Oil change on the road? Or just wait?

[Lakeman1]

Originally Posted by Minnesota51

This is the kind of thing I like to hear. Somebody actually taking a scientific approach and actually analyzing the oil.

It would make sense to me that car manuals would be conservative. Because they know people are going to stretch it anyway.

I'm very surprised at how long my 2013 Honda Odyssey waits until it says I need an oil change. And most of it is stop-and-go city driving where I don't really get it warmed up to normal temperature that much.

That's what got me thinking about how much hassle I truly need to endure just to make sure I get this V10 changed at 7500 miles on the DOT. I called Speedco. They don't do gas engines anymore.

My plan is to buy an excellent filter that I want that fits my V10. And then look for a highly rated local mechanic who can do it while I wait in some smaller town where he's not busy, and put in some good quality oil. 5W20 which is what the V10 takes.

The entire point is not the money. Believe me I can afford The oil change. It's the hassle factor of finding a Ford Truck Service Center and not having to spend all day sitting in the waiting room with my wife and my dog.

If you don't get the engine warmed up on your Honda due to such short trips you most definitely don't won't to wait until the computer tells you to change the oil. Short trips where it doesn't come to normal operating temp you will have a lot of moisture in the oil, not good.

[185EZ]

Oil analysis is good.
But what will you do after you find the results?
They'll find solids and moisture and contaminants that your filter can't take out but maybe a frequent oil change may have
Maybe it isn't the money but peace of mind to not worry about it
[Mod Edit]
Yes I'm just telling it like it is
Enjoy your trip

old school rules millennials drools

[Prontix]

Wow! Maybe I should think about changing the oil in my car more often. I last changed the oil in my 89 Toyota back in 2009. Of course, I only drive it a few miles every day but I estimate it has close to 350,000 on the engine. I just add oil when it needs it. BUT, on my rv, I try to change every 3000 or so. [emoji6]

[WyCamper]

Personally I would stick to your original plan and wait till I got back home, the extra 1k or so extra miles is simply not going to make a difference.

Ignore the "every 3000 cause I'm way more smarter than the lubrication engineers" posters, "old school" is shorthand for not able to keep up. Engines and oil have changed over the last 30 years, a lot.

[Minnesota51]

Originally Posted by Pete & Linda

If you don't get the engine warmed up on your Honda due to such short trips you most definitely don't won't to wait until the computer tells you to change the oil. Short trips where it doesn't come to normal operating temp you will have a lot of moisture in the oil, not good.

Well that's the thing. The computer records if the car came up to temperature. It knows how far you drove. It knows your stop and go pattern. All that is taken into account.

[Minnesota51]

Originally Posted by 185EZ

Oil analysis is good.
But what will you do after you find the results?
They'll find solids and moisture and contaminants that your filter can't take out but maybe a frequent oil change may have
Maybe it isn't the money but peace of mind to not worry about it
[Mod Edit]
Yes I'm just telling it like it is
Enjoy your trip

old school rules millennials drools

Thanks. We are enjoying the trip. I am going to take a sample of the oil before I change it, then change it. I want to see from the sample if I really needed to change it based on the contaminants, and how much it's broken down, and how dirty it is.

[Minnesota51]

Originally Posted by WyCamper

Personally I would stick to your original plan and wait till I got back home, the extra 1k or so extra miles is simply not going to make a difference.

Ignore the "every 3000 cause I'm way more smarter than the lubrication engineers" posters, "old school" is shorthand for not able to keep up. Engines and oil have changed over the last 30 years, a lot.

When I get home I'm probably going to be about 2,500 over. I'm going to see how hard it is to find someone who can change it while we wait in some smaller town. Any big dealership is going to be busy, although maybe I could call ahead and schedule it.

But I'm going to take a sample of the old oil before they change it. And I'm going to send it in and have it analyzed to see if the change was really needed. It will help me in the future.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by 185EZ

Funny how people complain about prices of a campground or petty things and yet they push their maintenance schedules beyond the limits to save a few bucks

Internal combustion engines still produce the same contaminants as they did years ago.
If you want those acids and alkalinity sitting in your engine eating at your seals then go for it.
I didn't pay thousands of dollars for my rv to let 50 bucks not let me sleep at night and know i have a clean engine
The filter doesn't take care of everything.
To go 10,000 miles on my Acura because "I could"? Maybe
To go 10,000 miles on my rv? no way

got the attention of the mods and admin. lol

I think you missed the OP point... it wasn't about trying to save $ at all.

