I change my own oil every 3000 miles and have been using Castrol GTX 10/30 since I bought the car. I now have 22,500 miles on my '01 S2000. I've been thinking about switching to Mobil 1 synthetic oil and going longer between oil changes. Would I be better off continuing with Castrol at 3000 mile intervals or should I switch to Mobil 1 and leave the oil in for a longer time.

My main concern is that there will be more contaminants in the oil that is left in the car longer offsetting any reduction in friction that the new oil would give me.

In a perfect world I would change the Mobil 1 every 3000 miles but I just can't do that because of the cost involved.

 

Hey...

The Owner's Manual states that even if you switch to Synthetic, you should follow the SAME schedule for changing the oil as with the dyno oil. In your case I would just have the piece of mind of the better protection of the Synthetic even though you would be changing the oil as often as you where. You can only determine if the higher cost is worth it to you.

Hope that helps...

Regards...

BA...

 

You're already changing your oil more frequently than the severe service schedule for the S2000. So if you choose to use Mobil 1 (and even if you don't), I see no reason why you can't switch to 3,750 mile oil changes as called for under severe service.

 

What if you only put approx 700 miles per month an S? That would bring the total time between oil changes to around 5 or 6 months. Wouldn't that cause a build up of water and contaminants between changes?

TJ

 

I use Mobil One synthetic 10W-30 and change at 5000 mile intervals. I use a K&N 1004 oil filter. There are ~30,000 miles on my S and I started this routine at 10,000 miles. My 2001 car is for weekend use mainly and I occasionally go to the track and auto-cross. The time interval between changes is in the 5 to 6 month range.

I have had my oil analyzed by Blackstone Labs on each oil change. All of the lab results have been outstanding and Blackstone in their write-up says that the oil could have gone longer.

 

You should change at the mileage interval, or the time interval, whichever comes first. Oil will deteriorate from water and especially acidification from the unburned sulfurs and phosphorous in the oil, which form weak acids that can do damage over extended times.

I use Amsoil or Red Line, and change once a year, with a filter change and makeup oil added at 6 months.

There is absolutely no reason to change a synoil at 3k or 3750 - I know what the mfr's say, but they do this to cover their tails, and to sell oil.

I have seen countless analyses of synoil, and have never seen one in a mechanically sound engine where the oil was shot at 3k miles. Even today's best mineral oils have a lot left at 3K.

What you go to is your business and your peace of mind or whatever, but from a professional's point of view, it is excessive and needless IMO.

 

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Road Rage,

An oil change after one year would translate to about 12,000 miles before you change the oil?

Wow...I don't think I would have peace of mind if I went that long...Maybe I'll go 4,000 before changing my Amsoil. Hmm...maybe 5,000.

Redundant, but...you are ABSOLUTELY sure going around 10,000 miles on Amsoil is perfectly safe?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jyeung528
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Road Rage,

An oil change after one year would translate to about 12,000 miles before you change the oil?

Wow...I don't think I would have peace of mind if I went that long...Maybe I'll go 4,000 before changing my Amsoil.

 

I believe it was Consumer Reports that did a several year long study on the properties of dino versus syn oil. Wehn it came ot the syn oil, they concluded that changing at the 3,000 suggested miles was unnecessary and the oil was easily lasting with no extra appreciable wear on the engines at 7,000 miles between changes. They ran this test on something like 75 taxis in New York, Chicago, etc., so you KNOW those were hard miles.

 

i personally will stick wtih dino oil(preferably castrol gtx10w30). i am not hard on my car, never sees the track and don't put a lot of miles on the car. for the type of driving i do, it doesnt matter if i have synthetic or dino oil. it matters if the oil is fresh, and it is since i change the oil out at 3k miles or 3 months(whichever comes first). i usually hit 3 months first anyways @2000 miles.