OIl change intervals--months, or miles?

[JDgreen227]

Late last fall, I changed the oil in all our vehicles, my JD, my GMC, my Buick Lesabre, and my wife's Saturn L-300. All got a premium filter and the JD got Deere oil, and the vehicles got Mobil 5W-30 conventional oil.

Being retired, I drive very little, since last September's oil change the GMC has gone maybe 300 miles, the Buick 30, YES, THIRTY MILES. The Saturn gets the majority of the mileage put on it, maybe 2500 since the last change, so I will change the oil and filter soon. They say change oil every six months or 3,000 miles, well to me, going by the time interval would be stupid for the Buick and GMC.

The JD, on the other hand, racked up 35 hours of snow removal during the winter, and I usually change the oil and filter every 50 hours (overkill, I know) so it will get a change next week.

About the two low mileage vehicles... I always wonder how long you should wait to change oil on an ultra low mileage engine. The job has always been a DIY for me, and I do enjoy the task.

Thanks for your input.

 

[davygp38]

I don't know if there is an official oil change interval for ultra low mile cars, but I can tell you what I do. I have a Ford Super Duty. I only put 1000-1500 miles on it per year. I just change it once a year. I have had it for 8 years.

 

[daman1]

Todays oil's are better the ever,yearly oil changes would be perfectly fine for you,heck i would do two years(i have many many times).

and yes waaaay over kill on your JD,your waisting oil and filters. That too put on yearly OC.

 

[SSdoxie]

If these were mine I would chage the Saturn twice year, GMC once, sell the Buick - not driving it enough to justify cost of license and insurance, and stop changing oil @ 50 hrs on the JD unless it only takes you 5 - 10 minutes to clear snow each time you use, not giving engine time to warm up good. At 50 hr. intervals you are barely giving oil filter time to filter out contaminates from the new oil before you change it again. Every filter becomes more efficient as starts to collect debris. Low hour like yours, probably 100 hrs. would be better.

 

[RalphVa]

I change the synthetic oil in all my vehicles once/year. Am considering going to every other year since I noticed that I only put about 3k miles on both the pickup and the cabrio last year. Went to 5w20 in the beastly pickup. It's running about 190 miles to 3/4 tank now instead of 140-160, and about 300 at 1/2 tank instead of 240-260. It only gets 26 mpg, kinda lousy.

I want a diesel small pickup.

Ralph

 

[bp fick]

I factor the months, instead of the miles. Our lives have changed. We don't commute to work anymore. At the same time, oils have gotten better and we've are using better oils as well, either semi or full synthetics.

I like not having to crawl around getting myself and my clothes messy. Enjoyed it more as a younger man when we changed oil every 90 days. Not any more. Twice a year now on the road vehicles.
Once a year on the tractor, push lawn mower, roto-tiller, etc.

Even that is probably overkill.

 

[JDgreen227]

If these were mine I would chage the Saturn twice year, GMC once, sell the Buick - not driving it enough to justify cost of license and insurance, and stop changing oil @ 50 hrs on the JD unless it only takes you 5 - 10 minutes to clear snow each time you use, not giving engine time to warm up good. At 50 hr. intervals you are barely giving oil filter time to filter out contaminates from the new oil before you change it again. Every filter becomes more efficient as starts to collect debris. Low hour like yours, probably 100 hrs. would be better.

You gave me the most thought provoking response...so here is my reply. The Buick is still looking nearly factory new, because we use the Saturn for my wife's work commute and the Buick only costs me $700 a year for insurance and plates and we do take it on long trips during the nice weather. The snow removal on the JD is always at least two hours, maybe longer, so it easily reaches and runs at operating temperature every time I take it out. The 30 miles I put on the Buick were one long trip (long, yeah) at one nice day last month.

Interesting that you say to cut back the oil changes on the JD to 100 hours, one extra change a year at 50 hours costs me about $20, and the oil is really dirty when I drain it. Yeah, I know that's normal for a diesel and a sign the oil is doing it's job...appreciate your input.

