Yeah we’ve had this discussion many times. The reason I change the Pontiac at 3000 is because that’s what the manual says. The Acura manual doesn’t list anything by mileage anymore so who knows whether its 7500 or 10,000 miles. As we said before, going by the OLM is fine except it is based on nothing more than engineering calculations. There is no actual feedback to the computer except mileage, number of starts and stops, and maybe engine temp but I doubt it. So the more short trips, the faster the % goes down. So running the OLM down to 10 or 20% doesn’t give me much comfort, even though that’s what the lab came up with. So it seems kind of foolish to spend $28 on an oil analysis to see for sure, when for the same price you can do an oil change.
Same thing with my small engines. When they changed the recommendation from dino to synthetic, they changed the interval from 25 to 50 hours. For a little engine running hot and working hard in dusty or cold conditions, I don’t feel comfortable going to the 50 hours and I would rarely wait for the 25 hours. Takes only a few minutes and a few dollars. Of course I oil my door hinges too in the house on a regular basis and I know some people that never have and wonder why their doors squeak. But what the hey, I’m the boss and I’m in charge and we do things my way on the cars and house (please don’t tell my wife I said I was in charge).
Your mileage may vary. It simply means that 5k miles put on the car on a long interstate road trip does not equal 5K miles put on the car 1/4 mile at a time at the local drag strip.
Don’t worry about it – most modern engines run so well for so long the time it’s no big factor, unless you don’t have a modern car.
Some post-ers mention oil pressure, but this isn’t the same as oil circulation – pressure can be very high at the pressure gauge’s source (which could be right next to the oil pump) but that doesn’t mean oil has circulated through the engine.
The engine warm-up is only one consideration when starting off. Your transmission, shocks, tires, etc. all need some time to come up to normal operating temperatures, so it makes sense to drive cautiously for “a while.”
@satisficer Good points. Some years ago I had a project in a very cold area and had to park outside. I had an engine block heater which allowed the car to start easily, but could not drive off since the GM 3 speed automatic was too stiff to shift. So the car had to warm up for 5-10 minutes until the fluid was warm enough and the grease in the shift leaver was loose enough. It also cleared my windows. The morning temperature at that time was -31F, and this cold snap lasted for 4 weeks.
I still check my oil level every Saturday. I don’t think I can break that habit.
That’s one habit everyone should have!
I’m fairly well convinced that there is a large population of people that never check their oil level between changes. They are ignorant of the need or too lazy to do so. When recommended change intervals were 3k miles, a lot of people escaped harm because it didn’t get critically low. Today, if you routinely go 10k miles without checking, it could easily be a death sentence if a leak or increased consumption occurs during that period. Lack of keeping the engine full is more likely reason for problems than the extended interval itself.
I agree and I’m not telling you anything new, but those of us who do this weekly oil check also visually check coolant, brake fluid, and other items. Takes just seconds, but can save hundreds of dollars and lots of inconvenience.
Regardless of the car’s age, catching a problem early can keep it small and manageable. CSA
People seem to rely too much on the idiot lights these days. I know of at least two people who used the “low oil pressure” light as the indicator to add oil and not the dipstick. Both these engines had oil consumption/compression issues as you might imagine.
I can only see this getting worse with people now having tire pressure indicators and such. Some engines don’t even have a dipstick these days. You rely on a sensor and that is it.
As for cold temps, my cars that call for 5W30 all get a 0W40 these days. The 0W40 is really more of a 30W (see Bobistheoilguy) and a workaround so European makes can still get the additional anti-wear additives they require and keep the EPA happy. I run the Mobil 1 0W40 European which is rated as a great oil for the money. I have never had issues with startup in cold temps. My newest car calls for 0W20 so gets the Mobil 1 EP. I know much of this is because of fuel economy requirements and a thinner oil means less energy lost to friction in the oil.
I always check under the hood before buying a new car to see how maintainable it will be. If for some reason a bought a new car, got it home, and discovered it had no dipstick I’d be pissed… really pissed… half at the designers and half at myself for nor having caught that detail. Well, maybe 3/4 at the designers and 1/4 at myself…
I agree. You shouldn’t have to unbolt an engine mount to access a thermostat, remove a wheel to change a battery, half disassemble the front of a car to change a headlight, etc. I view being able to do simple maintenance yourself as an important factor in buying a car.
I know many here disagree with my recent purchase of a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage but DIY serviceability rates high on these little cars. I guess that is a good thing if Mitsubishi were to cut and run from the US market.
I’m not sure if any of you realize this but having oil pressure does not mean that oil has reached the top of the engine. If you lose oil Prime the upper engine such as valve train won’t have oil for some time. Seeing pressure means that oil has reached pressure sender and that there is some sort of restriction like the first passages which has also been reached. I’m sure the crank and conrods will receive oil shortly after. If the oil system is primed it’s almost instant after starting that oil reaches all components in most engines.
Oil usually remains in the galleries when the engine is shut down even for weeks. And when starting a newly installed rebuilt engine most mechanics prime the oil pump on cars that have a distributor with a drill turning the pump shaft. It only took a few seconds to fill the empty filter and push oil up through the lifters and push rods. A worn oil pump and a horizontal or inverted filter without a check valve can leak down quick enough to cause some rattling at start up but some engines like Jeep’s 4.0 used a stand pipe in the inverted filter to prevent leak down. All in all I never saw much of a problem with leak down in engines that were in good shape even those with high mileage.
I generally don’t spend any more time or money than needed to keep the vehicle’s warranty in effect, as that’s as long as I generally keep them. The ultimate life of the machine is not my concern.