If you have been around cars for more than 20 years, you have heard all kinds of variations on how often you should change the oil in your car or truck. For years we were told that 3,000 miles was the magic number, especially if you were using your vehicle for any towing, and then all of a sudden the rules started changing. Some of that might be because of advancements in oil, but also because of advancements in engine machining and engine management systems. But knowing all that doesn’t change the fact that when the manual says you can now go 10,000 miles under ideal conditions, after being told for decades that 3,000 miles was the max, it’s kind of hard to believe. So what is the manual telling you? And is it correct? Can you trust the oil life indicators?
Watch the latest video from our friend Lake Speed Jr. and then let us know what you think.
Video Description:
Can you trust the advice provided by your owner’s manual, especially when it comes to oil change intervals? As a Certified Lubrication Specialist, I review the advice provided by the owner’s manual and compare that with the data we’ve collected from thousands of used oil samples from new engines during the critical break-in period. If you have a new car, truck or motorcycle, this video is a must watch!
Here’s a video with more information on engine break-in and break-in oil: 
• New Engine Break-In: Truth or Myth?
Here is the proper framework for making decisions regarding oil.
Step 1 – Utilize the OEM recommended oil spec and viscosity and do two early oil changes during the break-in process (500 to 1,000 miles and again between 3,000 and 4,000 miles).
Step 2 – Take used oil samples at each oil change to establish the trend analysis.
Step 3 – Go 5,000 miles on the third oil change and take a used oil sample. If the wear rate per 1,000 miles is below 5 ppm, you are good. If the wear rate is between 5 ppm and 10 ppm per 1,000 miles, go another 5,000 miles on the OEM recommended oil and resample. If the wear rate is still greater than 5 ppm per 1,000 miles, then move to step 4.
Step 4 – Since the OEM recommended oil and viscosity have not produced a wear rate per 1,000 miles lower than 5 ppm, go up to next viscosity grade in that oil. Go 4,000 to 5,000 miles on that oil and then take another sample. See if the change in viscosity drops the wear rate per 1,000 miles below 5 ppm. If it does, you are good. If it does not, then move to Step 5.
Step 5 – Since the change in viscosity did not get the wear rate per 1,000 miles below 5 ppm, try a different brand of oil in the same viscosity grade of whichever oil had the lowest wear rate per 1,000 miles. You will need to use it for 3,000 to 4,000 miles to flush the OEM oil out of the system before going 5,000 miles on the new oil to take another sample. See if the non-OEM oil lowers the wear rate per 1,000 miles to 5 ppm or less. If it does, you are good. You can then use the oil analysis results to fine tune the oil change interval.
If the wear rate per 1,000 miles is still above 5 ppm, try the next higher viscosity oil of that same brand to see if that lowers the wear rate per 1,000 miles. Finding the best oil for an engine is an iterative process, but the data from the samples (viscosity, additive depletion, wear rate) will paint a picture that guides you in the right direction.
For more information on oil analysis, check out: https://www.speediagnostix.com
