Oil change

[Jimmy N.]

The oil is just going to sit in the pan during the winter and may get condisation from being warm and cold for 5 months. I want new oil in the car after sitting that long

If condensation could be a problem or not depends on the climate. Here it's common to have 50 degree swings between the high and the low in a day, but I have yet to find evidence of condensation in metal or plastic containers.

Also, given the option I'd rather have pure water in there (it'll boil off) than any potential acids in old oil. Anyway, as long as the engine is allowed to sit undisturbed there probably won't be any condensation issues to speak of.

I suppose that one alternative could be to drain the old oil in the fall, then not add any new oil until it's driving time again in the spring. A great side effect of that would be that it'd keep people from needlessly starting the engine during the hibernation period.

 

[2ndAmend]

Lot of overthinkin' goin' on 'round here.

 

[2ndAmend]

Does oil really make a difference? How would anyone know?

I have had, not one, but two times in my life where I actually witnessed a difference.

The first is my 2004 Wrangler, it had a rocker tick when cold, started maybe at 80k. They have a history of the poor circulation in the back 2 valves and build up crud. I really didn’t want to pull the head so I tried many additives, flushes, etc., no change. Then I started using Delvac diesel oil, it has more detergent than reg oil. Huge improvement! It now it rarely ticks, and whe it does it is nowhere near as as loud or as long.

Dinner is ready, I’ll share the next tomorrow, same Bat time, same Bat channel!

 

[Jimmy N.]

Oil made a difference in my '14 2500 with a 6.4.

Somehow I ended up putting Mobil 1 European Formula in it at the first (and early) oil change. And it started ticking on startup.
Put the correct oil in it (still the same correct grade) and the ticking stopped.

 

[Smitty]

My cat gets driven about 2500 miles a year. I’m only doing one before storage in November, now.

That’s what I do too.

 

[SilverBillet]

That’s what I do too.

Doesn’t seem like you need fresh oil in it for it to sit all Winter?

 

[Jimmy N.]

Doesn’t seem like you need fresh oil in it for it to sit all Winter?

It doesn't. But it's better to have clean oil in there than dirty oil.

As suggested earlier, simply don't add the new oil until in the spring if the thought of it being in the pan instead of in the bottles is bothersome.

 

[Smitty]

Doesn’t seem like you need fresh oil in it for it to sit all Winter?

I’ve heard the acids and other stuff that build up in the oil are worse to leave for an extended period than any condensation that might collect and burn off the first time the engine gets hot🤷🏼‍♂️ Not sure if it really matters since I don’t start the car in the winter anyway.

 

[Unholy707]

oil doesn’t go bad. It’s fine. 3k miles or a few track trips.

 

[Jimmy N.]

oil doesn’t go bad.

Not for 5.99 months, no.

It's also interesting that it doesn't age at all on a dealer's lot, but starts going bad the second somebody buys the vehicle.

 

[1971demon]

What kind of oil are you going to use? Filter too

use what the owners manual specifies

 

[vortecd]

I said it before, it is what you feel is right and helps you sleep at night. I went 14k miles in between oil changes and the car didn't blow up. I had done 10k many times

 

[2ndAmend]

Not for 5.99 months, no.

It's also interesting that it doesn't age at all on a dealer's lot, but starts going bad the second somebody buys the vehicle.

My M6 was 9mo old when I bought it new. I am sure the dealer changed the oil at 6mo and 12mi to keep the warranty intact.

 

[jroyk]

My M6 was 9mo old when I bought it new. I am sure the dealer changed the oil at 6mo and 12mi to keep the warranty intact.

Mine was six months old, so I caught it just in a nick of time. Whew!

 

[SilverBillet]

I said it before, it is what you feel is right and helps you sleep at night. I went 14k miles in between oil changes and the car didn't blow up. I had done 10k many times

Does @vortecd go 14K and then 10 K between changes many times on the Hellcat? I know you’re not worried about warranty coverage with your mods but you probably are not going 14K between changes on the Charger?

 

[vortecd]

Does @vortecd go 14K and then 10 K between changes many times on the Hellcat? I know you’re not worried about warranty coverage with your mods but you probably are not going 14K between changes on the Charger?

14k was 1 time in the daytona. In the past I was putting 10k or so a year on my car and was doing once a year change. I think the most i did on the hellcat was 7800 for the year. I believe I was around 6500 last year. I parked it a few weeks early. It was also down in April for a bad fuel pressure sensor

 

[Bowtie Guy]

Some of these cars sit on lots longer then 6 months

Does it void the warranty ?

 

[Smitty]

Some of these cars sit on lots longer then 6 months

Does it void the warranty ?

Only when it’s to the company’s advantage

 

[1971demon]

Doesn’t seem like you need fresh oil in it for it to sit all Winter?

Mine are

Mine was six months old, so I caught it just in a nick of time. Whew!

I don't drive mine all that much...they are stored in a heated garage from early Nov. till May (depending on the weather...)...I change it every spring...that's it...

 

[2ndAmend]

Back in the day when I was a teen working in dad’s shop, I was the designated pump jockey because I was the lowest on the totem pole. One day a long haired freaky looking guy drives in for gas for his GTO (65 or 66 I think). He pops the hood and checks is own oil (usually my job) and asks “do you have any used oil I can have?” I said yeah, but it’s pretty nasty. (In those days, oil coming out of a customer’s car usually looked like chocolate milk.) He asked for some, because it burned/leaked so fast he couldn’t afford to put new oil in it (49c/qt at Bradlees). So I poured in 2q. Performance cars (and owners) were a bit different then.