Oil changes! How often? Methods? Tools?

Racer88

Racer88

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I figured we'd start a thread about this aspect of car maintenance, too! :cool:

Most of the manufacturers I've seen are at 7500 for oil changes. Subaru recommends 6,000. I do it at 5000 with full synthetic. For "severe use" cut that in half.
 
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Most European manufactures including BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, as well as Toyota are 1 year and 10k to 12k miles. They adopted synthetic oil early on while other manufacturers lagged far behind. Truth is, the oil is likely good well beyond then but the filter should be changed.

Manufacturers who produce engines with poor oil filter systems recommend more frequent oil changes. You can buy a retrofit kit to run multiple oil filters and move them to the top of the engine which make them easier to change. My engines have them all on the top and I use a topsider to change the oil. No fuss no mess. I drive a ton so changing oil on my time is important and can do quickly and easily in my driveway and not get dirty. I’ve done 10k to 12k oil and filter changes for well over 1 million miles with no engine related issues.

My TPMS warning activates at 10% tire differential and I believe many other high end systems do the same. I run 40 plus PSI in my tires due to low profile tires and for better mileage. If I’m hauling heavy loads, that can go to 50 PSI.

Don’t confuse AWD with 4WD as they are different. Locking differential is 4WD while AWD vehicles can vary wheel speed while turning or slipping. Doesn’t make them a partial AWD system just makes them not have a locking differential.
 
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FrankenGlock said:
My engines have them all on the top and I use a topsider to change the oil. No fuss no mess.
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Oil extractors notoriously don't get as much oil out as draining the oil pan. I like installing a Fumoto Valve (replaces the oil pan plug). Very clean, too.
 
I normally change oil on all of our cars. But for now, I'm taking the new Subaru to the dealer for service... perhaps for the warranty period.

But it's super-easy on the Subaru, especially since the oil filter is up top!
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Does anyone use an oil analysis service?
 
For my wife's car... Oil / filter change + tire rotation:

Shop: $125

DIY: $30 - $40 (depending on oil / filter sale specials).
 
I have lots of car friends who use them for testing extreme extended oil change intervals and those who are looking to see if there are problems with their engines. It's really quite amazing what they do with their mass spectrometer.
 
I go with 5k. Also rotate the tires. I have the dealer do it.
 
FrankenGlock said:
It depends on the vehicle. I have no problems with mine.
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Exactly. Used to service our 530i in this fashion. For grins, on the first oil change with the topsider system, I pulled the pan plug to see how much was left….so little I didn’t think twice of continuing the procedure with the next oil changes. Used All synthetic, either Liquid Moly or a few others of like quality.

Nowadays I go buy the filter & oil, then go down and have the Valvoline oil changers do the job on the Altima and the S10 (both are running full synthetic), while I wait in the vehicle. They charge me a modest fee for the service, while checking all other fluids etc and adding accordingly. Sold the 530i in 2022 after the medical setback, and am done with working on cars unless an emergency requires it.
 
One Ping Only said:
Nowadays I go buy the filter & oil, then go down and have the Valvoline oil changers do the job on the Altima and the S10 (both are running full synthetic), while I wait in the vehicle.
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You go to the quickie oil change place, and they let you bring the oil and filter.... AND they charge you only $10 for the service??? Did I understand that right?
 
I still stick to every 3K, even with synthetic oil.
It's cheap enough and still comes out heavily darkened.

I don't give much thought to: "Even though it's dark, it still has plenty of lubrication left!"
While that might be true, the oil isn't clean anymore, and I still notice a difference on start-up after changing the oil.

Many vehicles have the tiniest of oil ports that need to stay clear to adequately distribute oil to the right places.

I've also heard a tribologist say that oil makers still use standards manufacturers ask for and that it could be made much better. It was said as if oil quality could be much higher, but purposefully isn't.

Manufacturers do that stuff with other items like, washers, dryers, etc, so I don't give the auto or oil industry an automatic "pass."
 
Racer88 said:
You go to the quickie oil change place, and they let you bring the oil and filter.... AND they charge you only $10 for the service??? Did I understand that right?
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For them to do the labor, check all other fluids, safety check the vehicle and check (proper) tire pressure, yes. “The worker is worthy of his hire”.

Meanwhile I wait quietly, and leave. Out of the automotive industry (via Public Utility fleet management maintenance and repair) I came. Everything from your usual Mopar, Ford and Chevrolet products (trucks and cars), Tour Vans, to Detroit 6V62 diesels in GMC Generals, Cummins in our Peterbilts, pole dolleys, wires stringing dolleys, 100’ pressure washer boom trucks- you name it.

I did my time and I’m done with it, except for emergencies as I said earlier. I DO check their work and am a stickler for stuff missed or neglected. This crew here is REAL good, amazingly.
 
At 5k but dealer said 10k if using E85 2500 miles.
 
A car I drove while in school … I never changed the oil. After about three years I noticed it was down a couple of quarts so I topped it off with the cheapest oil I could find.

I once traded in a car because it needed tires and a brake job.
 
I traded my 2019 Silverado in for a 2020 Silverado in 2020 because the '19 had the wrong engine, paint color and suspension (It had been a need a truck now purchase) and the 2020 in on a 2024 in late 23 as the 2020 needed tires after a rapid loss of pressure in one tire :ROFLMAO:
Plus, the '20 was out of warranty
 
My 2012 Nissan Titan gets full synthetic. The recommendation is 7500 miles. I hardly drive it since I have a company truck, so I change the oil once a year. The wife's Nissan Rogue gets oil changes every 5000 miles. My Ducati Diavel gets all fluids flushed and changed once a year.
 
My vehicles get once a year or 7500 miles, whichever comes first too.
I've not put more than 5000 miles a year on a vehicle in years though, but that's fixing to change soon.
I might get upwards of 8000 miles :ROFLMAO:
 
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