Oil change interval

[MattB]

I don't put a lot of miles on my I30. I'm pretty sure I haven't put 4000 miles on it since its last oil change (I use synthetic oil in it but still change it every 3500-4500 miles). However, its last oil change was probably six or seven months ago. I've heard some people saying that there is a time interval for oil changes as well as mileage...ie that you should have it changed every six months regardless of mileage. Any truth to this?

[Q45denver]

Probably depends if you do much short distance driving. Engine startup and condensation from not reaching operating temp can be more damaging than driving long distances. Also oil sump capacity and type of oil and filters used can be a factor in determining change interval. There are some cheap services like Blackstone labs that can analyze your oil if you want to go to that trouble. I find it easier to just do my Mobil one or Amzoil change in the spring and fall as I usually use a lighter weight in the Fall.

[StarPD]

I don't put a lot of miles on my I30. I'm pretty sure I haven't put 4000 miles on it since its last oil change (I use synthetic oil in it but still change it every 3500-4500 miles). However, its last oil change was probably six or seven months ago. I've heard some people saying that there is a time interval for oil changes as well as mileage...ie that you should have it changed every six months regardless of mileage. Any truth to this?

3500 Miles or 3 months, whichever comes first.And Q45denver is right. Short trips are harder on oil and the motor than highway driving. I try to make my errands all on one day making a "round robin" to hit them all on one trip. And I make it a point to never start my car to move it unless I'm going to drive it long enough to bring the oil up to normal operating temp (not just coolant temp). That's usually around 20 minutes or so. For short trips, I use my wife's car, a crappy 2000 Ford Focus that I don't care about.

[Q45denver]

Good article. I guess some manufactures have gone to two years now?

http://www.lnengineering.com/oil.html

[Q45tech]

The Nissan/Infiniti Owners manual is specific and says 3.750 miles or 90 days which ever occur first to maximize engine life.The warranty booklet goes on to say the maximun to have warranty remain in place is 7500 miles and/or 180 days.

Beyond that your in the hands of your deity.

[Q45denver]

What did you think of the article? Not too worried about warranty, since it expired about 10-15 years ago.

Just put in some Mobil 1 15-50W extended service. It is a little more expensive than the regular Mobil 1 but worth it if it saves the cams. One year drain interval.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-En....aspx
Modified by Q45denver at 4:36 PM 4/21/2008

[Q45denver]

What did you think of the article?

Just put in some Mobil 1 15-50W extended service. It is a little more expensive than the regular Mobil 1 but worth it if it saves the cams. One year drain interval.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-En....aspx

Modified by Q45denver at 4:36 PM 4/21/2008

[qship96]

15W-50? Why so thick an oil, especially in Colorado? I would think 0W-40 M1 would be a better choice, both the 0w rating for initial morning startup protection of cold engine{even in summer} and the 40 weight when hot, plenty thick for the Q motor.

[maxnix]

Just put in some Mobil 1 15-50W extended service. It is a little more expensive than the regular Mobil 1 but worth it if it saves the cams. One year drain interval.

I use one, 2 or 3 quarts with 10W- 30 M1 during the TX summer when it is 100° F ever day.

A little thick for Denver right now with snow.

No oil is good a year and the heavier weight should not influence the OCI.

[Q45denver]

Extended life has more anti-wear additives and stabilizers. Denver's been in the 70's recently and gets up to 100 in summer. 15-50W is probably equivalent to dino 10-30W viscosity wise at lower temp.

[maxnix]

1.) Extended life has more anti-wear additives and stabilizers.

2.)Denver's been in the 70's recently and gets up to 100 in summer.

3.) 15-50W is probably equivalent to dino 10-30W viscosity wise at lower temp.

1.) That's nice, but how does that affect blowby and cold start contamination and condensation? And more saliently, what makes you think that M1 10W-30 lacks these same additives?

