YACT How often do you change your Oil

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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Anything between 3 and 5k is good.

Yeah..somewhere between 3 and 5k. Putting Mobil1 synthetic in this time..hopefully synthetic on my 125k+ mile engine will be alright..I suppose I'll find out. :p
It will be fine.

Unless your engine leaks like a siev, all the stuff about not using synthetic on older engines is bunk.

 

Syringer

Lifer
Aug 2, 2001
19,333
3
71
It's really hard to say, since oil change companies who make money off the oil and service recommend 3000 miles..while car manuals recommend higher amounts, and since something like changing your oil won't have short term effects, but rather long term ones..say when your car goes over 100,000 miles, where warranties are no longer valid and you have to go to the car maker to replace broken parts..which can be expensive and they are the ones that beneift from it, who knows who to trust =/
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: gotsmack
I have to change mine every 2500 miles or else the oil light comes on when I break.
:confused:

The oil light is not a level indicator, it's a pressure indicator. If your engine has no oil pressure when you let off the gas, you have problems. :Q
 

gotsmack

Diamond Member
Mar 4, 2001
5,768
0
71
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: gotsmack
I have to change mine every 2500 miles or else the oil light comes on when I break.
:confused:

The oil light is not a level indicator, it's a pressure indicator. If your engine has no oil pressure when you let off the gas, you have problems. :Q

I had to drive 100 miles round trip everyday a few months back and as soon as I hit 2500 miles the oil light would come on when I would break at 40+ mph. The problem went away as soon as I changed the oil. My guess was that since my car was old it would be more sensitive to dirty oil.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Anything between 3 and 5k is good.

Yeah..somewhere between 3 and 5k. Putting Mobil1 synthetic in this time..hopefully synthetic on my 125k+ mile engine will be alright..I suppose I'll find out. :p
It will be fine.

Unless your engine leaks like a siev, all the stuff about not using synthetic on older engines is bunk.

Well, it's in now..working fine so far. :)
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: gotsmack
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: gotsmack
I have to change mine every 2500 miles or else the oil light comes on when I break.
:confused:

The oil light is not a level indicator, it's a pressure indicator. If your engine has no oil pressure when you let off the gas, you have problems. :Q

I had to drive 100 miles round trip everyday a few months back and as soon as I hit 2500 miles the oil light would come on when I would break at 40+ mph. The problem went away as soon as I changed the oil. My guess was that since my car was old it would be more sensitive to dirty oil.
Still doesen't make any sense. If your oil light comes on at cruising speed, you either have serious problems, or the oil pressure sending unit is funked.
 

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,151
635
126
Eh, ionno, about 5-7k w/ Castrol 10W-30. When I get my next motor in (soon, hopefully) it'll be Mobile1 maybe every 5k or so.
 

WinkOsmosis

Banned
Sep 18, 2002
13,990
1
0
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Anything between 3 and 5k is good.

Yeah..somewhere between 3 and 5k. Putting Mobil1 synthetic in this time..hopefully synthetic on my 125k+ mile engine will be alright..I suppose I'll find out. :p
It will be fine.

Unless your engine leaks like a siev, all the stuff about not using synthetic on older engines is bunk.

When I first got full synthetic in my car, the guy at Groovy Lube said that since it's an old engine it will leak. It hasn't leaked as far as I can tell.
 

Ladies Man

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,775
0
76
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: gotsmack
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: gotsmack
I have to change mine every 2500 miles or else the oil light comes on when I break.
:confused:

The oil light is not a level indicator, it's a pressure indicator. If your engine has no oil pressure when you let off the gas, you have problems. :Q

I had to drive 100 miles round trip everyday a few months back and as soon as I hit 2500 miles the oil light would come on when I would break at 40+ mph. The problem went away as soon as I changed the oil. My guess was that since my car was old it would be more sensitive to dirty oil.
Still doesen't make any sense. If your oil light comes on at cruising speed, you either have serious problems, or the oil pressure sending unit is funked.

sounds like the engine is burning oil... i burn a quart every 4-5k.
 

gotsmack

Diamond Member
Mar 4, 2001
5,768
0
71
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: gotsmack
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: gotsmack
I have to change mine every 2500 miles or else the oil light comes on when I break.
:confused:

The oil light is not a level indicator, it's a pressure indicator. If your engine has no oil pressure when you let off the gas, you have problems. :Q

I had to drive 100 miles round trip everyday a few months back and as soon as I hit 2500 miles the oil light would come on when I would break at 40+ mph. The problem went away as soon as I changed the oil. My guess was that since my car was old it would be more sensitive to dirty oil.
Still doesen't make any sense. If your oil light comes on at cruising speed, you either have serious problems, or the oil pressure sending unit is funked.


It would come on for a few seconds when I hit the breaks at 40+ mph. You think I'm burning oil? Is that expensive to fix? is it easy to detect?
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: Mayhem1869
depends on the oil too. if you are using synthetic 5000 is fine.

what grade? what brand? what type? pao esters or group III hydrocracked?


I tell my customers if using Mobil1 then go every 5K unless it is turboed.

But do NOT use Castrol syntec, it is NOT 100% Synthetic. I am not sure about the other Syns out there, maybe someone has a link about the Syn's on the market?

 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
8,086
0
0
Civic: ~3K
Tundra: ~5K (reccomended 7.5K)

I'm running synthetic in the Tundra, the price is reasonable if you change it yourself, but absurd @ the quick lube places. Civic gets the dinosaur juice at a quick-lube because it's a complete PITA to get to the filter.

My uncle has an old buick that he hasn't changed the oil in for about 75K ... basically as an experiment. He's running a synthetic ... I think Castrol.

I think I remember reading something about an army study on oil change intervals for one of their diesel trucks. IIRC, their conclusion was to change the filter every X miles and add oil as needed. No changes except @ major maintenance.