The 3,000 mile oil change myth...

[Aaron Yarbough]

I always wonder why so many people have bought into this huge misconception of the need to change their oil every 3,000 miles yet complain of he high fuel prices. IMO we're dumping a huge amount of petroleum without before it's lifespan has expired and it just adds to the present fuel consumption issues that we are facing.

 

[TomT]

Would be nice to have that oil sensor.

 

[TrainTrac]

Until I switched to using synthetic oil a few years ago, I continued to change oil at a 3000 mile interval. It was drilled into my head from the time I started auto shop class way back in high school. Now, I'm using Mobil 1 in my vehicles, and I usually change between 5000-7000 miles.

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

I run Mobil 1 in my Vette and don't change the oil until at least 7,500 miles. It's been proven to go 10,000 miles in a C5 Corvette and still have a sufficient amount of life left.

 

[Richard L]

It's a carry over from the old days when they did not have the additives and quality filters that they do today.



Actually most manufacturers only require oil changes every 6K-7.5K miles, but people continue their old habits. The old excuse was that those higher mileages only applied for normal driving conditions, and that most people were heavy duty users ???



My new MB comes from the factory with Mobil-1 synthetic oil and they stipulate 1 year or 10K mile between oil changes...That's all



If Mecedes says that Mobil one is good for 10K miles then it should be good for 10K miles in any car.



...Rich

 

[DanG 01]

What about recycling? Are they not recovering enough to make a difference? Don't dealers use recycled oil?

 

[Bill Barber]

same with the wifes mini cooper, 10K miles

 

[Shaun Haskell]

I heard if your using bottled oil you are fine at 5-7k.

Its when you go to bobs lube house or something like that and they are buying recycled oil that you need to stick to the 3000 mile changes.

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

Don't dealers use recycled oil?

No, dealers might send their used oil off to be recycled but they do not use recycled oil. I don't think that would be well received with the customers.

 

[DanG 01]

So what do they do with recycled oil?

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

There are many uses for recycled used oil to include:

Industrial burner oil, where the used oil is dewatered, filtered and demineralised for use in industrial burners;

Mould oil to help release products from their moulds (e.g. pressed metal products, concrete);

Hydraulic oil;

Bitumen based products;

An additive in manufactured products; or

Re-refined base oil for use as a lubricant, hydraulic or transformer oil.



Once you have taken your used oil to your local collection facility, used oil collectors take the used oil and undertake some pre-treatment and recycling of the used oil or sell it to a specialised used oil recycler.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

I use Royal Purple and change it the recommended every 12,000 miles with filter change & top off every 3,000 miles.

 

[Jimmy Lavoie]

I use regular oil and change every 5,000.

 

[Jeff C]

I actually let my Royal Purple go *gasp* 5,000 miles last change. I'm planning to go 6,000 this time with a filter change at 3,000, which will be due as soon as I get home.

 

[Rick Ohnsman]

Jeff...



How do you change the filter at 3K and not change the oil itself until 6K? Doesn't most of the oil run out when you change the filter?

 

[Bill Barber]

No you lose maybe a couple pints, than top off

 

[Les]

Recycled oil is used in many Jiffy Lubes and gas stations. I have also known people that NEVER changed their oil, only changed the filter, and swear by this technique. And they have all driven cars in excess of 100,000 miles...

 

[Bill Barber]

My dad used to do that, filter only, add oil as neccesary, his trucks ran forever.

Has been said that WD40 is made from used Motor oil, that why it is so cheap.

 

[TrainTrac]

Origin of WD-40:

In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry, in a small lab in San Diego, California.



It took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40—which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still in use today.

 

[EddieS'04]

As I have said before. My uncle retired from the mechanical research division of one of the major oil and gasoline companies. He said after many teardowns and research of many brands of engines. When you use full syn oil in normal driving which he said includes some sport driving, for those with mustangs, etc. You can safley go 10k with any brand full syn oil. Changing the filter and toping off at 5k. He also said the best they tested was red line. That was before royal purple came out.

They would put their motors in taxi cabs, police cars and run them on engine stands 24hrs a day.

He also said to never use the same gas all the time. He said different brands additives would clean up deposits left by another brand....