dwjz06

I had 7,200+miles on mine last change. I posted the blackstone lab report some time ago. It could easily go 8K or more. I use Amsoil 10w-30 year round. Reposted below.

James2000

Ok, I'll probably get a bashing for this, but what the heck. I use to know a guy who worked for Mobil in research and development. He told me changing Mobil 1 with 10,000 miles that I was throwing money away. Now this was years ago in the 90's. He told me that we are oil junkies in this country and are trained to change oil way before its time. We are guilted, being if u don't change your oil often, you don't care about your car or your car will develope problems. He told me also the same cars we are told to change oil at 3,000 miles the same cars in Europe are told to change it at I believe it was 10,000 per manufacture/manual. Now my wife had a 98 Honda Accord I change the oil every 15,000 miles with Mobil 1 and at 144,000 the head gasket went, the thermostat locked up. I pulled the head and brought it to a shop to be float tested. This head was emaculate, the guy asked me did u say 44,000, I said no 144,000. He was amazed, he said this head looks brand new, not a speck of sludge. My Vette is a daily driver and I don't beat on it. I change my oil at 10,000 although the Mobil 1 filter say it's good till 15,000. I am comfortable with that, yeah I know why not 15,000 like my wife's car, I'm slightly guilted I guess with this car, but if I had to do 15,000 I wouldn't panic. Although that Honda is gone now. I do her Camry every 15,000 and that car has 135,000 on it and runs flawlessly. A car in motion stays in motion and a car that sits developes problems. I have met many c5 vette owners since I purchased my car and most garage it and only drive it on nice days and have 12,000-30,000 and tell me about all the problems they have, they ask me about issues and with over 100,000 I say no, not really. Not stuff like they have, just little annoying things once in a while. I'll be honest if I met these people before I purchased mine and they told me about the issues they have had, I never would have bought one, but I'm convinced, these cars are ment to drive and not sit around like a piece of furniture. I know oil that sits, that's worse than using it all the time, so for that I understand the lower mileage oil changes. Don't be a slave to the oil industry.

ZZ06

I change oil in my vette every 3k now because of the stroker I placed in it just last year. That and its also CONVENTIONAL VR1. Not really meant for extended use. Not even in the streets. Now BEFORE the motor change I would do mine every 5k mi as the DIC would be around 20%. I almost daily drove it around that time of its life. Anything under that (unless tracking the car) is an udder waist IMO.

GeorgeZNJ

My 02 Z gets it at 5-7k street driving, or before a track event. Mobil 1 5w 30. My 76 vette's owners manual says 15k for it, so I would usually let it go till 10k.(I don't have the 76 anymore) . I haven't checked the owners manual on the 84 porsche, but its a track only car so it'll probally be every track event or every other track event..

James2000

Wow! 76 Vette manual said 15,000. I am assuming conventional oil too? I'm not sure, but was synthetic even available back then?

James2000

Historical Facts(borrowed from wayback machine since synlube website was down)

1877
C. Friedler and J.M. Crafts synthesize the first "synthetic" hydrocarbons.

1913
Friedrich Bergius in Germany develops Hydrogenation process for production of synthetic oil from coal dust

1921
Standard Oil in USA produces one barrel of synthetic oil from one ton of shale rock

1921
Friedrich Bergius in Germany develops commercial process for hydrogenation of coal to synthetic oil

1925
In Germany Franz Fisher and Hans Tropsch develop Synthetic Oil industrial production process

1926
I.G. Farben acquired the patent rights to the Bergius hydrogenation process for production of synthetic oil from coal

1927
I.G. Farben's Leuna works start synthetic oil production

1929
Standard Oil of Indiana makes the first attempt at commercial development of synthetic hydrocarbons

Many gallons of synthetic oil were made by polymerization of different olefins.

