How often should synthetic oil be changed re: time (not miles)

shiftyandquick

Joined: Apr 3, 2008

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For example, I've not changed the synthetic oil in my car for about 2 years due to not driving much (3,000 miles now).

How often should one be changing oil due to time passed?

Bronco6G

Joined: Oct 24, 2021

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12:16p, 1/24/22

My opinion is you can just go by miles, unless you idle for long periods of time, and or drive in extreme conditions. Unused engine oil can be safely stored in many places including inside an engine block.

91AggieLawyer

Joined: Sep 30, 2002

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12:22p, 1/24/22

Every year for sure, regardless of miles. Is there any science behind this opinion? Not really but we're talking $65-ish dollars so why risk any issues.

aggie_wes

Joined: Oct 1, 2005

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12:45p, 1/24/22

I wouldn't go more than yearly. It's relatively cheap insurance.

Flaith

Joined: Feb 23, 2005

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12:51p, 1/24/22

Stick to 1 year changes if you don't hit your mileage in that timeframe.

There are dozens of sources on this on the internet, and this is the consensus timeframe

shiftyandquick

Joined: Apr 3, 2008

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1:56p, 1/24/22

ok will do. Oil change on the list now. thanks.

Aggietaco

Joined: Aug 28, 2006

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3:24p, 1/24/22

1 Year is what I follow as well, as painful as it is to waste oil with less than 1,000 miles on it each year.

Duncan Idaho

Joined: Apr 3, 2012

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3:32p, 1/24/22

My secret is to have a leaky rear seal that lets me change the oil a quart at time. Slip of Theseus if you will

Timber08

Joined: Mar 29, 2008

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3:39p, 1/24/22

I do change every year despite miles but it does have a decent shelf life(years) in the bottle. If I was putting on 200 miles a month I wouldn't sweat pushing it to 18-24 months.

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maroon barchetta

Joined: Sep 28, 2021

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5:17p, 1/24/22

Does OP username check out?

mm98

Joined: Oct 16, 2002

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11:47p, 1/24/22

My wife drives 9k miles per year. I change it every April and October.

EDIT - this was the schedule with our Sienna, but plan to do the same with our new Subaru.

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Picard

Joined: Dec 6, 2004

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6:59a, 1/25/22

Don't forget about the filter. It's not just the oil you have to worry about. Filter media degrades over time, especially the cheap ones.

Flaith

Joined: Feb 23, 2005

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3:14p, 1/25/22

This reminded me to check when I last changed the oil on my XJ.

Aug 2018...

The truck has only gone ~2,000 miles since then, and the oil is still amber colored.

I'll be changing it this weekend.