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Stop Changing Your Oil
Edmunds.com
Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
Stop Changing Your Oil
Outdated oil change advice is foisted on car owners to keep them coming back.
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oil change- 10000 miles
automatic transmission- 120,000 miles
fluids= most 120,000 miles.
Now the service tech insists that I must change all fluids and transmission at 30,000 miles which is my current mileage. They also say that the oil change should be 5000 miles- I originally went 7800 miles but it was down a quart so I figured I should probably change it at 5000. They also always try to sell me a new battery since the car had 24000 miles on it.
My Acura dealer used to set the oil change reminder sticker at 5,000 miles which I tought was reasonable for synthetic blend oil but when I checked the manual it says to rely on the Maintenance Minder system or change the oil once a year. The Maintenance Minder calculates the life of the car oil based on the revs of the engine and not the actual miles. Based in the Maintenance Minder, I get close to 8,000 miles.
Also, wouldn't NOT changing the oil every 3,750 miles give Nissan an excuse to void my warranty?
The cost of changing engine oil too soon is much less than fixing problems caused by engine oil failure.
Air filtration is extremely important as well,that is how dirt is injested.
Until a large particle cake of dirt is on the filter,the small partcles are subject to go thru,mixing with the fuel ultimately become the
"Brown Carbon" in the combustion chamber. I have been using "Foam" as a means of catching and preventing the dirt from reaching the engine,using a spray that dries ,not an oil that wicks out. Normal maintenance is a must as well!
So for *older* cars the 3,000 mile guideline isn't just a myth.
By contrast, the recommended interval for the new Dodge Dart is every 10,000.
While I agree oil and engine technology have evolved you still have metal on metal parts moving against each other at high RPMs and high temperatures lubricated by a substance that breaks down. If allowed to breakdown those parts start wearing at a much higher rate.
The 3000 mile oil change is perpetuated by an industry that survives on marketing to the gullible. Nearly every motor oil you can buy on the shelf sticks to the SL standard, from exotic synthetics to bargain store oil.
The difference? packaging, promotion, celebrity endorsements.
You will always find obsessives who beg to differ. There are entire message boards dedicated to lubricants.
While I agree most people change oil too often, I think the article should also aim for accuracy. Jiffy Lube is not owned by Shell but by Pennzoil/Quaker State. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennzoil)
I took the engine on the Merk out for a re-build (I bent valves from a broken belt) and the cylinder crosshatches were still showing.
All oil chnges were done at 3k-4kmi. Agreed that synthetics can go further, but in as far as thermal breakdown concerned, particulates still need to be removed. This article doesn't even explore the posibility of replacing oil filters as a means of extendng the life of the oil.
This article only talks about saving money by NOTchaging oil, it does not have back up or claims of an engine showing the effects of wear from 20K oil changes after 100K.
This article is advocating disposable vehicles: What is the effect in landfills when an inordinate amount of cars start to get dumped?
Also, do you really know what kind of oil they're putting in your car? You can ask for a specific type of oil, but how do you know you're getting it? They usually pull everyone's oil from a large drum. Also, what kind of oil filters are they using? Probably the cheapest ones they can find. You really don't know what you're getting. Did they even change the oil/filter or just give you a new sticker?
For these reasons I have always changed my own oil. I'm confident that I have the right stuff in there. Maybe that's a reason that my 1989 Corolla is running strong a 285,000 miles.
It neither burns nor leaks oil. The engine will outlast the car. The article is correct. I use this oil, filter and change schedule in all my vehicles. My 2005 Neon has over 200000 miles and runs like a swiss watch, and noticeably smoother on the synthetic. When the tranny had to be rebuilt the dealership changed the oil with regular stuff, and I noticed it immediately, and changed it again the following weekend. Castrol Syntech courses through the veins of my '95 Kawasaki Concours, an it also runs like a top. Nuff said.
We still have people posting because THEY drive a 97 Dodge Neon and it has 200k miles on it and it still works. Who cares? New cars are not built like the Neon and there's no way to prove the car wouldn't be in the same positon if the owner waited 6,000 miles between changes.
Uhh hello ? That's a Chevy S10 you are talking about. Of course the powertrain is a POS. I have a '99 Camry V6 and I can tell you I changed the coolant every 100K and the car drove beautifully. It now has close to 240k and anyone who has driven it marvels at the quietness and the smoothness of the engine and how silently it idles.
Engine oil change intervals are all dependent on the type of oil and filter used at each change. Had the writer had any knowledge at all Phillip and Ronald would have been aware of the differences and requirements.