1930-34
Union Carbide and Carbon Corp develop and investigate the applications of water soluble Polyalkylene Glycol (PAG)

1931
Nobel Prize for Chemistry:
Friedrich Bergius & Carl Bosch

Invention and development of chemical high pressure methods (used for synthetic oil production)

1932
I.G. Farben investment into synthetic fuels production from coal

1936
Adolf Hitler in Germany starts Major synthetic fuels and oil program

1937
First Polyalphaolefins were synthesized

1939
Fischer-Tropsh process that used carbon monoxide and hydrogen to make synthetic oils and fuels was commercialized in Germany

1942-45
PAG synthetic oils used in fleets and commercial vehicles

1944-1954
10% of German supply of lubricating oil is "synthetic", made by using three different processes

1944
US Army aircraft operating in Alaska and Canada use PAG engine oils

1944-45
The idea of using colloidal solids in synthetic fluids for lubrication of the first jet engines is tested and researched in Germany

1946
National Carbide Company, Inc. markets the "First" commercial PAG engine oils

Prestone Motor Oil

1946
New York Power & Light Corp uses PAG engine oils in variety of their commercial vehicles.

1942-1955
Diester oils used in turbine engines because Petroleum oil simply was inadequate to meet the demands of these engines.

1962
Texaco produces Synthetic Aircraft Turbine Oil

1962-66
U.S. Army experiences significant problems in operating vehicles and equipment in Alaska with
MIL-L-10295 Lubricating Oil.

1965
Mobil introduces fully synthetic grease

1966
First Syn! Synthetic Super Lubricants produced in Canada

1966
Motul introduces first semi-synthetic motor oil in France

1968

U.S. Army develops MIL-L-46167 specification, which can be satisfied only with PAO synthetic oil

1969
SynLube Company is formed in Vancouver, B.C. Canada – it’s specialty the first "syn-sol".

1970’s
Arab Oil embargo prompts interest in "synthetic" oils

1971
Motul in France introduces first all-synthetic oil in Europe

1972
AMSOIL is formed and markets re-labeled MIL specification oils to motoring public through multi-level "pyramid" type organization.

1974
Mobil test markets Mobil 1 synthetic SAE 5W-20 "synthesized engine lubricant"

1976
Mobil 1 goes national in USA and changes the product description to "synthetic" motor oil

1980
Mobil introduces second generation synthetic motor oil Mobil 1 available as SAE 5W-30 and 15W-50

1982
SynLube in Canada produces first SAE 5W-50 all synthetic motor oil

1984
Agip in Italy introduces synthetic motor oil SAE 10W-50

1985
U.S. Army uses the MIL-L-46167 lubes in other than arctic conditions.

1986
Mobil only in Europe introduces Rally Formula Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil SAE 5W-50

1990
Quaker State introduces line of Synquest synthetic lubricants: grease NLGI No.2 GC-LB, motor oil SAE 5W-50 and gear oil SAE 75W-90

1990
SynLube opens sales office in Las Vegas, Nevada USA

1990
Chevron introduces synthetic motor oil

SAE 5W-30 and 5W-50

1992
Mobil introduces Advanced Formula Mobil 1 motor oil SAE 5W-30, 10W-30 and 15W-50

1992
Formulation of first SAE 0W-60 motor oil in Germany

1992
Valvoline introduces synthetic motor oil

SAE 5W-30, 10W-30 and 20W-50

1992
CASTROL introduces Syntec SAE 5W-50 motor oil based on PAO

1993
Texaco introduces Havoline Synthetic motor oil SAE 5W-40

1993
Pennzoil introduces Performax synthetic motor oil SAE 5W-50

1993
Sunoco introduces DynaTech synthetic engine oils SAE 20W-50 and 5W-40

1993
Sta-Lube launches marketing of synthetic gear oils and synthetic industrial grease

1994
Pep Boys starts selling synthetic motor oil under their own brand name

SAE 5W-30, 10W-30 and 20W-50

1994
Petrolon introduces synthetic motor oil under Slick 50 brand name

1994
Synthoil starts marketing of SAE 10W-30 synthetic motor oil

1992
CASTROL reformulates Syntec motor oils with API Group III (petroleum) base stock from Shell

1996
SynLube introduces SynLube™ Lube-4-Life ®
"The FIRST oil you do NOT change" !

1999
Mobil introduces Mobil 1 "Tri-synthetic" version of their motor oil

1999
NAD rules that hydroisomerized base oils (Group III) can be classified as "synthetic oils"

1999
Exxon and Mobil merges to ExxonMobil.

2000
Mobil 1 introduces Synthetic-Blend motor oil

2002
Mobil 1 introduces Synthetic motor oil with SuperSyn.

...

NosLaser

Holy thread necromancy!

The proper interval is after every single drive with top shelf synthetic, because as Vette owners on the Internet, we're all ballin' out of control.

GUSTO14

Mobil-1 was introduced to the U.S. market in 1974.

