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-   -   Low miles, but elderly synthetic oil. Would you change it? (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1095024-low-miles-but-elderly-synthetic-oil-would-you-change.html)

sc_rufctr 06-05-2021 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr (Post 11353024)
I'd change it only because oil is the cheapest engine part.

I really don't know what the big deal is... If there's any doubt change it.

The OP asked the question so there's doubt.

pmax 06-05-2021 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeH (Post 11352691)
My girlfriend has been working at home for over a year. We rarely drive her 2016 Corolla. The oil in the car probably has less than 1000 miles on it, but it's been in the car for well over a year. It's full synthetic, and we are in Phoenix (super dry air). Would you change it or leave it alone?

Which synthetic ?

dan79brooklyn 06-06-2021 12:37 AM

I’m going two years between synthetic oil changes in my 2002 Benz (it takes 7-8 liters). I put Mobil 1 0-40 in it. I did change the filter at the one year interval. I’ll probably have about 8,000 miles on it at the 2 year mark.
According to some on this board I’m probably making a huge mistake.

LEAKYSEALS951 06-06-2021 03:09 AM

It'll drive just fine. Just turn on your hazard lights.

(and by fine, I mean, don't sweat it.)

speeder 06-06-2021 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr (Post 11353854)
I really don't know what the big deal is... If there's any doubt change it.

The OP asked the question so there's doubt.

The guy asked a question about whether he should change the oil in a car and gave the details. He honestly doesn't know. He asked for advice. The proper advice is that oil in a car for one year with 2k miles on it does not need to be changed, period. Only an executive from Jiffylube or someone who knows very little about engines and oil would say differently.

It doesn't matter what the car is. It doesn't matter what the oil is. It doesn't matter what the climate is. I have a vehicle sitting in Minnesota that I bought in 2020 with clean oil in it, it will not be changed until it gets several thousand miles put on it, regardless of how long it takes. It is sitting. I also bought an RV last summer, (diesel), same thing. Oil has been in it for years but low mileage and oil is clean.

The oil in my DD, (VW Tdi), will get changed this week @ about 7k miles. The factory recommended interval is 10k miles. I change it more frequently usually just to keep clean oil in it. But that car GETS DRIVEN, a lot. The other vehicles sit a lot.

Nothing happens to the oil in an engine that is sitting. All of the myths about condensation are from people who have never torn down an engine. I've torn down about a zillion. Including ones that have been sitting for a decade or more. Haven't seen condensation or rust in one yet, including from WA. state where it rains 360 days a year. It's BS.

I take care of a low mileage Bentley for a friend who doesn't drive it, I've been slacking on it and haven't driven it since before the pandemic. It's on a battery tender, (batteries DO go bad from sitting), it does not need an oil change. Nothing bad has happened to the oil sitting in that crankcase. Car does need to be driven, though.

I see my role as dispelling myths on the internet and I do not comment on subjects I know nothing about, which are many. That makes me feel unique at times around here. :)

DonDavis 06-06-2021 08:02 AM

Denis- you clearly have tons more experience than I wrt engine teardowns. But check this out.

My Dad's '64 LR sat in his garage in Kentucky for 9+ years.
Towed it to my place in Az. Tried to manually turn over the engine and it's a no go. It's seized.

Drained the oil and at least 1-2 pints of water came out first, then some gawd awful oily sludge gooped out.

The oil filler cap has a hole in the top and a plastic tube was stuck in it, but not even remotely sealed.

I figured over 9 years of moisture made it's way in. Where else would all that water come from? :confused:

speeder 06-06-2021 08:54 AM

Don, somehow rain water, (or other water), leaked directly into your engine. And to be clear, I’ve definitely seen engines damaged from coolant migrating into a cylinder somehow. Those are unusual situations and changing the oil after sitting would do nothing to help.

1990C4S 06-06-2021 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeH (Post 11352691)
Would you change it or leave it alone?

I would not change the oil under those conditions. Not on my 911, not on my daily driver.

If you drained that oil and gave it to me, I would put it into one of my cars with zero concerns.

pmax 06-06-2021 09:32 AM

Depends on the oil.

rusnak 06-06-2021 10:09 AM

Well. I don't want to add to the pedantic posts here. So instead, I'll just say to Lee that if you decide to change the oil out of precaution, then many props to you. I would change the oil and filter both, knowing that I would expect it to come out clean. But then I'd have inspected it for water, metal, dirt, and who knows what. I'd also check the brakes and possibly flush the fluid for the same reason.

All of the justification for error on the side of caution is in Post #8. To each his own, and there is really no wrong answer here.

slow&rusty 06-06-2021 10:14 AM

Off topic, my wife and I were in Phoenix last week and we loved it!!!

