Synthetic oil lifetime

How long can synthetic oil sit in your truck before it goes bad... Im not going to put 3-6K miles on it within 6 months.. Do I still need to change it?

 

My rule has always been a year. Most my engines get it once a year (including the truck, I haven't been putting many miles on it)

 

Same here - one year if I don't run the miles before then.

 

It all depends.....on who you ask....and personal opinion.

On our jeep - which would get under 5,000miles per year....I'd change it once a year. That doesn't necessarily mean its bad.

Think of it this way.....If you had a bottle of oil (new) sitting in your garage for a year, would you consider it bad? Is there such a thing as shelf life for synthetic oils? Aside from some oils (brake fluid) which will absorb moisture over time.....

And then, there's the heated debate of 'How many miles' can you run on synthetic oil....???

 

If you aren't doing it already, be sure to take it out and give it a long drive every now and then. You want to get the oil hot enough to burn off all the moisture that will accumulate from the low use.

 

I do drive it, but at the rate I am driving it, its just not going to hit 5k in 6 months.. I just want to avoid unnecessary damage...

Thanks for the opinions..

 

That is entirely subjective to the way you drive, where you drive, what oil you use, and what filter you use. Generally, oils degrade in very cold weather, and can retain moisture during climate changes... It isn't unreasonable to have a high mileage oil change interval, however, you need to know what you are doing.... The best way to determine your needs is to get an oil analysis done... That will give you an accurate idea of not only what is going on inside your engine, but also the condition of your oil.

Would recommend you check out: www.bobistheoilguy.com . That site has everything you would ever want to know about motor oil.