The 3000 mile oil change myth

The problem is actually in the fact that so many of the N.American oils are garbage. In the past I've used some oils where after a day it looked like dirty sludge. If we had modern quality standards the oil industry as a whole could promote the fact that their oil will last longer.

 

...in germany the intervall of oil change for a Prius is (set by Toyota) 15.000km = 9321 miles...

thats 3x more...

but we use oil with higher durabilty capacitation....

VW use a high performance oil that keeps be (set by VW) 30.000km in Engine = 18.640 miles

Andreas

 

I've had demonstrably good luck (Blackstone labs tests on the old oil check out good) with using Mobil 1 5w-30 Extended Performance and the Purolator PureOne PL20195 filter running 10,000 miles.

I've posted lab results elsewhere in Priuschat - look around.

I especially like the filter because it's about 2 times as large as the OEM filter and gets the smaller stuff (I forget what the micron rating on it is). Because it's a bigger filter, I'm not concerned about it possibly getting clogged and going into bypass mode.

 

Andreas

You are entirely correct. Not only is each auto maker (VW, Mercedes, Iveco, MAN, Opel, etc) allowed to set their own standards, but the ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles) sets standards far exceeding the North American API/ILSAC

A lot of North American drivers flatly refuse to believe a car can have a 24 month / 50,000 km oil change interval. The VW gas motors have 30,000 km, the diesel motors up to 50,000 km

jay

 

My recent reading on Bio-Diesel has led me to believe used oil can be converted into Bio-Diesel (BD). Small scale, BD is usually made from waste vegetable oil (WVO), and I'm hearing now that WVO can cost as much at $1.40 per gallon in California.

So, instead of just dumping used oil into recycling, perhaps we'll be able to sell it someday. Even with no money back, it would at least be nice to know that used oil can be recycled into fuel.

 

I re-filter my used mobil-1 and burn it in the furnace.
.
_H*

 

Yeah, I've heard of that. I presume the ratio of used oil to heating oil is small ? What do you use to filter ? No problems or anything noticed ?


The 3000 mile myth is IMO perpetuated by places including dealers that want your oil change money. They are happy to scare you into changing more often with stories about warranty invalidation and added breakdowns and such.

Anyway, my point on this thread is that changing your oil more often doesn't necessarily mean all the money/oil is just wasted. It CAN be profitably re-cycled to get a partial refund for the oil cost.

Anyway, yes 3000 mile oil changes are silly in most cases (except "severe service" perhaps) IMO, at least with a good quality oil, or moreso a good synthetic.

I've often gone over 12 months as 12000 miles with Mobil 1 in my previous 3 cars for the past 20+ years with never any indication of any resulting problems.


But for the Prius I will use Mobil1 0w20, change per Toyota specs (at least under warranty), and perhaps I will recycle the used oil into the oil furnace.

 

You sure that's not the oil's detergent package performing its intended function on a dirty engine?

 

It's very possible that it could have been the detergent package, the example I am using is actually from changing oil on my mom's' Saab about 10 years ago. At the time I believe her engine had approx. 50,000 miles and she picked up A box of Quaker Sludge for me to use because it was on sale.

 

I used to work in a Sunoco dealer training station when I was younger. Sun oils would go 5000 miles in an engine and still be cleaner than some others. We know that by taking off the valve covers and actually seeing the clean insides. The worst was Pennzoil by far. A real sludge mud even after 3000 miles.

 

I live in Minnesota and my dealer told me that because of the harsh climate here that Toyota recomends a 3000 mile oil change interval. I looked for this in the manual and could find nothing of the sort. Is there any evidence that a cold winter will require a more frequent change of oil? My guess is that it is BS and a ploy to sell more oil changes, of which they will sell none to me. Currently I have 4100 miles on a 2008, and planning to switch to Mobile 1 Synthetic at 5000 miles.

 

The dealer is mistaken or lying. Carry on with your plan.

 

As stated in the Scheduled Maintenance Guide, there are two special conditions when the oil and filter should be changed sooner than specified mileage interval:

If six months elapses first (always my case, usually with only 2K-3K miles), and driving primarily on dirt or dusty roads. Then the service should be performed regardless of mileage.

 

Actually, for a long time now it has been normal practise to reburn used oil in very large industrial motors, such as those made by Nordberg, Wartsila, and Waukesha diesels.

Some highway motors allow used oil to be burned. I don't think that applies to the newest EPA certified motors with DPF, as it seems to me the metallic additives in the used oil would bugger the DPF

Cummins has a system called Centinel that provides a metered amount of oil from the crankcase into the fuel tank. A fresh oil makeup tank adds the same amount of oil back to the motor.

https://quickserve.cummins.com/info/qsol/products/newparts/centinel.html

Very impressive specs: oil change intervals approaching 900,000 km, filter changes approaching 120,000 km

 

H

There are industrial/shop heaters that actually run on used oil: engine, gear, transmission, etc. The better furnaces will adjust to the type of oil being burned, so you don't go from sickly yellow combustion flames to a monster blowtorch effect. I'm familiar with the Reznor ones

Reznor - Waste Oil Heaters & Boilers - Products

Of course, when burned the used oil will introduce heavy metals into the atmosphere. As a result, in the southern area of Ontario, it is generally forbidden to burn used motor oil for heating.

I suppose it's the lesser of two evils: do you burn it or take a chance it will be dumped in a landfill - purposely or by accident - and enter potable water streams

 

California has a program to promote the use of rerefined oil (recycled used oil). Some Sacramento County vehicles have stickers on them to advertise that they use rerefined oil.

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/USEDOIL/Rerefined/

 

The dealer has a point, to flush moisture and fuel from cold running engines, especially with cold weather short trip driving. As "covers all" advice, it isn't bad. I would follow it. It is old school auto textbook advice. Colder weather =longer warmup and more moisture etc., pretty basic. I am going to 5K changes on standard Mobil 1. I would go less with standard oil, even here in Calif., as I do a lot of cold start short trips. I have noticed, even here after a good drive, my oil is not that hot when changing, not good. If someone else does different with their investment, that's also fine.