Recommended Oil Change Interval????
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Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Aberdeen NC
Recommended Oil Change Interval????
I was reading the specs at http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...2001specs.html and saw this "Recommended Oil Change Interval 15,000 miles or 1-year (under normal use)" What happen to 3,000 miles or 3 months... What do you guys do? 
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From: Houston, Tx Got traction?
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I'm not sure but i try to change mine every 3,000 miles, but understand i can go a little longer if i need to. BUT i will never race my car if it has more than 3,000 miles on the oil.
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From: Mustang OK
I go by the owner's manual which states, "Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the Engine Oil Life System (or every 12 months, which ever occurs first)." The GM service manual reads much the same. For me, this works out to changing the oil about every 5K miles, as that is about all I put on mine in a years time.
Burning Brakes
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From: The Internet
What happened is time and technology has moved on. In fact, it moved on a long, long, time ago. With a modern synthetic oil you're simply wasting your time and money by changing it a fixed interval, especiallly one as pointlessly low as 3000 miles.
By the way, why did you need to read about this on the web? What's wrong with simply reading your owner's manual and changing your oil according to the oil life monitor?
Also, for what it's worth, this topic has been done to death so you might want to learn how use the search function in future.
By the way, why did you need to read about this on the web? What's wrong with simply reading your owner's manual and changing your oil according to the oil life monitor?
Also, for what it's worth, this topic has been done to death so you might want to learn how use the search function in future.
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Originally Posted by chocoholic
What happened is time and technology has moved on. In fact, it moved on a long, long, time ago. With a modern synthetic oil you're simply wasting your time and money by changing it a fixed interval, especiallly one as pointlessly low as 3000 miles.
By the way, why did you need to read about this on the web? What's wrong with simply reading your owner's manual and changing your oil according to the oil life monitor?
Also, for what it's worth, this topic has been done to death so you might want to learn how use the search function in future.
By the way, why did you need to read about this on the web? What's wrong with simply reading your owner's manual and changing your oil according to the oil life monitor?
Also, for what it's worth, this topic has been done to death so you might want to learn how use the search function in future.
Cut a quy some slack...!!!!There's plenty of times Im not near my Vette, or at work when a question pops up and there is always the CF with its all knowing great group of folks just dyin to show how helpfull they can be....Lighten up.... 
Believe me your turn will come.... 
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Originally Posted by GrayC5
I go by the owner's manual which states, "Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the Engine Oil Life System (or every 12 months, which ever occurs first)." The GM service manual reads much the same. For me, this works out to changing the oil about every 5K miles, as that is about all I put on mine in a years time.
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I do not wait for the 15K miles to happen, but I do not do it every 3000 either. I usually wait until the oil life shows about 40-45% on the DIC, then I change it. That usually comes out to about 4500 miles between changes.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Wausau WI
My stepfather who was a GM dealer for 30 years says they put that 15,000 mile crap in the book so they can sell you a new motor at 75,000 miles. He always says 3 months or 3000 miles. Changing oil can make a motor last forever. I just sold a 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood with its original LT1 motor with 358,000 miles. No rebuilds just fresh oil every 3000 miles. Mobil 1 will last a lot longer then regular oil though, but I never go past 3000 miles with my vette anyway.
Melting Slicks
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From: Stop staring at my azz!!!! IL.
I change mine every fall before I store it for the winter,it usually has around 2k on the oil-I know it is a little stupid but it is a small price to pay for peace of mind and the oil is still a year old...
Team Owner
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From: Evans, GA
I have never had to replace or do major repair on an engine for bad oil changing cycles. In fact the only engine I have ever had to do repairs on were for blown gaskets. And one that had 30 miles on it because the head was cast with an obstruction internally; 1979 Chevrolet Moonte Carlo with a moon roof.
When the recommendation was 3K, I used 3 K; when it went to 7.5K, I changed it at 7.5 k, and now with the Vette, I change it once a year as I never drive the Corvette 15 K miles in a year. And again, never and engine oil related problem or repair. And I bought my first car in 1951, a 1934 Chevrolet, followed by a 1936 Chevrolet: and many more vehicles.
When the recommendation was 3K, I used 3 K; when it went to 7.5K, I changed it at 7.5 k, and now with the Vette, I change it once a year as I never drive the Corvette 15 K miles in a year. And again, never and engine oil related problem or repair. And I bought my first car in 1951, a 1934 Chevrolet, followed by a 1936 Chevrolet: and many more vehicles.
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From: San Diego CA
Originally Posted by GrayC5
I go by the owner's manual which states, "Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the Engine Oil Life System (or every 12 months, which ever occurs first)." The GM service manual reads much the same. For me, this works out to changing the oil about every 5K miles, as that is about all I put on mine in a years time.
I do the same. Synthetic oils can last up to 15,000 miles under the right conditions and the oil life algorythm determines just how far away from ideal your driving habits are.
Melting Slicks
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From: Hollister and twain harte C.A
Originally Posted by 92BlackRoseconv
My stepfather who was a GM dealer for 30 years says they put that 15,000 mile crap in the book so they can sell you a new motor at 75,000 miles. He always says 3 months or 3000 miles. Changing oil can make a motor last forever. I just sold a 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood with its original LT1 motor with 358,000 miles. No rebuilds just fresh oil every 3000 miles. Mobil 1 will last a lot longer then regular oil though, but I never go past 3000 miles with my vette anyway.
Sorry but thats just crazy i had a chevy p.u 1991
i got up to 342k on it, then and some kid ripped it off and rolled it down a hill ,but it ran KILLER with no motor work at all .......
I did my oil every 7000k
Let see if we each had 350k and paid about$40 per Change
YOU WOULD HAVE PAID 117x$40 = $4680
I WOULD HAVE PAID 50x$40 = $2000
I now have $2680 that you dont for a new motor
1991 5.7 is only $2300
your motor may go a EX 30k at most but for $2600
because you have to be putting that many miles on less than 6 months at that rate
my new car goes 10k
on the oil [vw tdi] and i have 4 buds on the net that have 250k-350k with 10k on there oil changes and run fine
Last edited by BAD 99; Dec 17, 2004 at 12:30 AM.
Burning Brakes
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From: The Internet
Originally Posted by Daniel90conv
Daaamn man, the poor guy was only askin a question.... Cut a quy some slack...!!!!There's plenty of times Im not near my Vette, or at work when a question pops up and there is always the CF with its all knowing great group of folks just dyin to show how helpfull they can be....Lighten up.... Believe me your turn will come....
Cut a quy some slack...!!!!There's plenty of times Im not near my Vette, or at work when a question pops up and there is always the CF with its all knowing great group of folks just dyin to show how helpfull they can be....Lighten up.... Believe me your turn will come.... 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Largo FL
Originally Posted by chocoholic
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”
Pro
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Yuma AZ
I go with the owners manual, I change by the DIC. But, I recently moved to the desert. The owners manual states that when driving in particularly dusty conditions to change it every 3K.
I'll do it every 3K until I'm no longer living in the desert.
Mac
I'll do it every 3K until I'm no longer living in the desert.
Mac