I am bored, at work on a Sunday. So thought I would pose this question that isn't as tumultuous as the brand of oil or type of oil to use. here is the question:

How many of you go by new vehcile's auto oil change indicator?

I have a 2012 Dodge Ram w/ the 5.7 Hemi. My first truck with that automated oil service warning. I know GM and Ford have had an indicator in their vehicles for a while queuing the driver for a change.

My first car was a 76 cutlass 442, much like my current one. I grew up on 3k intervals. Did the same with a late 80s blazer, and 1987 olds 98. While oils and vehciles are built better these days. How do these oil change indicators work? Does the computer track: operating hours, heat, miles, etc... ? My opinion is just another idiot light. Normally I change 4k, have pushed this time to 5k as I am using a synthetic blend.

What's your guys opinions.

 

I wold have no problem running synthetic at 5K change interval.

I used synthetic in a 1993 Mercury Cougar XR7 5.0 HO engine and did 15-20k change intervals (lots of highway miles). I sold that car with ~180K and it was running well and not using any oil.

My current turbo 2006 Volvo owners manual says full synthetic with 7500 mile interval. It's now at 111K, running fine and no oil loss between changes.

 

Sounds good to me.

 

If you are using oil recommended by ChryslerCorp. and simply driving on normal highways I suggest 10k or when the light comes on, whichever is first.
You could change it sooner, but I think you would be wasting money changing oil more frequently than necessary for optimum protection.
I use the same regime for my wife's 2 liter turbodiesel Peugeot which has clocked up 230k used as a cab.
Modern oils are simply heaps better than the dino oils back in the day. So are engine components, and engineering tolerances.
If you are pulling a heavy trailer off road then the light will come on long before 10k, if you just cruised along open roads then it might not come on until well past 10k.

Roger.

 

I am using the dexos approved blends or full synthetic when I do my changes, 6000 is about when the OLM gets into the single digits. These are the daily drivers.

The supreme gets Q.S. DEFY semi synthetic (high zinc) only once a year 800 to 1000 miles.

The Alero gets dino oil 800-1500 miles between changes or once a year.

Pat

 

I change at 3k on dyno oil and 5k on synthetic. Toyota oil change lights say maintenance required, blink at 4500, and stay on at 5000, and I only mention it as another data point since I know it. My daily driver Tacoma is sitting fine at 190k and 9.5 years old, and it has had 5k changes, except when I am doing road projects where it gets 8k changes, with Mobil 1 5W-20 and the good Purolator filters.

 

I think the 3000 mile interval comes from a time when oil was much worse, engines ran dirtier and filtration was not as good.

I use synthetic in my daily drivers and I change it at 10K.

 

My '97 BMW DD has a counter that indicates when it's time to change the oil, which is activated by the computer, using a formula that takes into account mileage, trip length, stop-and-go vs highway, and heavy throttle use, and I change it when it tells me to.

I'm on target to put 40,000 miles on it this year, and it seems to make me change the oil about four times a year, so I guess I change it about every 10,000 miles.

Seems to work fine.

- Eric

 

The oil and tolerances are better but so is the fuel delivery system. Fuel injection doesn't wash the cylinder walls with excessive gas. My newer car goes 5-6k on synthetic and I call that excellent maintenance and my engines seem to last forever. My 442 with no choke needs and oil change every 1.5k using Dino oil. Yah I know I need to fix the choke...

 

Just be happy it is not a 11 quart Cummins.

 

my tdi jetta tells me every 10K, the new rav4 demanded oil at 10K, the buick lesabre I do 5K with cheap syn oil, the sub, rv, etc all do <3000 per year so I just change yearly.

I pay more attention to grade, this 0-anything and 5-anything disappears out of my older stuff

 

I accidentally went to nearly 8000 km on the 3.5 with regular 10W30 in my 2010 Challenger. It has used a liter every 5000 ever since.

 

5000 miles on dyno oil? I would not lose any sleep over that. I doubt your increase in oil consumption was due to that.

 

I see the problem, switch to miles and quarts and it will be ok...This aint no
'Royale with cheese' yanno....

 

That is what we use in Canada.

 

It is a Dodge you know. I tried a bunch of things, still using oil.

 

If you look at the oil change interval on a Cummins, its twice that of a gas engine. So its a wash.

 

True that, but the change is twice the pain. The primed filter gets heavier every year. But I don't need to lift the truck up to do it.
I guess it is a wash at that.

 

On my daily driver 2015 F-150 with a turbo, direct injected 3.5L gas I change every 5K miles with a full synthetic and an OEM filter. Slight overkill but I do tow with it. Also I do not put more than 10K miles a year so twice a year oil changes in the garage with a tire rotation is OK. Does not take me away from working on the labor of love 442.
On my 70 442, it was changed last December before I got it. I'm thinking once a year with conventional 10W-30 since I don't put miles on it. The engine is good for unleaded fuel (NOM) so I do not need a high zinc oil. I really do not want to put full synthetic in it and induce more leaks, I just have the oil pan seeping right now.

 

Unless you have a roller cam setup, you need to get educated on what you do or don't need as far as oil.

 

I know about oil, just worded it incorrectly. The hi-zinc helps with corrosion, use it in my boat. There may be a benefit on a solid lifter engine which I do not have.

 

The benefit of zinc has nothing to do with no lead gas, and it is needed for flat tappet lifters, not just solids.

 

Our 2000 Silhouette is the first car I ever went strictly by the oil change indicator. I use synthetic oil in it. I have no clue what the intervals were, just when the light came on. I got it with 100,000 miles and did an intake gasket when I got it. It was clean as could be inside the engine. I had to do the head gaskets at 175,000 and it was still clean as could be inside. I stopped changing oil in it now. The van is nearly worn out so I just add some when it is low and keep going. I think I have 10,000 miles on this change so far.

 

I lease my wife's car so that is 100% by the book. Current car is 2015 Explorer. I change it when the on board read out says 10% oil life remaining, which is about 7K miles. My DD is a '10 CTS that I am the orig owner. It is a low mileage car, currently at 32K. I change it every 6 mos.

 

yinz are talking about zinc-di-thiophosphate.

its an additive that extends EP properties of the oil

that being said, you need it in a motor for tappet lube. BUT, when it burns off it screws the crap out of a catalytic converter, soooooo, the SH and later oil grades have so little, that those oils wont help you. You *can* find SE/SF grade oil out there which is what you really need in that old iron.