it is your perogative.


This. Everyone thinks they know better than the manufacturer.
Because we do... As was mentioned by others before me, after the warranty the vehicle is your problem.

That manual is a guide; which unfortunately misled owners of BMW, MINI, Mazda, GM, Toyota etc.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Strugglerzinc » June 1st, 2019, 3:59 pm

kamakazi wrote:
Strugglerzinc wrote:
adnj wrote:Everything that you need to know regarding oil change is in the owner's manual. If you choose to change at a different interval or use a different engine oil spec, it is your perogative.


This. Everyone thinks they know better than the manufacturer.
Because we do... As was mentioned by others before me, after the warranty the vehicle is your problem.

That manual is a guide; which unfortunately misled owners of BMW, MINI, Mazda, GM, Toyota etc.


I admit, you are correct to some extent. Lifetime ATF etc is silly.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby *KRONIK* » June 1st, 2019, 4:18 pm

“lifetime” is 100k kms to them.
After that is to throw away the vehicle.
Strugglerzinc wrote:
kamakazi wrote:
Strugglerzinc wrote:
adnj wrote:Everything that you need to know regarding oil change is in the owner's manual. If you choose to change at a different interval or use a different engine oil spec, it is your perogative.


This. Everyone thinks they know better than the manufacturer.
Because we do... As was mentioned by others before me, after the warranty the vehicle is your problem.

That manual is a guide; which unfortunately misled owners of BMW, MINI, Mazda, GM, Toyota etc.


I admit, you are correct to some extent. Lifetime ATF etc is silly.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby ek4ever » June 1st, 2019, 4:33 pm

Strugglerzinc wrote:
adnj wrote:Everything that you need to know regarding oil change is in the owner's manual. If you choose to change at a different interval or use a different engine oil spec, it is your perogative.


This. Everyone thinks they know better than the manufacturer.
Yeah, but the manufacturer recommendation is based on conventional oil.... synthetic is a whole different story

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Aaron 2NR » June 1st, 2019, 6:25 pm

Dave wrote:Very true and that's where the argument of synthetics come in as they are less susceptible to breaking down than non synthetics.


Not exactly true... they are more stable but there are cases where mineral oils can stand up a lot better than synthetics


Stick to the owners manuals on oil change intervals...


Most driving in trinidad fall under extreme conditions

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby X_Factor » June 1st, 2019, 6:34 pm

^Any examples of this?
Because there are different grades of synthetics based on base stock blend, additives etc

And care to state brands?

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Dave » June 1st, 2019, 6:39 pm

Ditto, would love to know as well.

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Aaron 2NR » June 1st, 2019, 6:42 pm

Mainly on the heavy duty side with the higher sulphur fuels in Latin America and the Caribbean

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Re: How often should you change your oil?

Postby Dave » June 1st, 2019, 7:41 pm

So basically diesel blends and higher viscosity numbers then. Not really for the modern gasoline engine that requires water thin oil as recommended by the average manufacturer.

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