How Many Miles in between each Mobil 1 Oil Change?

[bigdog76]

I have been doing 5,000 miles should I stretch it to 6,000 or is 5,000 good??

[96Qowner]

The consensus here is that clean oil is better than premium oil. More frequent oil changes are better.

I use dino oil and change it every 3500 miles.

Having said that, I'm not sure how much difference 1000 miles makes, really.

[Q45tech]

Depends on how much blowby [how low compression*] the engine has and thus how fast the oil gets comtaminated.

Cranking compression vs cold warmup compression vs hot cruising compression.

Obviously using synthetics from the beginning and minimizing wear allows a longer change interval later in engines life.

I didn't start synthetics until 100k and stopped at 270k now at 318k so I have a couple of worn cylinders which become ok when engine is warm.

So my oil gets dirty and thin [especially in winter with long warm ups] after 90 days and 3,750 whether conventional or synthetic is used.

The best way is to try 5k get an oil analysis and then stretch to 6k and compare results.

Really depends on previous abuse.

Remember the 6 quart sump is small compared to 8 quarts in MB and BMW.These 33% larger capacities allow an almost doubling of the change interval!

[StarPD]

Q45tech is correct.Another factor however is your driving pattern. If you drive long trips on the highway, and/or bring the oil temp completely up to normal operating temp in the city, you won't get as much dilution and contamination of the oil, and can safely extend your OCI. Under those circumstances, you should be able to get by with changing it every 6,000 miles, especially if you use M1 Extended Performance oil. If however, you make short trips in the city, and either drive a lot in rush hour traffic or make a lot of cold starts, you need to stick with the shorter OCI, EITHER 3500 miles or 3 months, which ever comes first.

Personally, I don't put that many miles on my '05 Q45, usually around 2,500 miles in 3 months. I also make it a point to not make short trips unless absolutely necessary, and never just start it up to move it. Once I start the car, I try to have a good reason to drive it long enough to get the oil up to normal operating temp, usually around 20 minutes or so. Nevertheless, even though I use Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil, I change it and the filter religiously every 3 months.

Oil, even the expensive stuff, is cheaper than parts.

[qship96]

I have had good results using Blackstone Labs and Terry Dyson to get oil analysed and determine OCI based on my driving and engine condition.

After multiple checks, we have determined that 8000 miles is the sweetspot in my motor,with my driving conditions, using Redline oil .I typically change between 6000-7000 {90-120 days for me}to remain somewhat conservative with those guidelines.

Different driving patterns, different motor, different oil all will change the optimum oil change interval- only way to tell is to get yours checked-about $30 including TBN.

[jimbyjimb]

honestly man, I think you could over-analyze this issue day and night. Conditions-is it hard use? What's the condition of your engine? Look at it this way: There is no concrete answer but if in doubt, just do it. The 3000 mile oil change interval seems pretty lame to me, so when I use Synthetic I wait 4-8 grand before changing. In my experience this works just fine on a well running engine under my normal conditions. You can never change oil too much, but you dont need to change it every week. Typically. It's not something to be anal-retentive about.

[captainluigi]

I have never fully understood the oil analysis program for the average Joe no matter what the vehicle. I can see where if I discovered an aberrant chemical such as glycol, tin or such. But even then what is the average Joe gonna do.? Tera into it? Most likely not.

Fleet vehicles yes. Multiple gallon large work & pleasure boats/yachts yes. Heavy equipment yes. So on & so on.

$30.00 analysis compared to oil change cost. Nearly the same labor if not perhaps more considering how you extract the small amt. of oil without making big mess.

I will live & die by the caveat; Do what you wanna do, it's yo$.

Oh yeah, LINEAR is the new anal.

[Q45tech]

For the past 15 years it has proven almost impossible to not mount the Q on a lift any less frequently than 90 days. Therefore why not change the oil.

Always something else to attend to even if it is just balancing the tires and spraying rubber conditioner.

