It lasts me about 6 months - not bad at all.

One of the primary reasons for the fairly short intervals for the car is the loose bottom end - I want to reduce metal particulates in it as much as I can.

A K&N oil filter for a Dodge SRT4 and 5 quarts of oil gets me by for 1/2 the year.

Wile-E was on 10,000 miles on walmart 0W30 synthetic, and inspection after blowing his HG proved him beautifully clean, no cam scuffing or anything. Had a high mileage oil in there for 500 miles or so after top end rebuild, for extra detergents and cleanup of any bottom end crap due to coolant getting down there. Put him back on the 0W30, but might be changing it sooner than 10,000 this time, seems to be getting darker sooner, either the filter is crappy, or it's the winter thing getting more combustion deposits going in due to cold engine. I gotta check him soon, he's got a drip :mad:

Marvin was needing good High Milage oil on 3-4000 mile changes, it would "go off" quick.

Anyone notice though that a lot of oil seems to be coming "dark honey" color out of the bottle/jug these days? Even close to strong tea colored. Kinda gives you less "range" in judging how dirty it's getting. I wonder if that's a deliberate ploy to darken earlier to make oil change sensors trip at intervals shorter than they might otherwise have done.

Heh, have to nickname you Howard Hughes, he drove beaters too.

I'd be watchful when changing from High Mileage oil back to normal stuff. According to what I read on BITOG, the High Mileage oils have additives that swell up gaskets and seals...not extra detergents.

Yeah, my dad always said not to put the high detergent formulations of oil in my old cars & trucks. He also discouraged me from using chemical radiator flushes in the old vehicles. His theory was that after the vehicle was 10 years old the "gunk" is what held it togeather. You start cleaning the engine out too well, and it will start leaking and burning oil.

-Jay

or worse, plug up the sump.

I can attest to that happening. :thumbdown:


But if it's a car that won't switch back, or your not planning on having too long due to planning to sell, the high mileage ones work nice in that case. (For me at least.) ;)

WHen I first installed the gasket, the bolts bottomed out before they were tight at all. I used a lot of RTV to post-pone the failure, but no luck. It's due to it being a dirt cheap gasket off of ebay. Can't say I'm that happy with that buy. I have a Honda brand seal ready to replace it once its warm outside again. ;)

yea i only buy gaskets that local stores stock as to avoid those korean made things made out of old clothes gift boxes...

i look for felpro or mr gasket if i cant get one locally i order if off rockauto if they dont have it i make it

AND THE LESSON IS......

Do the analysis first,

and

If the oil is still good you don't have to change it.

https://www.oaitesting.com/ tells you if your oil is safe for continued use.

Nice old thread.....on the jeep I use 5w30 syn and change every 5,000 miles.

On the cutlass I use 5w30 dino since that's what it has had since it was born and change it once a year regardless of mileage (that is usually about 4,000 miles or so). It has about 150,000+ miles on it. It doesn't burn oil and no leaks so it keeps getting dino and changes once a year. It doesn't get driven as much as it used to.

I do all my own service since it is so easy and more convenient for me so the miles I stated above are approximate.