# How often should oil be changed?



## DINANISR3 (Aug 16, 2002)

does anyone know how often the oil on a S54 motor should be changed.. I think service intervals are between 10-15k miles.. but that seems like too many miles.. has anyone changed the oil w/o the free maint.. ? and is it necessary?


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Many people cut the interval in half.

I don't think there's good evidence either way... But it certainly seems worth doing.


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2001)

DINANISR3 said:


> *does anyone know how often the oil on a S54 motor should be changed.. I think service intervals are between 10-15k miles.. but that seems like too many miles.. has anyone changed the oil w/o the free maint.. ? and is it necessary? *


S52 or S54? The Dinan ISR3 is an S52 engined car.

Either way, with a full synthetic I would have no problems going 5k between oil changes (maybe less if the car is tracked frequently). If you really want to know have your oil analyzed. I used Blackstone Labs...a bit under $20.


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## DINANISR3 (Aug 16, 2002)

its a s54 motor.. i know isr3 is the s52 motor.. but dinan hasnt yet made a car for the new motor.. i checked on the website and it says signature vehicle under development


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

*Re: Re: How often should oil be changed?*



Bruce said:


> *
> 
> S52 or S54? The Dinan ISR3 is an S52 engined car.
> 
> Either way, with a full synthetic I would have no problems going 5k between oil changes (maybe less if the car is tracked frequently). If you really want to know have your oil analyzed. I used Blackstone Labs...a bit under $20. *


Wow, a whole 5K miles. Let's see full synthetic is believed to be good for at LEAST 2 - 3 times as long as a basic petro oil. And even with petro oil 3K miles is considered minimum ileage between changes (most cars now run 7.5K on petro oil).

And BMW change interval on the S52 engine is 9K and that is based on non-synthetic oil.

Oil doesn't wear out. It loads with dirt and the additives get used up. Unless your engine has a lot of blow-by the first doesn't apply. And there is evidence that with modern additive pacakges, too frequent changing may compromise the effect of the additives. Modern additive packages are designed for extended drain intervals.


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2001)

*Re: Re: Re: How often should oil be changed?*



Pinecone said:


> *
> 
> Wow, a whole 5K miles. Let's see full synthetic is believed to be good for at LEAST 2 - 3 times as long as a basic petro oil. And even with petro oil 3K miles is considered minimum ileage between changes (most cars now run 7.5K on petro oil).
> 
> ...


OIl change opinions are like assholes...everybody has one. Oil is cheap enough insurance for me. I have seen people swear by religious 3k mile oil changes (sometimes more frequent than that) and other places that say with a good quality synthetic you could go 25k miles between changes. Who is right? *shrug*


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## vlad (Oct 18, 2002)

From the reports of engine oil anylsis performed by BlackStone Labs that I have seen, their recommendation for changing the Castrol 10W60 is around 5-6k miles.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

vlad said:


> *From the reports of engine oil anylsis performed by BlackStone Labs that I have seen, their recommendation for changing the Castrol 10W60 is around 5-6k miles. *


Can you post some of the reports? And what do they base thier reasoning on?

Just curious, Blackstone is a good lab.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

*Re: Re: Re: Re: How often should oil be changed?*



Bruce said:


> *
> 
> OIl change opinions are like assholes...everybody has one. Oil is cheap enough insurance for me. I have seen people swear by religious 3k mile oil changes (sometimes more frequent than that) and other places that say with a good quality synthetic you could go 25k miles between changes. Who is right? *shrug* *


True. I base mine on having a 90 Jeep 4.0L I-6 go 299,935 miles, and even then the only problem with the engine was the rear main seal was leaking. Compression was still good, it ran strong.

During the warranty the oil got changed every 3,000 miles as per the requirements. After that, oil changes were when I got around to them, and it wasn't too hot or to cold (had to work outside). The base miles for a change was 7,500, but sometimes it went over 20,000 miles between changes. Once it got broken in, it lived on Mobil 1 10W-30 and occasionally in the summer 15W-50 just because I had extra.

Other long term engines, a 76 Toyota Corolla SR-5 that was run on earlier syntehtics. About 145,000 when it was parked with only a valve job. BTW htis was not a stock engine, it had dual side draft Webers, cam, headers, free flow exhaust, so a little more stress than many.

Dodge Shadow ES Turbo went about 150,000 miles with occasional oil changes. I didn't drive it normally, so never knew when it needed a change. Again careful 3,000 mile changes while under warranty, then anywhere from 7,500 miles to over 15,000 miles. Again Mobil 1 10W-30 through most of the life, but sometimes Mobil 1 15W-50. It ran fine with good power until it donated it to charity to make room for the two Bimmers.

The only prolbem enginewas a 85 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z that got 3,000 miles oil changes (most of the time) using Valvoline Turbo oil, was under oil analysis and turned a bearing at 105,000 miles. But it also turned out to have low oil pressure from the start. The dealer said it was a gauge problem, but after the bearing problem, I checked it and the guage was reading fine. So a highly stressed enigine that went that long running about 20 psi oil pressure flat out. 

After a lot of reading and talking to some friends in the business, I have no problem with extended drain intervals with synthetic oils.

Any you are right, everyone has an opinion and you can agree or disagree. I just state my feelings based on my experience and the information I have found. If someone has new info (like maybe the info from Blackstone), I may modify my positon, but not based on someone's feelings not backed up by any further data.


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## Tommy V (May 6, 2002)

Ive used blackstone-labs.com. They did an oil analysis for my S54 M Coupe. No wear issues at all.

As far as the oil"s lubrication ability, I had 3300 miles on the oil and it rated a 7. A 3 would necessitate changing the oil. Lots of life left on 3300 mile oil. Upping my oil change interval to 5K.

Go to their website for details


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Tommy V said:


> *Ive used blackstone-labs.com. They did an oil analysis for my S54 M Coupe. No wear issues at all.
> 
> As far as the oil"s lubrication ability, I had 3300 miles on the oil and it rated a 7. A 3 would necessitate changing the oil. Lots of life left on 3300 mile oil. Upping my oil change interval to 5K.
> 
> Go to their website for details *


I should grab a sample and send it in. The oil is at about 10K right now. It was changed at 1156 and it now around 10500.

See what it says.


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