Is the in car oil monitor accurate?

[robvas]

@sarahestelle ..... respectfully I do not agree. I would never leave oil in an engine for two years - particularly if there were low miles on it - as there will likely be a considerable build-up of acids, contaminants and water vapor. Even if I only put 4K miles on it a year I would at least change it yearly. IMO long intervals of sitting with "used" oil in the engine are worse than driving it longer periods.

Plenty of people have proven with oil analysis that the oil will not magically become acidic after 365 days.

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[AZ_Ryan]

Plenty of people have proven with oil analysis that the oil will not magically become acidic after 365 days.

Just like oil doesn't magically become dirty at 5k and your milk doesnt magically go rancid on the expiration date. But it's still better safe than sorry.

 

[robvas]

Just like oil doesn't magically become dirty at 5k and your milk doesnt magically go rancid on the expiration date. But it's still better safe than sorry.

It's just a waste of money. Just like the people that change it before winter storage and after. These same people never flush their brake fluid either.

I like how Castrol puts on the bottle "up to 25,000 miles or 1 year"

he said the oil will have a "considerable buildup of acids", which isn't true simply because it's been a year. So if you want to change it go ahead just don't use that to justify it when it's not even close to true. Unless maybe you only start the car for five minutes every day for fun and you live in a cold climate.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

The lengths and rationalizations people go to justify going longer lengths between oil changes never ceases to amaze me. If you buy a 50k car but won't spend less than $100 to change you oil once year because you think you know better than the recommended service intervals, then have at it. Oil is cheap. Engine repair is not.

 

[Starship Enterprise]

I come from a time when you had to change your oil every 3 months, regardless of mileage.

Now we are bitching about once a year?!?!

 

[LouG]

I remember changing the oil in my 1967 Morris 1100 (stretched mini) every 1000 kms. With good reason, they ate idler bearings if you didn't, and that's an engine done.
I just saw my OLM at 40% after 5000km and 9 months. Seems right for my usage.

 

[Frogdog1]

This is easy for me. It's six months or 5000 miles whichever comes first. Or, just when I feel like it if I feel like it beforehand. The only person I have to argue with about my oil changes is me. Easy peasy.

 

[robvas]

The lengths and rationalizations people go to justify going longer lengths between oil changes never ceases to amaze me. If you buy a 50k car but won't spend less than $100 to change you oil once year because you think you know better than the recommended service intervals, then have at it. Oil is cheap. Engine repair is not.

It's amazing how people throw out perfectly good oil as well. Again, the oil isn't anywhere near "acidic" so come up with a new reason to tell people why to do it. Other than "the manufacturer says..."

you can get a brand name filter and 10 quarts of full synthetic for much less than $100 too, but if you want to you use that as your guide go ahead.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

It's amazing how people throw out perfectly good oil as well. Again, the oil isn't anywhere near "acidic" so come up with a new reason to tell people why to do it. Other than "the manufacturer says..."

you can get a brand name filter and 10 quarts of full synthetic for much less than $100 too, but if you want to you use that as your guide go ahead.

Cool story. I'll go ahead and disregard the manufacturers guidelines because some dude on the internet said I might be wasting good oil. That extra few bucks I could be saving on my 50k investment is definitely worth the risk amiright?

 

[robvas]

Cool story. I'll go ahead and disregard the manufacturers guidelines because some dude on the internet said I might be wasting good oil. That extra few bucks I could be saving on my 50k investment is definitely worth the risk amiright?

If you want to blindly follow the manufacturers guidelines (the same manufacturer with terrible quality and record recalls), go right ahead. Remember the beancounters get to overrule the engineers. Let that oil life meter go down to 1% before you change the oil too! And don't modify your car, it's perfect from the factory.

Like I said, I was just calling out the other posters misinformation about acidic oil.

 

[MAT1955]

@robvas ..... agree - your oil doesn't gain acidity magically at 365 days. A study from Shell Oil showed every brand of oil tested showed varied degrees of acidity by 1000 KM, more if it was driven short distances that did not allow for contaminants, acids and water vapor to be burned -off. A relative who has a PhD in chemical engineering, and was hobby engine builder, shared the report with me. If you want to go with Blackstone or some other sampler it's your call. Full synthetic with proper interval changes is the cheapest protection for your engine. Why gamble? BTW a friend sent two samples from the same oil pan to a "respected" oil analysis company using two different names - both came back with different profiles. Made us wonder.

 

[robvas]

Oil analysis isn't cheap either

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