California Governrment Telling Drivers to Change OIl Less Often

Maintenance/Repairs
21

texases,

that link you gave describes the oil-change extenstion possible by using “high efficiency filters,” “higher quality oils…with a high total base number (TBN),”…heck, even “oil analysis”!

In other words, “pay for premium products; extend your oil change interval.” Plus the effort of determining what the TBN of various oils is, etc…

Whereas a shorter interval makes “whatever oil/filter combo has the $7 mail-in rebate” plenty good. If I average $13 outlay per 4,000 mile change, how far would I have to extend said interval to pay for my “high-TBN oil, (et. al.)?”

22

My town would LOVE everyone to change their oil more often. They heat the DPW buildings with the used motor oil. And unfortunately they don’t get enough used motor oil from people in town for their needs. So we have to buy it from other towns that don’t have waste-oil heaters.

23

I have been averaging 5000 mile intervals on our Toyota and 3500 miles on our Nissan. Both meet the “servere service” interval specified by the manufacturer. The oil in the Toyota is still “clear” at 5000, while the oil in the Nissan at 3500 miles is black, no doubt due to the 125,000 miles on the odometer, and more short trip driving. Have not done an oil analysis lately but am confident that the oil still has not reached to “must dump” stage by that time.

Regardless of the filter or the choice of synthetic vs mineral oil used, I won’t extend the drain interval. As with Mike, maximizing the engine life without excessive cost is my main goal.

24

Nobody’s mentioned time between changes.
Specifying a maximum time interval of 6 or 12 months will cover most short trip stop-and-go cases.
My manual specifies 6 months or 5000 miles, so I change every 6 months and drive 2-3000 miles during that time.

25

Good point, circuitsmith. The guys in Sacramento probably have not thought of that.

The post on the sludged-up Avalon (only 8700 miles!!!) will convince you that changing oil often is a cheap and low risk way to make the engine last.

26

I get the oil changed in my nissan every 3500k miles as recomended by the Manufacturer. I once went like maybe 300 miles past the 3500k miles but that was because I drove cross country…

27

California easily has tens of millions of dollars worth of equipment in their motor pool. They did the tests to see how they could save motor pool money, and found that they could almost double the time between oil changes. They don’t care about the time limit because their vehicles are driven a lot or the motor pool shrinks to meet the demand. I go 7000 to 7500 miles between changes in my cars without OLMs and use the OLMs in the two that have them. My Buick has about 140,000 and doesn’t burn oil. My Olds has 128,000 miles and doesn’t burn oil (with OLM), and my Accord has 90,000 miles and doesn’t bun oil. For me, and almost everyone with a car, following the manufacturer’s oil change recommendations works.

28

jts - just curious - what’s the average change interval for the OLMs?

29

Do not know, I have changed my oil before it ever goes off. 2 times a year min, spring and fall, up to to 5k on average never an indicator. I know it is due when gas mileage starts to drop.

30

Until the idiots took over, Minnesota motor pool was more concerned about resale value and would get very nasty if records showed 5000 mile maintenance was extended. When word gets out that the oil isn’t changed for 14000 miles, ya all won’t get much for the iron at the auctions. Penny wise again IMHO, regardless of what the tests show and again the test cost more than the oil.

Myself, I change the Pontiac at about 3000 and the Acura at 5000 when the monitors are at about 50%. I just bought oil today for $13 and a filter is $5. I think I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing. My Riviera had 530,000 miles on it and didn’t use oil when I put it out to pasture.

31

Changing modern oil in modern engines at 3000 miles is like changing Iridium spark plugs at 10,000 miles because that’s what you did 30 years ago with copper plugs. Anecdotal evidence of “non-failure” of engines is not statistically valid. I change my oil every 8000 miles (with synthetic) and have done this for 12 years with no engine failures or oil burning. That does not mean that my intervals will work for everyone (I drive over 40,000 miles a year).

The SCIENCE on this says your oil, and filter, should last 5,000 miles easily and, in many cases, may be good for 7,500 or even 10,000 miles. You can change your oil more and feel smug about how your engines never fail or you can save the environment and change your oil when it is appropriate.

For those of you that like to spend your weekends under your car then change your oil as often as you like. Me? I like to spend time with my kids doing other things besides car maintenance.

Happy Holidays to all!!!

32

“I know it is due when gas mileage starts to drop.”

