How long between Oil Changes?

So I've been using Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic and am getting ready to do another oil change (after ~6,000 miles). Per the ad on the oil cartons, I can go 15,000 miles between oil changes, but that seems like too long to me. What do you all typically do? I'm also going to try the Mobil 1 Oil Filter this time (currently have a Mopar filter since the Fram one I had kept giving me dry-start sounds).

Thanks in advance,
Art

I use full synthetic and still do it every 3K.

Overkill? maybe.

Mobile 1 synthetic, change oil and filter every 6,000 but I change out the filter at 3,000, also. So filter every 3,000 and filter/oil every 6,000

Uup4it wrote:

Mobile 1 synthetic, change oil and filter every 6,000 but I change out the filter at 3,000, also. So filter every 3,000 and filter/oil every 6,000

Yup.

I use BG synthetic and I do the same; filter 3000, oil 6000

I do oil changes every 7500 miles on full synthetic.
Company I work for does this on their fleet of over 300 half ton trucks and have never had any damage to any of there engines since they've been doing this in 30 years.
They use dino oil on their vehicles, not synthetic.

Oil's and filters have come a long way over the last decade.

The manual in my Cayenne mentions to do oil changes every 20K miles. I think that is too long and I do this every 10K.

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I'll stick to my 6k mile routine.

Now since I just changed the oil, I'm going to change the air filter too. Do most of you run the Mopar air filter? I used to run K&N in my other vehicles but then when I was reading on JKF a while back about going to a K&N, a bunch of people didn't recommend it. Their reasoning is "if it let's more air flow through, just think how much more dirt and water will also get through"...what say you experts?!?

JK4AER wrote:

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I'll stick to my 6k mile routine.

Now since I just changed the oil, I'm going to change the air filter too. Do most of you run the Mopar air filter? I used to run K&N in my other vehicles but then when I was reading on JKF a while back about going to a K&N, a bunch of people didn't recommend it. Their reasoning is "if it let's more air flow through, just think how much more dirt and water will also get through"...you say you experts?!?

K&N, oh that reminds me, I need to clean/oil it, thanks for the reminder.

The easiest method for scheduling your oil changes is every 5,000 miles with the odometer. 5/10/15/etc.

I typically change my oil when my motor starts knocking and my guages go crazy .. Then I dont have as much oil to bury as far as the air filtration I use a sock.. It has to be a "Haynes" otherwise your air conditioner will smell like feet ..

Lol.. Naw I'm just messin around...

I change my oil everytime I suck water in my airbox

Hell I'm going on 8000 miles!!

texas-kid wrote:

Hell I'm going on 8000 miles!!

sounds about right. I think I change mine about 3 times a year.

I also change the air in my tires everytime I wheel...

I got 3 years/36000 miles of free oil changes when I bought my rig, so I'm doing that every 3000 right now. Once that free ride is done around October I'll be switching to my routine of using full synthetic every 3000 miles. I know I could go longer, but I look at it as cheap insurance for my engine.

As for the brand, I don't really think that matters all that much. The best deal for a good grade API certified oil is what I seek. Some of you might roll your eyes, but Wal-mart's Super Tech Full Synthetic 5W-30 is a good oil with an API SL, SM, SN certification. It's usually $7 to $10 less than its equivalent Mobile 1 counterpart sold in a 5 quart jug. Throw in a Fram Double-Guard filter and I'm out for $25.

Like I said, cheap insurance. That's my $.02 opinion on oil changes.

Swamprat wrote:

I also change the air in my tires everytime I wheel...

What about blinker fluid?

...and airbag propellant...

I was running Castrol Syntec in mine and I would change it every 5-6,000

My DD burns about a quart of oil every other month or so. I really wonder why it ever needs to be "changed" since its getting a fresh quart mixed in regularly.

Thoughts?

matinau wrote:

My DD burns about a quart of oil every other month or so. I really wonder why it ever needs to be "changed" since its getting a fresh quart mixed in regularly.

Thoughts?

Just change the filter every 3000 miles and you're good. Don't forget to add a quart when you change the filter.

Dont forget the horn fluid! lol

I run Castrol GTX conventional in every thing i have driven. was doing the 3000 mile oil and filter change schedule, and the oil looked like it did when i put it in.. went to 5000 miles and have been doing that for years and have had no trouble out of any of my rides...other than the nagigator acting up from time to time hope she dont see that ha ha

I started using royal purple in mine last year and noticed it takes a lot longer for my change oil light to come on.

I'm doing what everyone else is doing, filter every 3,000, oil every 6,000. I just changed my diff fluid today at almost 40,000 probably waited a bit long.

Hell I put like 1000 miles on it last year and the last time the oil got changed was May 2010 and before that it must have been at least a year. I feel bad about it now!

I have never been able to do this in my jk, I have been having to add a quart every 1500 miles or so since the thing was brand new.

With the advance in dino oil technology (and synthetic), plus better filters, and more efficient motors, changing oil at 3000 is throwing money away for the sake of "feeling" like you are doing the right thing. That is very old school and no longer applies unless you are running your rig ragged or doing The Hammers each week.

My 2011 suggests changing the oil at 8000 miles and that is the conservative and safe "cover their butt" OEM manual recommendation. Why on earth would Chrysler make that recommendation if it wasn't safe for their warranty? Think about it for a sec.

Ponder this. If you run synthetic, which of course has a much narrower bell curve distribution of perfect lubrication than dino oil, then you can safely go the full distance (read your manual, mine says 8000) without a filter change, especially if you are using a premium filter.

I ran Amsoil in my 97 TJ and it was good for 38000 miles with a recommended filter change at the halfway point. When I would drain the oil, it still looked the color of honey. That's my 2 cents, but as always...YMMV