Oil Change Interval
I own a 2015 Toyota Sienna van. The warranty is almost up. My question has to do with the oil change interval shown in the maintenance manual. It stipulates a 6 month/5k miles interval between changes...
Forum Discussion
I have followed manufacturer's recommendations on all of my past vehicles. Based on mileage alone, recommended change intervals have been 7500 starting with my Izuzu Trooper, including my two Honda CRVs. I do need to admit I cheated a few times and went over the 7500 mile mark. Both my Trooper and first CRV lasted well over 200,000 miles before non-engine issues caused them to be replaced.
The change interval for my Dodge Ram CTD is also 7500. Since it is almost always operating with a heavy camper load, I try to meet that requirement exactly.
Even most dealers have gotten away from trying to rob customers by recommending frequent changes. They do error well on the side of caution and typically recommend changes every 5000 miles.
The other issue is change frequency based on time. This seems to be truly no mans land. The shelf life of an unopened can is 5 years. I think that is merely the longest interval tested and has nothing to do with actual shelf life. How long does oil last in a vehicle? Most manufacturers will tell you somewhere between 6 and 12 months. I have never found any documentation or studies to justify this. Please let me know, if anyone has this data. Contamination of oil with water seems to be the big issue. Very short trips seem to contribute to this as the oil never reaches a temperature to clear the system of any condensation or other water source. For a car that is not much of an issue. The engine and oil warm up quickly. It is a whole different issue for my 6.7 L diesel. Typically my diesel is unused for most of the winter months. I start it every few weeks and when I do, I let it run for a half hour or so to warm up. I do the same with my Honda generator. When I exercise it, I typically allow it to run at least 15 minutes usually under a load.
The change interval for my Dodge Ram CTD is also 7500. Since it is almost always operating with a heavy camper load, I try to meet that requirement exactly.
Even most dealers have gotten away from trying to rob customers by recommending frequent changes. They do error well on the side of caution and typically recommend changes every 5000 miles.
The other issue is change frequency based on time. This seems to be truly no mans land. The shelf life of an unopened can is 5 years. I think that is merely the longest interval tested and has nothing to do with actual shelf life. How long does oil last in a vehicle? Most manufacturers will tell you somewhere between 6 and 12 months. I have never found any documentation or studies to justify this. Please let me know, if anyone has this data. Contamination of oil with water seems to be the big issue. Very short trips seem to contribute to this as the oil never reaches a temperature to clear the system of any condensation or other water source. For a car that is not much of an issue. The engine and oil warm up quickly. It is a whole different issue for my 6.7 L diesel. Typically my diesel is unused for most of the winter months. I start it every few weeks and when I do, I let it run for a half hour or so to warm up. I do the same with my Honda generator. When I exercise it, I typically allow it to run at least 15 minutes usually under a load.
