Get a oil change every 3000? or not
Whats the consenus on the 3000mi oil change. The more I hear things from people, 3000mi is more of a mechanics gimic to get you in more. Most cars I have been hearing only need it every 5000 or so. I have a 06 Monte Carlo SS, and the car has a gauge which tells you when it needs it, and if I go by that I only need it like every 7k. Any thoughts
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five to seven thousand here.
I drive older cars. They start burning oil at about 150K. Maybe if I was better about changing at 5K that wouldn't happen. And then again, maybe that's just what a car with 150K does.0 -
Every 5000 to 7500 miles depending on the severity of the driving conditions. 0 -
most manufacters say 5 k 0 -
4k here,...nambu 0 -
3K used to be standard when oil was more prone to viscosity breakdown and fouling. With the newer and more advanced/more durable oils used, you could safely go over 3K without a prob, though I try to get mine changed at least every 4K just because. 0 -
I change mine every 5,000.
I have 245,000 tough miles on my pickup, so I must be doing something right.0 -
Every 3,000 and my SUBURBAN has 180,000 to show for it. 
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I've been told that the phone co. SWB never changes oil in their trucks, just regular filter changes and add oil when it's low. I was told oil never loses its lubricating properties, it just gets dirty and can be filtered to as new. I'm not sure if this is true, but I remember years ago the gas stations had what was called re-refined oil in mason jars for 10-15 cents a quart, and I know all that had been done was heavy filtering. I change every 3,500-4,000 miles. 0 -
Fifty-thousand to eighty-thousand miles is about right for my oil changes. I have pushing 195,000 on the dodge now and will have 80,000 on the oil when I change it again at 200,000 miles.
Full synthetics and bypass oil filter systems keep oil good for a long time. [:D]0 -
Wife's Honda says 7500 right in the manual. I have had the oil analyzed and it is still usable at 7500. I change my Suburban oil when the change oil light comes on, that is usually about 5500, and again the oil is still usable when I have it checked. I work with a lot of real car guys that drive high end cars (high end Mercedes, BMWs, Porsches etc.)and none of them change their oil before 5000, with many of them changing the filters only at 5K and reusing the oil for another 5000. They have their's analyzed also. Some of them use Amsoil and change every 15K. The 3000 mile mark is just Jiffy Lube's scam. If the gov want to really save oil, stopping the 3000 mile changes would help a lot. 0 -
It depends on the vehicle? My '71 camaro I will always have! I built it and do everything myself,motor,trans,rear,interior.My work trucks,well I think oil changes are overated. My last truck had 181,000 when I gave it to my father(still running great)I changed the oil about 4 times! My newer truck is an '02 f-250 127'000 miles .Changed about 4 times so far. no problems with either.add when needed, when convenient change it.So, if I plan on keeping it,I take better care of it! 0 -
amsoil/15k 0 -
quote:Originally posted by spurgemastur
I drive older cars. They start burning oil at about 150K.
I've had American cars with 180K+ that never used a drop. I try to get mine every 3K, might not be necessary, but it doesn't hurt any. My motorcycle, I change the oil every 1500 and the filter every 3000.0 -
NOT!
You can get by on 5 - 6,000 miles per most manufacturer's manuals. I can see some advantage to changing a little early,...but every 3,000 is just a mantra that the quick lube places have sold Americans on to get more repeat business.
IMHO0 -
cheap maintance it cant hurt to pull it out at 3,000 on conventional i know i work my truck a lot and i do not need to be that trusting. if i switch to synthetic i will go 5,000. You can never be too safe. 0 -
Now maybe I am just dumb here but how do you "just change" a filter? Last time I checked lots of oil came out when you pull the filter. Do you reuse that oil?
I seem to get around to having mine changed about every 5k.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Nwcid
Now maybe I am just dumb here but how do you "just change" a filter? Last time I checked lots of oil came out when you pull the filter. Do you reuse that oil?
I seem to get around to having mine changed about every 5k.
On my cycle, I change the filter with every other oil change. 1500 mile rotation on the filter, 3000 mile rotation on the filter.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dak To 68
I was told oil never loses its lubricating properties, it just gets dirty and can be filtered to as new.
100% true. If you use premium filters (Mobil One or Puralator PureOne are the best) you should be able to get 5-7K miles before the oil gets too dirty to do its job effectively. There is an easy way to check if your oil needs to be changed.
-You need a business card.
-Pull out the dipstick and clean it off.
-Put it back in and then pull it out and drip 3 drops of oil onto the card.
-Put the card down and wait about 30 minutes.
-Check the card after those 30 minutes.
