# An oily question **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** sedona, kia\ **Created:** [November 16, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647 "2010-11-16T21:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![indy4192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aeb1de/32.png) [@indy4192](https://community.cartalk.com/u/indy4192)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/1 "2010-11-16T21:37:05Z")
I keep seeing ads on TV for synthetic oils and high milage oils and such and how we need to change our oil every 3000 miles or 3 months and I am wonder what is the truth about it all? For cars like mine over 135,000 miles, do I need to change it at 3 months even though i have not done 3000 miles? Do I need to change it at 3000 miles? Would going with a high milage oil be wise or should I go with the synthetic stuff. Also if I should go with the good ole regular, which is better, the 5W30 or 10W40 or such? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/2 "2010-11-16T21:39:33Z")
Forget the 3mo/3000 miles. Only in extreme use situations is that needed. What’s recommended by Kia for your Sedona? If you’re not using oil, regular is fine in the weight they specify. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/3 "2010-11-16T21:43:23Z")
What oil have you been using and what is the weather like in your hometown? ---
**Author:** ![indy4192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aeb1de/32.png) [@indy4192](https://community.cartalk.com/u/indy4192)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/4 "2010-11-16T22:31:48Z")
Well when I bought it back in Aug, i had the oil changed and they went with 5W30. here in indy we get to the 90’s in teh summer and down to the teens in teh winter. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/5 "2010-11-16T22:48:03Z")
Use the weight of oil called for in your owner’s manual. Use the change schedule in the manual, probably more like 5K miles or six months. Only use one of those “high mileage” oils if you are consuming or leaking more than a quart between oil changes. ---
**Author:** ![irlandes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5e925/32.png) [@irlandes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/irlandes)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/6 "2010-11-16T23:26:20Z")
Let me make this very clear. Normally people change oil based on mileage. However, those who do not drive much will need to change it after a certain time, which is what poster meant when he said maybe 5K or 6 months, though it’s what your owner’s manual says which is what he meant. In other words, it’s either change by mileage or time, which ever comes first. Cars are different and personal use of the cars is different, which affects the need to change, once the warranty is up, which yours is. On my 2002 Sienna with 172,000 miles, I had the synthetic checked by Blackstone Labs, and at 8800 miles it was still good for my driving pattern, which is south but not too hot, and mostly highway. So, now I change at around 8,000 miles. For a different car or different driving pattern, it will be totally different. The advice you got from other posters is good. Read your owner’s manual for the official recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/7 "2010-11-17T01:30:31Z")
Read your owner’s manual. That list the minim. Normally that will work just fine. If you have bad conditions (high speed runs, extra dusty conditions, lots of cold weather starts etc, then you might want to do it even more often than recommended in the owner’s manual. I would add a transmission fluid change about every 30 - 40,000 miles under normal driving conditions. ---
**Author:** ![\_Deleted\_User1111116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/ac91a4/32.png) [@\_Deleted\_User1111116](https://community.cartalk.com/u/_Deleted_User1111116)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/8 "2010-11-17T01:37:36Z")
Change your oil when it gets dirty. Use recommended weight. if you have leaks or burn oil synthetic will make it more so. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/9 "2010-11-17T02:42:58Z")
5 to 7.5K miles or once a year which ever comes first. The cheapest API certified oil you can find in the viscosity recommended in the manual. We “over oil change our cars” while service to the rest, incl trans, coolant and body goes wanting. Save the money on those too frequent oil changes and wash you car more often. ---
**Author:** ![indy4192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aeb1de/32.png) [@indy4192](https://community.cartalk.com/u/indy4192)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/10 "2010-11-18T16:51:05Z")
According to my owners manual for oil it says: API Service SD or above Anyone know what that means? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/11 "2010-11-18T17:05:53Z")
Wow, SD? That’s an extremely old rating, applicable from 1967 to 1971. All oils made after that (rated SE through the current SM) will do, meaning anything you can buy now. Just match the oil weight to that specified by Kia. Read more about it here: [http://www.aa1car.com/library/API\_ratings.pdf](http://www.aa1car.com/library/API_ratings.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![indy4192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aeb1de/32.png) [@indy4192](https://community.cartalk.com/u/indy4192)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/12 "2010-11-18T17:43:26Z")
That is what it shows, the manual shows that I should use different weight oils depending on outside average temp and that the change schedule is at 7500 miles or 7.5 months. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/13 "2010-11-18T20:14:04Z")
When the temperature is always above 50\* F using straight 30 HD would likely be the best choice. When the temperature drops well below freezing 10W30 is a great deal better. Very late model engines with close tolerances and high volume oil pumps are well suited to the 5W30 and 0W30 oils in cold weather. ---
**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/an-oily-question/57647/14 "2010-11-18T20:19:00Z")
I would stick with 5W30 year round. It will meet 99-100% of the temperature ranges you will encounter. I would not change before 5K miles and go up to 7.5K miles with today’s conventional oils. Once a year oil changes work for all my vehicles that don’t go 5K miles in a year.