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#22 ·
I don't think that time or odometer readings are an accurate way to determine if you need your oil changed. It has a lot to do with operating conditions, engine load, and about a billion other factors.

Case in point. A top fuel dragster. Changing the oil every 30 hours of operation would be insufficient.

Similarly, if you have a pizza delivery car that literally runs all day non stop, with excessive idling but only does about 50 miles a day. You may not want to go to 5000, or what manufacturers are now recommending as a 7500 mile light duty service interval for an oil change.

Their is a happy medium. If you're truly worried, you can send a sample of your motor oil to one of about a couple thousand testing centers in the USA to be tested. You will get a data sheet giving you all kinds of info and you can determine engine wear, and how much the oil is used up and more.

Try telling my friends dad who owns a fleet of big rigs to change the oil in their trucks every 30 hours. They are turbocharged extreme duty engines with massive oil sumps (~20 quarts of oil). Their oil gets changed anywhere from 20,000-60,000 miles. If you would like his address you can write him a letter telling him how he is not running a cost effective business. His engines only achieve 2,000,000 miles between rebuilds, and turbochargers every other rebuild. To add fuel to the fire, the trucks typically are not shut off in the winter. They sit parked for the night idling, idling idling away....

It’s a case by case basis. Hours, miles (or associated "working" of the engine" all play an important role. However, making a decision based purely on one data point is nearsighted.

Also, hours on an engine are calculated on a manufacturer set rpm. IE, farm tractors have hour gauges on them, and it doesn’t start measuring hours till a few hundred rpm's above idle. SImillarly, miles on an odometer are not racked up till the engine is actually doing some work. Maybe the odometer is more accurate than you may think?
 
#23 ·
danl said:
Similarly, if you have a pizza delivery car that literally runs all day non stop, with excessive idling but only does about 50 miles a day. You may not want to go to 5000, or what manufacturers are now recommending as a 7500 mile light duty service interval for an oil change.
Click to expand...
There ya go... cars; that's what we're talking about. Not top fuel dragsters, funny cars, or big rig trucks. We're talking about nice simple DSMs. I think the better thing to do would be to use hours. What leads me to believe that is simple logic. If you're sitting still and just idling, your odometer isn't rolling over, therefore engine wear without miles.

Stay cool. Say no to miles.

- Jon
 
#24 ·
How do you explain my dad changing oil every 9000 miles on his taurus while getting 196,000 on the car? God knows how many hours that is.

How about the engineeirs at mitsubishi who designed our engines calling for 3000/5000 mile oil changes? They are backing up the new cars with a warranty. Do the engineers not know anything about the cars they are building?

How about toyota recommending 7500 mile oil changes in my sisters corolla. I called the company and a was told that they achieved "excellent service life with 7500 oil changes, 3000 mile oil changes are not necessary".

There ya go... cars; that's what we're talking about.
Click to expand...
Exactly, not boat engines, diesel front end loaders etc.......
 
#25 ·
The technology has changed so much for lubricants and engine design that the old school 1970 3000 mi change is no longer valid. Just imagine what was in oil in the 1940's ?
I believe that oil change intervals vary greatly with the type of use in combonation with time, modifications, and the type of oil used and so many variables.
 
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#26 ·
before this gets anymore out of hand, one question










WHO THE HELL CARES WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR OIL, JUST CHANGE IT WHEN EVER. GOOD GOD I CANT TAKE IT ANY MORE NO MORE TALK ABOUT OIL CHANGES!

peace :lock: :lock:
 
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#27 ·
96TSI said:
before this gets anymore out of hand, one question










WHO THE HELL CARES WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR OIL, JUST CHANGE IT WHEN EVER. GOOD GOD I CANT TAKE IT ANY MORE NO MORE TALK ABOUT OIL CHANGES!

peace :lock: :lock:
Click to expand...
?? It was actually a pretty civilized thread until you posted. Please keep the negative comments to yourself.

Vegas, you're right ;)

I swear when I got my Elantra, I must have went, I kid you not, 15,000mi without an oil change. Needless to say I hated that car ;)
 
#29 ·
Guys,

If you have the $$ you can change your oil based on any method you want. Hell If you want change it every time the sun shines if you like, but the facts are that the reason you SHOULD change you oil is because it loses the ability to lubricate and clean your engine parts.

Regular oil begins to break down these days around 4,000 MILES. Synthetic is much better, it tends to start breaking down around 15,000 MILES or so. Of course I'm sure these numbers are based upon average driving conditions, not a lot of WOT and lower RPMS, 75-80 degree temps and some dust and dirt.

As others have stated I would not compare Boat, Lawn Mower, Two Stroke Engines, ETC to CAR engines. These types of engines run in a completely different environment at different RPMs and Temps. As pointed out some don't even have oil filters, which cause the oil to lose it's cleaning and lubrication abilities at much faster rate.

Check out this site Some Oil Facts.

I would say that oil changes base upon hours or even before 2500 Miles is just throwing $$ out the window. There is really no problem in doing it as the fresh oil is always good, but if the oil is still doing it's job, why throw it away. And if Synthetic is your choice then you should be going at least 5,000 Miles before changes.

Not a flame just pointing out some of the facts behind why you should change you oil. :D:D:D
 
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#30 ·
Hey Grovlet, you kinda sound like a salesman for Valvoline :D Just kiddin... thanks for the facts. Also in changing your oil, synthetic or standard, especially on older engines, you should change it a thousand miles or more before the amount of miles you're 'supposed' to change it at, just for the simple fact that the engine is dirty. The dirt in your engine will also cycle around with the oil and cause erosion. Another reason you should change it on time.

... Damn, I'm surprised my Elantra is still running :rolleyes:

- Jon
 
#31 ·
>Boats, small engines, construction equipment all have
>service periods that are all based on HOURS not miles. So why
>are cars different, because they have wheels?

Higher stress results in heat which breaks down oil and reduces viscosity. Hours are not good indicator in cars as people drive differently and in different climates then others. In a constant load environment with consistent "normal" outside tempatures, hours make sense for those who dont have odomiters, or any other sufficient way to measure in terms of stress bearing productivity.

Back off man im a doctor!
 
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