Oil Change?

mark0101

mark0101

Dedicated LVC Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
2,258
Reaction score
48
Location
Jax, FL
Ok I have been doing oil changes on my Cars every 5,000 miles but some people on here do changes between 3,000 miles. Is 5,000 miles to late for an oil chane or is it ok for my highway driving?

Also I just found out about FRAM which I have been using since I have bought the car and on all the other cars. It is the one with the grip thing on it. Why are they bad and have I already harmed my cars by putting these oil filters? What filter do you guys use that are not that expensive?

One last thing, the oil moniter system on our cars, how miles does it go before it says OIL CHANGE REQUIRED or OIL CHANGE SOON?
 
I would also like to know this cause Im about to change my oil here in a day or so. What kinda oil/filter to you recomend?
 
I use Wix for everything.... period

Fram has a lot of different issues with all of their filters and are generally junk, after using them its hard to say if any damage was done, but there really isn't anything you can do now.

I personally use Motorcraft 5w20 oil with a Wix filter in my mod motor cars and truck and it's working great for me....

I do a 5,000 mile interval on my Vic and Mark, and I do 3,000 on the truck because it gets abused a lot more...
 
I use Mobile One synthetic so when the car complains, I reset it and do it the next time.

Either way, I recommend doing it when the car says so. It is a pretty good judge of when the oil needs changing.

As for filter, again, only Mobil 1 filters.
 
Mobile one 0w-20 with a mobile one filter. Change when it says to. Filter every other time.
 
htrdlincoln98 said:
Mobile one 0w-20 with a mobile one filter. Change when it says to. Filter every other time.
Click to expand...

No way in hell would I do that... I'd gladly change the filter every time and the oil every other... but I would never run a filter longer than the oil....
 
Most oil filters start saturating at 5000 miles, so it would be unwise to leave one on any longer than that.
 
From the factory manual:

To calculate the percentage of oil life, the oil life feature uses:

oil temperature sensor input.
tachometer input from the powertrain control module (ICM).
vehicle speed sensor (VSS) input.
clock time.
The oil life will decrease from 100 percent to 0 percent in no more than 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or 6 months. It will reach zero percent sooner under different driving conditions.
The percentage of oil life left is the second display in the system check sequence.
When oil life left is between five percent and zero percent, the "CHANGE OIL SOON" message will be displayed.
When oil life left reaches zero percent, the "OIL CHANGE REQUIRED" message will be displayed.

I used Mobil 1 0w-30 for my last oil change, and the engine is running very smoothly. I use Motorcraft filters, or Purolator Pure One filters (depending on which left on the shelf, and the price).
 
For the last couple of years I have used the Fram filter. Always have changed oil in every vehicle at 3000 miles. Now I use the high mileage oil with a high mileage filter too. My 94 uses very little oil. Gary in Elmira, NY.
 
JMiles_T said:
From the factory manual:

To calculate the percentage of oil life, the oil life feature uses:

oil temperature sensor input.
tachometer input from the powertrain control module (ICM).
vehicle speed sensor (VSS) input.
clock time.
The oil life will decrease from 100 percent to 0 percent in no more than 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or 6 months. It will reach zero percent sooner under different driving conditions.
The percentage of oil life left is the second display in the system check sequence.
When oil life left is between five percent and zero percent, the "CHANGE OIL SOON" message will be displayed.
When oil life left reaches zero percent, the "OIL CHANGE REQUIRED" message will be displayed.

I used Mobil 1 0w-30 for my last oil change, and the engine is running very smoothly. I use Motorcraft filters, or Purolator Pure One filters (depending on which left on the shelf, and the price).
Click to expand...

wow I didn't know it took all that info to find out your next oil change. I thought it was just based on miles.
 
I think it was cold starts that have the biggest impact on oil milage. So if you have a VERY short commute, it may want a change often. I found that to be true when I lived 2 miles from work.
 
ive been told by a lincoln/mercedes mechanic.. and a few other performance shops that since i drive mine less than 1500 miles per year that i should change every 6 months...mid fall and mid spring... as long as the oil still looks new i need not change any sooner.. and that the 3k or 5 k is a guestimate on your driving habit..





and from what i hear Amsoil is the best..
 
unity said:
I use Mobile One synthetic so when the car complains, I reset it and do it the next time.

Either way, I recommend doing it when the car says so. It is a pretty good judge of when the oil needs changing.

As for filter, again, only Mobil 1 filters.
Click to expand...

I do the same (every other reset of the oil indicator) with Mobil 1 synthetic 5W30 and a Ford 820S filter. I store the car in the winter and still change it 2x a year and don't put much mileage at all on it (maybe 6-7k a year), so it does take into account how you drive it :gr_devil:
 
I use Mobil 1 with a WIX filter. I wait for the computer to tell me when to change it, usually right around 6-7k miles is when it comes on.

I drive 100 miles a day in my Mark as it is my daily driver, even when I do change the oil it still looks new. I guess it can all be chalked up to a matter of preference because I make sure to change the oil on my minivan every 3000 miles, but then again, it's a Chrysler and needs lots of care to keep it running somewhat properly.
 
Do a internet search on oil filter comparisons, FRAM was the worst in the comparison. The guy shows filters after use being cut in half, and what they look like. The FRAM has cardboard in it that literally falls apart. I try to use K&N oil filters, they have a great rating. I change mine by the cars computer. I use either Pennzoil or Castrol 5W-30wt. Get anywhere from 26 to 27 MPH on the freeway.
 
I use motorcraft filters and mobil 5w20 oil, every 4-5000.

I also live 3 miles or so from work so maybe i should change it sooner but i dont drive much really.

Fram sucks, they are living off the name they had 30 years ago.
 
How come you guys are running such a light weight oil? Any benefits?

I've only got 58,000 on mine and sometimes it seems like it could idle/run a little smoother.

All the maintence is up to par.
 
I'm running 5w20 because that is what Ford now specifies, and I noticed a slight improvement in gas mileage in my other mod motor vehicles when I made the switch.
 
Yep, Ford released a TSB stating that 5w20 was to be used in all mod motors. Came out a few years ago.

I have only ever heard of/seen four in-service oil filter failures. Want to guess what kind of filter it was, all four times? Twice, the casing literally split open like a watermelon. Once, the filter element dissolved (in a 6.0 Powerstroke - tried to lift it out of there and only got half the filter!). And once, the filter element collapsed on itself creating a barrier so oil could not pass through it.
 
luxuryrules said:
Yep, Ford released a TSB stating that 5w20 was to be used in all mod motors. Came out a few years ago.

I have only ever heard of/seen four in-service oil filter failures. Want to guess what kind of filter it was, all four times? Twice, the casing literally split open like a watermelon. Once, the filter element dissolved (in a 6.0 Powerstroke - tried to lift it out of there and only got half the filter!). And once, the filter element collapsed on itself creating a barrier so oil could not pass through it.
Click to expand...

FRAM
 
I get mine changed at the service station every 3k miles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 172 (members: 0, guests: 172)
Back
Top