What do you think about an annual oil change interval? I know the manual has a general maintenance schedule, so if I need that information, I know where to find it. I'm late on my oil change, so now I have 13 months and 10,900 miles on the oil. I changed it today, and retained a sample which I will send in to have analyzed. I'll post the analysis when I receive it back. My driving is normal, with no special operating conditions. I expect it will test out fine, mostly because there are seven quarts of quality oil.

 

My truck starts talking to me after 5k on the oil. That's past the limit if you ask me. I try to hit my 3k mark.. even though I'm sure the oil has some quality life left still, it don't bother the pockets to change it. I don't see any other reason to go any further than that for me. Even if your analysis comes back with good results... I'll still continue to change every 3-5k. What oil are you using? And how many miles on your truck.

 

I go 5k max. its about $20 to buy the stuff to change it at walmart and it takes me 20 minutes max. My mach I gets changed once a year in the spring when I bring it out of storage. I'm luck if I put 3000 miles on it in a year. Most years probably it sees 2000..

 

I put MC 5w20 in it today, but that oil change was done by the local oil change shop that uses Pennzoil 5w20. The truck is a 2008 with 23,000 miles. The miles are low because I don't drive it every day. We alternate every other day between my truck and my wife's SUV. In the summer she rides a bike to work, and I work from home a lot. In the winter we try to use the vehicle with the warmest engine. Today we ran around with my truck all day, and her SUV was not started.

I'm already doing annual oil changes on my garden tractor after oil analysis showed my oil was still fine, and I could run longer. It is the perfect interval time.

 

As long as your comfortable with it and all. I just like having fresh oil. Especially in the summer I think thats the most important time when its hot. If your going to go with an extended change time I think its a good idea to time it so your changing the oil around May. So its fresh when its hot.
If I were going annual I'd go fully synthetic myself. My Mach i is getting Amsoil this year just ordered it. I'm changing my trucks transmission over to Amsoil to.

 

With the amount of miles you are putting on per year, I'm sure your 1 year change interval is just fine. Many experts will explain, with the right oil, driving conditions, temperature variances and proper filters... you can see 20k change intervals. But like jethat said, 20-30 dollars a change is a cheap price to pay for reassurance. Why take the risk, that one time it picks up some contaminates or your filter fails and you continue to run it.

 

I'm comfortable with oil analysis, and if it shows I'm dumping good oil down the drain after one year, then I'll have that science to give me comfort. I'm also confident in this 5w20 syn blend. I know annual interval is not for every one, but if it works for my garden tractor, then what kind of driving conditions does it take for a truck to match those operating conditions? The truck has 7 quarts or oil to work with, that has to add something to the oil's endurance. I want to know the answer, I'm intrigued by the question. Playing it safe with short oil change intervals for cheap insurance, and paying extra for reassurance is something I've done before.

 

If it's synthetic, I don't think there's any problem with, but if it's dino oil, any dino oil, even if the oil analysis comes back OK, is it worth it to run oil beyond what ANY refiner would call safe distance for a change. I would get VERY nervous thinking that I might have been careless enough to run the oil when it's lubricating quality was gone. 13 mo. and 11,000 miles IS beyond safe without GAMBLING. $20. for an oil and filter change, or $7,000. for a "Reman'd' engine. Which makes more sense?

Add: doesn't an oil analysis cost about the same as a filter and 7 qts. of good dino oil? I'd vote for the extra change any day!

 

10,000 miles regardless of time here...although it works out close to annually anyways. That's on Amsoil though. I would not stretch MC oil or filter out that long. I could go on about how much of a waste 3,000 mile oil changes are on a modular motor (it's not even piece of mind)...but won't. Oil is worse than religion. You do what makes you comfortable.

Oh yea...and thank you for doing an oil analysis and making an educated decision. Most of the comments you get on oil around here are from guys that have never done one and therefore are just rattling on about nothing...make your own conclusion about how much weight their comments carry.

 

MGD

 

It's a synthetic blend that may measure up well against any synthetic. You make a good point that analysis cost the same as an oil change, but do you think I need to do this test every year? I don't see any reason for my driving habits to change anytime soon. 11,000 miles is 46% more than 7500 miles. If dino oil can go 7500 miles with a high level of assurance, then I would think a good synthetic blend can endure another 46% with some level of assurance. Without oil analysis I would be guessing and gambling, but one quick test will answer the question.

 

10,000 miles is an average year for me.

 

4000 miles is an average year for me and I try to change my oil at least one time a year in the summer.

Phil

 

I would say two to three analysis is the best way to do it. Do three in a row with the same oil, same change intervals. This will help you establish any trends and rule out a fluke analysis. Then you could call it good and press on with peace of mind.

 

I do have two kits, if this goes well, then I could repeat it next year.