I changed the oil in my WE4 and GSX in November. I'm getting ready to change the oil for spring and realized that because of the crappy winter this year here, the cars have only been driven 500 miles since the last oil change. The few times I drove them in the winter months, I always drove them at least 20 miles so they got good and warmed up every time. I have always changed the oil every 6 months but now wonder if I should skip it and wait for a few more months. What do you think?
change or not to change low mileage oil
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williamsGN
'Horse sneeze' addict
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In a dry, warmer climate, I'll go a year on the GN... has been about 600 miles since I did it last year. In your climate with humidity and damp winters, I would go with more often.
I change the oil in all my cars before I put them away and again when I take them out of storage. It may be overkill, but it makes me feel good. Moreover, I have never gone over 1000 miles without an oil change, not even on my daily driver. I run synthetic on some of my cars and they still get the oil changed every 1000 miles or less, and also once when they are put away for the winter and again when they come out in the spring. Again, this may be overkill, but it definately can't hurt. So my vote is just change it. 
salvageV6
Daily Driver
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- May 25, 2001
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Every 3K and it might last 200K.
I'd drive it a bit.
I'd drive it a bit.
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- Feb 14, 2002
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- 5,779
I went 2 years on the last fill. Came out looking fine. Coulda left it in. Had less than 2000 miles on it.
I always find this topic interesting. When we are talking wear, who says that changing your oil more frequently actually decreases wear or extends the life of you engine? Will changing oil at 3,000 miles be better than 12,000 miles? Since moving out of country, I've found that oil change practices are different here than in the US. There are no quick lube stations over here and oil costs around $100 for a 4 quart jug (non-synthetic). People don't change there oil for at least 10,000 miles, and even then, I don't think it's always a complete change, just a filter and top off. Personally though, I would say once a year is good practice.
Just me but...
A performance application...better safe than sorry!
A daily driver...I use mobil 1/ 15,000mi. synthetic and change the filter half way to a 13K change-out.
Some other vehicle, daily type, I'd probably change it out soon, but not sweat it too much if it got the potential condensation heated out a few times over the winter.
As far as pro/con to changing often, I've got 163K on a Focus thats always run full synthetic and it doesn't use a drop on my 13K schedule. I've got 3-trucks that I don't bother throwing more than a quart of syn into, and their burning habits aquired thru previous owners maintenance schedules haven't gotten any worse on my watch. I change them every 5K or annually on the big one that doesn't get much use anymore.
I believe that properly maintained filtration is more important with todays oils than rigorous changing schedules.
A performance application...better safe than sorry!
A daily driver...I use mobil 1/ 15,000mi. synthetic and change the filter half way to a 13K change-out.
Some other vehicle, daily type, I'd probably change it out soon, but not sweat it too much if it got the potential condensation heated out a few times over the winter.
As far as pro/con to changing often, I've got 163K on a Focus thats always run full synthetic and it doesn't use a drop on my 13K schedule. I've got 3-trucks that I don't bother throwing more than a quart of syn into, and their burning habits aquired thru previous owners maintenance schedules haven't gotten any worse on my watch. I change them every 5K or annually on the big one that doesn't get much use anymore.
I believe that properly maintained filtration is more important with todays oils than rigorous changing schedules.
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change it.........
GNTurboTommy
Member
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- Mar 18, 2011
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- 271
Thinking Green
Did the car right by changing the oil, and doing the green thing, by reusing it in the wife's car....Nice :smile:
I changed it. Maybe I should take the old 500 mile Mobil 1 oil and use it in my wife's car
Did the car right by changing the oil, and doing the green thing, by reusing it in the wife's car....Nice :smile:
What REALLY happens to oil when it sits? Does it break down? Does it absorb moisture and humidity? I don't think so, but will entertain opposing information. If your rings seal properly and have low cylinder leak down, what happens to the oil to cause it to need changing?
Unless you made high boost runs, I see no need to change it other than to line the pockets of the oil producers !!!
Unless you made high boost runs, I see no need to change it other than to line the pockets of the oil producers !!!
turbo nasty
Turbo Dojo / MNTR
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2001
- Messages
- 9,478
FWIW Oil change interval based simply on time in service regardless of hours/miles used is common practice in industry.
Not to be an azz, but what difference does it make if the oil is in your engine or if it is in the container on a shelf somewhere? I'd like to see independent scientific data that proves that oil degrades inside your engine. It sounds like a ploy by oil companies to get you to change your oil more often and increase their sales !!
X2.
FWIW- i've got 150,000 miles on my motor only using GTX castrol and ZDDP, when it came out. I just switched to the high milage and add 1 quart of sytec with the ZDDP. I only made the switch because i buy 5 gallon bulk at a time.
i only go by milage, or does the oil have a fuel smell to it. i never go by time, ever.
i've got cars and trucks here that may only get used once every year or two, even then i go by milage and use.
that's not to say i'm right, but that "time" has got to be a selling point.
turbo nasty
Turbo Dojo / MNTR
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- Messages
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My statement was a general statement.
