Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
- Jim Ed
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- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:14 am
Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
I have a '73 Btl.
I do not drive it much.
I read to change the oil every 3 months or every 3000 miles.
But, if the oil is clean after 3 months and it still has not gotten the full 3000 miles yet, should I go ahead and change it or would it be OK to leave it in for the full 3000 miles?
I have only driven about 333 miles since the last oil change.
Hot weather is on its' way and I want to use a thicker oil.
I was thinking of saving the 10W- 30 oil to use next Winter, but I will continue to change it at least twice a year even though there are not that many miles on it.
TIA!
I do not drive it much.
I read to change the oil every 3 months or every 3000 miles.
But, if the oil is clean after 3 months and it still has not gotten the full 3000 miles yet, should I go ahead and change it or would it be OK to leave it in for the full 3000 miles?
I have only driven about 333 miles since the last oil change.
Hot weather is on its' way and I want to use a thicker oil.
I was thinking of saving the 10W- 30 oil to use next Winter, but I will continue to change it at least twice a year even though there are not that many miles on it.
TIA!
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- Posts: 260
- Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:05 pm
Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
Hello
Read about the engine oil and what happens to it when leftu used in the crankcase.
Also read about thick oil and possible overheating from using it.
Google bob the oil guy if you have a spare hour to read up on oil.
Read about the engine oil and what happens to it when leftu used in the crankcase.
Also read about thick oil and possible overheating from using it.
Google bob the oil guy if you have a spare hour to read up on oil.
My welding sucks .
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Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
I feel it is not the oil. Shutting off the engine electrically ( ignition stops the spark) and now you have some cylinders on the compression and some on the exhaust stroke, with raw fuel or toxic exhaust, salts and acids that will sit there and eat away or form particulates, that when started again get into the oil system and adhere to other places in the engine. This is what wears your engine down. Without running your engine up to operating temp. to burn this off every couple of days (weeks) is bad for it. If I know that I will be letting my bug sit for a prolonged period of time, I will disconnect the fuel line and run it until it dies of fuel starvation, thus purging all the cylinders. This is how we shut-off aircraft engines and also why they outlast car engines. Just my two cents.
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Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
Aircraft engines as well as race engines also held to closer tolerance when assembled and usually use better/higher standard materials but that is another discussion. Your point about the oil is pretty much spot on.
It is the acids, the contaminates and the like that are held suspended in the oil but can settle/fester... so to speak. X amount of time takes precedence over X amount of miles; e.g., you don't drive the max recommended mileage within a certain amount of time, you still maintain the whole vehicle just like any mileage induced oil change would. Remember, it is not just the engine but the whole vehicle that is being maintained.
In-other-words taking proper care of anything is still pretty much the standard for long lasting objects.
Lee
It is the acids, the contaminates and the like that are held suspended in the oil but can settle/fester... so to speak. X amount of time takes precedence over X amount of miles; e.g., you don't drive the max recommended mileage within a certain amount of time, you still maintain the whole vehicle just like any mileage induced oil change would. Remember, it is not just the engine but the whole vehicle that is being maintained.
In-other-words taking proper care of anything is still pretty much the standard for long lasting objects.
Lee
- Jim Ed
- Posts: 765
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:14 am
Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
I changed the oil today. I used Valvoline Racing VR1 20W-50 as per aussiebugs (Rob Boardman) recommendations to be ready for the hotter weather.
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Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
In my opinion based on information about engine oil.
Why is it that gear box oil requires no change for at least 30k miles because there are no fuel by products contaminating it hence it may takes as long as 10/15 years before it need to be changed.
Engine oil; due to fuel being burned, the burned fuel by-products and it's actions are nuteralized by the additives in the oil and as the additives are depleted hence the oil need to be changed BUT if you hardly drive much and are using standard "dino" oil, then the oil need to be changed every six months even thought you DID allow the engine oil to reach working temperature of at least 190F because "dino" oil and it's additives rapidly oxidised while contimated by fuel by-product in the engine as well as by weather temperature change even thought it looks clean.
BUT if you are to use high quality top notch fully synthetic engine oil, then it is possible to change it every 12 or more month due to the fact that synthetic oil have higher and more quality additives plus synthetic oil does not oxidised.
Personally, I have been driving only on weekend and that is just to warm up the engine to working temperature using mobil1 w10/50 oil and it is changed only every 18 months. Perhaps, it is not ideal for the engine and that it may wear down faster but I guess in the long run I will be dead before the engine does ☺
Why is it that gear box oil requires no change for at least 30k miles because there are no fuel by products contaminating it hence it may takes as long as 10/15 years before it need to be changed.