Use of conventional, petroleum oils with bargain store oil filters should be changed every 3000 miles without fail. Synthetic blend oils, not much more than 7500 miles, and full synthetics should have extended drains only if the end user is sampling the oil to see just how effective it is.
So what is right for your own, personal vehicle? The answer lies with you. Look at the oil and filter that you are using. Check both service recommendations give by your manufacturer; yes, there are two! Just check your owners' manual; you will find a normal service interval and a severe service interval. Get to know the difference so the manufacturer cannot give you grief for going off cycle!
The different oils available are; petroleum, synthetic blend and full synthetic. Petroleum oil is what you use is you're only planning to keep the car a couple of years and you could care less about how the next person will fare with vehicle longevity. If you are somewhat concerned, synthetic blends are a good alternative as they will help you with fuel mileage. But whatever you do, do not use a synthetic blend or full synthetic in an engine over 50,000 miles if you do not know its history! The results could be disastrous.
Full synthetic oils should be used right from the beginning after the initial 1000 mile break in is completed. And change intervals should begin at 7500 miles. You can get an oil analysis kit from any of the major automotive parts outlets, or if you are using Kendall oils, you can get a test kit for $2 and they will give you a comprehensive analysis and recommendation on extended or reducing intervals depending on their findings.
For full disclosure, I use Kendall Oils in my vehicle and get an analysis with every change. So far, my longest, extended drain has been 12,000 miles, but in recent years that has been reduced to 8,000. It has nothing to do with the oil and everything to do with the conditions in which I drive my car!
Oil filters also make a big difference in your change intervals. Cheap filters clog easily and quickly. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Good quality filters; manufacturer brands, and K&N will filter out more particulates and remain viable for a longer period of time.
I would recommend that anyone reading the above article take it with a grain of salt -- then spit it out. Do yourself a favor and use a good quality oil and filter, sample the oil to check on its effectiveness as a lubricant then adjust your change intervals accordingly. You'll be happy you did.
Oh, and in case anyone is interested, I currently have 108,000 miles on an 11 year old car. When you look at the rockers and valve springs they look like they've just been installed; my intake valves are completely clean; I still get 27-30 mpg on the highway (more than the manufacturer rated my vehicle) and I have not used even 1/4 of a quart of oil between changes . . . Take that information for what it's worth . . . and that's a lot more than the Edmunds' article.
As the article clearly state, modern oils do not require changing every 3,000 miles and you're wasting money and adding unneccesary enviornmental pollution by not following the correct guidelines. Whatevr roblems the cars you describehad, it was not due to failure to change oil every 3000 miles.
you are talking about a 2000 Chevy S10!...a 12 year old car. Believe it or not, automotive technology has advanced somewhat in the past 12 years.....
It's not rocket science boys and girls. Of course the quick-change places are going to tell you 3k between changes because they've got a dog in that fight. They want to make money. They want the opportunity to sell you an air filter for $30 that I can buy and install myself for $13 or wiper blades for $25 per blade when I can buy them for $9. Just don't fall for the "you need to have our headlight fluid changed' trick.
My wife's 2001 Camry and my 2004 Tundra are both over 100 thousand miles and good as new, according to my ace mechanic.
I change oil only once a year now in all our family vehicles using Mobil 1 5W30 Extended Life Synthetic. We actually save money over a year (one 5qt. oil & 1 oil filter per vehicle) and save much time as well. None of the vehicles require adding oil between changes. I can't vouch for other brand vehicles, but I am going to continue this procedure for all our Toyota family vehicles. I am about to get a lab analysis at next oil change to determine state of used oil, after 10 thousand miles. I am confident the analysis will show the oil is still good. I will post results when I get them.
First and foremost, Shepperd...it was a Chevy. What would you expect to happen to the engine, especially after 12 years? Also, at no point in this very insightful, intelligent, well-throughout article, does
Anyway, these articles always leave out half the story-unburnt hydrocarbons floating in the oil. The combustion system carries its own residue until the oil that contains it is replaced. Sure, some is in the filter but the smaller stuff just lives in the oil, where it can scratch the sides of the cylinders-and the article admits to tighter tolerances between the cylinders and cylinder walls in newer cars.
Modern smaller engines have higher RPM's then Grampa's old Chrysler, hence, more little internal explosions than ever creating particulate matter for the oil to hold on to. So there you have it-oil changes as automotive dialysis. You keep it long by keeping it clean--on the inside.