Safe to go to 15K Oil Change Intervals with M1 Extended Performance?

Synthetic Blend Oil every 3K - Where I started and went to...
Mobil 1 every 3K - did that for half a year and went to...
Mobil 1 every 6K W/Filter change / oil topoff every 3K - No problems so far so I decided to try...
Mobil 1 Extended Performance every 15K W/K&N Filter - Havn't started yet, not planning on changing filter before 15K mile either... Does this sound like a good idea? Definately can save me money.

I grabbed this from my stickey.

GhostZ28.... posted An engine oil analysis thread.
Thanx for the heads up. Some interestion material in here!
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthread.php?t=468712


I'm not sure if there are many people who haven't seen this, but it will definately be a help to those who think changing your oil every 3k miles is a GOOD thing. A guy in the general tech section was convinced he was doing his engine a favor by changing the oil every 2,500-3,000 miles. I think this has come up on the LSx tech before but there seems to be alot of new members posting here and those who havent seen this will be just as surprised as I was.

All tests have been done on a stock 2002 LS1 powered Camaro Z28

Mobil 1 study: http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/oil-life.html
Amsoil study: http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/amsoil.html
Honepage: http://neptune.spacebears.com/index.html

This oil analysis study of major synthetic oil brands shows conclusively that it is better for an engine to leave synthetic oils (at least Mobil 1 and Amsoil) in the engine for at least 6-9k miles while periodically topping-off the oil and changing the filter around 4-5k miles.

This would also be a great thing to add to the sticky about engine specs. It will save people alot of money anually.

Basically, it's ok to NOT change your synthetic oil every 3k miles, btu DO change the FILTER every 3k miles. They ran the test to 15k some-odd miles and changed the filter every 3k miles or so.

I would not waste the $ on the K&N oil filter..

Wait, how do you change the filter, but not the Oil??? Do you pour the oil back in? Seems quite retarded to do that, why not just change them both at the same time around 7-8k or even every 10k miles? You would save even more money that way right?

If a filter only lasts about 3000miles, then what good is it? Shouldn't we have advanced filters that can last as long as our oil? Perhaps somethign a bit bigger would do I guess if it can hold more dirt/grime/generalcrap you don't want in there.

I think a test of this type should be redone, but to test the filter, not the oil.

Umm.... you unscrew the old filter, screw the new filter on and top off the oil to the full mark. Pretty easy huh ?:D

Don't be a cheap ass.

Use a full synthetic like Mobil 1 and change it every 5000 miles.

Wait, how do you change the filter, but not the Oil??? Do you pour the oil back in? Seems quite retarded to do that, why not just change them both at the same time around 7-8k or even every 10k miles? You would save even more money that way right?

If a filter only lasts about 3000miles, then what good is it? Shouldn't we have advanced filters that can last as long as our oil? Perhaps somethign a bit bigger would do I guess if it can hold more dirt/grime/generalcrap you don't want in there.

I think a test of this type should be redone, but to test the filter, not the oil.

Do0d... Read the links in the quote on my other post. They DID test the filter. You can basically test the filter and its efficiency by measuring the contaminants in the oil.

The contaminants about doubled at 3k miles, they changed the filter at 12k miles and the contaminants went back down, go figure. Scroll down in the llink to see graphs.
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/amsoil.html

As by the definition of a filter: any substance, as cloth, paper, porous porcelain, or a layer of charcoal or sand, through which liquid or gas is passed to remove suspended impurities or to recover solids.

Just change the filter, and it will remove the crap from your oil. The oil still maintains the qualities of a lubricant, but is cleaned by the filter. And yea, buy a good synthetic. It lasts longer and can withstand more abuse under high temperatures and pressures while maintaining it's viscosity.

what about the mobile one 15k filter?

what about the mobile one 15k filter?

I would just replace the filter too at 3K intervals. They are not very expensive in the first place.

"Wait, how do you change the filter, but not the Oil??? Do you pour the oil back in? Seems quite retarded to do that, why not just change them both at the same time around 7-8k or even every 10k miles? You would save even more money that way right?"

you DO KNOW that the oil doesn't drain out when you pull the filter...only what was in the filter and directly over it...basically about 1qt...

hence the "top off" step

i wont do that to my car, the money that im gonna save now is going to be used to fix the engine for wear, due to oil breaking down, especially in the summer months.

Don't be a cheap ass.

Use a full synthetic like Mobil 1 and change it every 5000 miles.

Exactly. I do 6 months or every 2-3k miles on the Z, and 3k miles on the Avalanche and the wifeys car. Mobil 1.

Don't be a cheap ass.

Use a full synthetic like Mobil 1 and change it every 5000 miles.

