When to change your synthetic Oil

JJhirsch

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I use SYN-POWER Valvoline full synthetic oil 10w 30 and a good FRAM filter.

For the people who run synthetic oil how many miles do you do until you change it? I have been doing my car every 3000 but i keep hearing that 5000-7500 miles is just fine?

How many miles/Months do you wait and when you store your car what do you do? keep the old oil in it or put new stuff in just for the winter and change in the spring?


Thanks JJ
 

OnyxCobra

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These are always fun threads. First of all you may want to consider using a different filter, Fram are full of cardboard and supposed to be garbage.

I don't change the oil in my Mustang much at all but I don't drive it all that much either. I don't normally change my oil before winter but if I did I wouldn't change it again in the spring, i find that incredibly wasteful and unnecessary.

In my daily driver I change my synthetic every 7000 miles or so, some people go even longer.
 

Shifty Powers

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Im a 4v so lets see. I change my oil every 3000 miles or less actually. From now on it will be about every 3000. Can oil, specially full syn last longer? Yep. Specially by todays standards. The thing that counts is truely to not only use a good oil. But it depends on the manufacturers recommendations at the time.

My last oil change was with Valvoline Full-Syn as well. 7qts of 5w-20. Cost me $0.00. lol.. Dont ask.. Either way I get the crap cheap as hell since they are a main distributer for my company(Goodyear).

I do go about 5k before a change in my 04 Mountaineer and I use a Syn-Blend in that.
 

JRad405

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Every 4k for me, but I stopped caring so now I go 6k and it still comes out nicely. Or I change it every 3 months. Whatever comes first for me.
 

KillNThrill24

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i too have heard that Fram is a crap filter, for the very same reason, the cardboard.

myself, im a Mobil 1 full syn fan. i go about every 5k, then again iv only changed it once on my stang (only had it 5k lol) but my grand am was and is run on Mobil 1 full syn and changed every 5k and its turning onto 190k which means its time for a change. i like to keep it on the every 5k mark so it makes it easier for me to remember when to change it.

IMO i think its pretty much all a matter of an opinion. i could very well be wrong, but my guess is as long as you change it by 7k at the latest, its completely up to you as to when or how often you change it.
 

RichV

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I've had no issues with Fram, Wix or NAPA are supposedly better filters. Either case, 5K minimum for me for the drivers, up to 7K. I think higher reving cars need changed earlier, and obviously how they are driven. My race car gets done every 3-4 race weekends, probably 1000 miles. I use Valvoline VR1 synthetic blend, took the main/rod bearings out for inspection in a 2.5 year race motor, I'd re-use them, that's how clean they are.
 
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I always use a royal purple filter. If you want to know about your oil. Check out black stone labs for oil analysis if you want to know what's really happening with your oil!!
 

Tony

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ultra synthetic, i start checking it after a few thousand or so to see how clean it looks and if it feels slick and thick. thin watery dirty oil needs changed. i can go for several thousand miles past 3k tbh. wasting $$ on oil every 3k imo if its full synthetic...
 

justi88

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I use shell 10-40 shell synthetic oil and have used the fram filters for years with no problems. I change mine every 3k cause i live in a very dusty area.
 

JerZeyStangz

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I use Amsoil 5w30 in the mustang. Its been off daily driver duty since 2 years ago since I got my Audi. I use a Motorcraft filter, Mobil, or Amsoil Filter. But since the Mobil, Amsoil filters are really expensive. I just use the Motorcraft filter because its well built and price friendly.
 

Musturd

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I use wix or K&N oil filters on my turds because of a fram failure. I don't think there garbage I used them forever and only had one problem.
 

KillNThrill24

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Musturd - i would do the same if K&N would bring there price down a little lol. i too used Fram for a long time but after recent articles and uprising about the cardboard and failures i figured id just prevent the problem before it arises, should it arise rather. i go for the Motorcraft's for the most part. i look at it like you cant go wrong with Motorcraft if your looking for a stock replacement.

i think Bosch is good too, i think, and theyre frequently on sale at Autozone

ttocs where do you buy royal purple? i swear the local places dont carry them..
 

modo

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framda

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Fram filters have had a bad reputation (well deserved) for decades, they always were crap. Before synthetic oils became widely available I used Valvoline and a Motorcraft Filter. Once Synthetic came into play I have used Mobil 1 and now a Mobil 1 filter. Haven't had a problem in over 30yrs. I changed the organic every 3,000 miles and the synthetic gets changed at app. 5000 miles depending on the use.
 

ttocs

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ttocs where do you buy royal purple? i swear the local places dont carry them..

vatozone had it. I will probably pay the premium for it from now on. I have spent enough money on the damn thing already so minus well be sure its running right with the best oil?! I was serious that I actually thought it ran smoother after. Probably just a placebo after paying the premium for it but I am fine with that.
 

DropTopPony

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You don't have to change your Synthetic until 7500-10k.

Regular oil isn't even suggested to be changed until 5k.

My Mustang I use Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 filter and change @ 7500 or 1 year and the 1 year always comes first.

My Sienna also uses Synthetic and Toyota suggests 10,000 miles between oil changes. I will get my first one this weekend.

If you change your oil @ 3000 miles and use Synthetic you are probably wasting money.
 

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