Engine Oil?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 258
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From: Hamilton MT
Engine Oil?
I've had my girl for two years and its time to change her oil. Yeah, I know. 
Its a little dirty but I really havent put many miles on her to date.
It has synthetic oil in it as I was told, so I would like to know what is the best.
Its a little dirty but I really havent put many miles on her to date.It has synthetic oil in it as I was told, so I would like to know what is the best.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
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From: Waldorf MD
Use Mobil 1 5W-30, it is the factory fill. There may be better, but it is not necessary. Besides, if you don't change oil every year, I can't imagine that you want "the best". Regular GM oil filter will do just fine also.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '11
Originally Posted by vettenlady
I've had my girl for two years and its time to change her oil. Yeah, I know. Its a little dirty but I really havent put many miles on her to date.
It has synthetic oil in it as I was told, so I would like to know what is the best.
Its a little dirty but I really havent put many miles on her to date.It has synthetic oil in it as I was told, so I would like to know what is the best.
Why did you wait 2 years to change oil?
I have never heard of anyone doing that. 
Even if you put 10 miles on your Vette in 2 years, condensation occurs in the oil pan so you should never let it go more than a year at most. I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil 
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
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From: Guelph, Ontario
Originally Posted by Yello95
Why did you wait 2 years to change oil? I have never heard of anyone doing that. Even if you put 10 miles on your Vette in 2 years, condensation occurs in the oil pan so you should never let it go more than a year at most. I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil
I have never heard of anyone doing that. Even if you put 10 miles on your Vette in 2 years, condensation occurs in the oil pan so you should never let it go more than a year at most. I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil I went 13 months and 11,600 on that same oil in my wife's Honda and the oil analysis result showed the oil could've gone even longer.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by Yello95
Why did you wait 2 years to change oil? I have never heard of anyone doing that. Even if you put 10 miles on your Vette in 2 years, condensation occurs in the oil pan so you should never let it go more than a year at most. I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil
I have never heard of anyone doing that. Even if you put 10 miles on your Vette in 2 years, condensation occurs in the oil pan so you should never let it go more than a year at most. I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil Just playing devil's advocate here.
Last edited by 04MSGCoupe; Mar 17, 2006 at 08:12 PM.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Enterprise AL
Originally Posted by 04MSGCoupe
What's the big deal about 2 years? Does the oil in the crankcase break down once a year has elapsed, even if the DIC shows say 50% oil life remaining? I thought we were supposed to trust our DIC's?
Just playing devil's advocate here.
Just playing devil's advocate here.
Anyway, oil doesn't just go bad sitting, it's the moisture and combustion produced acids that do the damage. If the engine was cold, the oil filled and turned over by hand to distribute the oil through the galleys without starting, the oil would probably last forever. But once the engine is started, blowby occurs, and that's that.
But, on the other hand, if the vehicle is stored in a climate where the temperature of the cold soaked vehicle does not change by more than a few degrees, then I suppose the oil would be virtually unaffected, because there would be no condensation formed.
Last edited by ZO6vettepilot; Mar 17, 2006 at 08:22 PM.
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I'd recommend using Mobil 1 5W30 fully synthetic oil. It does a very good job of protecting the engine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Memphis Tennessee
Originally Posted by Yello95
Why did you wait 2 years to change oil? I have never heard of anyone doing that. Even if you put 10 miles on your Vette in 2 years, condensation occurs in the oil pan so you should never let it go more than a year at most. I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil
I have never heard of anyone doing that. Even if you put 10 miles on your Vette in 2 years, condensation occurs in the oil pan so you should never let it go more than a year at most. I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil 
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: cincinnati ohio
Senior Member
Cruise-In V Veteran
you will find that some folks here are annal about oil. They make decisions based upon emotion. That is easy. Two years with little use is not beyond the parameters of engine oil.
I wonder if the folks at the Corvette Museum change the oil in the cars that have been on display for two years ?
Annal is a strong emotion.
I wonder if the folks at the Corvette Museum change the oil in the cars that have been on display for two years ?
Annal is a strong emotion.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 896
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From: Ewing NJ
Originally Posted by Patman
I haven't changed the oil in my mom's VW Golf in almost two years, and when I do I am going to get the oil analyzed. I am willing to bet that the report will come back looking fine. I'm running German made Castrol 0w30 synthetic in it.
I went 13 months and 11,600 on that same oil in my wife's Honda and the oil analysis result showed the oil could've gone even longer.
I went 13 months and 11,600 on that same oil in my wife's Honda and the oil analysis result showed the oil could've gone even longer.
Don't be a DIC. Always change your oil!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
For you this will work.
Royal Purple 5W30..good for 12,000 miles between changes. Just change oil filter every 3 to 4k miles and top oil off with RP. I use the K&N oil filter HP1007.
Royal Purple 5W30..good for 12,000 miles between changes. Just change oil filter every 3 to 4k miles and top oil off with RP. I use the K&N oil filter HP1007.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by ZO6vettepilot
Anyway, oil doesn't just go bad sitting, it's the moisture and combustion produced acids that do the damage.
Still playing devil's advocate here, let's say I'm going to change my oil and filter when the DIC gets down to 20% oil life remaining (whether everyone agrees with that is another story but let's use it anyway for this example). Let's also say that I don't anticipate getting to that point within 12 months, so I change just the filter when the DIC shows 60% oil life remaining, then change both oil and filter at my targeted 20%. Let's say that it took 18 months to get to that 20% target. Is this a serious problem here?
Safety Car
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From: Si Vis Pacem Habeatis Filios Vestros, Ad Bellum Parare Modo
Originally Posted by jacks996
put in amsoil 5 w 30 and change it once a year
Last edited by BubblePuppy; Mar 18, 2006 at 07:43 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Orland Park Illinois
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Originally Posted by Yello95
I still can't believe anyone would wait 2 years to change oil
Annal, what's that mean???
Melting Slicks
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From: Rehoboth MA . . . NRA Life Member
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
I have a 2004 Z06 and typically put 1500 miles or so on it a year. I change the oil once a year, spring time. 
Depending on the temps and miles you've driven it I suspect you're fine. You'd be surprised how long oil lasts. I have a brother-in-law that uses conventional oil and changes it every 20,000 miles ...Yup he's as wacked as his maintenance schedule. The point I'm eluding to is his truck, it's a Ford, runs fine.. 
I use AMSOIL 5W40 European Formula along with a K&N filter.
Bob
Depending on the temps and miles you've driven it I suspect you're fine. You'd be surprised how long oil lasts. I have a brother-in-law that uses conventional oil and changes it every 20,000 miles
...Yup he's as wacked as his maintenance schedule. The point I'm eluding to is his truck, it's a Ford, runs fine.. I use AMSOIL 5W40 European Formula along with a K&N filter.
Bob
Last edited by BobbyG; Mar 18, 2006 at 09:03 AM.
Tech Contributor
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I'm not in the "change your oil every time you drive" camp but I think once a year is a good idea.
I use Mobil 1 5W/30 when the DIC tells me.
I use Mobil 1 5W/30 when the DIC tells me.
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From: King George VA
Originally Posted by 04MSGCoupe
... Let's say that it took 18 months to get to that 20% target. Is this a serious problem here?
Originally Posted by vettenlady
It has synthetic oil in it as I was told, so I would like to know what is the best.
My personal choice, and what I use in my car on the track is AMSOIL. The AMSOIL SAE Synthetic 5w30 and an AMSOIL Ea Oil Filter (Vette part number is EAO32) can be run for one year or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, in severe duty applications.
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