10,000 Oil change interval.

[BobDP]

I decided to test what I already knew to be true, that modern engines with modern oils can go much longer between oil changes than engines of the past.

Many on this site and on most other forums still claim the Ford recommended 10K oil change interval is foolish. Being a hardcore gearhead and a former Ford mechanic, I know that oil technology and engine technology has made great strides in the last few decades, and I feel the 3-5K mile oil changes are a waste of money and an environmental irresponsibility in my view.

The tolerances of todays engines and the great efforts made in friction reduction, emission and fuel controls have payed great dividends in oil life. I've noticed that the oil in my modern Ford's is cleaner at 10,000 miles than the oil was in my 70's and 80's Fords at 1000 miles.

As the oil analysis report shows, everything is A-okay after a 9800 mile oil change interval. The report says that potassium is higher than would be expected, which could indicate coolant consumption (or nothing at all). I'll go with "nothing at all" at this point, given I haven't added an ounce of coolant in to 40,000 miles I've driven the truck and it still indicated full.

Let the flaming commence.

Amsoil guarantees their oil for 25,000 miles if you use their signature series oil. I have been using it since the 70s with excellent results. You can order it directly on their website. I liked it so much that I became a dealer to get wholesale prices for me and my family. Dealer ID 1396027. Try it. You will never use anything else.

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[Floyd]

So, with that said, show me an oil sample with any form of terra firma found in the oil.
Please? Not just assumed, proven to be a dirt or dirt by product.
Im just looking to either shut down the dirty roads concerns, or back it up.

1] Well, Can I assume that you think that your air filter is perfect and allows no contamination (dirt)through or that the air intake is otherwise perfectly sealed?The answer there would be to read the box that the filter came in or read the specs on the filter that you use.
I can tell you from more than a half century of experience that dirt can get in places where even water can not go. Thinking that the air filter stops 100% of the dirt in the air would be akin to thinking that a chain link fence would keep mosquitos out or at best thinking that a cotton mask would... uhhh....well never mind.

2]If instead you expect me to believe that you don't think that there is any contamination in the ambient air where you drive (on or off road)... that that's just not credible or realistic.

3] If you're just trying to say that under normal driving conditions, ambient dirt in the intake stream may be sufficiently mitigated as to be comparatively insignificant? .... you may just have a reasonably arguable point.

4]If you expect me to waste good maintenance money on oil sampling to find quantities of materials in the oil that I already know are there?...ehh... Not hapnin', and don't expect any oil sample to come back with a notation of "terra firma" either, since they will only report contaminants in a much more specific manner.

Still, your inquiry leaves me to wonder...
If you continue to split hairs metaphorically in this manner, would the smaller pieces eventually work their way into your literal crankcase? Probably not!

 

[Leftcoast]

What i am trying to do Floyd, is not fight with you.
I'm trying to change old wives tales and correct misinformation if it applies, you know, grandpa did this on his 42 Ford, my dad this on his 78 ford etc....the bullshit from the past that doesn't apply today.
i keep hearing people say that dirty roads cause them to change their oil earlier....so I am trying to find out exactly how that applies.
if its miniscule amounts of dirt, then we've proven my point already.
if there's a lot of dirt getting in and getting by, then lets discuss how trashed the engine is to allow dirt into the oil. I dont give a crap about the air filter as the starting point, we are going WAAAAY past that.
If the dirt is coming in via the air filter, travelling through the intake and into the cylinder, where it mixes and explodes with the air fuel mixture and a huge majority of it is carried away with the exhaust gasses, i literally think we need mud to be pushed into there to get past the cylinder rings that are looser than a hot dog being thrown down a hallway, and into the crankcase to make any kind of difference on requiring you to change your oil early because you drive on a dusty road.

if there's any other ways dirt/dust is entering the oil system, i'd love to hear it.
I just feel that talking point of dirt and dust contaminating oil is so archaic in its thinking in todays modern engines.
Prove me wrong anyone. I need data. some people just need to hear a handed down story from gramps

Ford has updated their oil change schedule since gramps sported his '32. They haven't removed the dirt roads definition from their extreme use guidelines. I highly doubt that this just slipped through. There is a self proclaimed oil rep in the "break in oil" thread. Perhaps he is the best person to answer your question and provide the data that you yearn.

