OIL - Change or not to Change

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Pawned

Pawned

N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
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Valle del Sol, AZ
I last changed the oil on my 71 Duster 318V in Oct, 2017. I changed it today, it had less than 1000 miles sine the last change
Everyone I talk to tells me the oil will break down over time and needs to be changed.
The oil is sitting in the oil pan, not exposed to light or air for that matter.
If the oil will break down in the car's oil pan, then why does it not break down in the plastic bottles the auto store has on the shelves.
I imagine some of the bottles of oil they have may be much older than what was sitting in my oil pan.

Yes, I know what the rules for changing the oil are, but this seems kind of ridiculous with exactly 989 miles since the last change
 
When the motor runs it gets “stuff” in the oil that can become corrosive. The oil in the bottle never gets to 200 degrees. A very simplistic answer to complex question
 
I don't have an answer to your question, but I have asked myself the same thing. I felt like it was a waste to drain oil with 1000 miles on it, however I was concerned about the time it was in pan. I finally decided my piece of mind and my engine are worth more than a once a year oil change. Spend the money. Jmo.
 
I am more to change oil, according to mileage instead of time.
I know the oil has been in my Duster for over 4 years on a fresh re-build, but it has no miles on it, less than 100.
I still looks clean.
Daily drivers get changed with mileage also.
I changed my old 03 jeep wrangler over to synthetic when it 20K miles on it, I would spin the filter off every 5K and change it every 10K. It is still going strong.
My dad does the same thing, his old 78 power wagon he bought new, he changed to Mobil one on the first oil change. At 213K the rear main was leaking so bad it smoked the clutch.
Pulled the engine to fix the leak, dad said rebuild it, I pulled a few bottom end caps off, no wear. Re-gasket it, put in a new oil pump and timing chain, it still had cross hatches in the cylinders, un-heard of for a high mileage LA 360.
The old engine still runs fine to this day, but the truck around it is wore out.
 
Oil in a can or bottle is sealed no outside contamination and even then will separate to some extent. How you store your car will have some impact on oil contamination, car inside nice and toasty or is it outside cold and lonely? Temp extremes will bring condensation issues, need to run the car up to operating temp to evaporate out the water to say. My car is garaged and warm, I change the oil every 3000 miles, which for me is every year.

They do have people that will walk a dog for a fee, if I was a little closer to ya, I would drive your car for free...to help with the oil issue. lol
 
Pawned said:
I last changed the oil on my 71 Duster 318V in Oct, 2017. I changed it today, it had less than 1000 miles sine the last change
Everyone I talk to tells me the oil will break down over time and needs to be changed.
The oil is sitting in the oil pan, not exposed to light or air for that matter.
If the oil will break down in the car's oil pan, then why does it not break down in the plastic bottles the auto store has on the shelves.
I imagine some of the bottles of oil they have may be much older than what was sitting in my oil pan.

Yes, I know what the rules for changing the oil are, but this seems kind of ridiculous with exactly 989 miles since the last change
Click to expand...

So your talking a year and a half since last oil change..yes I would change it.. it could be/is cheap insurance!!
 
On our farm equipment it is changed by hours run time. When I bought my truck new in 05 I was told by the dealer to change it when the cluster said change oil and not by miles or you were wasting money and oil. If the car only had 1000 miles and not alot of idle time I would have not changed it but opinions are like a holes I am told.
 
Pawned said:
I last changed the oil on my 71 Duster 318V in Oct, 2017. I changed it today, it had less than 1000 miles sine the last change
Everyone I talk to tells me the oil will break down over time and needs to be changed.
The oil is sitting in the oil pan, not exposed to light or air for that matter.
If the oil will break down in the car's oil pan, then why does it not break down in the plastic bottles the auto store has on the shelves.
I imagine some of the bottles of oil they have may be much older than what was sitting in my oil pan.

Yes, I know what the rules for changing the oil are, but this seems kind of ridiculous with exactly 989 miles since the last change
Click to expand...

I can't really say either way, I think considering you are in AZ which is pretty dry it will be OK but 1 1/2 years is kind of a long time... I'm really curious what an oil analysis would pick up, hit up Blackstone Labs for a test kit and send some of that "old" oil in then you'd really know how much junk got in there from sitting for that long.

