How often do you change your synthetic oil?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Patrick
  • Start date Start date
P

Patrick

I using Mobil 1 in my '93 240 auto sedan ~ 70K miles (120,000 km).
The car is use weekdays for city driving 18 miles (30 km) total/daily.
(I use my other Volvo on weekend).

I used to do my oil/filter change every 6 months, but a friend
suggested that I stick to every 3 months/6K miles (10,000 KM).

So, how often do you suggest I do it?

Thanks.
 
I change mine (Mobil 1 10w-30 and filter) every 4 months or 3333 miles,
whichever comes first.
 
I using Mobil 1 in my '93 240 auto sedan ~ 70K miles (120,000 km).
The car is use weekdays for city driving 18 miles (30 km) total/daily.
(I use my other Volvo on weekend).

I used to do my oil/filter change every 6 months, but a friend
suggested that I stick to every 3 months/6K miles (10,000 KM).

So, how often do you suggest I do it?
Click to expand...

You don't mention where you do your driving so I can't provide any specific
recommendations.

Volvo recommends changing the oil every 7500 miles for a car in normal
service, even if you only use regular (non-synthetic) oil. I use synthetic
oil and so I feel like I have plenty margin of safety following Volvo's 7500
mile recommendation.
 
Patrick said:
I using Mobil 1 in my '93 240 auto sedan ~ 70K miles (120,000 km).
The car is use weekdays for city driving 18 miles (30 km) total/daily.
(I use my other Volvo on weekend).

I used to do my oil/filter change every 6 months, but a friend
suggested that I stick to every 3 months/6K miles (10,000 KM).

So, how often do you suggest I do it?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

In a non-turbo I wouldn't even use synthetic, perhaps a partial synthetic if
you want something a little better. Still depends how you drive it though,
but I would say 6k miles or 6 months would be a good number.
 
Same oil (Mobil 1 10w30), I change it every 4 months or so with the filter.
I don't worry about mileage, because it is always 5000-7000 miles.

I drive 10 miles each way to work, no hills but some traffic, and then there
are other incidental trips across town, and finally one long highway drive
(several hours) at least once per oil change. I think you could argue
either way that this fits the "severe" or "normal" schedules...
 
100% city driving. To and from work.

You don't mention where you do your driving so I can't provide any specific
recommendations.

Volvo recommends changing the oil every 7500 miles for a car in normal
service, even if you only use regular (non-synthetic) oil. I use synthetic
oil and so I feel like I have plenty margin of safety following Volvo's 7500
mile recommendation.
Click to expand...
 
"In a non-turbo I wouldn't even use synthetic". WHY???

The car is non-turbo. I drive, well, aggressively I guess. Speeding
is not my type, but I do "quick" start and don't follow...

I thought 6 months/ 6K miles should be fine, but a friend mentionned
that I might be pushing a bit. Note that after 6 months, the car will
have travelled no more than roughly 3,600 miles.
 
Patrick said:
"In a non-turbo I wouldn't even use synthetic". WHY???
Click to expand...


Well I only run synthetic in turbos because they benefit most from it, the
extremely high speed and temperatures they run at, combined with the higher
overall stress and heat in the engine can really cause standard oil to coke
up fast. We've got several N/A Volvos in the family with well over 200k on
dino oil so it just seems the added cost of synthetic for those is not worth
it. Granted it certainly won't hurt to use it.
 
According to what I've read, most of the breakdown of oil is because of
heat. Since synth oil breaks down at a much higher point then dino oil, you
can just change your filter at the prescribed time, and the synth oil itself
can be changed less often. There's lots of info on this around the web, with
plenty of people sending their oil off for analysis to prove the point. I've
heard of synth users going 30k or more on Amsoil, with only a filter change
and a top up. The oil actually shows up cleaner after the filter change, and
each time the filter is changed it's cleaner still. The filter grabs the
particulate, and the oil just keeps cleaning up in there. I know this from
my own experience with Amsoil in my 87 turbo. My cam is starting to look
really nice in there...:-)
And, I agree with James, why use synth on an NA car, unless you want to go
20k (or more) between changes? You don't get the heat of a turbo, in there,
so regular dino will be fine, IMHO.

RS
 
Rusty said:
And, I agree with James, why use synth on an NA car, unless you want to go
20k (or more) between changes? You don't get the heat of a turbo, in there,
so regular dino will be fine, IMHO.
Click to expand...

I agree about the reduced heat load in a non-turbo engine, but I pay for
synthetic in my car because there is nonexistant sludge buildup compared to
conventional oil.

Here are two results that directly relate to Volvos, and probably several
other makes and models- Less maintenance is required on the crankcase
ventilation (flame trap), which is very convenient. It clogs up much less
or not at all. In the case of the 850 engine family, the valve lifters tend
to stick if the engine is not revved hard every few weeks. Synthetic oil
pretty much eliminates this albeit minor problem.
 