Everyone's standards vary.

I try to spread out the work every 90 days instead of taking the chance that the car will have to spend the night.

[qship96]

I have never fully understood the oil analysis program for the average Joe no matter what the vehicle. I can see where if I discovered an aberrant chemical such as glycol, tin or such. But even then what is the average Joe gonna do.? Tera into it? Most likely not.

Fleet vehicles yes. Multiple gallon large work & pleasure boats/yachts yes. Heavy equipment yes. So on & so on.

$30.00 analysis compared to oil change cost. Nearly the same labor if not perhaps more considering how you extract the small amt. of oil without making big mess.

I will live & die by the caveat; Do what you wanna do, it's yo$.

Oh yeah, LINEAR is the new anal.

Oil analysis is important if you want to feel confident you can go longer than the 3750 oci without causing extra wear.I get a sample while oil is draining during an oil change.

A once per year test keeps you informed and allows you to tailor how long to run the oil.In my case, I feel confident knowing my oil change intervals of 6-7K are conservative and allow me to go 3-4 months per oil change- without this information I would be changing oil every 3750 miles{as short as 6 weeks with my drivivg} which would be a pain in the butt.

If you are not interested in going over 3750 per change, no reason for oil testing{but you are probobly throwing out synthetic oil way too early} At roughly $85 per oil change{Redline} you dont want to waste your money by running the oil too long and destroying the benefits you are paying for, or changing it too early and throwing your money down the drain

[captainluigi]

Well ok qship. That's all well and good. But if my quick calculations are in the ballpark that is appx. 30k per yr. As stated in previous posts ciphering is not my long suit. My long suit is a wet suit. If 30k is a good # you are no longer an average Joe.

I can see where the analysis serves you well.

[szh]

I have been doing 5,000 miles should I stretch it to 6,000 or is 5,000 good??

My answer depends on why you want to do this. If it is the increased cost of engine oil today, then I would suggest simply switching to a good dino oil (like Castrol GTX or Chevron Supreme) and doing the change sooner (like about 3750 miles) instead of taking a synthetic too far.

It is not the oil quality that I consider to be an issue with extended OCIs, it is usually the crud that builds up in it that takes its toll on the engine.

"New oil is good oil" ... regardless of whether it is synthetic or dino.

See here for some additional comments:http://www.machinerylubricatio...ce%3Fhttp://www.machinerylubricatio...ation

Z

P.S. FWIW, I use Mobile 1 Synthetic 0W-40 and change oil and filter every 3750 miles ... about every 3 months or so.

[Q45denver]

I don't think you need to analyze the oil each change. The guys that do this are going 50k or more miles on the same oil and using bypass filters. Maybe once or twice to establish a baseline. I just spent over $70 on a oil change on my 1995 and I did it myself (BG MOA, M1 extended wear and oil filter), so $30 is not unreasonable. The Extended wear is rated for 15K miles so I feel pretty safe going 7500. Oil did not appear contaminated and none needed to be added between changes. However, this car only has about 80K miles on it so maybe not typical.

Also, I relocated the charcoal canister to the bottom fenderwell so oil changes are a breeze now. This car has not been on a lift in nearly four years as I usually do my own tire changes as well.

I have never fully understood the oil analysis program for the average Joe no matter what the vehicle. I can see where if I discovered an aberrant chemical such as glycol, tin or such. But even then what is the average Joe gonna do.? Tera into it? Most likely not.

Fleet vehicles yes. Multiple gallon large work & pleasure boats/yachts yes. Heavy equipment yes. So on & so on.

$30.00 analysis compared to oil change cost. Nearly the same labor if not perhaps more considering how you extract the small amt. of oil without making big mess.

I will live & die by the caveat; Do what you wanna do, it's yo$.

Oh yeah, LINEAR is the new anal.

.

[bigdog76]

I have been running 10W/30 Mobil 1 I have not tried the extend wear kind

What is recommended? Mobil 1 Regular or extended wear?

