How long in time/How many miles will Synthetic Oil Keep Working in my Car Engine?

Question

Also, does it make a diff. if i don't put many miles on the car, but go long time before changng the synthetic?

Car has 35,000 miles.

Answer 1

Amsoil, the original extended drain synthetic oil since 1972, recommends 25,000 miles/1 year. So if you only drive 8,000 miles a year, you should still change it at 1 year (short trips are harder on oil additives). Here's an informative link on the old 3,000 mile oil change: http://www.amsoil.com/redirect.cgi?zo=1463115&page=news/oil_drain_intervals_2_06

Amsoil: http://www.amsoil.com/redirect.cgi?zo=1463115

Answer 2

It's all about how you drive it more than miles. If the engine never gets warm because you just drive a mile here and a mile there then the moisture will build up in the oil faster than if you drove it several miles over several minutes.

All of the recommended service intervals are based on operating hours and not mileage. They have to assume some averages like "The average car owner drives "X" miles a year."

People my age can remember when folks would drive their car and that's about it. The guys at the local fuel station pumped your gas and check your oil and other fluids and tires and bascially topped off anything that was low. Few people wanted to keep a car past 50,000 miles as this was considered high mileage. Later on, in the 1980's, there was a big industry push to get people to change their oil every 3,000 miles and all of these quick stop lube centers opened up everywhere. Suddenty oil and oil filters were flying off the shelf.

That being said, an engine that was just kept full of oil and never changed might well be in sorry condition at 50,000 miles. When cars were getting 10 miles per gallon you consumed three times as much gasoline as a car today that gets an average of 30 miles per gallon.


Henceforth, since there is less gasoline consumed in a newer car and lower engine RPM's and the wear and tear on the oil and engine is far less then it was in a big V-8 with a 3-speed automatic tranny winding out down the Interstate at 70 MPH, 3K miles oil service intervals are excessive in a modern car.

Conclusion, you don't need to do a 3,000 miles oil change as we have become programmed to believe unless it takes you three years to drive 3,000 miles. In this case I'd recommend you change it once a year regardless of the mileage. If the oil service you do includes checking other fluids and tire pressures then this is something you need to take care of yourself since it will not be "inspected" every 3,000 miles.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Well the problem with not putting alot of miles on it..short trips etc... is condensation builds up,acids in the oil etc..you are better off using regular oil and changing it every 3 months or so.....If you were doing lots of long trips id say go 7500 miles or so..since on long trips the condensation burns off and such.

Answer 4

Yes rule of thumb change every 3,000 mi or every 3 months whatever comes 1st.

Answer 5

it will last about 15000 highway miles.