Might be in the cards for the future.

rbrtmchl 06-06-2021 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeH (Post 11352691)
My girlfriend has been working at home for over a year. We rarely drive her 2016 Corolla. The oil in the car probably has less than 1000 miles on it, but it's been in the car for well over a year. It's full synthetic, and we are in Phoenix (super dry air). Would you change it or leave it alone?

Good question, and many good recommendations in this thread already. I'll offer another opinion. It depends.

If the car was driven 1000 miles in the past year, 5 miles at a time, 200 times, I would change the oil and filter.

If the car was driven 1000 miles in the past year, 50 miles at a time, 20 times, then I think you are o.k. and don't need to change the oil.

And some people like to start up and run a car for a few minutes just to keep the battery charged and the fluids circulating. The problem with this is, it doesn't charge the battery, and the fluids don't get a chance to get hot enough. Especially if this has been done with the Corolla over the past year, I would change the oil.

Scott Douglas 06-06-2021 01:32 PM

rbtmchl (Bob S.) is right, IMO.
Totally depends on how the miles were put on during the one year.
Our cars sit, have sat, quite a bit this past year and a half too. I usually change the oil yearly on both, no matter the miles put on. This year was different since I wasn't able to change the oil when I'd planned on doing it at Christmas time. Open heart surgery got in my way. I was finally able to get it changed in both over the past month or so. My wife wasn't happy I did it myself, but I got it done no problems.
The miles put on were always with the engine getting to full temp for at least a half hour or more so the condensation was burned/evaporated off.
Mobil 1 is my friend.

sc_rufctr 06-06-2021 04:40 PM

Something a little different.

EV owners may be laughing at this thread but what happens when you don't drive your Tesla?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NsKwMryKqRE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

RANDY P 06-06-2021 07:03 PM

On a serious note, get the car real hot on a long,long drive. Get the oil hot.

Done.

LeeH 06-07-2021 11:27 AM

Thanks for the input. Will go with the "no change" option! :D

thor66 06-07-2021 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speeder (Post 11354226)
The guy asked a question about whether he should change the oil in a car and gave the details. He honestly doesn't know. He asked for advice. The proper advice is that oil in a car for one year with 2k miles on it does not need to be changed, period. Only an executive from Jiffylube or someone who knows very little about engines and oil would say differently.

It doesn't matter what the car is. It doesn't matter what the oil is. It doesn't matter what the climate is. I have a vehicle sitting in Minnesota that I bought in 2020 with clean oil in it, it will not be changed until it gets several thousand miles put on it, regardless of how long it takes. It is sitting. I also bought an RV last summer, (diesel), same thing. Oil has been in it for years but low mileage and oil is clean.

The oil in my DD, (VW Tdi), will get changed this week @ about 7k miles. The factory recommended interval is 10k miles. I change it more frequently usually just to keep clean oil in it. But that car GETS DRIVEN, a lot. The other vehicles sit a lot.

Nothing happens to the oil in an engine that is sitting. All of the myths about condensation are from people who have never torn down an engine. I've torn down about a zillion. Including ones that have been sitting for a decade or more. Haven't seen condensation or rust in one yet, including from WA. state where it rains 360 days a year. It's BS.

I take care of a low mileage Bentley for a friend who doesn't drive it, I've been slacking on it and haven't driven it since before the pandemic. It's on a battery tender, (batteries DO go bad from sitting), it does not need an oil change. Nothing bad has happened to the oil sitting in that crankcase. Car does need to be driven, though.

I see my role as dispelling myths on the internet and I do not comment on subjects I know nothing about, which are many. That makes me feel unique at times around here. :)

ok

but why can't I find a car maker that says something besides 1 year max on oil changes?

am I not looking hard enough?

rbrtmchl 06-07-2021 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thor66 (Post 11355280)
ok

but why can't I find a car maker that says something besides 1 year max on oil changes?

am I not looking hard enough?

Because carmakers try to make things clear when it comes to maintenance items. 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first, in the older cars. 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first, in newer cars. Clear specs, in black and white, and difficult to misinterpret.

The OP asked a question in a gray area, looking for recommendations from knowledgeable people on a car forum.

wdfifteen 06-07-2021 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thor66 (Post 11355280)
ok

but why can't I find a car maker that says something besides 1 year max on oil changes?
am I not looking hard enough?

From a Chevrolet engineer: "We have adapted our patented oil life monitor to the Volt's unique operating conditions and its interactions with the engine oil quality. We have added a maximum calendar life of 2 years as a cap on the oil life...so that would be the maximum period before an oil change is needed. "

https://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/10/chevy-volts-oil-change-interval-maxes-out-at-2-years/

pwd72s 06-07-2021 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr (Post 11354537)
Something a little different.

EV owners may be laughing at this thread but what happens when you don't drive your Tesla?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NsKwMryKqRE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Damn..that's sad, and funny!


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