Oil change frequency? Time duration?

Man. I just don't drive my truck that much. I checked and my last oil change was late January. Time frequency? 6 month?

 

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the time between oil changes, unless it's extreme, I'd just focus on miles. Maybe change it every 3k rather than 5k since it goes so long. Just my opinion. Or go synthetic if you're not already, and a quality non fram filter.

 

i'll change it before my Idaho elk trip!! sept.

 

Duration, but depending on driving habits.

If it's a vacation vehicle that's driven a couple of times a year, then once every 6 months is fine. It's cheap insurance.

If you live in a humid or coastal climate, and driving is regular, but short trips where the engine is not getting to full temp AND STAYING THERE for a fair amount of time, then you are not boiling off the moisture and acids that collect in the oil from normal combustion and hot/cold cycling.

In that case, 3 months or 5,000 miles.

 

Like some of the others said I wouldnt worry about time duration. I only change my oil about twice a year at 5K intervals with full synthetic and Toyota OEM filters and I've never had any issues.

 

is the place overrun by californians? my hunting ground is NM, but that is all but impossible these days.

quick glance..i am about halfway up the state..unit 23?

 

I only go by miles. i sale and use AmsOil.

Here is my link to my post.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/buy-sell-trade/226533-amsoil.html

 

I don't put many miles on either (07 has 18,800 miles.) I change it every 6 months (mobile one synthetic) no matter what the miles are. The low miles are from short trips, towing the boat, and offroading which are generally harder on the engine than highway miles.

 

You can always tell who the California transplants are in Portland.

They're the ones with the cracked windshields... because they poured a pitcher of hot water on it when it had frost on it in the morning

 

thanks for reminding me of Neontrail's cafe..i will stop by for sure!! i loved his thread on choosing a cafe name.

 

I have a 2011 reg cab 4x4 Tacoma. I put usually 5000 miles a year. Truck has had synthetic oil since new. Do you recommend changing at 3000 mile or 5000 even though it takes a year. I do 60% around town driving & 40% highway. Waiting a year seems too long. Your thoughts.

 

In general the reason there are time limits in addition to mileage limits on oil changes is that once combustion products are in the oil it begins to degrade over time. In contrast to fresh oil in a bottle that has a long shelf life.

Probably the best thing to do is to send out a sample of the oil to someplace like Blackstone Labs for analysis after 6 months. If it comes back good send in another one at 12 months. And so on. Until you find out what the right amount of time is for your situation and driving habits.

 

I have an '11 6 cyl and only put on about 4-5k miles per year. I change the oil once per year (in the fall) and use full synthetic (whatever brand is cheapest) and a NAPA gold filter. The used oil is never dirty, but a year seems "enough" to me.

 

I just don't pack many miles on either, usally 6 to 8 K a year. So once a year, at annual inspection time.

I also use really good synthetic oil that has a heavy duty additive package. For such low use-age corrosion prevention is more important than wear quality.

 

Send a sample to Blackstone labs and let them tell you the health of the oil.

Everything else is pure speculation.

If using a quality synthetic and filter, and your engine was healthy when you started doing that, may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

 

'Clean' looking oil at drain might not be such a good thing. Additives in the oil are SUPPOSED to hold combustion by-products in suspension so they drain out. That's why some oils look so dirty so fast: they do a much better job of cleaning the gunk off internal surfaces as well as holding it in suspension.

Clean looking oil could mean the byproducts are settling out and forming sludge inside the engine, a very real concern if it sits unused. Pay attention to your oil's additive package. Very important when practicing 'extreme' drain intervals. Just because it's synthetic doesn't mean it was formulated for that application.

 

I've had a couple pleasure vehicles that barely went past 3,000 in a year.

We used synthetic oils.... My own rule of thumb, was change it once a year.

 

Or, the clean looking oil could just mean that in 4,000 miles there isn't enough contamination in suspension to darken the oil. In any event, synthetic seems perfectly acceptable for 5k, even if it takes a year to run up that many miles.

 

Definitely....even modern dino oils are good for 5k. My concern is that after a year, across 4 full seasons, a weak additive package will be overwhelmed, letting the muck fall out and cake engine interior. So I like to see nice dark oil as it comes out: that way I know nothing's being left behind.

 

I put very little mileage on my Taco & other vehicles. I always use synthetic, and change it once a year, which ends up being 3-5k miles...