Oil Change Frequency-V10
We have a 2011 29' motorhome with a V10 engine. I took it in for an oil change at the dealer yesterday and was told I should change oil every 3,000 miles. What do you think/do?
Forum Discussion
It would be smarter to change it at least once annually as it removes the contaminates that can score the crank journals from sitting all winter.
For the record My Dad once went on a cost savings exercise and wanted to see how far he could go without an oil change or filter change on his 1965 Buick Sportwagon 300 V8. This was around 1970. He made it to 60,000 (I think the car had 40K on it when he started his experiment). Dad woke me on a Saturday with "the wagon won't start." I began basic diagnosis and discovered I had both gas & spark so the issue had to be timing related. On a whim I pulled the oil drain plug and nothing came out. I dropped the pan and discovered about an inch of grayish sludge that covered the drain plug and pick-up. I cleaned the pan and screen and ran a wire up to the oil pump. I had to rebuild the oil pump. Then I had to run a wire up the passage to the rocker arms where I discovered one worn in half. It took a trip to the local wrecking yard for a new rocker at the cost of around $12.
After it was all cleaned up with an oil and filter change, I turned the key and it started right up. Wiping my hands I said to my Dad, I hope this taught you a lesson about the false economy of skipping oil changes. My Dad asked me what did I mean? He said it only cost him a new oil pump, a rocker arm and a few gaskets for a grand total of $32. He saved a lot more than that with skipping all those oil changes. I asked him what about my time? I blew a whole Saturday doing the repairs? His reply was priceless, "You like to eat don't you?" I couldn't argue that. As an after note the car did eventually log 150K on that motor before it finally gave up. Both Dad and the Sportwagon are long gone but I still believe in regular oil changes.
For the record My Dad once went on a cost savings exercise and wanted to see how far he could go without an oil change or filter change on his 1965 Buick Sportwagon 300 V8. This was around 1970. He made it to 60,000 (I think the car had 40K on it when he started his experiment). Dad woke me on a Saturday with "the wagon won't start." I began basic diagnosis and discovered I had both gas & spark so the issue had to be timing related. On a whim I pulled the oil drain plug and nothing came out. I dropped the pan and discovered about an inch of grayish sludge that covered the drain plug and pick-up. I cleaned the pan and screen and ran a wire up to the oil pump. I had to rebuild the oil pump. Then I had to run a wire up the passage to the rocker arms where I discovered one worn in half. It took a trip to the local wrecking yard for a new rocker at the cost of around $12.
After it was all cleaned up with an oil and filter change, I turned the key and it started right up. Wiping my hands I said to my Dad, I hope this taught you a lesson about the false economy of skipping oil changes. My Dad asked me what did I mean? He said it only cost him a new oil pump, a rocker arm and a few gaskets for a grand total of $32. He saved a lot more than that with skipping all those oil changes. I asked him what about my time? I blew a whole Saturday doing the repairs? His reply was priceless, "You like to eat don't you?" I couldn't argue that. As an after note the car did eventually log 150K on that motor before it finally gave up. Both Dad and the Sportwagon are long gone but I still believe in regular oil changes.
