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How often should you change your oil?

Black02Silverado

By Black02Silverado
in The Off-Topic Bar

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SilveradoWV Senior Enthusiast

SilveradoWV

Posted
Posted
I change mine every 3000 miles give or take a few hundred in either direction (just depends on when I get the time and such), but I use conventional Castrol GTX. A guy I know doesnt change oil, or check it even; he just goes by the oil pressure gauge as to when to add oil. No matter what vehicle he is in, you can pull the dipstick and it will be dry. He has a lot of problems to say the least, and the engines have problems too. Not sure why he does this to perfectly good vehicles. He just bought a '95 2500 4x4 diesel not long ago (really nice looking truck) and my buddy pulled the dipstick  on this guys truck the other day and it had nothing on it, so I dont expect this one to last very long either its a shame really!
95whtZR2 Enthusiast

95whtZR2

Posted
Posted

My ag mechanics prof was telling our engines class about this friend of his from several years ago had a theory that changing your oil was a conspiracy by the oil companies. My prof said that he asked his friend to show him some evidence to back his theory, so he took him over to his truck, pulled the dipstick, my prof said the oil was jet black, and his buddy said here put some on your fingers and rub them together. the guy said it's slick ain't it... Needless to say my prof was laughing really hard while telling this story.

 

 

I change mine 3000 miles give or take a few...

 

Tom

TROYROBO Senior Enthusiast

TROYROBO

Posted
Posted
i let the truck computer tell me----so far it's been around 5000---to 6000  miles between changes----might as well let the truck keep up with it---no problems so far :thumb:  :thumb:
Shadowfax Enthusiast

Shadowfax

Posted
Posted
In my old truck, I changed it every 3000 miles religously. My new 03 S-10 the manual says every 3k for stop and go, and 5k for highway. Being that all of my commute is interstate and highway I've been doing 4500-5k between changes. However very first change I did after 3000 miles to check it out.
CMNTMXR81 Senior Enthusiast

CMNTMXR81

Posted
Posted

Sh*t, you guys go way too long!  :crazy:  

 

I do mine every 2,000 - 2,500.

 

Yea, conspiracy by the oil companies...LOL!

 

With your Professor's, friend's, engine that probably lasted less than 100k and needed either a rebuild or a crate motor, did your Professor tell him, it's all a conspiracy to get you to buy new motors every 100,000 miles too!  :seeya:  :owned:

MarkD Senior Enthusiast

MarkD

Posted
Posted

5000 miles.

 

Sidebar:

 

I knew a lady (music minister at my church when I was a lad)  That bought a new Mazda pickup.  She blew her motor at 47,000 miles.  When asked what oil she was using and how often she changed it, she replied..."You're supposed to change the oil?"

Z71GUY Enthusiast

Z71GUY

Posted
Posted

I change mine 4000-5000 as well (using Mobil 1).  I would go longer, but I dont drive my truck much (use company van) so by the time I have 5000 miles, its been a few months or so.  I dont buy into that 3000 miles oil change.  Over in Europe they run their cars from 8000 up to 15000 between oil changes.  This is clearly stated in the owners manual.  They seem to get just as much engine life out of their cars too..... Hmmmm... something doesnt add up.

 

Side note.  My company van is maintained by GE maintenance.  The oil change is every 6000 miles.  I currently have 145,000 miles on it without one problem.  Let me tell you, when I get the oil change, they are using the low grade dino oil as well.  BTW the van is a 99 GMC Safari w/ 4.3

 

Eric

varmint2506 Enthusiast

varmint2506

Posted
Posted

Sh*t, you guys go way too long!  :seeya:  

 

I do mine every 2,000 - 2,500.

 

Yea, conspiracy by the oil companies...LOL!

Well I have to agree with the 5 to 6 thousand mile change for normal driving. My '89 has 279,000 on a stock lower end and still runs good. Starting to see some smoke when she comes down from full throttle but nothing major.

 

:crazy:

varmint2506 Enthusiast

varmint2506

Posted
Posted
What type of oil do GM dealers use when they do an oil change?

All the local GM shops (Richmond and surrounding) use Mobil 1 for synthetic and Pennzoil for regular.

CMNTMXR81 Senior Enthusiast

CMNTMXR81

Posted
Posted
Sh*t, you guys go way too long!  :D  

 

I do mine every 2,000 - 2,500.

 

Yea, conspiracy by the oil companies...LOL!

Well I have to agree with the 5 to 6 thousand mile change for normal driving. My '89 has 279,000 on a stock lower end and still runs good. Starting to see some smoke when she comes down from full throttle but nothing major.

 

:flag:

And my 83 S-10 Blazer 4x4 with a 2.0L 4 cyl (yea, that's right, 4 cyl) that you had to redline to simply move the f-ing thing got 425,000 miles out of it before it ovaled out the mains on a trip home from Wisconsin.

 

That was following 2 - 2.5K mile intervals.  :)

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