Bill Roberts

I have been an avid fan of changing the oil when it starts to change color. Light colored oil stays light for about 1000 miles then starts turning tan to eventually black (the horror). I do not let my oil get black and I like Exxon 10W30. I also like Chevron 10W30.

I change whenever I see the color changing...so I have nothing dark inside my engine. The inside is still very new looking..and I intend on it staying that way...and this is an N/A car..not getting oil to the exhaust temps of a turbo car.

So with this in mind...some observations:

My old Toyota would go 3000+ miles on clear oil.
My Mazda would go around 5000 on clear oil until it got to around 300K and then it would tarnish the oil at 900 miles.

My New Vette (94 ZR-1) would "black" the oil in 300 miles. It required Mobil Synthetic 0W30 per the manual. I got sick of spending 30 bucks every 300 miles.

Look at this..is this disinformation?

http://www.motor-oil-bible.com/index-test-HSW.html

Black oil smells burned, clogs up the cars arteries and is poor lubercation since it is mixed with fuel and other contaminants. It smells bad and the new oil going in does not have this smell.

So...based on my over 1 million miles of driving cars and changing oil like I do...What is your thoughts about the color of oil for change VS how clean and nice the inside of your engine is?

Point is....When do you change oil and why?

DuffMan

My oil used to change black pretty quick way before 3000 miles. This was using synthetic. Recently I flushed it with amsoil engine flush and used a non-synth and it actually stayed non-black for about 3000 miles. Still probably wont change it until 5000-7000 miles though.

Bill Roberts

Very cool...Good to know a motor flush that actually works. I was scared to use one fearing the seals would come apart on mine...but it was "pretty clean" when I got it...but really clean now from what I can tell.

I have a sevice center next door to my work and go over there and BS with them during soda breaks. IO have seen 30K mile Cadillacs with sludge yoyu would have to scrape off the inside of the engine...and routine maintance was performed by the book.

I wonder if paying the 9.80 to d load that oil bible is worth a snitt or that I know enopugh already?

Hey, I want to do the best thing...if changing my oil when it turns color is the way I have been doing it for years..I want to know if other options are worthy.

I do not mind doing it whenever it turns color...but you must admit..when oil gets black..it is not doing as good as it does when clear...because it is contaminated with either metal particles, fuel mix or something else like heat breakdown.

I just want to gather as much WORTHY info as I can about this....as it stays with you as long as you frive and own cars..

DuffMan

Theres definitely a connection between color and oil qualit. However I think the oil (especially synths) can hold a certain amount of particles in suspension without degrading their ability to lubricate. The point where it becomes too contaminated is probably something that only an oil analysis can tell, but changing it when it goes black sounds like a good idea, erring on the side of caution.

twitchy

I change it at 3000 miles like the owners manual says. The owners manual also says not to add anything but motor oil to the engine... The engine flush might be a good idea to some, but I was told it could wreak havoc with the internals

no If I changed the oil every time I waxed my car, it would be once a week or more....no need for that...but at least it looks like the attached pic

Quaker State all the way!

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West

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zero.counter

High Mileage Castrol GTX, every 2,000 miles. Sounds weird, but has worked for the last ten years for me (other cars plus this one). Very clean engine. The oil blacked at around 2000+ plus miles, which is another reason I change early.

ca18guy

Change mine every month, I'd be lucky to put 1000 miles on my car in a month (i'd guess 750 miles a month) and of course if I take a long road trip it gets changed right when I get home. It's so easy to change oil why not do it as often as possible

BeatJunky

I havent had this car long enough to know its oil behavior. Since purchase date, I've done two oil changes.

First Time: Changed Filter and refilled with Mobil Drive Clean 10w30. A week later the oil disappeared to nowhere. My car was very loud so I checked the dipstick and nothing was present. At least anywhere visible as there were no leaks.

Second Time: Ran engine flush. Changed Filter and refilled with Mobil Drive Clean 20w50 to see if the oils viscosity had anything to do with it disappearing. It's been 4 weeks and about 1,500 miles and I lost only about a quarts worth halfway thru. I keep it full. However, the oil got dark quickly but I know it's mixing with fuel. It smells like fuel.

Would this have anything to do with injectors or valves? gaskets at all?

I would appreciate tips on what I should try my next oil change. I'll be doing it next week sometime.

-Omar

BeatJunky

Could the oil be turning dark quickly because Mobil Drive Clean is "cleaning" the internals or should I be more concerned about the possible fuel mixtures?

