Engine Oil Change

[gone-ot]

...GM's Oil Life Monitor (OLM) starts out with a 20,000-mile "guess" assuming the use of their dexos1™ synth-blend 5W/30, and then 'shortens' that number for cold-starts, idling and slow-speed city driving.

[A.J.]

Originally Posted by Ryland

Seems like a perfect case to get an oil analysis done, after all you don't want water condensing in your oil or the oil becoming acidic or diluted with fuel.

Does anyone know where to get a legit analysis done? I guess there are a lot of scammers out there... Also, how much would it cost?

[redyaris]

I change my engine oil; 5w30 synthetic, every January regardless of distance, usualy 32000km - 36000km per year. The car now has aprox 125000km on the odometer.

[larrybuck]

Maybe I'm not too scientific, but couldn't just READING the dip stick color help a lot?

If it starts to look pretty gross, change it.

I fully realize that a lot of diesels dipsticks seem to turn black in no time, but for gas
motors; it would seem the visual would help.

[Frank Lee]

Some (many?) say you can't go by dipstick color... but I do. If it's honey colored and has no evidence of milky condensation or gritty contamination, I say it's good to keep going and I don't give a crap how long it's been in there. It ain't milk after all.

[mcrews]

I use a company called BLACKSTONE.
they are about $25-35
They will send you a little sample collection bottle and mailer for free.
nice people

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

ps. here is a report from 189000miles. I currently have 255000miles

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by larrybuck

Maybe I'm not too scientific, but couldn't just READING the dip stick color help a lot?

If it starts to look pretty gross, change it.

I fully realize that a lot of diesels dipsticks seem to turn black in no time, but for gas
motors; it would seem the visual would help.

...well, that's sorta like looking at a glass of yellowish liquid and visually determining that it's actually ice-tea or beer and not a urine-sample...you gonna try it?

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...well, that's sorta like looking at a glass of yellowish liquid and visually determining that it's actually ice-tea or beer and not a urine-sample...you gonna try it?

First ...that's wat TOOOO visual!!!


second.... '......or cheap white vine?'

[beatr911]

The only recommendation for 3K oil changes comes from people who are asking you to pay for it.

I agree that an analysis is the best course of action for you. Your extremely low annual mileage and frequent cold starts will cause a shorter useful oil life (in k's or miles) which makes you a bit of an exception. Only analysis will be able to tell you the appropriate interval.

Other factors to consider are, if the vehicle sits in a garage, carport or in the weather. Does it get an occasional long distance drive to boil out water and gasoline from the oil?

My guess, and that's all it is, is to just change it annually.

[greenkz]

i have a very short commute to work each day,and change the oil in my tracker once a year. i use synthetic oil. my saturn has a change oil soon light. comes on every 5-6 thousand miles,thats when i change it.