Early oil change opinions

[jetfixer320]

PF 66 filters are reasonably junk. I only use UPF 66R. Best bang for buck....

I try to stick with Wix, Donaldson, or Baldwin for diesel applications. CAT doesn't make a PF66 option. Prices are a bit more, (Donaldson & Baldwin) compared to the Delco gold, but worth it I think.
Oil filters are something you have to constantly check. Wix & NAPA Gold used to be the same, NOW Wix is made in the USA & owned my Mann & Hummel and NAPA Gold is made in China

 

[Tinbadtin]

Being originally from Europe, we have a very different perspective on oil changes and intervals than in the US, let alone compared to people on forums. Most OEMs there call for 15-20k mile oil change intervals, so personally I laugh at 5k oil changes. It feels like a complete waste of oil to throw it away after such little use. Maybe I was lucky but I regularly ran cars into the ground, putting on close to 200k miles with these intervals without any engine problems. One of my old Volvos S70 I may have forgotten to change the oil for the last 100k kilometers and it would run fine. Either way, I don’t remember there being wide spread issues of engine failures, in fact, most people would keep their automobiles much longer. Maybe it’s the culture of excess and always needing the flashy new thing here or maybe the oil quality is much worse? I know the gas is not as well refined and not at the same high standard than most of EU. Who knows??

Anyways, now that I live in the US, I started adhering to 5k oil change intervals like me fellow Americans. Better be safe than sorry I guess!

 

[Marky Dissod]

Most OEMs there call for 15-20k mile oil change intervals, so personally I laugh at 5k oil changes.

Don't you mean 15k-20k KILOMETRES, which translates to 9300-12400 miles,
both of which are still far too long between oil changes - unless uro motor oil is significantly superior to american motor oil ...
Or is it that euro 87 octane petrol has more lubricants & less contaminants than american 87 gasoline?

... don’t remember there being wide spread issues of engine failures, in fact, most people would keep their automobiles much longer.

Was impressed by how many 15-25 year-old VW 1.9L turbodiesel I spotted in France / Germany / Poland.

Anyways, now that I live in the US, I started adhering to 5k oil change intervals like me fellow Americans.

So far, best / simplest 'oil life monitor' I can think of is:
once the engine has experienced 0.5Qt of oil consumption (NOT MORE!), it's time for an oil & filter change.
Yes, this requires checking motor oil more often, at least once a week (I aim for 2x a week myself).

 

[jetfixer320]

Don't you mean 15k-20k KILOMETRES, which translates to 9300-12400 miles,
both of which are still far too long between oil changes - unless uro motor oil is significantly superior to american motor oil ...
Or is it that euro 87 octane petrol has more lubricants & less contaminants than american 87 gasoline?

Was impressed by how many 15-25 year-old VW 1.9L turbodiesel I spotted in France / Germany / Poland.

It must be an E.U. thing. I used to own a BMW X5 and they said all oil changes (including the first) were every 10,000 miles, and no early first change was needed. They also didn't come with an oil dipstick. No trans dipstick was bad enough, but that was hard to get used to.

 

[Marky Dissod]

must be an E.U. thing. used to own a BMW X5 and they said all oil changes (including the first) were every 10,000 miles, and no early first change was needed.

Sounds like Europe's way of making cars less likely to last 400,000km.
Firmly believe that ANY vehicle can reach 250,000 miles - just not if one is dumb enough to wait til 10,000 miles to change oil & filter.

They also didn't come with an oil dipstick. No trans dipstick was bad enough, but that was hard to get used to.

Think this orbits around the 'Right to Repair' issue. If I can't maintain or repair my stuff, it's not really mine, is it?
Capitalism is giving way to a new form of feudalism, where everything, including one's identity, is a *subscription service* / is for rent,
which Adam Smith had plenty of gripes against, for good reason)

 

[ZKWBQD]

I was just wondering what the general school of thought was here considering an early first oil change.
My 2025 LZ0 currently has about 600 miles on it & in about 5 weeks I'm taking it on a 2000+ mile road trip.
I've read all I can find & it generally falls into 2 categories:
1. Do your first oil change early (500+ miles) to get out new engine metal shavings, and other foreign material.
2. Just drive it and do your first change on the normal service schedule.

Yes, I've read the manual & it makes no mention of needing, or recommending an early first oil change.
(but as with most car manufacturers today, I trust what the manual says about how things work, but not so much how to make things last)

Suggestions?

I do the first engine oil change at 500 miles, then every 3,000 miles after that. I use 5W-30 not the sewing machine oil that GM (and 2021-2024 EPA) recommends.

 

[blanchard7684]

lol wtf

 

[ducfan]

I am in the camp of 1k for first change, with second at 5k, and subsequent at 5k intervals. I have no science behind that strategy, but makes me feel better. Lately I have been doing Blackstone on my cars, especially those with higher mileage.