Oil Change interval based on time

Why not spend just a few bucks for an oil analysis? There are many places online where you can send it to get it analyzed or some large truck service centers can handle it for you. Then you will know for sure without anyone making a guess.

We always followed the rule 3 months or 3 thousand miles for our vehicles.

This response is based on my experience and while some of you on this forum consider it stupid I sure wouldn't want to risk a high price engine over a few bucks.

Best to follow the engine manufactures recommendations. Not a bunch of us stupid people on forums.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Why not spend just a few bucks for an oil analysis? There are many places online where you can send it to get it analyzed or some large truck service centers can handle it for you. Then you will know for sure without anyone making a guess.

You are looking for a service that includes "TOTAL BASE NUMBER" this tells you how much time your oil has left.
One service is
http://motorchecklab.com/index.php
this is not a recommendation of this company just a place for you to start

Check what your engine manufacturer recommends. Cummins, for example, on their later engines has dropped the mileage requirement and just says once a year or every 16,000 miles. Easy to remember.

Oil analysis is the only way to go. You may get ten years life.

scrubjaysnest wrote:
We always followed the rule 3 months or 3 thousand miles for our vehicles.

Yes, for everyday driver vehicles. But the OP is referring to a Class A Diesel with 19 quarts of oil and one very large filter. That would get real expensive, real quick if done every three months.

My Cummins manual recommends oil be changed every 15,000 miles or 1 year whichever comes first. I don't drive near 15,000 miles per season and I can't see dumping 19 quarts of oil just because the calendar says so. Plus, my rig is stored in a heated building all winter, therefore it doesn't see the drastic temp changes.

Typically, I'll change mine at 18 to 24 months. I once had my engine oil analyzed at 18 months and it came back good. I know some fellows that haven't changed their oil in 3 years. Another can't even remember when he changed his last (not recommended!).

Some will say that you should change your oil every year regardless of usage. While that certainly wouldn't hurt at all, is that really necessary to do so on short intervals, especially if the rig is driven only a few thousand miles per year? My opinion is no. But, that's only MY opinion and not a scientifically based answer.;)

mtrumpet wrote:

scrubjaysnest wrote:
We always followed the rule 3 months or 3 thousand miles for our vehicles.

Yes, for everyday driver vehicles. But the OP is referring to a Class A Diesel with 19 quarts of oil and one very large filter. That would get real expensive, real quick if done every three months.

My Cummins manual recommends oil be changed every 15,000 miles or 1 year whichever comes first. I don't drive near 15,000 miles per season and I can't see dumping 19 quarts of oil just because the calendar says so. Plus, my rig is stored in a heated building all winter, therefore it doesn't see the drastic temp changes.

Typically, I'll change mine at 18 to 24 months. I once had my engine oil analyzed at 18 months and it came back good. I know some fellows that haven't changed their oil in 3 years. Another can't even remember when he changed his last (not recommended!).

Some will say that you should change your oil every year regardless of usage. While that certainly wouldn't hurt at all, is that really necessary to do so on short intervals, especially if the rig is driven only a few thousand miles per year? My opinion is no. But, that's only MY opinion and not a scientifically based answer.;)

Perfect! There is someone out there with my mindset and situation. An oil analysis sounds like a good investment. I just need to find a place to do it locally. It would be different if I were full-timing it. But I'm averaging about 600 miles a year on it. I really need to trade it in on a fifth wheel toy hauler.

scrubjaysnest wrote:
We always followed the rule 3 months or 3 thousand miles for our vehicles.

The OP has a diesel. That could get expensive.

moman1 wrote:

mtrumpet wrote:

scrubjaysnest wrote:
We always followed the rule 3 months or 3 thousand miles for our vehicles.

Yes, for everyday driver vehicles. But the OP is referring to a Class A Diesel with 19 quarts of oil and one very large filter. That would get real expensive, real quick if done every three months.

My Cummins manual recommends oil be changed every 15,000 miles or 1 year whichever comes first. I don't drive near 15,000 miles per season and I can't see dumping 19 quarts of oil just because the calendar says so. Plus, my rig is stored in a heated building all winter, therefore it doesn't see the drastic temp changes.

Typically, I'll change mine at 18 to 24 months. I once had my engine oil analyzed at 18 months and it came back good. I know some fellows that haven't changed their oil in 3 years. Another can't even remember when he changed his last (not recommended!).

Some will say that you should change your oil every year regardless of usage. While that certainly wouldn't hurt at all, is that really necessary to do so on short intervals, especially if the rig is driven only a few thousand miles per year? My opinion is no. But, that's only MY opinion and not a scientifically based answer.;)

Perfect! There is someone out there with my mindset and situation. An oil analysis sounds like a good investment. I just need to find a place to do it locally. It would be different if I were full-timing it. But I'm averaging about 600 miles a year on it. I really need to trade it in on a fifth wheel toy hauler.

It can be done through the mail.

darsben wrote:

moman1 wrote:

mtrumpet wrote:

scrubjaysnest wrote:
We always followed the rule 3 months or 3 thousand miles for our vehicles.

Yes, for everyday driver vehicles. But the OP is referring to a Class A Diesel with 19 quarts of oil and one very large filter. That would get real expensive, real quick if done every three months.

My Cummins manual recommends oil be changed every 15,000 miles or 1 year whichever comes first. I don't drive near 15,000 miles per season and I can't see dumping 19 quarts of oil just because the calendar says so. Plus, my rig is stored in a heated building all winter, therefore it doesn't see the drastic temp changes.

Typically, I'll change mine at 18 to 24 months. I once had my engine oil analyzed at 18 months and it came back good. I know some fellows that haven't changed their oil in 3 years. Another can't even remember when he changed his last (not recommended!).

Some will say that you should change your oil every year regardless of usage. While that certainly wouldn't hurt at all, is that really necessary to do so on short intervals, especially if the rig is driven only a few thousand miles per year? My opinion is no. But, that's only MY opinion and not a scientifically based answer.;)

Perfect! There is someone out there with my mindset and situation. An oil analysis sounds like a good investment. I just need to find a place to do it locally. It would be different if I were full-timing it. But I'm averaging about 600 miles a year on it. I really need to trade it in on a fifth wheel toy hauler.

It can be done through the mail.

Yep. Here's a good place to check out, but there are others...
Blackstone Labs