I.e.- Vehicles driven short distances (oir started and ran at idle to "charge the battery" or "let the fluids flow" or "gonna move it outta the garage every few months and take it around the neighborhood", etc , especially in cold weather will build up moisture in the oil from condensation and combustion gases by-passing the rings. This build up of water will cause acids/combustion by products to be created and get in the oil resulting in the formulation of sludge and accelerated wear.
There are additives in the oil (detergents, addp, viscosity improvers, etc), which are designed to combat/control these acids, but they deplete over time, and can only control so much moisture.
It can be worse to drive 2,000 miles in the winter of short trip driving in six months before changing oil than six or seven thousand in the same period.
One example is the is E85 cars that their blow by gases are going to be worse since the ethanol attracts more water than reg gas. Also, some folks tunes are richer than others when the engine is cold which will contaminate the oil.
Other is place and climate where stored is more humid and/or the temps swings while sitting causing teh block to sweat. Engine ring condition, type of oil...... Just too many variables.
IMO if your car is stored in a place where the humidity and temp is controlled and the car isnt started while stored then maybe change less often/once a year.
Think about it if your werea manufacturer of a product that requires oil to be changed covering every scenario would be a thick section just on oil change situations. Being presented with that they say change the oil based on time and miles.
I once had a 86 GN brought to me to work on and the old guy had bought the car new. He had log books of every (yes every one) oil change, fuel up, mileage per month, etc.
The car had a reds chip in it that was stupid rich at start up and only had 1800 miles put on the car in 2 years and never had the oil changed in that time. Reason was never reached his 3 k mile change interval. The oil was black as tar and had a strong fuel smell.
While that may be a extreme example due to the fact that the oil was black and most would change it do to color. But this was a garage whore (not climate controlled) and pampered.
I think there is something to be said about cars that are driven frequently and blasted WOT on a regular basis and is maint properly vs. putted around garge queens that are hardly drove or driven short distances.
Not saying that anybody in this thread just saying.
I.e.- Vehicles driven short distances (oir started and ran at idle to "charge the battery" or "let the fluids flow" or "gonna move it outta the garage every few months and take it around the neighborhood", etc , especially in cold weather will build up moisture in the oil from condensation and combustion gases by-passing the rings. This build up of water will cause acids/combustion by products to be created and get in the oil resulting in the formulation of sludge and accelerated wear.
There are additives in the oil (detergents, addp, viscosity improvers, etc), which are designed to combat/control these acids, but they deplete over time, and can only control so much moisture.
It can be worse to drive 2,000 miles in the winter of short trip driving in six months before changing oil than six or seven thousand in the same period.
One example is the is E85 cars that their blow by gases are going to be worse since the ethanol attracts more water than reg gas. Also, some folks tunes are richer than others when the engine is cold which will contaminate the oil.
Other is place and climate where stored is more humid and/or the temps swings while sitting causing teh block to sweat. Engine ring condition, type of oil...... Just too many variables.
IMO if your car is stored in a place where the humidity and temp is controlled and the car isnt started while stored then maybe change less often/once a year.
Think about it if your werea manufacturer of a product that requires oil to be changed covering every scenario would be a thick section just on oil change situations. Being presented with that they say change the oil based on time and miles.
I once had a 86 GN brought to me to work on and the old guy had bought the car new. He had log books of every (yes every one) oil change, fuel up, mileage per month, etc.
The car had a reds chip in it that was stupid rich at start up and only had 1800 miles put on the car in 2 years and never had the oil changed in that time. Reason was never reached his 3 k mile change interval. The oil was black as tar and had a strong fuel smell.
While that may be a extreme example due to the fact that the oil was black and most would change it do to color. But this was a garage whore (not climate controlled) and pampered.
I think there is something to be said about cars that are driven frequently and blasted WOT on a regular basis and is maint properly vs. putted around garge queens that are hardly drove or driven short distances.
Not saying that anybody in this thread just saying.
I don't think anybody in this thread would take your thoughtful and analytical thoughts personally, at least I hope not. :biggrin:
I have always thought that cars not started often do need oil changes more frequently because it's not used as designed. Also vehicles driven short distances all the time (i.e. not long enough to really get to operating temp for very long) not only get worse mpg's, but need oil changes more often.
But, Dabigdude has a point in that why should it make a difference if oil is in a jug in a garage or your oil pan for 6 or more months? What's the difference?
in the bottle who knows?
In the engine...we do know.
Introduction to:
oxygen
gasoline
alky
moisture
solid particulates
how often do you bleed the brakes?
