Oil change frequency

[nick]

Years ago I always changed oil and filter on my daily drivers every 3 months since I was driving less than 1,000 miles per month. Later I changed to Mobile 1 synthetic and bumped it to to once every 6 months.

Now I have these two wedges that probably don't get a combined 2000 miles per year. I know that mileage is not the only factor to consider but it does seem like with that amount of use I could get by with a change per year.

What's your oil change interval? What is your filter change interval?



[img][IMG]http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt234/nickmi/TR7%201975/Yellow.jpg[/img]
nick
'79 TR7 DHC
'76 TR7 FHC

[Neil_W]

My car does little mileage a year - approx 500 miles.
I use 20/50w oil which is cheap & change it every year.
Filter is usually changed every year too but in 12 mths this year it has done 10 miles so will just change the oil.

As a Marine Engineer & dealing with an engine which has a oil in the sump of 18,000 ltr condition is paramount. Biggest harm to an engine is acid which in turn makes sludge.

Regular oil changes earlier than later is the best way forward.

[silverseven]

I'm also doing very low kilometres , easily less than 2000 per season since the last five or so years..
I do one oil change per year in the spring after pulling the car from storage.

On a normally driven car I 'll change the oil between 5000 on dino oil to 8000km on semi-synths like in my GM's

Ron.

[Hasbeen]

I have always changed the oil, & filter in my 7 every 3000Km. This would be after a flush, & a quick change when first buying them. At this rate you slowly remove all the crud that has built up in the things. That was up to 3 times a year, when a 7 was my only driver.

I reckon that oil & filters are the cheapest maintenance there is, particularly with an aging engine.

After an initial change when bought, I change the gearbox at 3 years, & the diff at 5 years, so the box at about 24,000Km, & the diff at 40,000Km.

I always run STP in the engine at the recommended rate, never in a synchro gearbox, & at 20% in the diff.

Hasbeen

[john 215]

Hi

I change mine once a year. Short journeys can lead to oil dilution from un-burnt fuel so low mileage does nec. mean you can skip changing it.

Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty Now with an overdrive conversion

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6, BUILT NOT BROUGHT !!!!

[FI Spyder]

I've always changed oil and filter in my cars every 3 months when I used them on a daily basis for going to and using them for work. With the TR7 using it two or three times a week in the summer and putting an average of 2,000 miles per year I change it and filter in the fall. I do it in the fall so it's not sitting over the winter with old oil in it letting the sludge settle out and containing acids etc that might attack metal (don't know if that's a fact but it's my theory and I'm sticking to it). There would be little/no condensation as it's parked in a dry garage where temp is consistent and never below freezing.

I also fill the tank on last drive (with gas stabilizer) so there is no condensation on the tank.



- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

[Odd]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> With the TR7 using it two or three times a week in the summer and putting an average of 2,000 miles per year I change it and filter in the fall. I do it in the fall so it's not sitting over the winter with old oil in it letting the sludge settle out and containing acids etc that might attack metal (don't know if that's a fact but it's my theory and I'm sticking to it). There would be little/no condensation as it's parked in a dry garage where temp is consistent and never below freezing.

I also fill the tank on last drive so there is no condensation on the tank. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Exactly my habit as well:
In the '8 I change the oil (fully synthetic 10W40) and filter late September each year. Every even year I also change the gearbox fluid (Pennzoil manual transmission fluid - of course!). Average annual mileage around 5200km (3230miles).

In the daily driver (2012 Passat 170hp TDI 6sp DSG) it's all done when the computer tells us "It's service time!"
- entirely dependent on driving habits and surrounding environment... Usually after something like 30,000+ km.

<font color="red"><b>My two 1980 Wedges...</b></font id="red">

[bonnietiler]

I just changed the oil in mine 20/50 full synthetic....shan't be changing it any time soon...unless my finances take a turn for the better...NOT cheap that stuff!