3,000 Mile Oil Changes

Volvoboy

Against

For

I'd always change mine every 6K 10W-40 Semi, even at that i think its a bit overkill.

Plug

I change my fathers car oil every 10000 miles. Its a 01 golf, 1.4 16v with 215,000 miles.
Never not once has he had a problem with that engine and still going strong. Changing oil every several thousand miles is very good for the engine.

C.D.

I support frequent oil changes and would feel that 3,000 miles is too often. I do however think both arguments are a bit sensationalist. The primary and secondary functions of engine oil are to lubricate and remove contaminants, so you'd want to be able to graph the following vs. the cost of an oil change to find the "sweet spot".
1) The rate of decrease of the oil's ability to lubricate relative to contamination levels. (as it gets dirty the viscosity changes and the suspended particles will result in micro-wear on contact surfaces all leading to higher friction)

2) The rate of decrease of the oil's ability to suspend particles that need to be removed.

Problem is it will vary on a car-to-car, oil-to-oil and driver-to-driver basis.

Neither video has any real facts to support their arguments. In the defence of the against argument- manufactures have made great strides as have oil manufactures (lots of organic particles to help the oil "stick" to engine surfaces).

Tipsy Mac

Great them going on about being all environmental and then saying this GM oil light system is unique patented technology, in other words nobody else can use it :rolleyes:

Personally I think once a year or 10,000 miles whatever comes first. If though a car was mainly city based and in traffic most of the time like say a Taxi then I think every 6,000 would be better as there's likely more engine wear.

Plug

Most manufactors are about 25000km's:D

@Tipsy Mac are you training to become a mechanic in FAS?

Tipsy Mac

Plug wrote: »

@Tipsy Mac are you training to become a mechanic in FAS?

Not just yet but who knows the way things are going

Plug

Im just back last week, what a laugh:D go for it!

netwhizkid

I change my oil every 5,000mls and not a yard over it.

cpoh1

I change my oil every 3k in the skyline, any car thats oil hits 120 degrees every time its driven needs to be changed regularly for the good of the engine.

Plug

cpoh1 wrote: »

I change my oil every 3k in the skyline, any car thats oil hits 120 degrees every time its driven needs to be changed regularly for the good of the engine.

Jesus thats way to hot it seems. Get an oil cooler, your oil will last longer.

cpoh1

Plug wrote: »

Jesus thats way to hot it seems. Get an oil cooler, your oil will last longer.

I have a hks one already dude, cheers for the advice. I only take her out when im going for a good blast and she rarely comes home without hitting the 120 mark at some period. Normal operating temp is around 100-110 degrees. Im using silkoline pro s 5-w40 at the moment which doesn't break down till well over 130 degrees im told. Id just rather change the oil regularly in a car that gets such a driving any time its out. I change the oil in the DC5 which is my runaround every 8k miles.

Neilw

cpoh1 wrote: »

I have a hks one already dude, cheers for the advice. I only take her out when im going for a good blast and she rarely comes home without hitting the 120 mark at some period. Normal operating temp is around 100-110 degrees. Im using silkoline pro s 5-w40 at the moment which doesn't break down till well over 130 degrees im told. Id just rather change the oil regularly in a car that gets such a driving any time its out. I change the oil in the DC5 which is my runaround every 8k miles.

That's good oil, I'm using it myself. Ester based fully synthetic....it's not cheap!

Nforce

I change mine every 5k...bmw e46 320d.

crosstownk

Changing engine oil on a modern engine every 3,000 miles is a pure waste of money (and oil).