Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) oil change TIME interval

[pdxkid]

I did a search for the avg. oil change interval but didn't come up with a TIME. I probably won't put over 5000 miles a year on my truck and some of those miles are short trips around town. I FEEL like I should change the oil once a year, regardless of mileage. Any thoughts?



If oil testing is recommended, know anywhere local?

 

[fest3er]

I did a search for the avg. oil change interval but didn't come up with a TIME. I probably won't put over 5000 miles a year on my truck and some of those miles are short trips around town. I FEEL like I should change the oil once a year, regardless of mileage. Any thoughts?



If oil testing is recommended, know anywhere local?

If the short trips are few and the engine otherwise gets up to full temp every time, you should be OK changing the oil once a year. Use the best filter you can get. If you're still a little worried, change the filter near six months and add a quart of makeup oil.



Pretty much all I've read says one year is the maximum interval between oil changes on any IC engine, be it a lawn mower, tractor, motorbike, boat, car or truck.

 

[Missouri Mule]

6,000 miles is recommended for oil/oil fliter but should be done more often if working it hard or doing short trips.

 

[budnate]

6,000 miles is recommended for oil/oil fliter but should be done more often if working it hard or doing short trips.

me to I always do it around 5k miles.

 

[flyby night]

Short trips can shorten the life of your oil HUGE. The life of your oil varies greatly depending on your particular habits, ie short trips. If you make alot of short trips, your soot will tend to be higher. This drops the base number as the soot is acidic. It will cause things to be abrasive and you will get elevated lead and tin numbers. (if you were to pull a sample. )

Also the type of oil that you use. Oil is not oil. The quality of oil varies greatly. Most of what varies is the base stock and the additive package.

Some oils can go well beyond a year. Some can not. You are probably ok changing it at 1 year if you only go 5k miles. If you want to go past that, or get a better idea of what the best oil change interval for you, your habits, and your level of filtration sampling is the best way. It is also a good way to tell if there is other problems that are starting to develop in your engine. It will check for things like fuel dilution, and wear materials.

There are quite a few labs that do testing. I use Polaris labs. They do the analysis for Detroit Diesel, Allison Transmission, and many others. Alot of members here use Blackstone labs. You may go to your nearest KW, Peterbilt, Freightliner, CAT,IH, Cummins, or Detroit Dealer and see what they charge for a sample kit. Oil analysis usually runs about $20. It all comes down you preference, whether you want to know, or just change your oil. I run excellent oil and a bypass filter, so I may never change my oil again. It has been about 20 months since I changed my oil and I am not even thinking about changing it any time soon. The oil I use can go well over a year, even without a bypass. I know this from watching oil samples from many vehicles that are running it.

 

[DieselDoghouse]

If I'm wrong I know someone will 'right' me but… I was always taught as a lad to change oil every 3 months even with low mileage - but that was in the world of SI oil (spark ignition) with CI (compression ignition) engines seems like folks can go alot longer with their 'static' oil changes (better rings???) Bottom line - SI engine= time over mileage CI engine = mileage over time.

 

[Texis]

I do around 2,500 a month and shoot for between 5,000-7,000. My driving is basically all highway so I don't sweat it when it gets a bit over due. The oil typically stays clean until 5,000 and gets a little black after that.



I would change it yearly in your situation.

 

[Grizzly]

If I'm wrong I know someone will 'right' me but… I was always taught as a lad to change oil every 3 months even with low mileage - but that was in the world of SI oil (spark ignition) with CI (compression ignition) engines seems like folks can go alot longer with their 'static' oil changes (better rings???) Bottom line - SI engine= time over mileage CI engine = mileage over time.

Oil changes every 3 months or 3000 miles is old school that our grandfathers did. Todays engines and oils are far improved. Go by what the owners manual recommends and not what the zip lubes and the likes say. They just want to sell oil changes. I wouldn't push it past one year if your annual mileage is very low however.

 

[Joltin_Jim]

so, using mobil devac 15/40 and fleetguard stratapore filter would be good for 5,000 miles considering 1/2 - 3/4 of those miles are short trips?

curiosity question: what causes the soot to increase with short trips? engine not coming up to temp? and if so, how long at full heated system temp negates this soot build up?

 

[Jefff929]

If oil testing is recommended, know anywhere local?

I'd give Rip a call at Source Automotive and see what he suggests.

 

[rrl989]

Even with 5K miles per year, I'd still would not go beyond 6 month intervals. On my 12V CTD, the fuel pump and turbo run off the same oil. I do my oil/filter/lube every 5K.

 

[Skydiver]

Rotella fully synthetic oil every 10k. Fleetguard filters every 5k. Blackstone lab says oil is still good. Normally this is 1 year.

 

[PSchreck]

FWIW. Installed a bypass filter on my 97 in 04(155K). I change both filters, add make-up oil and send a sample in to Blackstone Labs @ 10K intervals. The current oil has been in since 11-07 and has 45K on it(the company truck gets most of my mileage now). Blackstone characterized this oil in my last analysis(9-09)as "pristine"(TBN 8. 0).

My wife puts the majority of miles on the truck and doesn't use it unless the trip is long enough to get up to full operating temp. She's also good about watching the EGT guage during cool-down.



Let the flaming begin.