2.) And it snowed last week. I had a refrigerant hose blow out in my Alfa wehn it was 100° F one day. But even in TX with less thatn 200K on the ehgine, I wouldn't think about running 6 qts. of 15W-50 in my car.

3.) How would that work?

[Q45denver]

1.) That's nice, but how does that affect blowby and cold start contamination and condensation? And more saliently, what makes you think that M1 10W-30 lacks these same additives?

2.) And it snowed last week. I had a refrigerant hose blow out in my Alfa wehn it was 100° F one day. But even in TX with less thatn 200K on the ehgine, I wouldn't think about running 6 qts. of 15W-50 in my car.

3.) How would that work?

1. See link to article I posted above. Some owners are seeing early engine failure due to use of reformulated M1 (not extended wear version). Blowby should be less with a thicker oil. Thicker oils are recommended for high mile engines and racing. Actually I'm planning to change it again this fall to a thinner viscosity Amsoil although I've never had a cold weather related oil problem.

2. Fail to see correlation with refrigerant hose?

3. How does what work?

[scoobysteven]

I don't put a lot of miles on my I30. I'm pretty sure I haven't put 4000 miles on it since its last oil change (I use synthetic oil in it but still change it every 3500-4500 miles). However, its last oil change was probably six or seven months ago. I've heard some people saying that there is a time interval for oil changes as well as mileage...ie that you should have it changed every six months regardless of mileage. Any truth to this?

I run the cheapest Walmart stocked, M1 synthetic and change it every 10k to 15K. My P11 has 120k on the clock without even a belch. The car is not THAT sensitive, just drive it.

[StarPD]

I run the cheapest Walmart stocked, M1 synthetic and change it every 10k to 15K. My P11 has 120k on the clock without even a belch. The car is not THAT sensitive, just drive it.

Let's see how your P11 runs at 350,000 miles.

[maxnix]

Let's see how your P11 runs at 350,000 miles.

I would not like to see that oil when it is changed.

[oldmako]

I am going to slack off on the interval for the following reasons.

It's a 99 with 130K. I have no idea what the engines internals are like but it idles like a sewing machine and runs freely to redline. I make it prove that to me every week.

It was owned by a woman. Chances are, she was not timely with her changes and any damage done by her certainly will not be undone by me now...now matter how often I put Redline Hyper-Jizz 2000 or Mobil One Millenieum Space Shuttle Serum in it.

I drive 2000-3000 highway miles per month. I don't want to get under this thing every 45 days. There are fish to catch and girls to chase. I own a boat and live at the beach...it's summer....capice??

I am using premium filters and Synthetic.

I am going to shoot for every 3 months which ought to be around 5000-6000K. The oil will be fine.

The stuff is getting pricey and I need ching for boat gas, beer, ice, and bait.I am not made of money and I support an Ex and will have a kid in college next year. (Please spare me the "you should have bought a camry" speech)

If the motor blows I have it hauled to the scrap yard. Not worth the trouble to toss in a JDM motor at this point unless I also want to change out the trans, the rear end, and the drive shaft. I do not as those items alone are in the neighborhood of 6-7 grand. The car is currently worth 5-6000.

If I were running Dino....I'd keep the shorter interval.


Modified by oldmako at 7:57 AM 5/20/2008

[qship96]

6000-7000 miles in 3-4 months of mostly highway miles is perfectly fine for a full synthetic oil....changing any earlier is a total waste of oil, time, and money. I do very similar time/mile oil changes using full synthetic oil {engine currently has 213,000 miles on it} and the multiple oil analysis I have done come back looking great with low wear, low dirt, and plenty of additives and acid fighting ability{TBN} left, with their recommendations to stretch change intervals past 8000 miles.

[oldmako]

Bingo! That's exactly how I view it. No sense in wasting time and money changing perfectly good oil, not to mention the environmental impact. I used to drive a VW bus and smoke reefer, and I still have a pretty wide hippie streak so that factors into it. Not sure how I morphed into a Q owner, must have been the acid.
Modified by oldmako at 8:05 PM 5/20/2008