Life Time Oil Changes

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Apr 24, 2011 | 08:09 PM

#16

05MilMachine

Cargo Master

Joined: Mar 2011

Posts: 2,066

Likes: 4

From: North Texas

As long as we do better than a lady I know....I swapped an engine in her mini van a few years ago. It was a 2006 Mazda MPV 3.0 DOHC (Ford engine) with 70K miles on it. The lady NEVER changed her oil. She just put in fuel and went. It took that long for it to burn off enough oil to affect pressure. When that happened it let loose the oil fed cam chain tensioners and destroyed the engine. It was severely gunked up but surprisingly the bearings still looked great. I cut open the filter just for grinns and it had to be bypassing.

I might do a UOA on my extended changes in the Mounty, but from my reading at the bob oil guy site, I dont expect them to be anything spectacular.

Apr 24, 2011 | 08:34 PM

#17

9mpg

Senior User

Joined: Nov 2010

Posts: 155

Likes: 0

From: West Chester, PA

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdappleman

Just for awareness....the Ford oil change interval using the computer is 6 months or 7500 miles. It monitors nothing but the time - oil quality, level or type is not monitored. Same with all of the other manufactures except for Mercedes and the 2010-forward BMWs (and not all models). Several companies are doing start cycles as part of the calculation - GM is one. The color of the oil has absolutely nothing to do with the overall condition of the oil - for that you would need to have an oil analysis done.

While the 3k oil change may not be something you agree with - the fact remains that certain oils are only designed for specific intervals and the additives can and do break down. While you may be protecting your vehicle warranty, you aren't doing yourself any favors if you plan to keep the vehicle after the warranty expires. Longer drain interval oils are available and they aren't that much more than the base conventional oils. If you plan to have extended drain intervals - get a synthetic like Mobil 1 or Amsoil and use a filter designed for the interval you plan to go. There is a difference!

I had an 1989 BMW 525i that used 'liters of fuel used' to determine when the oil change indicator would tell you to change the oil. I think it is a very good idea. If you idled through 200 gallons of gas and drove 0 miles it would tell you to change the oil just the same as if you used 200 gallons of gas @ 25mpg to drive 5000 miles on the highway. Or if you drive in the city @17mpg it would would tell you to change the oil sooner.