Why Oil / Filter change intervals matter - visual proof

[MasterCylinder]

I just wanted to post/pass this this on so others can actually see proof that your oil change intervals matter. These are 2.5l engines, not Fords but just personnel picture proof of the difference. The clean engine is after 126,000 miles. I personally took care of that cars maintenance for 10 years and then it was sold by the owner to my granddaughter. The car had three oil changes by the original dealer then I took over. I changed to synthetic at that time. I won't mention the brand because I'm not trying to sell anyone on an oil or filter. I will say it's available even at Walmart for 25-35 a 5 quart bottle these days. The oil/filter was always changed before the 5000 mile mark except once, we went over a tad. My Son in law noticed the valve cover starting to seep so waited for the cars oil change to do the valve cover gasket. He sent me the picture because he was amazed at how clean the motor was inside, he's been inside many now and said it was the cleanest he'd ever seen especially for the miles on it.

This is what I consider a properly maintained oil/filter change engine. Oil has 4723 miles on it and at it's change time. Note the oil is starting to get a caramel color to, indicative of time to change.

This is what most refer to as a varnished up engine. This happens when the oil is breaking down, not being changed often enough and the additives in the oil are no longer working. It is a hard layer of varnish caused by oxidation/heat and it gets cooked on. No amount of super oil changes will remove it, only manual cleaning.

This poor engine is nasty and has sludge and varnish but not as much varnish as the varnished up engine. This point is you can have a varnished up engine or a sludged up engine on their on/separately and sometimes together. You don't want this!

Use your best judgement but if you run oil too long no matter if conventional or synthetic the additives breakdown before the oil ever does! Synthetics do last longer but no oil is exempt from the additives getting used up! Ranger On!

Sponsored

 

[natkill]

Would you say there is a big difference between 5,000 and 7,500 miles between changes?

My nearest dealer is 30 miles away, and sometimes I have gone closer to 7,500 miles between changes just because it's hard to make it out there right on time when life interferes.

 

[RonM_TX]

Regular oil changes is the key to long engine life. I routinely keep my vehicles way past 200K miles without major engine issues.
My Ford Escape has 230K on it, only issue I had was an injector failed at 220K. Had the shop send me photos of the engine during a valve cover gasket replacement at 210K. Engine had no build up or sludge.

 

[Houcat]

Also, does it make a difference in the amount of time between changes? I put less than 10,000 miles on my Ranger each year so the calendar says "change it" but the mileage says "we got 3,000 miles until 5,000".

 

[MasterCylinder]

Would you say there is a big difference between 5,000 and 7,500 miles between changes?

My nearest dealer is 30 miles away, and sometimes I have gone closer to 7,500 miles between changes just because it's hard to make it out there right on time when life interferes.

Depends on many factors. Look in the valve cover if possible through oil fill. If you see the metals starting to gain a Carmel coloring any where you can see in my humble opinion change it more often than not. Oil is cheap insurance verses a motor or problems with it!

 

[MasterCylinder]

Also, does it make a difference in the amount of time between changes? I put less than 10,000 miles on my Ranger each year so the calendar says "change it" but the mileage says "we got 3,000 miles until 5,000".

Chemically speaking, yes. Oxidation starts the minute you crank that engine after an oil change. Heat from the engine only exasperates the process. I myself change oil once a year even if mileage is under change intervals. My motorcycle, show car etc.... I'd rather play it safe then end up sorry. Just my opinion!

 

[MasterCylinder]

Regular oil changes is the key to long engine life. I routinely keep my vehicles way past 200K miles without major engine issues.
My Ford Escape has 230K on it, only issue I had was an injector failed at 220K. Had the shop send me photos of the engine during a valve cover gasket replacement at 210K. Engine had no build up or sludge.

Gotta love a clean engine. My Son still driving my old Explorer 5.0l 288000+ and just now replaced valver cover gaskets. He said looked great inside and has only had conventional oil but of course more frequent oil changes. Pictures are worth a thousand words!

 

[Morningpride]

Don’t forget that turbo engines definitely need their oil changed every 5000 miles. That turbo heats the oil up way more than a typical NA engine. It also cooks it once the hot engine is shut off.

 

[Buellsox]

Also, does it make a difference in the amount of time between changes? I put less than 10,000 miles on my Ranger each year so the calendar says "change it" but the mileage says "we got 3,000 miles until 5,000".

Similar to you I log low yearly miles due to being in construction with a company truck.

Not saying this is what to do this is just what I’ve done for decades. I do a twice a year service - spring & fall about 6 months apart irregardless of mileage. Done & forget about it and it’s cheap & easy insurance. Never had engine issues as a result of it either.
Some may think it’s overkill and that’s fine. That’s just how I choose to address it.

 

[JustNick]

Don’t forget that turbo engines definitely need their oil changed every 5000 miles. That turbo heats the oil up way more than a typical NA engine. It also cooks it once the hot engine is shut off.

The turbos on these trucks actually don't cook the oil after shut off, the coolant passages keep flowing through convection and will keep the oil from baking in the journals. Just fyi.

Thats true on non-actively cooled turbos though

 

[RonM_TX]

Also, does it make a difference in the amount of time between changes? I put less than 10,000 miles on my Ranger each year so the calendar says "change it" but the mileage says "we got 3,000 miles until 5,000".

I do oil changes every 3-5000 miles or 6 months which ever comes first.

 

[Morningpride]

The turbos on these trucks actually don't cook the oil after shut off, the coolant passages keep flowing through convection and will keep the oil from baking in the journals. Just fyi.

Thats true on non-actively cooled turbos though

Really? I did not know that.

 

[stemplar]

Would you say there is a big difference between 5,000 and 7,500 miles between changes?

My nearest dealer is 30 miles away, and sometimes I have gone closer to 7,500 miles between changes just because it's hard to make it out there right on time when life interferes.

The only way to tell is to send a sample of your used oil for analysis (labs like Blackstone or amsoil do well, as do others). You simply cannot tell how oil is doing by looking at the oil.

 

[MasterCylinder]

The turbos on these trucks actually don't cook the oil after shut off, the coolant passages keep flowing through convection and will keep the oil from baking in the journals. Just fyi.

Thats true on non-actively cooled turbos though

FYI. Science/Physics says: " Considering fluid flow over a hot surface, conductive heat flows from the surface into a laminar fluid layer, then proceeds into the neighboring fluid that is moving. Therefore, heat convection is the superposition of heat conduction and thermal transport into the flowing fluid. " Convection requires the gas or liquid to flow .

 

[MasterCylinder]

The only way to tell is to send a sample of your used oil for analysis (labs like Blackstone or amsoil do well, as do others). You simply cannot tell how oil is doing by looking at the oil.

I been staring at motor oils since the 60's. No commercial labs were around like today. There were very few but very expensive. Our eyes were what we used by experience. A typical analysis does not tell you varnish potential which one can clearly see, like the photos. It requires a special test. Specifics, yes, oil analysis is handy. Specialized testing gets expensive to know what can be seen or recognizeable.

Sponsored