Jimmy W1

I started driving my Corvette a few weeks ago for the first time since last November. I usually change the oil every year when I start to drive it. It sat all last winter and it was never started between November 1st and May 1st. Today I looked at the oil percent in the computer and it says 94%. I am thinking about skipping the oil change this summer and wait and do it next year. I have done this in the past.

Because of the covid virus last year, I only put a couple thousand miles on it. I usually use it for cruise-ins and I never take long trips with it.

The oil is still just above the full mark and looks as clean as the day I changed it.

​​​​​​So what would you do? Like I said, I am thinking about skipping the oil change this year. Would you change it? I usually only drive it a few thousand miles a year. Any opinions?

Thanks.

C-5 Rob

if it's full, looks good and has hardly any miles on it, I'd drive it as is

kn38ms

Crankcase condensation is a possibility unless you live in a desert.
I would change it 👍

montereyredvette

Minimum once a year LIKE IT SAYS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL.

Ogre39

Drive it.

jeffs64

It doesn't cost very much. I'd change it. It does say to change it yearly in Owner Manual. regardless of miles. IMO

lobstah24

Every 5k miles or once a yeqr.

T0XiC417

Personally, I would definitely change it.

C-5 Rob

After seeing some great responses, especially how it doesn't cost so much,, you guys have swayed me towards the change it team

Dano523

With Walmart have sales on Mobil 1 through out the year,and filters not expensive as well to stock up on, just get into the habit of changing the motor oil yearly.
Hell, even with dry sump motors taking more oil during the change, its still not a deal breaker in regards to cost when your doing it yourself and just stocking up when such does go on sale.

Plus, gets you under the car to take a good look yearly for anything else that may be a problem under the car that may need to addressed as well.

Jimmy W1

Okay, thank you very much for your opinions. I value them so much. I already have the oil and I keep a supply of filters so I guess I will go ahead and change the oil.

Thanks again.

👍

Centennial

if it was any other car you would have skipped it? if it's clean, wet, running normal operating temp,, just don't change it.. you said it yourself you barely drove it and you don't go long distance so what's the need to change the oil on a car that isn't driven hard?

Save yourself the dollars and buy yourself or SO something nice..

Kenny94945

You have opinions here.

What to do is to send a sample to Black Stone Labs.
Then you have data to make your decision and future decisions.

My vote, if kept in a nice garage with little environmental moisture, synth oil can last for two years before acidity et al takes effect.

LDB

The key to how long you can go between changes in cars that aren’t driven much is what you do when you do drive. If you get the oil hot (>170 oil temp, the coolant temp doesn’t matter), then there is absolutely no problem leaving full synthetic oil in the engine for 2 years (other than warranty if your car is still under warranty). On the other hand, if your low mileage is due to frequent short trips, and you shut off the engine fairly often before the oil reaches 170, then you shouldn’t go beyond one year. The reason is that when cold, a bit of the water vapor in piston blowby will condense into liquid water when the engine is cold, and it is important to get the oil hot enough to evaporate that water.

Crankcase breathing while sitting idle in the garage is pretty much a myth. Do the calculations about how much it could conceivably breathe, and how much moisture that could conceivably bring in, and it’s not worth worrying about. It’s the piston blowby gas from cold starts that matters. And it sounds like you already know not to start the engine briefly while it’s in storage to “coat the cylinders with oil" or some other such silliness. So assuming when you drive, you usually get the oil over 170 before shutting down, and without a single exception, the oil is always above 170 for the last shutdown before a long storage period, you will be just fine with 2 years.

John Harry

Once again LDB has nailed the right answer to oil questions. Only a few thousand miles, looks good, few short trips? You're good to go.

javaman

ruxvette

I agree, with one caveat:
The first thing to do in the spring and the last thing to do in the fall is a 50-100 mile trip on the freeway to heat all the fluids.
Just my $0.02.

jrose7004

I'd change it.

449er

Like the others have posted, the owners manual says 1 year maximum regardless of the mileage & the cost is minimal

hawkgfr

Its a 55 dollar decision if you pay someone, 30 bucks if you don't..........I would probably change it...