Time to Change my Car Oil???

[aja8888]

The reason that I asked is because I have friends/relatives in the UK who seem so surprised about how often we change the oil in our cars. Over there it seems quiet common to go for miles, and months without changing he oil. And this is for folks who have always have their cars dealer serviced.

Seems odd to me because I always changed my oil and filter per specs. When I asked, they said that they were following specs. Go figure.

Yeah, the price of motor oli overseas is very expensive so users tend to buy the best oils with the longest change intervals. We can do that here if you buy the right oil:

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/motor-oil/gasoline/

Signature Series 5W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil
Product Code: ALMQT-EA
Engineered for enthusiasts seeking maximum protection and performance. Precision-formulated with cutting-edge technology and a longstanding devotion to making the world's best motor oil. The result: engine protection that blows the doors off the highest industry standards.

• 50% more cleaning power vs. AMSOIL OE Motor Oil
• Ideal for turbos & direct injection
• Guaranteed protection for up to 25,000 miles or 1 year

but the U.S. drivers are programmed for frequent oil changes since oil is so cheap.

 

[joeea]

I am somewhat particular in changing fluids and doing mtce as per the specs.

The specs say change the oil after 5K, when the oil change light comes on, or every 8 months.

Sounds like you have your answer.

So...do I really need to change the oil on this baby (it is so clean) or should I just wait until the oil light comes on, or do it next summer?

I would base it on mileage myself. But I'm not as particular as you state.

 

[Car-Guy]

IIRC the current recommendation is to just change the transmission fluid via drain & fill.

NOT to flush out the transmission as so many places offer.

Agree with that. I never bought into the transmission flush method. I "typically" drop the pan, drain the fluid, change the filter and pan gasket and refill. It really doesn't take much longer than an engine oil change.

 

[Jerry1]

Agree with that. I never bought into the transmission flush method. I "typically" drop the pan, drain the fluid, change the filter and pan gasket and refill. It really doesn't take much longer than an engine oil change.

I thought I read or heard that transmissions are, or will be in the future, sealed units. Basically no fluid or filter changes.

On another note, the lawn mower I bought last year does not require oil changes. You can tip it over and get the oil out, but there is no drain plug. Not sure how to feel about this, but one thing I did do in response to that design was put a full synthetic oil in from the start.

 

[Car-Guy]

I thought I read or heard that transmissions are, or will be in the future, sealed units. Basically no fluid or filter changes.

I've read many pros and cons of the sealed units. Not sure where the industry is going to shake out on this. I have owned sealed units but never kept them long enough to worry about changing the fluid. (Which I would probably still do at ~50k miles)

 

[kitesurfer2]

Agree with that. I never bought into the transmission flush method. I "typically" drop the pan, drain the fluid, change the filter and pan gasket and refill. It really doesn't take much longer than an engine oil change.

I should do this with my vette as a preventative measure I think. 20k trouble free miles but I do have THAT A8.

 

[kitesurfer2]

I thought I read or heard that transmissions are, or will be in the future, sealed units. Basically no fluid or filter changes.

On another note, the lawn mower I bought last year does not require oil changes. You can tip it over and get the oil out, but there is no drain plug. Not sure how to feel about this, but one thing I did do in response to that design was put a full synthetic oil in from the start.

I bought a cheap wal mart mower that does not have a drain plug. I turn it upside down to drain the oil and I also fill it up with synthetic. I do it in the spring each year.

 

[RunningBum]

The reason that I asked is because I have friends/relatives in the UK who seem so surprised about how often we change the oil in our cars. Over there it seems quiet common to go for miles, and months without changing he oil. And this is for folks who have always have their cars dealer serviced.

Seems odd to me because I always changed my oil and filter per specs. When I asked, they said that they were following specs. Go figure.

Well, you were talking about going over a year, not just months. And who knows what you are talking about with "miles".

There seem to be a lot of people in the US who change oil at 3000 miles even if specs don't say to. Service shops encourage this. Maybe this is what your UK friends are referring to.

So it seems to me you have a choice.

You can go for "miles" and "months" like your UK friends, who say they are following specs. You probably don't know if they really are and if there is something different like the type of oil they use, and apparently don't know just how many miles or months.

You can do what a bunch of strangers on an internet board do.

You can follow the specs in your car manual.