The engine oil life monitoring program incorporated in many modern vehicles takes a multitude of variables into consideration when determining the "Oil Life Remaining %" at any given time. Variables such as maximum oil temperature reached (and duration), maximum RPM reached (and duration), and many more. It is also programmed based on the manufactures recommended oil. A very good reason to utilize the type of oil recommended by the manufacture. For this reason, if your vehicle is so equipped, it is a very reliable system to follow when determining oil change interval. While changing ones oil earlier than called for is not going to cause any harm and may even be prudent, you may also be wasting money unnecessarily.

My wifes' Acura (synthetic oil) typically reaches 10% or slightly less remaining in 10,000 miles based on the way she drives. 10k is a good round number, so I change it every 10,000 miles. My 2000 Hardtop on the other hand will usually reach 10% in somewhat less. However since I put well under 10k on it in a year, I like to change it annually.

Everyone's circumstances are different so, adjust accordingly...

Good luck... GUSTO

spdislife

An 8 year old thread finds life again......

James2000

It's like the age old question. What came first the chicken or the egg? Haha........

Reggie Dunlop

The same rule applies to changing your oil and wiping yerass: do it when necessary.
The DIC monitoring system uses a very sophisticated algorithm to determine when it's time. Yerass, not so sophisticated.
People who change oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles can send me their drain oil (if it is a name brand synthetic) and I will use it my Z06 track car.

GeorgeZNJ

egg, chicken is a hybrid

NosLaser

Yep. Egg, laid by an animal that wasn't quite yet a chicken.

C5Dobie

I pseudo-DD my Z in the nicer months since I live in MA and there's a solid 4 months of the year I "can't" drive it - when the weather is nice I drive it whenever I can. Having an 8 month old + 80 lb dobie also takes away from driving it as well so I basically commute to work w/ it as a way to get some seat time in the spring/summer/fall.

I mention the detail above to give an idea of my somewhat sporadic mileage - I am averaging about 5500 miles a year, but that is all done from April-Nov. I typically change the oil right before I store it for the winter, then I change it again within 500-1000 miles of taking it out of storage - probably not necessary, but I figure there may be some extra condensation in the oil from sitting so long, and it is good peace of mind as others mentioned.

Then I change it again within 3000 miles, then by the time I have to change it again based on mileage it is usually time to store it. At the end of the day the oil never exceeds 3000 miles or 8 months.

If I were driving the car 12 months a year putting 10,000 on it or so I'd probably change it twice a year every 5,000, but the winter storage schedule prompts me to do it more often.

Pumba

You have asked a very intelligent question.

You have two basic paths you can follow with oil and oil changes on your Z06:


1) You can follow the trend of today and put GM replacement filters and 5W30 Mobil 1 oil in your engine, and go the long mileage/time path with change frequency.


2) You can decide that you want the best oil and filter for your engine, and you are going to change it more frequently.


Because I spend 35+ years as an OEM Powertrain engineer I know from professional experience that the extended oil change frequencies are driven by an auto industry term called "Cost of Ownership," and not by what Engine engineers would prefer. Instead, I choose what's BEST for my engine.

1st - I use a 0W40 oil. GM engineers chose 5W30 for CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) purposes. 0W40 is better for cold starts and it offers better engine protection as the oil warms up. You can use Mobil 1, but if you want the best oil, use either Red Line or MOTUL.

2nd - Use Royal Purple oil filters. They do the best job of filtering your oil with their new synthetic element material.

3rd - Change your oil every 3,000 to 4,000 miles, and have Blackstone Labs do an annual oil analysis for you ~ $35.


Good luck with your Z and enjoy it.

bobby777

BLACKSTONE LABS--engineer told me this--if you use synthetic oil-drive only 4,000 or less a year--you are wasting money and oil--can easily go to 18 months and likely longer-

2KREDVert

One year if fine. Forget miles. Mobil1 with Mobil 1 filter. Good to go. Don't believe it? Get the oil analyzed after the year. It will be still fine.

Nyt_Muves

I can buy a lot of oil for the price of an engine. Just ask me how I know. I changed my oil and I still ended up with an engine replacement at 127K.

dewaynehb@aol.com

My 2007 Z06 is a track dedicated car. The engine has been built for race purposes. It holds 11.5 quarts of oil with the Lingenfelter add on to the tank. I run Amsoil 10w-40 premium with the zinc additive. My DIC will indicate the need to change oil at about 300 miles. That's three hundred.