All,

With yearly mileages of both RX's between 6k and 7k, I am thinking of doing a drain and fill only midway through these times or mileages. In other words, I would do a drain and fill at 6 months (roughly 3-3.5k miles) and full filter change at 12 months (6-7k miles) for each of these cars. I just wonder with as little mileage I am putting on these each does it make sense to change the oil filter that often...can I get away with just doing a drain and fill at 6 months?

Not gonna hold anyone to the fire on this but I am curious to what you all think?

Thanks,
JBL

 

Well I used to own a Honda.
They're intervals on OEM oil filter change was at 15k I believe.
I changed mine every other oil change with no issues till I traded it with 140k on it.
But...they don't have a sludge issue in their motors.

Personally...I'd changed mine on every oil change. 5-6k (synthetic)
So I guess your right around there with fresh oil in between.

 

I kick that around every time a do an oil change, if nothing else because the filter is such a pain in the a$$ to get to. I think you would be plenty safe.

 

With the price of filter (less than $10), it is the pain that would keep me from replacing it. If you invest in the right tool (cup that fits the filter ... check the DIY sticky) it can be done with lost less pain .... just have to wait for the exhaust to cool down.

You wont go wrong by not replacing it, but we are talking a saving of less than $1 a month.

Salim

 

I think it's best to replace the filter every oil change. Like Salimshah said if you have the right tool it's not that bad.

 

I think the factor here is more the low miles are just from lack of use, or from taking very frequent short trips? The harshest moments are at startup, when oil pressure has not build yet and metal is grinding with metal pre-lube.

So, if you're doing 6K of very short say 10 mile little runs to the market, I would say change the filter too since there will probably be more particles building up. If you're doing 6K of mostly 200+ highway miles a trip and then having the car sit weeks on end, then I would not worry as much about the filter.

See what fits your situation.

As for the "hey, it's cheap, so change it often" mindset. That's fine, but if you don't have to, why change it so often and take up landfill space. I'm sure the landfills are filled with "hey, it's cheap, so just throw it out" mindsets too. JMHO.

 

Very valid point and no counter argument.

Salim

 

No offense Salim, my statement was general and not direct at any one particular person. I know you're one of the good guys on here. I'm not super EARTH CONSCIOUS or I would not own an RX and LS. but I do try my best when I can.

I'm those 8 hours chewing one piece of gum guys. I try not drive faster than 70 mph to save fuel. I use to change oil religiously at 3K, now I do at 4.5K or so since I did not find any disadvantages of changing later (was not financial reasons). I shower military style (I water down, turn off water, lather up, then turn water back on to rinse). Just little things... but if everyone did little things, then 4B or however many people on this planet and it adds up.

Enough save the world talk... let's go 90 MPH down the freeway !!!!

 

AlexusAnja: You nailed it. My RX's probably sit moreso than just the 10 minute ride to the grocery store (I save that kind of beating for my Saturn). Trips we take in the RX's are usually longer distance trips (not 200+ miles but, say 50+) and then they sit for several days until the following sunny weekend.

JBL

 

If you're not taking short trips to the market and it's your weekend/sunny day cruiser, I would not worry about the filter. It shouldn't clog up any more or less than if you ran it 6K straight. I however would be hesitant on the oil itself though. The long periods of just sitting and possibly getting condensation, then being in the engine for a full six months. You know the RX with it's historial sludge issues, I might consider doing oil maybe a month sooner?

 

You know there is merit to your thought. I guess my thinking is that I am first not too concerned about the 330 as I have heard nothing of the sludging problems nor any problems with the transmission, either, for that matter.

For the 300, it is 11 years old w/48k on it, and when my parents had it they made the little 5 and 10 mile trips and it had set a good bit of time when they had it too. When I look at the oil in that car, I see it fairly fresh after 4-5 months, and it burns NO oil whatsoever. So am I going to have a problem with this engine going to the dark side? Not sure but my inclination, naive as it may be, is no. I have NOT pulled the valve covers so I have cannot confirm either way as to if there are any conditions present consistent with sludging.

I guess I am asking...if this engine were going to get to that condition, wouldn't it already have done so?

Your Thoughts?

 

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Your engine is still fairly new, in terms of mileage. Sludge doesn't form over x-time based, say 5 years. It forms when the conditions that cause sludge are present and the engine operates in those conditions for an extended period of mileage AND time. A car sitting around for three years nothing is not going to develop sludge. Then engine sitting on the bottom may sludge up, but the engine will be fine.

Slude is just lubricant (motor oil) that breaks down, gets contaminated, and decomposes in the presence of oxygen at high temperatures. Really, all things being equal... ALL ENGINES should sludge up, but technology in both engine design and oil engineering has reduced this issue.

So, your engine being 40K and not having sludge now, doesn't mean that it won't develop it ten years down the road when you have 90K.

 

Good Info - thanks for the reply.

 

I'm not a amsoil rep. but they say you can go extended milage and time. I use there trans fluid. You might call a rep, they have always been very nice to me. They even recomend oil testing.

 

I'd suggest you use a larger oil filter. I've mentioned and shown in my oil change DIY the fact that I use the larger than OEM, K&N HP-2009 for better filtration.