 

[2020FRL]

Ford has updated their oil change schedule since gramps sported his '32. They haven't removed the dirt roads definition from their extreme use guidelines. I highly doubt that this just slipped through. There is a self proclaimed oil rep in the "break in oil" thread. Perhaps he is the best person to answer your question and provide the data that you yearn.

Bingo ... give that man a cupie doll ... or not ... ... I've never been to the dark side of the moon ... but people that have flown past it can tell you it's there ... smartly, I think the reason "dir roads" hasn't been removed from the owners manual is because the folks that write the manuals have some kind of research that justifies it being there ... maybe the research is that they can sell more oil changes ... who knows .... but, if you blow an engine and drive every day on dirt roads and have been changing oil 10-26k ... see how the warrantee works out. Just saying.

 

[CB750F]

I'm just glad I change my oil, or someone else does. 9 pages..... ?

 

[jsphlynch]

what kills me is there is a constant dialogue that dirt can enter the intake, through the filter and end up in the oil....but no one says how much or exactly how it makes it past the rings and cylinder walls.
if its minimal. then its likely doing no damage, the friction particles in the oil from wear are likely doing the lions share of damage.
if its alot, then it should be a measurable amount during an oil sample....so what line item on the oil sample covers dirt?
during an engine teardown, one from long duty dusty roads VS highway driving should show an appreciable amount of excessive wear over the other.

the mystery remains...and the old school thinking of dirt in the oil from dusty conditions seems to be a minor concern in the big picture. to me anyways.

According to Blackstone, dirt in the oil shows up as silicon on the analysis, but there's also a bunch of other sources of silicon. I haven't seen any UOAs on here show high silicon after break in.

 

[Leftcoast]

According to Blackstone, dirt in the oil shows up as silicon on the analysis, but there's also a bunch of other sources of silicon. I haven't seen any UOAs on here show high silicon after break in.

It would probably need to be somebody who was on a dirt road construction site day in and day out.

 

[Floyd]

 

[Cabose-1]

I dug this up while doing some research on direct fuel injection (GDI) after reading about intake valve coking in a post about 2.3 reliability. ....good read for this post and that one.

Article's punch line is change your oil sooner than later. And use the spec oil.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/20...e-direct-injection-issues-facts-fictions-gdi/

Very good article! Thanks. This is a new asi symbol for new gdi turbo engines if i am correct. Its a whole new technology with a new set of problems.

 

[JimboAnz]

New Ranger guy here. I can see the consensus is that there is no consensus on oil change interval. I will plan on doing mine at 7500 miles for a few rounds. I will also change fluid in the diffs and tcase and transmission every 50K. opinions on this? mainly a daily driver.

 

[harringtondav]

...just to throw another log into the air filtration, dirt entry fire,
Don't forget about oil filtration. ...and I don't intend to get into a spat about which oil filter is the best in terms of micron filtration and efficiency.
But dirt that enters through the air intake system eventually ends in the sump. Then it's pushed through the oil filter which removes particles larger than it's rating. An oil filter restricts to smaller particles as it ages and gets dirty. Good thing to a point, until it begins bypassing dirty oil.
...I don't know what typically happens first: Filter bypass or recommended oil change. I'll cross my fingers and hope my 7K change interval covers this.

 

[FoD]

Don't think I've seen it yet, but here's another nut to chew, what about the engine build lube for "silicon"? New engine after all...

 

[D Fresh]

Amsoil guarantees their oil for 25,000 miles if you use their signature series oil. I have been using it since the 70s with excellent results. You can order it directly on their website. I liked it so much that I became a dealer to get wholesale prices for me and my family. Dealer ID 1396027. Try it. You will never use anything else.

Why is it that EVERY oil related thread in EVERY automotive forum has at least one of you shills trying to sell your snake oil?

 

[harringtondav]

Don't think I've seen it yet, but here's another nut to chew, what about the engine build lube for "silicon"? New engine after all...

???? What is silicon? ...a break in additive?

 

[Doc]

Uh ...don’t go past 5000 miles ...
”If you’re gonna be Dumb, You gotta be Tough”

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