Oil change interval question

[dave110]

Now I know this has been covered a lot, but no one could ever really answer the question I have. Figured I'd ask here since we have our own oil expert on board. I know the change interval in the manual says 7500mi. My situation in a bit different being my truck only sees ~ 5000 mi. a year. It is a work truck and I usually only use it to pull trailers and haul. It does not see a lot of highway driving either. I use Rotella 15-w40 and change twice a year or every 2500 mi. Can I change only 1 time a year and be safe? Should I go to synthetic if I only change once a year? Our mech at work is old school and still believes in the 3 month 3000 mi. thing. Some of the vans there may only have a few hundred miles on but still get changed every 3 month. I believe that is over kill as oil has improved a lot over the years but I don't know. Is 1 year too long? 6 months too long? What would you do?

[Dieselfuture]

I think once a year is fine if you only put 5k on it. We have generators at work and they see an oil change once a year, and fuel filters also just because. They exercise once a week for about 20min. Over all hours a year they might see 30 to 50 hours depending on power outages. I change my oil once a year also if I put less then 7k on it. I was using amsoil but decided to switch to cenpeco  (locally made paraffin based) if I put more miles a year I'd probably stick with amsoil. 

[Mopar1973Man]

As long as the vehicle is making full engine temperature (190*F) for most of the travel then you're fine. But now if the engine isn't making full temperature every trip them shorter oil change will be required.

 

 

[william keagle]

i drive for about 1hour each way to work 58miles round trip about 300miles a week.  i am running empty and not towing anything.   what would be a good mileage to do a oil change.  i currently have t6 rotella in it

[Mopar1973Man]

Standard 7,500 miles is fine for 60 mile trips.

[dave110]

On ‎8‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 10:37 AM, Mopar1973Man said:

As long as the vehicle is making full engine temperature (190*F) for most of the travel then you're fine. But now if the engine isn't making full temperature every trip them shorter oil change will be required.

 

 

I do see 190 for all  of my trips, but that is towing or hauling for the most part. When you say I will be fine do you mean once a year or every 6 months?

[Mopar1973Man]

Every 6 months...

[dave110]

OK. I guess I'll keep doing what I'm doing then. I'm well aware what the manual says, but then the manual is 17 years old now and oil quality has changed a bit since then. I would not mind going to syn for better cold weather performance if that would allow me to extend to a 1 year interval as well, but the price difference is too great if I still need to change every 1/2 year.

[Buzzinhalfdozen]

3 hours ago, william keagle said:

i drive for about 1hour each way to work 58miles round trip about 300miles a week.  i am running empty and not towing anything.   what would be a good mileage to do a oil change.  i currently have t6 rotella in it

With t6 and a good filter you can very easily run the oil out to at least 10,000 miles. I've done oil analysis out to 20,000 on t6 (filter change at 10k) and the oil was still in great shape. If you want to change at 7,500 save some money and switch it back to regular oil. 

2 hours ago, dave110 said:

I do see 190 for all  of my trips, but that is towing or hauling for the most part. When you say I will be fine do you mean once a year or every 6 months?

Change it once a year. Dumping 3 gallons of oil every 2,500 miles isn't necessary. 

[Dieselfuture]

I know someone that didn't change oil for at least 3 years, it was on a gasser and he only put maybe 5-6k on oil in that time. If this makes anyone feel better. And know another guy that I personally changed oil on his car that just sits. He may put few hundred miles a year on it and it's been probably close to 10 years now and it still has same oil in it. We actually pulled dip stick not long ago and oil is still clear. I did my best telling him to change it again but he just doesn't care. Also a gasser but in this one we did put Mobil synthetic I think 5w30. So it's not like engine is just going to melt away if you don't change it on time. I think once a year is good as long as you use common sense on what vehicle does that year. But if you don't care about few extra bucks then change it more often. I know a few guys that change oil once a year with no ill affects. 

[Killer223]

hum. every six months is ok or could be once a year. my 04 get's an oil change every spring. regardless of miles driven. usually around 8-9K miles. blackstone tells me i can go longer on the oil. but. well.. i don't. just use a good oil rated for the climate you live and the engine. you'll be fine.

[Mopar1973Man]

What you need to remember is not only driving miles how about idling hours? Remember also the oil filter will go into bypass. Just because oil can so it the filter might not.

[dave110]

Good point on idling hours. I do not idle in excess but it is something to think about.

[Mopar1973Man]

I do quite a bit of idling. Like all this last winter and this summer keeping from freezing to death or frying in the truck as I wait for MoparMom to complete her dialysis treatments. No I don't use the waiting room to hard to nap in sitting position when I can lay the seat back and nap in comfort of the truck. Not mention getting work done on the laptop or cellphone worn out background noise of people coming and going. 

 

A lot of people don't think about idle time or oil filter going into bypass mode hence why people get into trouble extending oil change intervals and not doing testing.

[Rhagfo]

On 8/20/2017 at 11:50 AM, william keagle said:

i drive for about 1hour each way to work 58miles round trip about 300miles a week.  i am running empty and not towing anything.   what would be a good mileage to do a oil change.  i currently have t6 rotella in it

 Best way is to contact Blackstone labs, and ask for a sample kit. Cost is currently $38 to analyze for extended changes. They will send you a report, and how long you may go.

I did this and when sample was sent at 10K they said it was good enough to go for 12,500, I like 10K and that is what I am doing.

[Killer223]

ideally you want to keep the oil changes at or around 500 hours. that's the spec for most modern oils. yes some can and do go longer. but 500 is the formula cummins recommended for the new trucks. 15K miles equals about 500 hours with the average speed being around 35 mph.

[Mopar1973Man]

Its nice on CR trucks when you have an hour meter.

[dave110]

11 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Its nice on CR trucks when you have an hour meter.

They make a little digital 12vhour meter for lawn & garden equipment that only costs like $25. I often thought of wiring one up in the truck but never got around to it.

11 hours ago, Killer223 said:

ideally you want to keep the oil changes at or around 500 hours. that's the spec for most modern oils. yes some can and do go longer. but 500 is the formula cummins recommended for the new trucks. 15K miles equals about 500 hours with the average speed being around 35 mph.

But my question is TIME. 15 k miles takes me 3 years to accumulate. IDK, seems too long.

12 hours ago, Rhagfo said:

 Best way is to contact Blackstone labs, and ask for a sample kit. Cost is currently $38 to analyze for extended changes. They will send you a report, and how long you may go.

I did this and when sample was sent at 10K they said it was good enough to go for 12,500, I like 10K and that is what I am doing.

I may just do this. Do they give a recommendation on time too, or just mileage?

[Mopar1973Man]

Now you nearly doubled the cost of oil changes just in doing oil testing. So consider the balance here you might be able to extend at doubling the cost of the oil change or just stay with standard interval and petroleum oil. Typically it right around 50 to 60 a oil change for my self between NAPA oil filter and what ever oil is on sale. Like my last oil change was 57 out the door with filter.

[dave110]

Well, I would not do an analysis with every oil change if that's what you mean. Tractor supply runs a sale where I can get Rotella for $3 a quart in the 2.5 gal. jug, and add a $12 filter and I'm at less then $50 for a change. But it's not really the money that I'm worried about as much as throwing away something that still has life left in it.