Unless you engine is completely sealed (which it shouldn't be) the oil is still exposed to air, just less than if it was sitting out in an open container.
 
I asked 3 different oil companies about this. Brad Penn, Mobil 1 and Valvoline. They all said the same thing 3 thousand miles or 1 year whichever came first.

Fred B
 
chryslerfat said:
On our farm equipment it is changed by hours run time. When I bought my truck new in 05 I was told by the dealer to change it when the cluster said change oil and not by miles or you were wasting money and oil. If the car only had 1000 miles and not alot of idle time I would have not changed it but opinions are like a holes I am told.
Click to expand...

What kind of truck? Most of those oil change indicators are nothing more than mileage counters in the computer that the oil change tech resets when the oil is changed. I have to do it on my mom's 2014 Chrysler 300 when I change the oil or else a message pops up, even if I just changed it. I think on her car it's set to go off every 5000 miles which is the factory spec'd oil change interval.
 
MopaR&D said:
What kind of truck? Most of those oil change indicators are nothing more than mileage counters in the computer that the oil change tech resets when the oil is changed. I have to do it on my mom's 2014 Chrysler 300 when I change the oil or else a message pops up, even if I just changed it. I think on her car it's set to go off every 5000 miles which is the factory spec'd oil change interval.
Click to expand...
A Chevy
 
I change mine at the start of each cruising season, even if the mileage is low, less than 1000 miles. But I save it to use for chain oil in my chain three saws. Recycling sort of. ;)

Pat
 
I change mine at the end of every driving season, usually somewhere around 1000 miles or so. Oil is cheap and I don't like the idea of driving season oil sitting in my pan all winter even though there's not that many miles on it.
 
hmm..wonder why those manufacturers want you to change it every three thousand miles?
i routinely go 3 or even 4 years depending solely on how clean it looks!
 
Change the oil in my wifes vehicle every 3000 miles..change the oil in my truck every 4-5 months in doesn't get the mileage on it my wifes vehicle does..and oil and filters are cheap enough I'm NOT!!!
 
Market place just exposed the dealers for talking clients into 5000km oil changes when the owners manual says 15000 km.Idea being to get the clients in and find other problems≥
They also did oil analysis on different motor oils that were very dirty to the human eye.All lubricants passed with flying colours,even those with over 10000 kms.
 
Engine oil has a shelf life of about 5 years but then will start to break down. Once the container is opened it is exposed to air and will start to break down, just like brake fluid. Then you added the dirt and blow by from an engine that is very acidic. It's your engine, as the old commercial said... "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later"
 
Hellrats said:
Engine oil has a shelf life of about 5 years but then will start to break down. Once the container is opened it is exposed to air and will start to break down, just like brake fluid. Then you added the dirt and blow by from an engine that is very acidic. It's your engine, as the old commercial said... "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later"
Click to expand...
Actually, that was the commercial for FRAM oil filters
 
Pawned said:
I last changed the oil on my 71 Duster 318V in Oct, 2017. I changed it today, it had less than 1000 miles sine the last change
Everyone I talk to tells me the oil will break down over time and needs to be changed.
The oil is sitting in the oil pan, not exposed to light or air for that matter.
If the oil will break down in the car's oil pan, then why does it not break down in the plastic bottles the auto store has on the shelves.
I imagine some of the bottles of oil they have may be much older than what was sitting in my oil pan.

Yes, I know what the rules for changing the oil are, but this seems kind of ridiculous with exactly 989 miles since the last change
Click to expand...


I think you're smart enough to know the answer to your own question. Condensation...contaminates, carbon/dust...contaminates.
When you drive...you have one predominantly...when you don't drive it.. you get the other. In an engine pumping oil...and water, if so, will mix right up and go through the bearings...with a lot less lubricity than before. The moisture will burn/steam off eventually... but be wise, little now is better than a lot later. This is really common sense.
 
Chryslers, trucks anyway,,, change oil, key on engine off, step on the throttle three times within 10 seconds,,,,resets the oil change monitor.

response to post 11,,,,didn't quote
 
I worked with a guy that bought a brand new Thunderbird. ...NEVER changed the oil or filter...would add oil when low.

Drove it 190,000 miles and sold it still running great.


Jeff
 
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