 

[Transit]

If you are unsure, why not do an oil analysis to see where things stand?

 

[nybirdman]

I have switched to synthetic on my vehicles other than the tractor..on commuter vehicles change the filter at six months,oil at one year,regardless of miles.My newest(2010) the book says 7500 mile changes,not like the old days of 3000.I change my tractor by hours,by the book.
one truck
two cars
one tractor
two mowers
two four-wheelers

 

[zene55]

It depends on your trips and conditions the vehicle is driven in. Starting the engine is where most damage to it occurs. I would think if your miles are from very short trips, you started and stopped the engine a lot you would need to change it more often than if you trips were fewer but longer. I use mobil one in my cars and change the oil every 10k miles. I only have 15 hours on my tractor so I am not close enough to worry about it yet.

 

[Jay4200]

About the two low mileage vehicles... I always wonder how long you should wait to change oil on an ultra low mileage engine. The job has always been a DIY for me, and I do enjoy the task.

I would recommend changing the oil in all of your vehicles at the same time once a year. that's about right for the tractor and primary vehicle anyway, so just do the other two at the same time and you'll know they are all always full of clean oil.

I'd do them all the same day - in late spring once the weather really warms up.

JayC

 

[JDgreen227]

It depends on your trips and conditions the vehicle is driven in. Starting the engine is where most damage to it occurs. I would think if your miles are from very short trips, you started and stopped the engine a lot you would need to change it more often than if you trips were fewer but longer. I use mobil one in my cars and change the oil every 10k miles. I only have 15 hours on my tractor so I am not close enough to worry about it yet.

Thanks for the input...the Saturn gets driven almost every day, at least 12 miles one way after starting...almost no trips shorter than that before it's parked. The GMC and Buick get run about 15 miles one way every time they are started, and at least half the distance is freeway driving. I know enough now that short trip, stop and start driving is what kills an engine early. I also know that neglecting oil changes kills an engine early too, which may be why I am so fanatic about it now. But as another member says, today's oils are much better than they used to be.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Anything like small engines or limited use vehicles get once a year oil changes around my place. Its not the oil going bad its that acids that collect in the oil, especially on limited use items that can do harm.

Chris

 

[SSdoxie]

You gave me the most thought provoking response...so here is my reply. The Buick is still looking nearly factory new, because we use the Saturn for my wife's work commute and the Buick only costs me $700 a year for insurance and plates and we do take it on long trips during the nice weather. The snow removal on the JD is always at least two hours, maybe longer, so it easily reaches and runs at operating temperature every time I take it out. The 30 miles I put on the Buick were one long trip (long, yeah) at one nice day last month.

Interesting that you say to cut back the oil changes on the JD to 100 hours, one extra change a year at 50 hours costs me about $20, and the oil is really dirty when I drain it. Yeah, I know that's normal for a diesel and a sign the oil is doing it's job...appreciate your input.

I just thought I'd put that out there to see what came back :laughing::laughing: I'm not in position to critize anyone for having extra car that has senitmental or special value to them. Our kids are all grown, on thier own most of the time, and wife is retired and we have 4 vehicles plus a motohome. Wife drives a Sebirng for normal shopping trips to town, etc averages about 6,000 mile year. I have Silverado truck for weekend trips to Lowe's, TSC, and feed store. I also have a company lease vehicle that they charge me a monthly flat fee for personal use whether I drive on weekends or not, plus we have an older camaro convertible that sets most of the time - we take it out 2 - 3 times a year on sunny Sunday just to enjoy the weather. I change oil it Sebirng twice a year, same with the pickup unless I make a special long distance trip, camaro gets oil change once a year at most. FYI - here in TN license is $24 year on any vehicle (personal) and "old farts" insurance rate on Camaro is $186 year :laughing:. Since company charges me for personal use of the vehicle and pays gas & maintenance on it that is the one we use most of the time.
RE the JD: Although the oil looks black, normal for a diesel, and you are running it enough each time you use it to get good and warm to evaporate any condensation out of the oil every 100 hrs. on oil change is soon enough, more frequently than that you aren't gaining anything and wasting $.

