[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How long between oil change? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 10/12/2016 11:51:06 AM EDT
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I have a 2002 Expedition 5.4 that has 240,00 miles on it. It was my daily driver for 15 years and I have always changed the oils every 4 months which is 4,000-5,000 miles with dino oil. Recently I got a different daily driver so I only drive the Expedition on every other weekend to go to my farm. It's a 200 mile round trip to the farm so I drive it less than 5,000 miles a year now. I changed the oil last weekend as I was reaching 5,000 miles on it. How frequently should I change my oil now? Should I change it every 4000-5000 miles like in past (which would be once a year) or should I change it more frequently? Does oil go "bad" over time when it sit in the car? Would the oil last for longer time if I use full synthetic oil?
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Quoted: I have a 2002 Expedition 5.4 that has 240,00 miles on it. It was my daily driver for 15 years and I have always changed the oils every 4 months which is 4,000-5,000 miles with dino oil. Recently I got a different daily driver so I only drive the Expedition on every other weekend to go to my farm. It's a 200 mile round trip to the farm so I drive it less than 5,000 miles a year now. I changed the oil last weekend as I was reaching 5,000 miles on it. How frequently should I change my oil now? Should I change it every 4000-5000 miles like in past (which would be once a year) or should I change it more frequently? Does oil go "bad" over time when it sit in the car? Would the oil last for longer time if I use full synthetic oil? |
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Change it annually if you don't reach the mileage mark. That should be good enough.
What kills oil is short trips, where the engine doesn't fully warm up and evaporate all of the condensed water out of the crankcase. Then that moisture turns into nitric acid or something like that. Short trips rust out exhaust systems too, since it leaves the exhaust system wet inside. |
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If you only drove 10k miles a year, would you change the oil just once a year? Quoted:
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Mobil 1 5w-20 fully synthetic in my Tacoma, the maintenance required comes on at 7500 but I stretch it out to 10,000 or until I get pissed off at having the light on. If you only drove 10k miles a year, would you change the oil just once a year? Yes |
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Quoted: Change it annually if you don't reach the mileage mark. That should be good enough. What kills oil is short trips, where the engine doesn't fully warm up and evaporate all of the condensed water out of the crankcase. Then that moisture turns into nitric acid or something like that. Short trips rust out exhaust systems too, since it leaves the exhaust system wet inside. |
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Oil that is not used will remain OK to use until its "use by" date. (Actually far later, but that is that date guaranteed by the manufacturer)
As for an unused vehicle. A vehicle that is used deposits carbons, metals, and other contaminants in your engine oil. These hasten the oxidation of the oil. Oxidation is bad. Will you be OK if you drive your vehicle 1,000 miles and allow it to sit for a year? Almost certainly, yes. With that said, changing your oil is inexpensive and simple. Even if you don't know how, it is very inexpensive to pay someone to do it. With a 240,000 mile engine, I would take zero risks. Use synthetic oil and change it every 6 months or 10,000 miles. Take care of your investment, dude! 
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If I change the oil next time with full synthetic oil, can I just change it every 2 years?
IS there any negative side to using synthetic oil on car this old? The truck burns about 1/4 qt. of oil per month so I would be continually adding some new oil every month. |
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Change it annually if you don't reach the mileage mark. That should be good enough. What kills oil is short trips, where the engine doesn't fully warm up and evaporate all of the condensed water out of the crankcase. Then that moisture turns into nitric acid or something like that. This. I've been running Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic in my car since the first oil change. I change it every 12 months regardless of mileage. 150,000+ miles and still going strong. |
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If I change the oil next time with full synthetic oil, can I just change it every 2 years? IS there any negative side to using synthetic oil on car this old? The truck burns about 1/4 qt. of oil per month so I would be continually adding some new oil every month. I wouldn't but that's me. IF you plan to to it. I'd wait till the 2nd syn oil change. |
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If I change the oil next time with full synthetic oil, can I just change it every 2 years? IS there any negative side to using synthetic oil on car this old? The truck burns about 1/4 qt. of oil per month so I would be continually adding some new oil every month. No negatives to using synthetic oil. I would change it more often than 2 years. I would recommend every year at a minimum. When the oil sits, it oxidizes. When it's exposed to carbon and metal, that gets worse. Is it enough to wreck your engine? Probably not, but maybe... Is the small cost savings worth hurting your engine? 
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I drive the truck for 2 hours on highway to go 100 miles to the farm and then I park it (sometimes I'll move stuff with it but very little driving).
Then I get back in and drive 2 hours/100 miles on the highway to get back home and I park it. Two weeks later I repeat. I assume this driving pattern would burn off all the water/moisture from the oil. |
| A fleet operations manager who used to work for Ford had his guys changing out the oil filters between synthetic oil changes. It can be done on many vehicles without changing out all of the oil and they just added enough oil to replace what was in the filter. Very simple operation and with the amount of vehicles they used it was getting more life out of the oil while insuring any particles would be filtered out. |
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I don't doubt that at all. But was it damaged by the negligence? That's something that the human eye can't possible gauge. Quoted:
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I seen a fleet car go 100k on the oil that it was born with.. I don't doubt that at all. But was it damaged by the negligence? That's something that the human eye can't possible gauge. Shit was in the ground for like hundreds of millions of years. I doubt it'l be harmed by a couple years in a fleet vehicle. |
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I don't doubt that at all. But was it damaged by the negligence? That's something that the human eye can't possible gauge. Quoted:
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I seen a fleet car go 100k on the oil that it was born with.. I don't doubt that at all. But was it damaged by the negligence? That's something that the human eye can't possible gauge. nah i seez it 
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Shit was in the ground for like hundreds of millions of years. I doubt it'l be harmed by a couple years in a fleet vehicle. Quoted:
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I seen a fleet car go 100k on the oil that it was born with.. I don't doubt that at all. But was it damaged by the negligence? That's something that the human eye can't possible gauge. Shit was in the ground for like hundreds of millions of years. I doubt it'l be harmed by a couple years in a fleet vehicle. Oxidation, brotato chip. See my previous posts. 
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Oil never wears out, it gets contaminated, that is the only reason it requires changing. I change the oil in my 2013 Honda every 5,000 miles with Mobil 1 0w-20 as per maintenance schedule. The 1995 Pathfinder with 253k gets it every 3,000 - 3,500 miles with Pennzoil 10w-40 just like it has for the last 15 years. It doesn't use any oil to date. I'm a firm believer in preventative maintenance and it doesn't end with oil changes but I believe it's the most important for longevity. |
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2002 Silverado 188K. Generally within a month or two after the light comes on and I get around to it. Usually works out to 2-3 times a year When the Oil change light comes on it typically is around the same time it needs a quart of oil so I toss a cheap one in since I will be changing it soon. Or not.
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Oxidation, brotato chip. See my previous posts. Quoted:
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I seen a fleet car go 100k on the oil that it was born with.. I don't doubt that at all. But was it damaged by the negligence? That's something that the human eye can't possible gauge. Shit was in the ground for like hundreds of millions of years. I doubt it'l be harmed by a couple years in a fleet vehicle. Oxidation, brotato chip. See my previous posts. Oxidation smoxidation. I use water in my engine since it doesn't oxidize. Ya'll should try it. |