-The oil should have soaked into the card. If it is smoothy distributed in a nice circle, then no problem.
-Most of the time you see small rings. This is the contaminates precipitating out. As long as the rings are not really dark, you are OK.
-If the oil stain is dark, with dark rings and a small black deposit where you dripped the oil, it is time for a change.
I learned this from a lube oil expert that worked for NORIA.0 -
I never change the oil cause I only keep my cars for 12,000 miles. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by bpost1958
Fifty-thousand to eighty-thousand miles is about right for my oil changes. I have pushing 195,000 on the dodge now and will have 80,000 on the oil when I change it again at 200,000 miles.
Full synthetics and bypass oil filter systems keep oil good for a long time. [:D]
Had a good friend that did that to a Ford ranger 80k on the original oil (plus what ever he added) thing ran fine till he changed it.[:D]0 -
5000 easier to count 0 -
I dont count mileage. I just wait until the oil is black as night before I change it.
Its a 91' Toyota Corolla. Not much resale value, so I'm not going to be too over-protective of it.0 -
I have mine changed at the 6000 - 7500 mile mark... all 16 quarts of it[:0]. Cummins claims that it is OK to go 15,000 miles between oil changes. 0 -
5K on the Turbo, 10K on the wife's '93 240 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Nwcid
Now maybe I am just dumb here but how do you "just change" a filter? Last time I checked lots of oil came out when you pull the filter. Do you reuse that oil?
I seem to get around to having mine changed about every 5k.
You drain the oil into a clean container, and keep it. Then you drop the filter, but do not keep the oil that is in the filter. Put a new filter on, then put your oil back in.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Old-Colts
Every 5000 to 7500 miles depending on the severity of the driving conditions.
+1
AND, because 99.9% of my driving is 35 miles of Interstate at a time it's usually closer to 7.5K[}:)]0 -
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On my cycle, I change the filter with every other oil change. 1500 mile rotation on the filter, 3000 mile rotation on the filter.
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If you reuse the filter, aren't you just making your fresh oil dirty as it goes through the dirty filter? I would think it to be better to change the filter at 1500 and the oil at 3000.0 -
Hmmm...maybe I can help here.
Fact:
ALL lubricants, standard, semi sythetic, blend synthetic, or sythetic lose their lubricating properties over time/usage - bar none. This can include the cleaning, lubricating, cooling, and cling factors.
3K recommend oil changes are regulated to vehicles equipped with carburetors. The cold startup (with choke!) would wash the cylinder walls of any lubricant, allowing the engine to run with little or no lubricant at the mid to top of the cylinder walls.
New/Newer vehicle recommended oil change intervals:
1 - Are you going to listen to the companies that are in the business of selling vehicles?
2 - Federal mandates govern how much pollution each vehicle is allowed to give to the environment - not talking about tailpipe emissions, but used oil, filters, belts, etc.
3 - if you primarily drive highway speeds for lengths of time greater than 45 minutes, you can extend your oil changes to the 5K mark.
4 - if your vehicle is the kid, work, grocery getter - short trips and several throughout the day, why not spend the extra $50 per year (two oil changes) and change the oil in the 3500-4K mark?
5 - current, standard motor oil, is head and shoulders above what was available, even 10 years ago. There are still high detergent motor oils on the market - be wary of using them on a medium to high mileage vehicle - does more damage than it is worth.
6 - I have only seen TWO crankshafts on engines with more than 100K miles that did not need to be ground. Both were in vehicles that were a bit heavier than your average vehicle - 1/2 ton conversion van and 3/4 ton 4x4 farm pickup. Oil being used - Trop Artic and Conoco.
Standard, semi synthetic, blend, full synthetic
The biggest difference, or at least most advantageous, is the "cling" factor that synthetics used to have over standard motor oils. Now, some standard motor oils have the cling property as well. A small amount of oil stays on any and all surfaces. Prevents wear by having oil present at startup. This holds true in transmissions, transfer cases, and differentials as well.
There is, literally, TONS of information available on lubricating properties of engine oils.
What do I use? Trop Artic, Conoco, or Exxon.
Don't forget to service the rest of the vehicle either - rotate tires at 5K. 4K if large size (height) or width. Service the transmission, transfer case, & differentials every 30K. NOBODY lives in a "moderate" climate. Heat and cold are the driving factors of shortening the life of just about any mechanical object.0 -
Twice a year, whether it needs it or not. To hell with the miles. 0 -
...Nope, every 2,000 or once a year...whichever comes first in my suburban. In my truck, every 4-5,000...[;)] 0
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