Oil Change interval based on time
Hi everyone. I did a search for oil changes based on time and not mileage and didn't find much so I thought I'd ask. I'd like to get some opinions on how often to get an oil change based on time. ...
Forum Discussion
The reason for oil changes based upon a specified time interval in lieu of driving the maximum number of miles during that same period is the presumption that you are driving the vehicle on short-haul trips that never allow you to reach the specified mileage interval.
If you are driving only short distances, the engine never has an opportunity to heat sufficiently to boil off moisture that has accumulated in the crankcase. Moisture contamination in in-service lube oils is perhaps one of the most destructive forms of engine corrosion second only to particle contamination.
Water contamination in oil can be categorized into three forms of water; Free, emulsified, and dissolved. All forms of water have direct consequences to the oil and gears of the engine, but indirect consequences as well. Direct consequences include changes in pH and viscosity which can be problematic in themselves. Other factors that affect engine corrosion are contamination of glycol, soot, and particle corrosion. The presence of water exacerbates each of these factors and can cause irreparable damage to the engine.
If you are frequently driving short-haul distances, then you should probably change the oil more frequently. However, if you are only driving long distance on an infrequent basis, chances are that your engine oil is just fine and you should therefore change it on a mileage basis due to particle contamination concerns. An engine oil analysis can certainly alleviate your concerns.
If you are driving only short distances, the engine never has an opportunity to heat sufficiently to boil off moisture that has accumulated in the crankcase. Moisture contamination in in-service lube oils is perhaps one of the most destructive forms of engine corrosion second only to particle contamination.
Water contamination in oil can be categorized into three forms of water; Free, emulsified, and dissolved. All forms of water have direct consequences to the oil and gears of the engine, but indirect consequences as well. Direct consequences include changes in pH and viscosity which can be problematic in themselves. Other factors that affect engine corrosion are contamination of glycol, soot, and particle corrosion. The presence of water exacerbates each of these factors and can cause irreparable damage to the engine.
If you are frequently driving short-haul distances, then you should probably change the oil more frequently. However, if you are only driving long distance on an infrequent basis, chances are that your engine oil is just fine and you should therefore change it on a mileage basis due to particle contamination concerns. An engine oil analysis can certainly alleviate your concerns.
