oil changes when you're not putting a lot of miles on

I have a 2002 that had it's oil changed 6 months ago. I used Mobil synthetic. In that time I've put on about 2500 miles.

Looking for suggestions on how long an interval between oil changes when you're not putting a lot of miles on between changes..

Thanks!

 

I do it about once a year with Amsoil since I only put about 4-5K on mine.

 

The only right answer for your vehicle will be based on an age based series of oil sample lab tests. Everything else is guessing, feelings, antecdotal evidence, wives tales and speculation.

Your specific engine health and your specfic oil are crittical to the answer

You may be really surprised at the results.

 

I agree with you however I'm using the oil mfg. recommendations specifically and not speculation.

Looks like Mobil 1 has the same recommendation.

 

The old standard was every 3k miles or 12 months, whichever came first.

 

Thanks for the replies. Bill what's the recommendation on how to use the lab? Would you send a sample in when you're thinking of doing a change to gauge the state of the oil then postpone if all is good? Then repeat the same thing in a few months time for example?

 

Hell I change my oil more than I change my underwear (jk) I push my 22RE pretty hard so I change the oil after a hard run

 

Th 3k mile oil change was designed to sell more oil. Pretty much the long and short of it.


Oil doesn't go bad. It wasn't made fresh yesterday.

 

If you go that route you'll know that at about xxx miles with yyy driving style, your oil is either good or bad. If I have 2500 miles and my oil is trash then I know that my interval is less than 2500. If I have 10k and my oil is good, I know that engines interval is 10k+ It would be an unnecessary loss of $$$ to just keep testing.

 

Actually you are. Their recommendation based on general speculation. And marketing team rhetoric.

They don't know the health of your engine, or the conditions you use the vehicle under.

If you want to have answers, have testing done.

You might enjoy some reading at www.bobistheoilguy.com

 

Been there and did the testing three different times and it was in line with their marketing team rhetoric.

 

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

Yes, you're right on target. You're trying to determine a time/mileage parameter to work with.

I don't know the mileage, use or maintenance history of your '02 (all factors) but at 2.5k and 6 months, I'd not bother testing yet, unless you have consumption issues, suspect compression issues, or the 2.5k are very hard miles. Like drag racing, bog crawling or desert running hard.

If the truck seems healthy and it's just city/hwy miles, I'd wait till 5k or 1 year. Send a sample and see what they advise related to the health of the engine and life left in the oil.

Lets say you learn you can safely go 15k mile or 4 years between changes. You might decide to keep things simple that you'll do your changes at 10k, which is the time a filter change would be in order anyway. If your use pattern of the vehicle stays the same, you'll never hit the 'age' criteria. Plus if something is happening in life (and it will happen) that the 10k point is not a convenient time for a change, you have headroom for waiting till things settle down.

Keep in mind that if your use of the vehicle conditionally changes (you take up drag racing or towing or mud bogging) then you should retest to determine the impact on the oil. And if you are going to take the actual leap to use science based OCIs, being consistent with the brand and grade of oil used becomes a factor, because the testing is testing, well, the oil. Different oils have different additive packages, and the 'answer' might be different; new testing would be required.