How long between oil changes?

[XJadam]

Ok here's the deal. I know that oil is changed every 3000 miles, period. My mom does not drive her jeep 3000 miles in a year. She has a 2001 XJ 60 anv. ed. with a little over 32,000 miles. She has 1000 more miles to go before she hits the 3000 mark. However, her last oil chane was over a year ago. Should I change the oil before the summer heat hits chicago, or wait the full 3000 miles?

Adam

 

[jeepfreak84]

Dude, general rule of thumb, every 3 months or 3000 miles, theory is if it goes past 3 months, the oil starts to get acidic. sooooooo I'd say she's a little over due.

 

[XJadam]

Great. Well I know what I am doing tommrow!

:gee:

 

[scoobyxj]

That is the story I have always been told. I would put a top quality synthetic in it this time too (like Amasoil, Shaffer's, or Royal Purple). Still keep the changes at the 3k mark. A top quality synthetic shouldn't break down just from age as fast as dino oil.

She should try to drive it more too, or you take it one day a week. Something to get it completely warmed up. That way you burn all the moisture (from condensation) out of the fluids. I run Mobil One synthetic but still only go to 5k max cause I drive so many short trips that never completely warm it up.

 

[altierior]

My mom does not drive her jeep 3000 miles in a year. She has a 2001 XJ 60 anv. ed. with a little over 32,000 miles...

i call dibs for when she is ready to sell! :spin1:
does she wheel it? if not, she should definitely buy something with better fuel economy. and, being the nice guy that i am, i'll save her the trouble of having to sell it by taking it off her hands!

 

[94xj6.5]

yes but amsoil makes an oil that goes for 1 year or 15000 miles on a change in severe conditions. most all other synthetic oils still need to be changed at the 3k mark or 3 months,
mike

 

[Yucca-Man]

Question - does she not drive it, or does she just drive it very short distances?

If not driven, then it doesn't need an oil change every 3 months (which is only about 1200 miles at the rate she goes).

The short trips with no time to warm up the engine and burn off the condensation in the oil are what really cause the damage and require the severe-duty oil changes.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

 

[cjsxj87]

yes but amsoil makes an oil that goes for 1 year or 15000 miles on a change in severe conditions. most all other synthetic oils still need to be changed at the 3k mark or 3 months,
mike

It 35000 miles or 1year. and 12500 for the new oil filters.

 

[MudDawg]

Ever see a motor full of sludge??? Guess what??? Short trips....infrequent oil changes....don't blame the oil....the cleanest engines you will find are taxis and mail delivery vehicles...they run all day long....keeps the evil chemicals boiled off....

 

[avnsteve]

yes but amsoil makes an oil that goes for 1 year or 15000 miles on a change in severe conditions. most all other synthetic oils still need to be changed at the 3k mark or 3 months,
mike

the key to that kind of service schedule is in the filters, read more carefully and you'll see either a more frequent filter schedule, or the dual bypass remote rig and a STRONG recommendation to use a oil analysis service.

 

[1985xjlaredo]

How much does she want for it?

 

[MisterFubar]

I've been doing extended intervals on all my daily drivers using synthetic. On my TL I change the filter everytime the car tells me the oil needs to be changed and I change the oil and filter every other time, it usually goes about 15k on the oil, just depends on the driving I do. The MID has told me to change the oil with anywhere from 5000-8500 miles.
I do the same thing on the wife's Honda. As long as the oil samples come back good, I'll continue to do that.

I just bought the Cherokee so I plan on changing the oil and all the fluids this weekend, because I'm not sure when it was last done. Not sure if I'll do extended intervals on that or not. Speaking of, what weight oil is everyone running in theirs? It's a 99.
My Scout rarely sees any road miles so it gets it's oil changed once a year(or if it drinks some water) regardless of miles. It normally only has 1500 miles or so on it when it gets changed.

I'm not trying to save money by doing extended intervals, I just believe that a 3 month 3000 mile oil change interval is a huge waste of resources. Anymore the only people that recommend it are the companies that are selling the oil. I don't think any manufacturers say to change it that often even with severe duty.

 

[Bored400]

Maybe I'm weird...ok, I'm weird...but i swap oil once a month and swap filters once every 3 months. I've got a 77 Dodge that I've been doing that with for the last 10 years and it has well over 200,000 miles on the original 360. I'm a firm believer that friction causes most if not all of your major engine problems, and that a well oiled engine allows for easier diagnostics when problems do arise. My rule of thumb: conventional oil, and plenty of it.

 

[XJadam]

Thanks for your all your advice. My mom will only drive XJ's.

Their is a reason for this, in 2002 my mom had an accident,Really bad. She is dibetic and passed out at 70 mph in her 2000 cherokkee ltd. She took out a cadialic, guard rail and huge light pole. (note I was able to drive it home from the wreckers) She, I and everyone in my family believe that her xj saved her life. The fire department was amazed that she not only lived but as able to walk to the ems truck. (she refused to be carried) She did loose her lience but after 3 years of no problems she earned it back. She refused to drive anything, unless it was another xj. She loves her jeep and would not trade it for anything. It gives her the comfort knowing that if anything were to happen she would be save in her XJ!