-Omar

whateverjames

Every 4,000 since the KA leaked/burned so much oil.
Every 4,000 with synthetic on the SR, when it gets running.
Every 4,000 - 5,000 with synthetic on my Blazer if I do more highway travelling.

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97DubTruck

I hear you on that. Preventative maintenance always is a better idea than mods. It does add up though.

Ghettokracker71

yeah but not changing it soon enough can also add up alot worse ! I change it at 3,000mis.,I geuss you could say I am a stickler for well maintained cars.

chohdog

It depends on where you're driving too...
Most mineral oils are ver well engineered these days, and can provide you with protection through 80 or so % of what you ask of your motor. there's tons of guys who auto X and run track days, or drift, and run regular mineral valvoline, castrol, whatever.

However if you see lots of track days, or expose your car to lots of heat, then synthetics are great. But if you're motor is old and really tired, maybe not the best bet since the seals and gaskets are probably brittle and close to deteriorating.

I don't know if you need to change it as soon as the oil turns "dark" so to speak, but have a regular change interval (especially if you drive in motorsport events.) 3000-4000 sounds about right for daily driving. Remember to use a good filter though! they help out a lot too!

Chernobyl

last time i went about 7000 miles of daily driving with one drift event, an autox, and some really hard driving thrown in there. Valvoline syn-power... Let's just say it was black as all hell when that oil came out.

I change it when I'm not lazy and i remember that my car needs it...

nismo2491

I do it every 500 miles more or less, do it the 4th sunday of every month or close to that. its a fully built engine so.... and very rarely sees street driving. I always use Castrol Synthetic Blend 5w30 as per my engine builder.
KEvin

ONYX S-13

Every 3k miles.....Lube it or lose it !

rps13sh

3000 miles or when dirty. whichever comes first.

balmo

3000 miles or less for daily commuting
chaninge oil befoe and after a whole day of track event.

bigJ86

every 2000 miles....just because.

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9524tee

i do mine at 3500 , the oil i use "motul" seems to last awhile without any problems at all , and it doesnt turn black as quick as most oils ive used in the past .

Maeda

I always change it if its
a) blackened
b) been 3k miles

Mobil1 10w30 synthetic
Even KA-T my car doesn't really blacken the oil until 3k miles...

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-=S14=-

If your lucky you might have a leaky injector, Replace your injector O rings and see what happens. If that doesnt help you might have a fcuked ring(s). I am in the same boat as you, but I just went ahead and bought SR #2.

Ryan

AutoRnD

hahaha.. i got you all beat.. i don't have a working speedo or odometer.. but i change my oil about once every 6-7 months.. and that is with driftin harsh and doing highspeed runs and auto-x... and my oil is black.. eh.. the last motor i did like that lasted approx 300k miles..

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sykikchimp

I aim for 3000 miles, but I don't put a lot of miles on my car, and I always put fresh oil in before track events.. So I rarely make it to 3000. I use Amsoil 0w30, and it is suppose to last 25,000 miles or 1 year b/w changes with normal street driving. I figure peice of mind is worth the extra money.

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AKADriver

My Mazda gets oil changes every 5000 miles as per the owner's manual's "severe driving" recommendation. In theory it could go 10,000, since I don't drive it "severely" that often, but eh, for 20 bucks twice a year I'll spring for it. Besides, I just use whatever API SL conventional oil's on sale that week.

My 240SXs get oil changes... when they need them. Basically, if the oil looks good, and it hasn't been at least 6 months, or 5000 street miles, or a couple track events, it's good to go.

Ritz S14

3500 miles. Oil and oil filter. Thinking of running Mobile 1 for the first time though.

XxJaPxOxNeEs23xX

iv noticed that when my friend used cheap oil from like jeffy lube or watever, the oil stays clean forever. but when you use expensive oil like mobil one, it becomes dark real soon. i think the cheap oil doesnt do crap, it doesn clean anything.

nightwalker

I've always used Mobil 1 in all my cars. It's the best you can get without spending 10 bucks a quart for Royal Purple. Mobil 1 is great for anti-wear, provides great protection against high heat, and doesn't break down as fast.

One thing you can do to help your oil from turning into dark inefficient sludge is to make sure your PCV valve is working correctly so that less combustion blow by is contaminating your engine oil.

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Phlip

Religiously, to the point where there is usually no less than 2 complete oil changes in my shed.

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