Oil Change, obsessive? or just OCD? So I thought I would just throw out my oil change procedure just to see if there are any like minded auto fanatics out there that use the same oil change thought process as I do or maybe even a better way to do it. So here it goes. A 2005 Chevrolet Corvette with an LS2 motor with 95K miles on the clock. I change my oil at every 3K miles. I will NEVER be caught waiting until 7500 miles, or 10K miles, or 20K miles or changing my oil once a year nonsense that you see in commercials. The oil viscosity tech may have changed but we have yet to discover "self cleaning" oils.

I started a bit differently this time by letting the car sit for a week without the motor turning over at all to let everything settle to the oil pan. I haven't done this before because it really isn't practical as this is a daily driver.

So I get the car up on ramps without starting the motor. I set the parking brake and pull the oil plug and oil filter and a thick black dirty oil pours from the oil pan drain and you can feel the micro carbon grit in the dirty fluid. The DIC read "37% oil life" after 3K miles this oil change when it normally reads "50% oil life" in previous oil changes. I change the oil at 3K miles regardless of what GM or my DIC demands.

Next step is to replace the oil plug, screw on an inexpensive STP oil filter, and add 6 quarts of basic STP 5W-30 oil, start the engine and let it idle until the oil comes up to temperature and then shut the car off to let the "first oil change" as we will call it settle to the oil pan once again.

I again jack up the car, crawl under to once again remove the oil plug, oil filter, and wait until the last drop of oil falls from the oil drain. This time the oil comes out cleaner than the old oil and even cleaner than in past "first oil changes" and i think its because the old oil in the car got the opportunity to settle to the bottom of the pan for a week.

So last step in my oil change process is to button the bottom of the engine back up and this time add a top of the line oil filter and refill the crankcase with Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic as the manufacturer recommends, put the car back on the ground, fire it up, let it get to temperature while looking for leaks, shut it off and then read the dipstick. I then slide a piece of clean cardboard under the car and come back in an hour and look for a leak to show up on the cardboard.

Is that all too much? is it crazy? is it obsessive? is it OCD? or are there OTHER car fanatics out there that have a similar procedure? a similar love for the care of their autos?

Do you have any similar oil change processes or ideas you want to share? and opinions on this procedure? my madness?

 

It's way overboard. I change my oil once a year or at 5k miles, whichever comes first. I use Pennzoil Platinum and a quality filter. The drain comes on a warm engine because the warm oil holds the dirt in suspension.

 

My thoughts exactly. Warm up the oil so the crud is suspended, drain and refill. Doing a 'first oil change' = crazy

 

3k is way over board.

Hence mobile one oil will last over 10K before it needs to be changed, but we change the motor oil yearly, from the chemical in the oil that have collected, that are not oil from it being used for a year instead.

 

Maybe a little excessive, you are asking opinions.

With synthetics, the oil will not break down in as little as 3000 miles, typically.
If you only put 3000 miles every year, well annual oil change can be good advise.

As for your double oil change.
As a hobby, I have done that, so yes absolutely OCD and crazy

Warm engine, drain, remove filter, install cheap filter, fill with proper oil, drain again.
Then do the proper oil & filter change.
This 'double up' for a DIY equates to 10 qts at $7 each +$3 cheap filer + $10 normal filter = $83.
(Walmart prices c.an alter the example amounts)
Standard DIY 5 Qts & Filter = $45.
Cost of standard at dealer = maybe $90.
So again a hobby and there are so many ways/ comments when oil is discussed.

Don't be concerned, enjoy your car.

 

Dealers recommended changing oil every 6k miles in the 60s.

However they like to sell you new engines and cars, too. I do it once every 3k thats plenty. Any old oil, Wix filter.
To answer your question, yes total OCD. These engines are tough they dont need all this extra babying.

 

I'm okay with changing out the Mobil1 every 3000 miles. It's what, $35 and 30 minutes of your time?

However, the double oil change sounds ridiculous and completely unnecessary to me.

 

 

Am I the only one thinking this is a joke?

 

Do whatever makes you happy. I usually get 10K miles between changes unless I'm on long roads trips and then it can be as high as 16K. I'm currently at 154K miles and never had a change prior to 4% on the DIC. When you used up 63% of the oil life in only 3K miles, that's a rate that I only get at the track with lots of WOT. Apparently you have lots of fun during your driving time.

 

But then don't you redistribute the crud thru out the engine again? I noticed a significant difference in "first oil change" clarity and cleanliness by letting it sit and then draining over past "first oil changes" where I warmed up the old oil and drained before the "first oil change".

 

 

Way way overthinking the oil change process!!! Getting the maximum dose of OCD here.

 

You nuts. Beyond OCD.

There isn't any reason to go beyond what it states in the manual unless you are racing the car all the time, towing a lot of weight, or live in a climate that is 100* and 99% humidity year round.

The car will let you know when it's time for an oil change. Then, just change the oil and filter once time and you're done. You will save yourself a lot of time and money this way.

 

Good thing you don't have a dry sump, that process would take 21 quarts. Changing oil every 3000 miles is totally 1970's. No reason to do it if you are using modern synthetics.

 

LOL, extreme OCD.

Don't worry about the fact that GM has spend MANY, MANY millions of dollars on the oil life monitoring system over the years. I'm sure they still didn't get it right. Also don't be concerned that the Mobil 1 from 2005 isn't the same formulation as the Mobile 1 sold today. Stick with it only anyways....

It's impressive that you can feel the dirt in the oil.

 

I typically change at the 20% mark, just because if my schedule gets busy, it might not actually occur until 10%. Unless you have an oil analysis that shows your synthetic is toast at 3k, it is unnecessary to do it that often.

I've seen people change the filter half way through the oil's life if they live in a dusty environment or if they run a very high flow racing filter that lets more material through than a normal filter.

If you enjoy changing it every 3k, then do it and skip the pre-change. Treat your car to some nice wax or something else with the savings. Or invest in a good adult beverage.

 

Well to be OCD, wouldn't you follow what the cap says on the 05's -- Mobil 1 synthetic?

 

You are draining the old oil cold. By warming up the oil, the crud gets suspended in the oil and comes out with it. I am sure your way is fine and may be better but I also feel it is not helping as much as you think. I have 284,000 miles on my son's Outback and just sold Ford Edge with 217,000 miles on it. Both still on the original engines.As with all my cars, I change the oil and filter (Mobil 1 and Wix) every 5,000 miles after warming up the oil before draining. A preliminary oil change has never entered my mind and I seem to have pretty good luck with every engine I have maintained over my 60 years. By the way, I am pretty OCD about a lot of things so I completely understand your position. If you can afford it, have the time, and most of all enjoy doing it, keep it up. I only threw in my two cents because you asked what we thought.

 

Good input, and appreciated input from all of you thank you.