I was wondering if someone can help answer a question I have regarding oil change frequency.

98 Ram

I have been using synthetic oil in the truck almost since I bought it new. In the past few years, I have semi retired the truck only to be a "sunday driver". I don't even put 1k a year on the truck. I have been using Mobil 1 and was wondering if anyone goes the 6k that the owners manual says you can go for under the light duty. I have been changing the oil every 3-4 months whether I put 20 or 200 miles on it. When I do drive it, it's almost always on the highway so the oil is heating up to the point, at least I think, where the moisture burns off.

I changed the oil the first of November, and have put just about 400 miles on it. The oil change bug bit me as I am about to do an oil change in another vehicle I have, which uses reg oil. Do you think I can wait the 6 months or 7500 or whatever the manual says? I know I could never use the Mobil product that says you can go for a year between changes. That's unholy to me.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

I'd say if you only put 1000 miles on a year, just pick once a year to change it...twice even if you'd like. That's should be plenty. Especially if they're highway miles (which aren't hard on oil). And ESPECIALLY if you're using synthetic. Just get a good high mileage oil filter (like a K&N or Fram Xtra Guard) and you shouldn't have a problem.

I have a 1999 Grand Prix that I only drive in the summer time. I average 5000 miles a year with it. Most of those are "hard" miles. I run Amsoil 10w-30 and a K&N filter and I've never had any issues.

The mileage recommendations that are made are with the assumption that you drive your car all the time. 6000 miles is for if you drive it mostly highway. 3000 is if you drive it mostly city. And the 3 months is if you drive it everyday, but don't drive it far enough (short trips) in 3 months to hit either of those goals.