The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Reg oil changes!

My dad used to change the oil in his old Chevies about once a year and he drove 30 mile round trips to work every day. In addition he did his reg shopping yearly holidays, etc.Then when the old beast would reach 160-180,000 miles he would flog it.So I change my oil regularly about every 8-10,000 miles as well.At the present I drive a 77 Nova/305/auto with 190,000 miles.I still have not had to pull my valve covers or timing chain cover.I have no lifter noise or anything.I have however never changed the transmission or differencial oil.The point is, I have apparently no sign of any wear and tear on the running gear,so how often should a person change his oils to be cost efficient?

Change the engine oil every 4-5 thousand miles. Change the trans. 25,000 miles. Change the diff. 50-75 thousand.

I have always changed oil and filter at 3000 miles.Works for me.Seems like cheap insurance.I used to work with a guy who had a mid 60s Chevy pickup,six banger.He never completly changed his oil,at 3000 miles he would change the filter and add 1 qt.of new oil.He had well over 100,000 miles on it and it ran good.This topic was on here a few months ago,and everyone seems to have a different idea.As for me I will go on changing mine at 3000 miles.

Here's some more grist for the mill:

25,000 mile/1 year oil change intervals

Even GM is admitting the 3,000 mile interval is passe. In 2004 their "April is Car Care Month" campaign advertised that the 3,000 mile oil change may be unnecessary.

As for me, I've switched to synthetic and am on the 10,000 mile/1 year change schedule. With my daily driver, if I used non-synthetic oil, I void the warranty

John

The new GM engines are designed to consume oil. It lubricates the valve guides. Consuming 1qt. about every 1800-2000 miles is acceptable according to GM. Unfortunately, alot of our customers don't check their oil on a regular basis.If we keep them at the 3k mi. interval, this avoids disaster. The savy customers will change thier oil when the reminder comes on. They monitor their oil level on a regular basis. The higher end model vehicles are equipped with a low oil level (idiot) lamp.

JS

As an Auto Service Advisor ,I am aware of the suggested oil change specifications. What I'm saying is, my 77 Nova/305/auto went for 190,000 miles before changing differential or transmition oil and 10,000 miles between motor oil changes.This vehicle does not burn oil,and has not even been cracked open for lifter noise or timing chain.Now theoretically,I ask,if I changed these oils today,should it not be okay to continue on this path?Lets face it,it does not hurt to change oils more often, but the running gear has outlasted the rest of the car.The lubricants of today are so much better than the petroleum products of yesteryear, have we been brainwashed into thinking we need to change lubricants more often than nessecary?The vehicle I had before this was a 77 350/4 speed Camaro,I drove it for 48,000 miles ,same scenario ,the tranny blew 3 times because I drove it hard,but the mill and diff were fine.

3K is old BS. Big rigs have been tested at a MILLION miles on the same oil. It's a waste of money and of oil to change that often. Check out some the web pages from Amsoil and Mobil1 and others. There isn't areason in the world to go at least 7500-10000 miles per change.

A clean engine is a happy one. I change the oil when it starts to get kind of scuzzy. On my 1966 250, it is usually at 3,000-4,000 miles with conventional motor oil. Also change the filter when changing the oil, because why leave a quart of cruddy oil in the system.

Make sure you take your used oil to the recycling center. That way no one can say you are wasting oil.

Doug 57.

Changing oil gives me another excuse to crawl around under my truck. I put only 2000 miles on my daily driver in the first year of the rebuilt 261. I change it by the calendar in the fall, mid-winter and in the spring. My commute is only 3 miles one-way.

My '04 Honda CR-V has 10,000 mile oil change intervals. The dealer still wants to change it every 3,000. I take it in every 7500 or so. With the 5W-20 oil and filter it costs me about the same amount to do it as it does just to have the dealer do it.

I always figured the "old school" 3000 mile oil changes were partly based on the fact that carburated engines tend to allow more fuel to get into oil pan. Personally, I like the idea of changing the oil when it looks too dark or thin or just plain cruddy.