Which one makes the most sense? I tried to leave a hint.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I've read many pros and cons of the sealed units. Not sure where the industry is going to shake out on this. I have owned sealed units but never kept them long enough to worry about changing the fluid. (Which I would probably still do at ~50k miles)

My '95 BMW 540i had "lifetime" fluid -- the transmission isn't sealed per se, but it's not a cakewalk to change fluid. You also have to get under the car to see if the fluid level is up to spec, like a differential.

I bought the car when it was 10 years old with 80K miles, and external seals had started leaking. I drained the fluid -- it was thick and opaque. No way was I going to put that goo back into the transmission. I priced the factory "lifetime" fluid -- $20 a liter (a BMW parts shop recently wanted over $500 for a 5-liter jug!). I filled it with Pennzoil Dexron III, and changed it every 30K miles thereafter. I still drive the car daily, and it just hit the 280K mark.

Many people who followed the recommendation to never change the fluid experienced valve body wear that ultimately wrecked the transmission. My suspicion is that microparticles small enough to pass through the filter stayed in suspension and had an abrasive effect as they passed through the valve body under high pressure.

 

[Car-Guy]

My '95 BMW 540i had "lifetime" fluid -- the transmission isn't sealed per se, but it's not a cakewalk to change fluid. You also have to get under the car to see if the fluid level is up to spec, like a differential.

I bought the car when it was 10 years old with 80K miles, and external seals had started leaking. I drained the fluid -- it was thick and opaque. No way was I going to put that goo back into the transmission. I priced the factory "lifetime" fluid -- $20 a liter (a BMW parts shop recently wanted over $500 for a 5-liter jug!). I filled it with Pennzoil Dexron III, and changed it every 30K miles thereafter. I still drive the car daily, and it just hit the 280K mark.

Many people who followed the recommendation to never change the fluid experienced valve body wear that ultimately wrecked the transmission. My suspicion is that microparticles small enough to pass through the filter stayed in suspension and had an abrasive effect as they passed through the valve body under high pressure.

Often, a little common sense goes a long way. There's an old saying that goes something like this; (A smart man knows to only believe half of what he reads and hears, a wise man knows which half to believe.)

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Often, a little common sense goes a long way. There's an old saying that goes something like this; (A smart man knows to only believe half of what he reads and hears, a wise man knows which half to believe.)

A nice rejoinder to "RTFM."

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I've read many pros and cons of the sealed units. Not sure where the industry is going to shake out on this. I have owned sealed units but never kept them long enough to worry about changing the fluid. (Which I would probably still do at ~50k miles)

My Infiniti has a sealed transmission and I haven't touched the fluid since we bought it new. Going on about 108K miles and I have only had to have it "flashed" once when it had some odd shifting...but that was a fleet wide issue that the flash dealt with. I can also say that I run the car pretty hard and the transmission is driven in "sport mode" at all times and so far, no issues.

 

[indiajust]

I switched to synthetic and change the oil once every two years or about 20k miles. I have gone longer when it was just highway miles. I had a driveshaft seal leak in an old Nova that dripped a quart a tank on the highway, I never changed the oil since it was always being refreshed.


My VW's have rusted away beneath me but I have never had engine problems.

 

[ychuck46]

I drive the F150 about 12K miles per year; I change the oil with full synthetic every six months. The wife drives the H3 and it only get about 3K miles per year put on it (we travel to the coast for the winter months and other vacations so the H3 is only driven into town now and then for the most part). I only change the oil on that baby every twelve months; anything more is just overkill.

 

[kitesurfer2]

I switched to synthetic and change the oil once every two years or about 20k miles. I have gone longer when it was just highway miles. I had a driveshaft seal leak in an old Nova that dripped a quart a tank on the highway, I never changed the oil since it was always being refreshed.


My VW's have rusted away beneath me but I have never had engine problems.

drive shafts don't have oil. do you mean a rear main seal?

 

[aja8888]

Please read your owner's manuals (those that have DSG's - direct shift gearboxes. Also known as "automatic stick shifts".

Those require a transmission drain and refill, with filter, at (usually) 40,000 miles. These were mostly in German cars, but are now in some GM and Asian vehicles.

 

[SteveNU]

Just be thankful you don't have a Bugatti, $21,000 to change the oil!

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/bugatti-veyron-oil-change/