Engine oil; due to fuel being burned, the burned fuel by-products and it's actions are nuteralized by the additives in the oil and as the additives are depleted hence the oil need to be changed BUT if you hardly drive much and are using standard "dino" oil, then the oil need to be changed every six months even thought you DID allow the engine oil to reach working temperature of at least 190F because "dino" oil and it's additives rapidly oxidised while contimated by fuel by-product in the engine as well as by weather temperature change even thought it looks clean.
BUT if you are to use high quality top notch fully synthetic engine oil, then it is possible to change it every 12 or more month due to the fact that synthetic oil have higher and more quality additives plus synthetic oil does not oxidised.
Personally, I have been driving only on weekend and that is just to warm up the engine to working temperature using mobil1 w10/50 oil and it is changed only every 18 months. Perhaps, it is not ideal for the engine and that it may wear down faster but I guess in the long run I will be dead before the engine does ☺
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Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
I change it every year or 5000km (3k miles), I don't see the need for changing it more often
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Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
As Jim Ed drive about 111 miles per month, it will take him more than 2 years before he reaches the 3k miles oil change which is unwise if he is using "dino" oil but if he were to use fully synthetic oil according to my research at the "oil guy forum" it would be safe to change every 12 or 18 months which I have been doing. I have a 25 year old BMW using full synthetic oil that see less than 5k KM per year and I change the engine oil every 3 years and been doing that for the last 9 years, I did a top overhaul last month after 3500k KM and the exposed part of the engine was shining like new and the parts are still within tolerance as I was using full synthetic oil mobil-1 from the day I bought the car new.Slow 1200 wrote:I change it every year or 5000km (3k miles), I don't see the need for changing it more often
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Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
" .... I was using full synthetic oil mobil-1 from the day I bought the car new." That makes a big difference. If you have been running Dino oil (sounds like ad hype as I think there was suck a product name years ago. Sinclair used a brontosaurus as part of their logo also. If you do a search there is a lot of stuff but I only did a short search on this and didn't see the Dyno Oil I was thinking of) for a long time then switching over to the "slippery stuff", the problem of leaking gaskets and seals has also been a problem.
Pollutants in the crankcase determines the quicker rate of change. 3000 to 4000 miles or at max once a year has been the norm and is probably still a good idea. Moisture, fuel getting by the rings as well as other oil or fuel additives breaking down are keys to the pollutants as well as other possibilities. I have heard that the "corn" in the soup has also been a concern as it has with carburation.
I used to change out trans and diff oils quicker than usual but have settled down to recommendations by the car manufacture. I also, at a light or in stop and go traffic, put the auto tranny in neutral during idle to get the fluid pumped through the system faster and keeps the heat down. (I don't know if it is still the law to put a stick car in neutral and the foot off the clutch but it is still a good idea. Every so often you hear about someone's foot slipping off the clutch pedal or brake pedal and onto the gas pedal [auto trans here])
Lee
Pollutants in the crankcase determines the quicker rate of change. 3000 to 4000 miles or at max once a year has been the norm and is probably still a good idea. Moisture, fuel getting by the rings as well as other oil or fuel additives breaking down are keys to the pollutants as well as other possibilities. I have heard that the "corn" in the soup has also been a concern as it has with carburation.
I used to change out trans and diff oils quicker than usual but have settled down to recommendations by the car manufacture. I also, at a light or in stop and go traffic, put the auto tranny in neutral during idle to get the fluid pumped through the system faster and keeps the heat down. (I don't know if it is still the law to put a stick car in neutral and the foot off the clutch but it is still a good idea. Every so often you hear about someone's foot slipping off the clutch pedal or brake pedal and onto the gas pedal [auto trans here])
Lee
- Piledriver
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Re: Oil change - Why Every 3 months or 3K Miles?
For a T1 with an non-sealed case, only 2.5 quarts of oil and no filter, 3K oil changes make perfect sense.
I change the oil and filter (Mobil1 filter, Shell 5W-40 Rotella T oil) on my T4s every 12K miles if it needs it or not.
The diesel rated oils has a huge amount of detergents and such.
As mentioned, the largest issue is water condensation.
I change the oil and filter (Mobil1 filter, Shell 5W-40 Rotella T oil) on my T4s every 12K miles if it needs it or not.
The diesel rated oils has a huge amount of detergents and such.
As mentioned, the largest issue is water condensation.
Addendum to Newtons first law:
zero vehicles on jackstands, square gets a fresh 090 and 1911, cabby gets a blower.
EZ3.6 Vanagon after that.(mounted, needs everything finished) then Creamsicle.
zero vehicles on jackstands, square gets a fresh 090 and 1911, cabby gets a blower.
EZ3.6 Vanagon after that.(mounted, needs everything finished) then Creamsicle.