How often to change Synthetic Oil?

[musiclover2000]

I’m using Mobil one high mileage. The oil was changed in July and since then the oil has only 3000 miles on it. I’ve heard synthetics can go longer then convention oil. The car is driven to work and home mostly on the interstate.

Thanks for your help

Topic

[dreamer2355]

The below link is to a great forum for all automotive fluid information –

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub … p?ubb=cfrm

Usually you can go to around 5k miles on Synthetic but again, its down to driving habits. No matter who you ask, you will always get a different answer.

[college man]

I to run the mobil 1 synthetic. I change the oil and filter every 10,000. I use the mobil 1 extended performance filter.C8-) your wasting your money
if you change it at 3,000. most car manufactures recommend 7500. on conventional oil. if you want run it to 7500 – 8,000 then change it then so
be it. good luck and keep us posted

[musiclover2000]

Thanks for the replies. I’m not changing it at 3000 miles was just curious what others thought, and wasn’t sure if 7 months was to long.

[Brad]

Around one year if you’re not doing any sort of mileage but I recommend about 8000 miles if you’re using it from hot and cold a lot and with modern oils and engines, 10,000 seems to be a nice figure.

Oil does become less effective over time with use, and so really it depends on the engine (if it’s a very high performance engine, aim more for 7000 – 8000 miles regardless) and for most cars (unless you’re a boy racer, thrashing it), 10,000 seems a good nice round figure, that way if you have to save up the cash or the weather’s bad you’ve got a thousand miles to play with 😉

That’s just my opinion obviously the correct answer would be to check your Manufactures manual to see when they state. They’re usually the ones who designed the engine after all 🙂

[musiclover2000]

Thank you

[hbvx]

There are some crucial factors in extending your Oil Change Interval(OCI).

It’s best to get a Used Oil Analysis performed after a 5,000-7,500 mile OCI to determine engine health and potential for extending the intervals safely, repeatedly.

BITOG is a great place to post up your report or to get help with moving forward in that area.

Variables consistent of but are not limited to:

Operating conditions(extreme temps, short trips, etc)

Current engine health(foreign contaminents…fuel dilution, silicon entry, coolant intrusion)

Typical engine history on oil(is it a good candidate for extended OCIs to begin with?)

A functioning PCV system(including the PCV valve). (If clogged PCV system or inoperable PCV valve, the crankshaft area wont breathe and causes the oil to oxidize faster; thus leading to premature breakdown of oil life > deposits > varnish > caking towards sludge = bad for extended OCIs.

Lube health after performing an extended OCI(did it shear out of grade, flash-point too low)

Checking oil filtration and insoluble/soot values to see if the engine has excess carbon deposits in suspension, etc.

Crucial to a Passenger Car Motor Oil apps, is the retention of Total Base Number, the ability of the oil to neutralize harmful acids, if it’s too low even with everything else in check the engine will start to have increased corrosion of metals(soft metals first). So, oil pressure my be good, and even other things in line but TBN gone = bad.

This is why it’s good to verify how YOUR engine with YOUR driving conditions + habits = resulting oil health/engine response at the end of a longer OCI. Go 7,500 miles and read up about oil on the BITOG site. Google search that, it’s the first result.

[skim3544]

Quoted From hbvx:

There are some crucial factors in extending your Oil Change Interval(OCI).

It’s best to get a Used Oil Analysis performed after a 5,000-7,500 mile OCI to determine engine health and potential for extending the intervals safely, repeatedly.

Oil Analysis will point to the best drain/refill interval – you will find that the most engine oils are so good that you really don’t need to change the oil that often. The truth is that oil does not break down – it is the additives in the oil that breaks down. Synthetic oils are great but regular oils are just as good if changed every 5K miles.

For Diesel engines, this is a totally different. It is the amount of soot in the oil that makes it go bad. So even if you use synthetic it will not extend the oil life.

[Anonymous]

Changing your oil every 3,000 miles is so twenty years ago. S:)

[SVTDice]

Honestly, It depends on your car and your driving habbits. 3000 is far too soon. But 7500 would be just fine. How are your driving habbits for the most part?

[Scott]

[quote=”musiclover2000″ post=13454]I’m using Mobil one high mileage. The oil was changed in July and since then the oil has only 3000 miles on it. I’ve heard synthetics can go longer then convention oil. The car is driven to work and home mostly on the interstate.

Thanks for your help[/quote]

Mobil 1 Extended Performance has a recommended change interval up to 15,000 miles.

Contact Exxon/Mobil at their website for the best advice on using their products.

[Scott]

[quote=”musiclover2000″ post=13454]I’m using Mobil one high mileage. The oil was changed in July and since then the oil has only 3000 miles on it. I’ve heard synthetics can go longer then convention oil. The car is driven to work and home mostly on the interstate.

Thanks for your help[/quote]

Mobil 1 Extended Performance has a recommended change interval up to 15,000 miles.

Contact Exxon/Mobil at their website for the best advice on using their products.

[David Roddick]

How long do you want the engine to last? I have read that there was governmental pressure put on the car makers to extend the recommended oil change interval so we use less oil. I have read in a major aftermarket service manual that if you are changing the oil yourself, they recommend changing the oil more often than what is stated in owner’s manuals. I change my oil too often but oil is not than expensive and I do re-cycle old oil. You’ll see my other posts regarding my current project car that I bought knowing it was not serviced as it should have been. However, the other cars I have HAVE been properly serviced and have very “clean” engines that run very well. When oil is “new” it’s light brown (in most cases) but as it runs through the engine over and over it not only lubricates but also attracts impurities and gets very dark over the miles. It’s the impurities you really want out of your engine. Modern oil lubricates well for a LONG TIME. But then there’s the issue of the impurities that are sent through the engine (although “bigger” stuff is trapped in the oil filter). I have folks that ask me all the time, “how often should I (they) change my oil.” I tell them I change conventional oil every 3000 to 4000 miles. I change synthetic 4500-5500 miles. Is the oil I remove from vehicles still lubricating? Yes. Is it getting contaminated? Yes. Waiting longer is probably fine but then again (???).

[David Roddick]

How long do you want the engine to last? I have read that there was governmental pressure put on the car makers to extend the recommended oil change interval so we use less oil. I have read in a major aftermarket service manual that if you are changing the oil yourself, they recommend changing the oil more often than what is stated in owner’s manuals. I change my oil too often but oil is not than expensive and I do re-cycle old oil. You’ll see my other posts regarding my current project car that I bought knowing it was not serviced as it should have been. However, the other cars I have HAVE been properly serviced and have very “clean” engines that run very well. When oil is “new” it’s light brown (in most cases) but as it runs through the engine over and over it not only lubricates but also attracts impurities and gets very dark over the miles. It’s the impurities you really want out of your engine. Modern oil lubricates well for a LONG TIME. But then there’s the issue of the impurities that are sent through the engine (although “bigger” stuff is trapped in the oil filter). I have folks that ask me all the time, “how often should I (they) change my oil.” I tell them I change conventional oil every 3000 to 4000 miles. I change synthetic 4500-5500 miles. Is the oil I remove from vehicles still lubricating? Yes. Is it getting contaminated? Yes. Waiting longer is probably fine but then again (???).

[Author]

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