Exactly, I change mine every 6k and the filter every 3k. Don't be cheap. I use Royal Purple In my silverado. It is in the every gearbox except the trans. I cant believe how much quieter my truck got after putting it in.

is my oil no good? I use Mobil 1 Extended Performance mixed with Lucas Synthetic Oil Stabilizer. Also using Mobil 1 Extended Performance Oil Filter. Is this oil change not good for 15K or at least 12K

I hear that lucas oil stabilizer was no good, infact your oil is better off WITHOUT it than WITH it... CHANGE ASAP...and NEVER add that crap - it causes your oil to foam up under high RPMS...

So far I've gone 7K miles on M1 Extended perfomance without any problems, although it burned a quart of oil off - however my motor isn't any louder than normal nor is there any unusual sounds and the performance is still up to par...

ok this thread is pretty funny, think about it guys oil is cheap, a motor is not, i change my oil very often in all my cars/ and bikes, about every 2000 miles and i use lucas oil stabalizer as well, and mobile 1 full syn 15/50, when i change my oil it is still a little to dirty for my liking, check the color of your oil at 2k and see if its a little dirty,,,,, that darkness is wear from your motor, the longer it stays in circulating in the motor the more prematured wear will be added to your motor as well.... oil is cheap, motors are not!!!

ok this thread is pretty funny, think about it guys oil is cheap, a motor is not, i change my oil very often in all my cars/ and bikes, about every 2000 miles and i use lucas oil stabalizer as well, and mobile 1 full syn 15/50, when i change my oil it is still a little to dirty for my liking, check the color of your oil at 2k and see if its a little dirty,,,,, that darkness is wear from your motor, the longer it stays in circulating in the motor the more prematured wear will be added to your motor as well.... oil is cheap, motors are not!!!1. You can't go by color. 2. Changing synth every 2k is a waste; go to bitog and check out UOA reports for synths or even conventionals. 3. Really shouldn't use that lucas crap:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/images/lucas/lucas.htm

I agree.

Nothing good comes out of using oil stabilizer.

ok this thread is pretty funny, think about it guys oil is cheap, a motor is not, i change my oil very often in all my cars/ and bikes, about every 2000 miles and i use lucas oil stabalizer as well, and mobile 1 full syn 15/50, when i change my oil it is still a little to dirty for my liking, check the color of your oil at 2k and see if its a little dirty,,,,, that darkness is wear from your motor, the longer it stays in circulating in the motor the more prematured wear will be added to your motor as well.... oil is cheap, motors are not!!!

What's funny is that you've just shown us all that you really don't know much about motors, how to maintain them, or oil.

15/50 and additive??
See that your oil is dirty??
Discoloration from engine wear??

Everything that you said is wrong. And what's worse is that your motor, even with all the extra money you're wasting, will fail before a motor that uses the proper grade of oil for the proper period of time with no additives.

Yep that's pretty funny in a sad sort of way.

Synthetic Blend Oil every 3K - Where I started and went to...
Mobil 1 every 3K - did that for half a year and went to...
Mobil 1 every 6K W/Filter change / oil topoff every 3K - No problems so far so I decided to try...
Mobil 1 Extended Performance every 15K W/K&N Filter - Havn't started yet, not planning on changing filter before 15K mile either... Does this sound like a good idea? Definately can save me money.

Back to the original question, if you don't want to use the 3K most use or the 6K you've been using, why not just use the GM Engine Oil Life Monitor? (Change Oil Light) Read a paper on it once and GM really put a lot of research into the algorithm it uses to compute when to turn the light on. Curious if it you were resetting it at your oil changes and if it was coming on before your 6K miles were up because it really varies depending on how the car is driven?

Back to the original question, if you don't want to use the 3K most use or the 6K you've been using, why not just use the GM Engine Oil Life Monitor? (Change Oil Light) Read a paper on it once and GM really put a lot of research into the algorithm it uses to compute when to turn the light on. Curious if it you were resetting it at your oil changes and if it was coming on before your 6K miles were up because it really varies depending on how the car is driven?

I've used it - When I was using Dyno Oil it would come on just before 3K miles and never failed... ...Went to a synthetic blend and that held out till 4K miles before the light came on...

Went to full synthetic and it never ever came on before 3K miles or even before 5K in which I would just replace it anyway... ... However the odd the thing is, I went to M1 Extended Perfomance and it came on within 2k miles within the oil change and I was certain I reset it but I could be wrong... ...either case I only resetted it and didn't change it and it hasn't been on as of yet...

I use the light exclusively.. I only use Mobil 1.
The light does vary but the longest it has let me go was 13k miles with about 6-8k being the usual.
Ill get my log out and post it up..
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pOCuUxMs-xHtInj0-ivvUPA
Miles traveled:
4225
4875
7420
7939
9773
13700
6637
6331
6680
5932
7430
6449
5070

So it seems to average 7112 miles btw changes..

Mobil 1 + filter every 5000 mi. No problems. If you want to change oil more frequently, use regular oil + filter every 3000 mi.