OK, this topic comes and goes just about once a month and 9x out of 10 in ends in a massive explosion.
SO … This is the be all, end all thread of
“When Should I Change My Oil”
THE THREAD IS LOCKED SO THAT IT DOES NOT TURN INTO A PI$$ING CONTEST. PLEASE READ AND IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD SEND ME A PM. IF I FEEL IT'S VALID I WILL ADD IT.
When asking this question you will get A LOT of different answers. Some say every 3,000 miles or 3 months no matter what. Some will say 6,000 miles or 6 months with good quality oil. Others will say do it when the manual says to and some will even say listen to what ExxonMobil says and change it every 12-15K or once a year using Extended Performance Mobil 1 oil.
Bottom line, there really isn’t a RIGHT or WRONG answer to this question. It’s more about user preferences and what makes you comfortable. If you are comfortable changing it every 12k or once a year then go for it. If you want to follow the manual and the dealer recommended service intervals then go for that.
The best advice on this topic is to do your own research and do whatever makes you comfortable. This is an OPINIONATED topic and remember, opinions are like stupid holes, everyone has one.
DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH INCLUDES:
- READING YOUR MANUAL
- TALKING TO YOUR LOCAL DEALER AND/OR DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORP.
- USING GOOLE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY
- USING THE LINKS PROVIDED BELOW
Another popular topic is
"What Brand of Oil Should I Use?"Again, this is in OPINIONATED matter. Most people have a brand preference because that's what they've used over the years and some people really don't care what goes in as long as it works. The best answer is to do your own INDEPENDENT research and come to your own conclusions.
Here is a little info to get you started ...
CONVENTIONAL OIL
It is always recommended to change conventional oil between 3000-5000 miles. Their is minimal anti-ware & cleaning additives in conventional oil. This oil in most cases will not hold up & protect past 3000-5000 miles.
SYNTHETIC BLEND OIL
Synthetic Blend formulas are a blend of premium conventional base fluids and a high-performance synthetic fluid. Also, these formulas offer an extra level of cleaning agents versus conventional oil. These oil changes are recommended from 5000-7500 miles.
SYNTHETIC OIL
Yes Synthetic oil is better for your car. Yes you can go longer on oil change drains. Recommended drains range from 7,500 miles / 6 months to 15,000 miles / 1 year depending on which oil company you go with. Yes it will help with getting better gas mileage. NO it will not fix internal engine problems. Again I am not gonna debate on which brand of synthetic oil is better or worse so I will just talk about Synthetic Oil in general. Just remember that with Synthetic oil if you are going to be extending your drains you should get a high quality oil filter that can handle the extended drains.
WHY SYNTHETICS
Conventional oils come from crude oil that is pumped from the ground. Crude oil is made up of a complex mixture of molecules that form chains and rings of different sizes and shapes. Long chains of carbon atoms produce a thick, viscous fluid that flows slowly. Shorter chains produce fluid that flows more readily.
In an oil refinery, crude oil is separated into various fractions. These become the basis for lubricating oils and fuels. Thick tangled masses of carbon chains become asphaltic materials used in roofing tar and road work. Very short chains and ring compounds of carbon are volatile and can be refined to produce gasoline and other products.
While petroleum refining is an advanced science, small amounts of contaminants, such as sulfur and reactive hydrocarbons, cannot be completely removed from petroleum, and may end up in motor oil base stocks.
All motor oils are made up of base oils and additives. In general, fully synthetic motor oils contain non-conventional, high-performance fluids. Synthetic blends usually use some non-conventional, high-performance fluids in combination with conventional oil.
To meet the demanding requirements of today's specifications Synthetic Oil uses high-performance fluids, including polyalphaolefins (PAOs), along with more additives then conventional. Each viscosity grade (5w30, 10w30, etc.) uses a unique combination of synthetic fluids and selected additives in order to tailor the viscosity grade to its specific application.
WHAT BRAND OF MOTOR OIL SHOULD I USE?
If you ask what brand of motor oil to use you will get different answers from different people. I say use Mobil, other people say use Royal Purple, some people say use Valvoline, some people say use Amsoil, etc. ... There is no right or wrong answer on which oil to use. The best thing to do is so some research on each brand and see what floats your boat the most.
Here are some links to a few oil company's ... Do your research and use what you think is best.
www.mobil1.com www.exxon.com www.valvoline.com www.royalpurple.com www.amsoil.com www.shell.com www.castrol.com www.quakerstate.com www.penzoil.com
**DISCLAIMER** I am in NO WAY saying that you should ignore your manual and/or dealer recommend service intervals.