 

[silvertramp]

When I got my plow truck 15+ years ago, the oil looked clean so I didn't change it. Still haven't & the engine sounds great.

 

[JDgreen227]

I just thought I'd put that out there to see what came back :laughing::laughing: I'm not in position to critize anyone for having extra car that has senitmental or special value to them. Our kids are all grown, on thier own most of the time, and wife is retired and we have 4 vehicles plus a motohome. Wife drives a Sebirng for normal shopping trips to town, etc averages about 6,000 mile year. I have Silverado truck for weekend trips to Lowe's, TSC, and feed store. I also have a company lease vehicle that they charge me a monthly flat fee for personal use whether I drive on weekends or not, plus we have an older camaro convertible that sets most of the time - we take it out 2 - 3 times a year on sunny Sunday just to enjoy the weather. I change oil it Sebirng twice a year, same with the pickup unless I make a special long distance trip, camaro gets oil change once a year at most. FYI - here in TN license is $24 year on any vehicle (personal) and "old farts" insurance rate on Camaro is $186 year :laughing:. Since company charges me for personal use of the vehicle and pays gas & maintenance on it that is the one we use most of the time.
RE the JD: Although the oil looks black, normal for a diesel, and you are running it enough each time you use it to get good and warm to evaporate any condensation out of the oil every 100 hrs. on oil change is soon enough, more frequently than that you aren't gaining anything and wasting $.

Wife and I have no kids at home, and along with the Buick, Saturn, and GMC, we have a '93 Cutlass Supreme ragtop (18,000 miles) and a '94 Airstream 34 footer MH...the Saturn is the toad car. My Triple-A agent loves us !!! Thanks for your input, will switch over to 100 hour changes for the JD, you and enough people told me to do that and it makes sense, given the use it gets.

 

[kenmac]

If I wasn't using an oil with high TBN. I would change every 6 mo. Acids will eat at the metal parts it sits there & the acid builds .If you could monitor TAN you could be safe.. It's yours so, you can do as you please

 

[ihookem]

Take an oil test. I bet 100 bucks that oil is still good after a year. I am going so long these days between oil changes everyone thinks I'm an idiot. I bought an 05 sunfire 4 years ago with 26k, now it has 135k. I changed the oil 4 o r 5 times. Always use syn. with an Amsoil filter. It burns a qt. every 5 k or so. I have an 05 GMC diesel, use Amsoil mostly. Bought with 24k, now have 157k. I burn about 1qt. every 8-10 k. I have changed the oil @ 4 times and ready for # 5. The oil test comes back as good oil but change it anyway. I do drive 40 mi. each way to work so it's not short trips.

 

[sw03]

Take an oil test. I bet 100 bucks that oil is still good after a year. I am going so long these days between oil changes everyone thinks I'm an idiot. I bought an 05 sunfire 4 years ago with 26k, now it has 135k. I changed the oil 4 o r 5 times. Always use syn. with an Amsoil filter. It burns a qt. every 5 k or so. I have an 05 GMC diesel, use Amsoil mostly. Bought with 24k, now have 157k. I burn about 1qt. every 8-10 k. I have changed the oil @ 4 times and ready for # 5. The oil test comes back as good oil but change it anyway. I do drive 40 mi. each way to work so it's not short trips.

After one year Amsoil will be good in most engines..The engine is what drives the length.

 

[sw03]

If I wasn't using an oil with high TBN. I would change every 6 mo. Acids will eat at the metal parts it sits there & the acid builds .If you could monitor TAN you could be safe.. It's yours so, you can do as you please

I agree. I am now using Lc20 in Rotella 5w-40, no Amsoil, but the LC20 is doing its job on the UOA...