Here are two results that directly relate to Volvos, and probably several
other makes and models- Less maintenance is required on the crankcase
ventilation (flame trap), which is very convenient. It clogs up much less
or not at all. In the case of the 850 engine family, the valve lifters tend
to stick if the engine is not revved hard every few weeks. Synthetic oil
pretty much eliminates this albeit minor problem.
Click to expand...

All the 20 valve 5 cylinders seem to get sluggish and lethargic if they
aren't driven hard for a few miles every couple of weeks or so in my
experience. Computer shows a drop in mpg too.

Just sold a 93 850 with 120k on it, oil changes every 5k with good quality
mineral 15w-40 from new- didnt loose a drop between changes, all the lifters
totally silent and insides clean enough to eat your dinner off. Still as
happy to spin to the red line as when it was new.

As a comparision, have just dropped a new (used) motor into a V90 with 170k
on the clock. This has had variable oil change intervals from 10k to
the-owner-wouldnt-admit-how-many-miles. Engine was totally shot. At cold
start it was only running on five cylinders- and 3 or 4 lifters were pretty
noisy whilst it was going. Ran a big end by the sound of it and was rattling
like hell, then tightened up and wouldnt restart.

Bottom line is if you want the engine to go the distance you have to change
the oil!!!

Tim..
 
When i cleaned the flame trap on my 91 940NA it barely need cleaning. This
was after about 163 K on regular changed dino oil. I'm going to try
synthetics next oil change wich is soon, because there's a special offer on
FINA 5W-40 oil here now. I'm curious if I will feel a difference on the
engine


" Tim (Remove NOSPAM. Registry corupted, reformated HD and lost alot of
 
Joachim Østberg said:
When i cleaned the flame trap on my 91 940NA it barely need cleaning. This
was after about 163 K on regular changed dino oil. I'm going to try
synthetics next oil change wich is soon, because there's a special offer on
FINA 5W-40 oil here now. I'm curious if I will feel a difference on the
engine
Click to expand...

" Tim (Remove NOSPAM. Registry corupted, reformated HD and lost alot of
stuff :( said:
Just sold a 93 850 with 120k on it, oil changes every 5k with good quality
mineral 15w-40 from new- didnt loose a drop between changes, all the lifters
totally silent and insides clean enough to eat your dinner off. Still as
happy to spin to the red line as when it was new.
Click to expand...


What kinds of oil did both of you use? I'm asking out of curiosity- my
complements on taking care of your engines.
 
Patrick said:
I using Mobil 1 in my '93 240 auto sedan ~ 70K miles (120,000 km).
The car is use weekdays for city driving 18 miles (30 km) total/daily.
(I use my other Volvo on weekend).

I used to do my oil/filter change every 6 months, but a friend
suggested that I stick to every 3 months/6K miles (10,000 KM).

So, how often do you suggest I do it?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I've been changing mine every six months or 5,000 miles which is the Volvo
severe duty recommendation for our 850. I figure that if I go with the
severe duty schedule I have more than enough overkill :).

If you want to get some data, do an oil analysis after your next normal for
you change interval. Blackstone Labs (http://www.blackstone-labs.com/) will
do an oil analysis with TBN measurement for around $25 and that will tell
you not only if you are changing your early at appropriate time, but also if
there are certain lurking problems with your engine.

Well worth the money to have real information about your situation rather
than just getting opinions from people.


John
 
Why use synthetic? If you change at that frequency, you could use Mazola or
any cheesy house brand oil.

You're just pissing away money.
 
Same reason many people buy life insurance, they just don't know when the
big event is going to happen with any large degree of certainty. Thus, they
decide to buy the insurance.

P.S. $90/year for Mobil 1 and filters (I change it myself) does not seem to
be that much money when you think about how many people spend that much in a
month on beer and/or cigarettes.

(snip)
 
Mobil 1, 5 quart container at Wal-Mart = $23.00+Pure 1 oil filter @ ~$ 6.00=
$29 per oil change (DIMS) each 5000 mile change. Three times per year = $87
+ tax per year to protect my 30,000 dollar investment and my sanity (peace
of mind) seems reasonable since I spend $26 X 6 or 156 dollars per year on
cigarettes ( I can't seem to quit). eddie
 
No particular brand. Recently i've bought semi syntecis from my local auto
store
 
Joachim Østberg said:
When i cleaned the flame trap on my 91 940NA it barely need cleaning. This
was after about 163 K on regular changed dino oil. I'm going to try
synthetics next oil change wich is soon, because there's a special offer on
FINA 5W-40 oil here now. I'm curious if I will feel a difference on the
engine
Click to expand...

Personally i wouldnt switch to a fully synth on an engine like this, as its
too thin, and you'll end up with it pissing out from every orifice. If it
aint broke dont..... etc.

Keep using the mineral oil- 15w-40 or whatever for your temperature of a G4
or G5 / A3 or A4 / SH or SJ quality rating.

Tim..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top