Oil Change Intervals - Ford says 10,000 miles

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Hellotalkie

Golden Member
Sep 4, 2005
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Isn't that way too long?
2014 Focus ST.
Right now I'm on a 6k mile interval but looking in the manual, it says under normal operation, 10k synthetic.
 
Jimzz

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
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If you use a name brand Syn then 10k should be fine for most cars. If its turbo, air cooled, or heavily modified then I would change sooner. I would change at 8k myself since that is a turbo car if you plan on keeping it to 100k+.
 
Z

Zivic

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2002
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cr2250 said:
Isn't that way too long?
2014 Focus ST.
Right now I'm on a 6k mile interval but looking in the manual, it says under normal operation, 10k synthetic.
Click to expand...

you can go 10k, but you better be checking levels along the way.
 
Carson Dyle

Carson Dyle

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2012
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If you put low miles on the car (I put less than 5000 miles per year on my car) then it might be wise to change it yearly instead of at a mileage interval.
 
thescreensavers

thescreensavers

Diamond Member
Aug 3, 2005
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^ Id just follow your manual for OCIs..I bet M1 will find anyone possible to not fix your car if you do have an issue.


OP do an oil analysis at 5-6k and you'll see if you can go longer or not.
 
SearchMaster

SearchMaster

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2002
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In my ST, I use the Mobile One Extended but try to change it ~8K-9K miles. I don't drive that spirited most of the time, just occasionally.
 
Gillbot

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
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Jimzz said:
If you use a name brand Syn then 10k should be fine for most cars. If its turbo, air cooled, or heavily modified then I would change sooner. I would change at 8k myself since that is a turbo car if you plan on keeping it to 100k+.
Click to expand...

You don't need a synthetic oil to make 10k miles, but I dont advise going on an extended oil change interval with any oil unless you understand what you are doing.
 
Jimzz

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
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Gillbot said:
You don't need a synthetic oil to make 10k miles, but I dont advise going on an extended oil change interval with any oil unless you understand what you are doing.
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In some vehicles I agree, my mi-size V8 truck I rarely tow with is very easy on the oil.
But his car is a 4cyl Turbo so if he plans to keep it a long time I would not go 10k without a couple oil analysis. If its a lease or he plans on getting rid of it sooner than later then use the OE spec. :)
 
D

darkswordsman17

Lifer
Mar 11, 2004
23,444
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thescreensavers said:
^ Id just follow your manual for OCIs..I bet M1 will find anyone possible to not fix your car if you do have an issue.


OP do an oil analysis at 5-6k and you'll see if you can go longer or not.
Click to expand...

I'd agree, follow the manual (make sure you're getting synthetic at the changes though). And yeah I wouldn't trust an oil company's warranty.

Unless you're driving it rough or putting a lot of miles and want to see if there's anything showing up in the oil to be concerned about I wouldn't bother with an oil analysis, just change the oil a bit early (7500-8000miles) and see what shape it's in and adjust accordingly, but always take into account how the car was driven (how much and how) and the time frame. Now it might be a good idea to get an oil analysis at like 50K and 100K (etc) to see if anything is showing up that you might need to address, but that'd go along with other maintenance.
 
Gillbot

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
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81
Jimzz said:
In some vehicles I agree, my mi-size V8 truck I rarely tow with is very easy on the oil.
But his car is a 4cyl Turbo so if he plans to keep it a long time I would not go 10k without a couple oil analysis. If its a lease or he plans on getting rid of it sooner than later then use the OE spec. :)
Click to expand...

Most modern conventional oils today are well capable of a 10k oci, even in moderate duty applications. Synthetic oil isn't a miracle molecule, and many synthetics now are not a true synthetic anyway.
 
C

ChronoReverse

Platinum Member
Mar 4, 2004
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If the manufacturer says 10k miles then use the oil specified and don't worry. It's not like the old days anymore.
 
R

railer

Golden Member
Apr 15, 2000
1,552
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ChronoReverse said:
If the manufacturer says 10k miles then use the oil specified and don't worry. It's not like the old days anymore.
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I know. I laugh at all these internet chemical engineers recommending synthetic. Why?
Does Ford recommend synthetic for these 10k mile oil changes? If so, great, use it. If not, then put dino in and stop worrying about insignificant things.
 
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WackyDan

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2004
4,794
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My 2012 F-150 calls for 10k changes... But realize that it has a larger pan and holds seven quarts.

I've been changing it between 5k and 6k miles, but I've been towing a trailer. The on board oil life indicator supposedly does some basic analysis of the oil (not based on miles) and I was at 10% life according to it the other week when I changed at 6k.

Next time I'm sending a sample out for analysis just to see. I'm running the Motorcraft semi-syn blend.
 
child of wonder

child of wonder

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2006
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My 2011 Explorer's oil change minder wants to go to 10k miles, too. I change it every 7,500.

2013 Sonata Turbo recommends 5,000 miles and that's what I do.
 
K

Kushina

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2010
1,598
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Jimzz said:
15k BMW oil change on this car...

http://www.bimmerdoc.com/bmw-oil-change-service/

Of course by the time it showed up as a major problem it was past warranty. Same with Toyotas 7500 on conventional oil that sludged up and took a lawsuit to get them to change the oil change intervals and fix a lot of motors.
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Yes and this is why pretty much everything else on the car is "lifetime". Because by the time your transmission would definetly need a fluid change it will already be at the end of it's lifetime ():). BMW <3.
 
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Brian Stirling

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2010
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I've gone from 4000-5000 miles in previous cars and have gone to about 9K miles on my new car, but since I do most of the changes myself and you're supposed to rotate the tires every 5000 I just decided to do it all at 5000. A 5 qt jug of Mobil-1 5W-20 and a OEM filter cost about $30 and adds about 20 minutes to the tire rotation work so I'd rather just do them both at the same time and be done with it. I've been using synthetic since the mid 80's, usually Mobil 1, but there are several synthetics that I'd use.

So, for me, I change the oil/filter and rotate the tires every 5000 miles and give the car a once over as well.


Brian
 
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Jimzz

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
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LTC8K6 said:
BMW spec'd a 15K interval on 2001 models?
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Not sure the first year/model but it went back quite a ways till they sent out letters telling people to ignore it and change at 10k intervals. I see several threads at BMW sites in early 2000's talking about the 15,000 mile oil change so seems it was at least some of the 2000+ cars got that spec.

oilchange1.jpg
 
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H

Hellotalkie

Golden Member
Sep 4, 2005
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WackyDan said:
My 2012 F-150 calls for 10k changes... But realize that it has a larger pan and holds seven quarts.

I've been changing it between 5k and 6k miles, but I've been towing a trailer. The on board oil life indicator supposedly does some basic analysis of the oil (not based on miles) and I was at 10% life according to it the other week when I changed at 6k.

Next time I'm sending a sample out for analysis just to see. I'm running the Motorcraft semi-syn blend.
Click to expand...

Little iffy on this Oil Analysis the car is able to do. I think it analyzes the driving patterns and probably temperature related stuff.

I changed the oil at 6k miles, forgot to reset the oil indicator and it still notified me at 10,000 miles that I need to get an oil change.
 
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