I know many say 3000 miles or 3 months, but what if the oil is really just sitting in the car and perhaps only being driven 1000 miles per year? I mean... surely if you change oil in a car, park it and dont drive it for three months the oil doesnt need to be changed... right?
I do change my modern car oil/filter every 3000 miles. In the T (I drive it year round) I top off as needed of course but change it far more often as it gets very dirty. I do this several times per year. I stock up on oil when it is on sale so I always have it on hand. I have no science to back this, it just makes me feel better. I bet it makes Lizzy feel better too.
Erich, I'm with you on this. No science; it just makes me feel right.
Depends on the condition of your engine. There are several ways to get pollution into the crankcase. Past the rings and valve stems. The blow by forms acids in the crankcase. Then there is condensation both from running and storage/temp differences. I change mine in spring and depending on how black or how much I drive maybe once or twice in the driving season.
I recommend an oil change each 400 miles of driving. And if not driven the 400 miles, I change it once each year. Without a filter on a T engine dirt builds up quickly in the engine oil. Change it when warm. Like Erich buy what ever brand of oil that is on sale, they are all better than what was available when T's were new.
Yes, use a detergent oil.
Agree. Change the oil often if you operate your T a lot. I change prior to each tour. Averages the 400 or so miles that Jack recommends. Ford also stated this approximate amount of miles between changes. And drain and replenish with fresh oil prior to longer term storage, for the reason the old oil holds all the contaminants and sludge.
The Ford power plant is unlike your modern, where you do 3000 miles between changes....the Ford has the trans and engine lubed by the same oil. And lots of sluff from band linings, dirt from intake that is unfiltered, and contaminants from combustion and wear in the mechanical parts too.....change that old oil and keep your Ford happy!
The Lamborghini Miura, one of the most iconic cars on this planet, has its transverse mounted V-12 coupled to the transmission fed by the same oil sump. Despite the fact that it has 2 oil filters, it needs an engine rebuild every 25,000 miles for the same reason. The gearbox shavings float nicely through the engine.
Since our TT does not have a speedometer or odometer I have no clue beyond a rough guess exactly how many miles it has traveled since the last oil change. Because I just use it locally to do errands occasionally I do know that I don't put 1,000 miles a year on it and so I change the oil once a year.
Of course, my grandfather used it on his ranch for 17 years, during which time I do not believe the oil was changed so much as once. He'd check it and add when it was low. That was it. Tires got the same treatment with air in spite of serious flaws. Spring shackles, front end linkage, axle bearings, etc. were just expected to work. After all, oil and grease cost money!
Also, I think of the accessory transmission screen filter as a must and check it at least once a year.
Bernard - It would be interesting to know is Lamborghini uses a magnet (or magnets) to capture any of those "shavings" from the gearbox,....??? If they don't, and I had a Lamborghini, I'd sure install at least some sort of drain plug magnet for that purpose.
I will go out and check my Lambo right now......
Mine don't.
I quit the 3K oil change years ago based on modern recommendations by manufactures. Many experts will say it was based on 1940's/50's engine design and is only promoted today by those selling oil changes. I had a Chevy pickup with 240K miles on it that I had changed oil at about each 6-7K miles. It still used less than a quart between changes. The tranny was a different story. I was on my third one when I sold it.
50 hours of running or once per year. I like to change at the end of the driving season to get the acids and contaminates out. No need in our babbitt sitting in that all winter long.
I change my Model T oil about once a year, sometimes not quite as often. I usually add about 1 quart to the Model T every 250-300 miles, so its somewhat changed automatically.
I drive around 500 miles per year. I change the oil each spring.
some people have the idea that if the car burns oil or leaks oil, you never need to change the oil. Just add as needed. This is a false assumption, because most leaks are above the crankcase and they leak when the oil is thrown up by the crankshaft. The leak stops when the car is parked. Unfortunately, most contaminants remain in the engine/transmission and not in the oil which leaks out, so when you add more oil you just dilute the contaminants. You should change the oil at least once a year and more often if you do quite a bit of driving. About every 400 miles or so.
Norm
My Model T's drip a little oil and burn a little oil and both have recently rebuilt engines. Changing oil more than once a year for me does not make sense. Detergent oils carry the contaminants in suspension, so when you leak a little oil you dump a little dirt with it.
If you can't remember when you last changed it! CHANGE IT! If it looks dirty after you know you've put 400-600 hundred miles on it ,change it .T Oil is usually dirty by 450ish or 600 miles,even in snug engines . If you drive it as a fair weather second car every chance you get ,changing it every season(4) is the minimum order.
Remember adding any amount of fresh clean oil to any amount of dirty oil is still dirty oil!
Ted,
The suspension is another reason for frequent oil changes. deposits inside the engine don't hurt anything as long as they stay put, but the stuff held in suspension circulates throughout the engine. Remember that the modern engine has a filter which removes the particles in suspension, but the T has no filter. At best the T has a screen which will catch any particles large enough and which happen to land on the screen. Change the oil about 400 t0 500 miles. Oil is getting costly, but much cheaper than a rebuilt engine and transmission!
Norm
I bought Mary a 2WD '98 Expedition with a 5.4L engine. I've changed the oil and filter every 3000 - 3500 miles. I don't know Ford's recommended mileage / date intervals for changing oil; 3000 - 3500 is just what I grew up with and have stayed with it.
I suppose many of us have oil preferences and stay with them. Mine is Havoline 10W-40; I don't remember why, really, but it is.
Mary's car uses a quart to three pints between changes. We carry a few quart bottles always and check even between fuel stops. Only when 3000 miles is approaching since the last change does the oil begin to change color to a light amber.
The engine has had most of it's spark plug coils replaced, and I think a manifold gasket. No other service done except A/C. It's had a total of three sets of tires; the third set got put on about three weeks ago.
402,000 miles and almost sixteen years later with this kind of luck will keep me changing the T's oil every 500 miles or three months with Havoline 10W-40.
"How often do you change oil/how long is oil "good for" "
What kinda vehicle are you talking about?
A "T"?
A modern car?
Some other "collector car", like a 30s, 40s, 50s?
Or?
I mostly have a running change going with my T's.
"As I run it", I leak some dirty oil as I go and refill as needed with new clean oil.
One might call this system "Self Changing"
I do sometime change oil just to empty the big pieces out of the crankcase and transmission filter.
I change mine about every 300-500 miles, and yes it is a guess when it’s time. What I find interesting everyone mentions that their T leaks, uses some, and nearly everyone needs to replenish as needed between changes. My T drips a little once in a while, and pours out oil when it is 18 degrees out, but I have never had to add more between oil changes.