Wait, what?

33

For those of you that like to spend your weekends under your car then change your oil as often as you like. Me? I like to spend time with my kids doing other things besides car maintenance.

What kind of car do you have that takes you a day to change your oil??? Takes me about 15 minutes. And most of that time is wasted just waiting for the oil do drain out of the pan. When my kids were younger…I usually did it at night after they went to bed.

34

"I know it is due when gas mileage starts to drop. "
Another double take too littlemouse.

"For those of you that like to spend your weekends under your car then change your oil as often as you like. Me? I like to spend time with my kids doing other things besides car maintenance. "

In one afternoon, I do the oil and fuel filter in tractor and oil changes and plugs in snow blower, generator and two 4 stoke OBs along with lower unit gear changes. All, So my children and grandchildren have stuff to play with and on. As my son aged, he helped me. Nothing bonds a father and child like grease and oil stains.

35

I change my oil every 5K, as recommended in my manual. Tests done some years ago by Consumer Reports that included not only oil analysis but engine teardowns concluded that engines that had their oil changed at 12,000 miles had no more long term wear than those that had the oil changed at 6,000 miles. And that was using dino oil and New York taxis.

My personal philosophy is that oil is cheap and engines are expensive. I sleep better changing it at 5,000 miles. And I would argue that used oil properly disposed does not have the adverse effect on the environment claimed by the EPA, but gets reprocessed and reused.

I think the California campaign is counterproductive. One of the efforts necessary to get pollution down and keep it down is an emphasis on good vehicle maintenance. A campaign to do be less diligent about vehicle mainteneance seems to fly in the face of trying to reduce pollution.

36

I think it’s good for someone else ( California ) to appeal to a much larger audience,
rather than this forum screaming our heads off and viewed by ,…oh , tens of people,

to tell the silly masses…
read your owner’s manual

37

Technically, California is asking it’s drivers to refer to and abide by the owners manual of their cars when it comes to oil changes. Waste oil is finding it’s way into natural resources. What would you have them do ? The agency responsible is made up of paid govt. employees whose job it is to keep their job. They have families to support.

38

texases, the Olds OLM is around 7000 to 7500 miles ()% life remaining), and it is based on engine parameters, not just mileage. The Cobalt is at 0% around 10,000 miles. I tell my daughter (Cobalt driver) to get it changed just after it reaches 20% life remaining. I must admit that 10,000 makes me uncomfortable. 80% life gone is about 8000 miles, and I’m more comfortable with that. But the Cobalt is too new to say anything about how well the OLM works. The two cars are driven very differently. The Olds is mostly driven around town, and the Cobalt mileage is mostly highway. My 2005 Accord also tells me when to change the oil, but it is based only on mileage.

39

JTS - your results are consistent with the other GM OLM reports I’ve seen, with in-town drivers going 7-8k, and freeway drivers going 10-12k. But I agree, 10K is a bit long for me, too.

40

I don’t give a hoot how often anyone changes oil. You feel better changing it every night, go for it.

I do give a hoot when a reputable board like this gives out bad advice. And, most folks here who have stated an opinion, are guessing. There is no other way to describe it. This goes on year after year, never changes. Ad infinitum; ad nauseum.

http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2279373/oil-change-every-10000-miles/p1

Look for Jotmo, he is a certified oil analyst, try page 3, and he said he would have no problem taking oil out of your car when you change it at 3,000 miles and drive it another 5,000 miles.

Reading the guessing on this board for quite a few years, I finally had my oil tested, several years ago, after letting it go 8800 miles. I wanted to know just how much you guys really knew: I found out, not much. Mobil-1 EP, around 8 year old Sienna with well over 150,000 miles, and mostly driven on the highway long distances. All parameters, including contamination, additives remaining, were good, and indicated they would stay good until an estimated 10,000 miles.

I am now working on a plan to run Dino oil 5,000 miles and have it tested, to see if dino is really just as good as synthetic as some of our guessers insist.

The best thing for those who really want to know, assuming your car is no longer under warranty, is to have your oil tested at your regular change. If you car is still under warranty, as far as I am concerned, you MUST change it per manufacturer’s recommendations, because the warranty essentially says it is the manufacturer’s motor if you want repairs paid for.

If you do not want to know, guess. That works, too. Just please don’t pass your guesses on as anything but guesses.