I spend about $70 for Mobil 1 Full Sythetic and I get a free car wash I dont do the oil change myself so it works out good.

[wagzilla260rs]

you guys forgot some thing important!!!! are you driving in the city less then 5miles...or are you on the freeway for 40 miles moisture will kill a engine!!!! how many times did you know someone that bought a car from a little old lady only 25thousand mile's what a great deal !!!and the engine fell a part ...moisture.............can anyone tell me why dex cool is differant then any other coolent?????

[maxnix]

Good. M1 filters also? About $30 for M1 + $6 fo rM1 Filter (thanks Joe) and $30 for labor and disposal.

But I have 12 cases of M1 @ $22/ case that should get me 18 months or so.

[pabs324]

How good is the M1 high mileage?

[Q45denver]

Extended wear is almost double the price and double the rated life so it likely a good product. Many owners of older high performance engines recommend it to extend the life of the engine since the regular M1 no longer contains much anti-wear additive.

[jimbyjimb]

Extended life is exactly the same thing as regular, just in a different bottle.

[Q45denver]

That's a pretty dumb statement.

Extended life is exactly the same thing as regular, just in a different bottle.

[jimbyjimb]

It's a marketing ploy like many other re-labeled products in the auto industry. Maybe it has a couple extra additives, but there is no ingredient difference in it to assume it is "extended" any more than regular Mobil 1. It's your money to blow, but I used to buy it until I woke up and researched what I was doing with that extra dough and found it a ploy.

[Q45denver]

Have you read this?

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

[jimbyjimb]

What does that have to do with extended performance being any different than standard Mobil1? That's about intervals, not Mobil1 vs Mobil1 extended perf. Like I said, your wallet.

[Q45denver]

Read closer, Mobil one since 2005 does not have enough anti-wear additive ZDDP, zinc dialkyl dithiosphosphate to protect older engines. Extended wear has twice as much. Its your car.

I like this statement: "Against conventional wisdom, engine wear decreases as oil ages to a certain extent, which means that changing your oil more frequently actually causes engine wear; these findings were substantiated by studies conducted by the auto manufacturers and petroleum companies, leading to drain intervals increased from 3,000mi/3 months to 5,000-7,500mi/6 months in most domestic vehicles, using mostly non-synthetic oils. "

What does that have to do with extended performance being any different than standard Mobil1? That's about intervals, not Mobil1 vs Mobil1 extended perf. Like I said, your wallet.

[qship96]

Read closer, Mobil one since 2005 does not have enough anti-wear additive ZDDP, zinc dialkyl dithiosphosphate to protect older engines. Extended wear has twice as much. Its your car.

I like this statement: "Against conventional wisdom, engine wear decreases as oil ages to a certain extent, which means that changing your oil more frequently actually causes engine wear; these findings were substantiated by studies conducted by the auto manufacturers and petroleum companies, leading to drain intervals increased from 3,000mi/3 months to 5,000-7,500mi/6 months in most domestic vehicles, using mostly non-synthetic oils. "

Part of the reason the above statement may be accurate is due to the fact that like any filter medium, the oil filter traps more small particles of dirt/wear metal,etc as it begins to load up a layer of debris on it as compared to a brand new filter {same with air filters}

[Q45tech]

Zinc additives may degrade cats depending on substrate especially those of 94 and later designs.Zinc additives may affect wide band O2 sensors.

Remember what works on 90-93 Q may cause problems in later years with their different cats or 2002 Q/G with widebands.

Important to know your chemistry.

[Q45denver]

Have you seen problems with the cats on the latter cars? I guess you could use a moly based additive instead of zinc (BG MOA)?

[jimbyjimb]

As far as I'm concerned anyone could read into it as far and deep as they desire and still come out perplexed with no right answer. Fact is, put some decent dead-dino in the pan, change it here and there, you'll be just fine. Plenty of cars make well over 200,000 miles without getting picky down to the last details.