i just change my oil every 4k miles!! its getting pretty expensive to change with synthetic every 3k. but i rarely ever drive my car at all.

 

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I took my 88 Camaro to 500k with regular oil changes and synthetic around 5k intervals.

I'm at 130k on my 98 Camaro and have sent in samples to oil analysis to see that the oil is capable of 8k, but I change it in 6-7k intervals. I drive my car hard too.

Eyeballing the components aren't 100% fool proof as to whether the oil was doing a good job or not. If changed in short intervals, any oil will do fine, it's the long intervals that set them apart for wear characteristics.

For some of us some things don't need an oil analysis to see something is wrong. When your engine drinks oil 1qt per 1k miles koff Mobil 1 koff something is definitely off.

It's best to read up on the matter at www.bobistheoilguy.com AND to send in your samples to an independent tester to see the condition of the protection you are getting.

 

I change the oil (Mobil 1 since the beginning) at the end of every race season =1,400 miles/ 6 months.

 

lmao johns 305 gmc pick up has 250,000 miles on it now. But since jr has been driving (since maybe 100k miles?) they have NEVER changed the oil in it. We top it off if its low but not even a new filter or anything and its still running. But thena gain we all know a 305 just doesnt die

 

I just run water in the oil system... 5 or 6 Poland Spring bottles every few months, and Perrier if I know I'm going to the track...

is that wrong?

Honestly, I use Castrol GTX, its cheap, and Ive never had problems. I switched to Mobile 1 a few years back, and after 3 dyno pulls and 4 passes at the track I was down 1 Quart. Put Castrol back in, level does not go down anymore.

Good enough for me...

 

I mix sawdust with my thin oil to thicken it up a bit. Is that wrong also?

 

Its my 85 pontiac trans am, ill post up pics and make another thread soon

 

I feel the same-with the exception of the recent drop in the percentage of zddp in oils other than diesel/racing blends.

i've always thought the whole "run this special synthetic blend and change your oil at 7,500/10,000 miles" was a load of bull.

even if the lubrication WAS that much better, you still have fuel/carbon blowby/engine metals etc. floating around the engine in the oil. id rather change the oil at 2k miles and purge the system.

heck, some of the gas station brand oils test out as well or better than some of the premium name brand oils.

 

Changing your oil every 1,500 is a waste. That's the whole point of using syn oil,like Amsoil,high performance engine,high performance oil. It last longer and is better. My .02

 

"High peformance" and synthetic oils still get contaminates in it which results in engine wear. It can still get burnt up too. I am sure by changing your oil that often no matter what oil you use your engine will be much cleaner than changin your oil with syn oil every 5000 miles.

 

How about you get a used oil analysis to see when to ACTUALLY change the oil. Thats the ONLY way to really know when to change it rather then guessing.

 

Oil is Oil. The SAE standard is very good, and will work with any motor. Of course if you beat the motor to hell, you should change it more often than 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Take care of the car. Change the oil, and it will run forever.

The materials, machining practices, and Ring packs combined with the new process in oiling manufacturing gives us so much leeway that we never could have imagined 20, 30, 40, and 50 years ago.

Buy an Oil that is available at your local parts house, and enjoy your car.

(Of course, this is completely different for purpose built race engines.) I am talking about daily drivers and mildly built engines.)

 

Although, I agree w/ you...to a point. Moly, ZDDP & pre-oilers are known to produce less friction related engine wear (based on UOA's) for those whom want to be oil fanatics. So, guys who want more information than you could ever want regarding oil should visit bobistheoilguy. Most of these things were previously mentioned in this thread. Just thought I'd add a redundant re-cap.

The way I see it is that there's multiple types of oil buyers; -the I'm gonna use what has been heavily marketed because it's popular & the commercial said it's the best buyer. -the fanatical, I'm checking for every micron of every known substance on earth buyer, -the budget bargain hunter buyer, & -the who gives a **** buyer; & probably more classes of buyers. Truly,...how many of these buyers actually keep a car long enough that it really matters.....10-15% ?

In reference to the "my mechanic said.....thing." My Grandma used to tell me not to date slutty Girls.

 

Of course. I agree as I have sat through a few oil seminars with some of the brightest people out there. As you said though, how many people actually keep the cars long enough or even stock enough (Before a rebuild occurs) anyways??

I have seen every coating known to man as well as almost every type of oil you can purchase. Things work, and for most people in the case of having a 400 to 600hp car that gets beat on just needs a regular oil with a GOOD owner.

 

German Castrol is super hard to find or I'd use it.

 

i also agree that while synthetic may stay good for almost 10,000 miles, after 3000 miles synthetic will have the same amount of contaminants (that cause wear) in it as conventional. So if you are changing oil at 3000 or less i dont believe it makes a difference what you use. just another opinion to add to the list.

 

Not true. The reason a synthetic is so good is because it DOESNT break down after the contaminants are added to the oil. Conv. oils start to break down and shear due to water and fuel in the oil but synthetics DONT.

Go look up UOAs on BITOG.

I DO believe that if you change a syn. at 3k miles is a complete waste.

 

i use autozone 10w-30 in my dd 4.8 pickup the cheep on special with a 3$ fram filter
doesnt burn or drip a drop yet
has 250+k miles

 

yea bobistheoilguy is where its at, i believe the uoa's on there say penzoil platinum is some of the best stuff to get and its like 20 bucks at walmart, and dont forget alotttttt of the oil life depends on the oil filter