3,750 or 7,000mi for first service?

[Waxiboy]

My first was at 1,500 mi. I'll do another one at 3,000 mi. and then do it every 3,000 mi thereafter. At this interval, you can rotate your tires every other oil change.

 

BTW, what do you guys use to loosen/tighten the oil filter? I am currently using a Craftsman rubber belt wrench (or whatever it is called) and I find that it is quite an effort to use this because of the tight space underneath. Any recommendations?

[Duke of Lawnchair]

For my first oil change, I purchased a "universal" clamping-style adapter that attaches to a socket wrench. The factory installed the filter retardedly tight.

 

All future filter changes will be done by my hand.

 

-Jim

[DirtbikePilot]

Disclaimer: all of the following is JMHO and this is a subject I feel particularly strongly about.

 

[rant] Holy $hit!! This is why I got mine new. So I know that some tightwad/lazy person didn't change the oil every 8 to 12k miles, if ever. I can't stand people who don't just CHANGE the freaking oil every 3k. For god's sake. You just spent 30k on a new car, and you're concerned about saving MAYBE $50 per YEAR????!!??? WTF'in F!!!! You don't change the oil because it's worn out. You don't change the oil because it gets dark. You change the oil because it gets contaminated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Does anyone here ever have thier oil tested? Notice the little number after the word SILICON??! That's bad. That's extreemly bad and it will happen just as much no matter what kind of oil you use. It comes mainly from the air entering the engine that passed through an air filter that was not 100% efficient. All you peeps using synthetic oil and changing it every 10k are doing your engine NO favors whatsoever (unless you know you have oil temps over 350 which will kill dino oil). Your silicon and other contaminant levels (and engine wear) will be much, much higher than someone who uses the cheapest oil possible but changes it every 3000 miles. [/rant]

 

Ok, off my soapbox. Please people, don't try to save $2.00 at the expense of the next owner of your car.

[emorphien]

You can send your oil out to be tested by a number of labs. My friend did this and was advised he could wait 7000 miles between changes.

[MDW25gt]

I have 6 gallons of 3000 mile used Castrol GTX 10w30 I can send to you Jon. I thought Jon was spelled John?? Guess there is more than one way to spell?

Hey dude YOU are right tribiology is related to mechanical wear and lubrication! Thats why I will stick with 3000 miles, maybe 4000 between changes. Where should I send the used oil?

[BDII]

One thing no one has mentioned,

 

changing your oil according to the manual is if you operate under normal driving conditions. Be honest, who actually drives normally? I dont. the level of viscosity break down will increase with higher tempertures caused by spirited driving.

 

I would say that, if you drive like me, or like 90% of the owners on here, change it at least every 3 to 4k.

[Jon in CT]

Again, the word is TRIBOLOGY, not tribiology. You can send your lightly used motor oil to any oil analysis lab to find out how much longer you can extend your change interval without ill effect.

[Jon in CT]

Does anyone here ever have thier oil tested? Notice the little number after the word SILICON??! That's bad. That's extreemly bad and it will happen just as much no matter what kind of oil you use.

There's an example of an engine oil analysis from a WRX using the Subaru-recommended 7,500 oil change interval here. The lab even suggested he increase his oil change interval up to 8,000 miles.

[MDW25gt]

The report is interesting, but is the objective to save a few pennies on oil, or insure the life of the engine?

[harrydog]

I've never understood the people who try to extend their oil change intervals as far as possible. While you may be able to squeeze 10k miles or more out of your oil before the additives are depleted to the point where they cease doing their respective jobs, I just don't see the point. How much money can you possibly save by doing that? Not much. The wisdom of extending oil drain intervals out as long as possible begins to make sense if you operate

a large fleet of vehicles that see very high usage. Then the $$ savings add up enough to make sense.

For the average car owner, it makes much less sense, in my opinion. An oil change, using a quality synthetic and a quality filter will cost you about $25. That's less than a tank of gas these days. There is no compelling reason to extend your drain intervals out much beyond 5K miles, even with synthetic, in my opinion.

Most UOA's that I've seen indicate increased engine wear as the mileage increases between oil changes. This increased wear may still be wthin "acceptable" limits, but for a few bucks, you can keep it to the absolute minimum.

But I have a respect for machinery and I always want to take good care of whatever I own, so for me, 5K mile oil changes are as long as I'm willing to go.

If you don't really care about such things and you trade in your cars every 3 years, you might as well take your car to Jiffy Lube once a year whether it needs it or not. That's why I don't buy used cars.

[DirtbikePilot]

Well said harrydog. I guess I'm just a little more anal than some. I could save ~$325 (13 oil changes) on oil changes in 100k by changing my oil every 5k instead of 3k. No thanks. That works out to be 65/yr.