It's not the contaminants from combustion that has changed significantly it's the oil... especially the additive packages that counter the combustion contaminents.
What the analysis tells you... in addition to many other things... is the amount of protection remaining in the additives or if it's been used up and time to change.

For the OP
You might consider using JGLabs as he's a member and contributor here in iRV2 and can find many posts w a little searching (hzjcm8 and he posts often on the Allison section)
I would guess that if you PMed him he would give you some very educated advice vs some of the speculation based on anecdotes.
I have used a local shop for oil analysis in the past but just switched mine to JG and my first sample in the works currently. So far very pleased w communication as I sent them my previous tests and they are working to get them entered in my history so my results snd trends are complete and all in one place.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by Minnesota51

We drive about 61 miles an hour for about 4 hours a day. Pretty easy. No stop and go. Engine idles along at about 2000 RPM maybe 1900. This is not severe conditions because it's not dusty out and we're not stopping and going and we are up to temperature.

Ford says 7500 miles on the V10 for an oil change. We're about 800 past due amount and about 2500 miles from home.

We don't tow a car. We would have to have it changed while we wait in the waiting room somewhere.

I am inclined to just wait. I always have it changed at Ford service centers and get all Motorcraft stuff. I don't know if I would trust an oil change place.

What do you do when you are in the middle of a trip and it's time for an oil change? Have you had good luck with people who will change it in a park and put in the type of oil and type of filter you want?

For ME it would not be an Issue - 10 or 11 K is no problem - if synthetic and oil is full on the dip stick.

But if it is a concern to YOU just catch a Wal*Mart or Speedco and get it changed, then in 7,500 miles take it back to the dealer to be back in your normal Cycle.

Back 20 Years ago, when running my Business I would always check the oil - Run Mobile one and a Premium Filter and go 25,000 between oil changes - last two Fords had 300,000 miles on them and still burned no oil and ran like new. So............

Just keep you mind at ease and do what feels good to YOU

[Sunny1]

Minnesota51,
This thread had been an interesting read. I read the edmunds article you posted. Oil technology has come a long ways and the 3000 mile interval is now just a gimmick to make more profit for service centers.

I’m in the school of changing my oil every 5000 miles on all my vehicles, and on our gasser RV if it hasn’t been driven 5000 miles in the past year then in the spring I’ll change it anyways. The 5000 mile interval for me is just an easy way to remember to get it done, and while 5000 is more often then the manuals or the car percentage reader for oil change call for it’s just peace of mind and, and not having to worry about it.

Your manual says to change it at 7500 miles. I could see maybe pushing it a bit beyond that for the convenience factor, but how much so can only be determined by an oil analysis. I’d say it’s encouraging that your visual inspection of the oil isn’t showing it to be black, but I’d want my oil changed before it gets black, and driving another 2500 miles home is quite a bit over the 7500 mile service interval ford recommends.

I don’t know if Flying J or Loves will do oil changes, but that may be an option. Another option is to purchase the filter and oil and find an RV technician who will come to your camping area and change the oil for you.

Will you be able to make it home with your current oil? I’m sure you most likely will, but at what long term cost? Maybe zero, or maybe significant. If you get the oil changed now, even with the hassle factor thrown in the long term cost will be zero because you took care of it - that’s my thought process!

Good luck and enjoy your trip. I grew up in Oregon and it’s a beautiful state!!!

[Minnesota51]

Winemaker2,

Thanks. I will look him up.

[grindstone01]

As a full time RV'er, I also change my oil every 5k miles on the truck and motorbike using Shell T6 Rottella synthetic oil. I usually ask at the CG (or just do it if no one is around) and I carry my own tools. For a mere $50 I can get/return the oil at any Walmart, 2-1/2 gallons. I carry a case of 6 WIX oil filters under the rear seat bought cheap off E-Bay and can change the oil immediately when the oil is hot after a haul while setting up camp.

[John Wayne]

I change mine on the side of the road or in the campground. I have a drain valve where the drain plug is forget the name with a clear drain tube. Put 5 gal jug on the ground, put tube in jug open valve let it drain. Take a gal. size freezer bag put it over the filter unscrew the filter oil stays in the bag. Put on new filter shut off drain valve add oil done.

If nothing else buy a filter take off like I posted put new filter on add qt of oil drive home

[185EZ]

Originally Posted by Winemaker2

I think you missed the OP point... it wasn't about trying to save $ at all.

It's not the contaminants from combustion that has changed significantly it's the oil... especially the additive packages that counter the combustion contaminents.
What the analysis tells you... in addition to many other things... is the amount of protection remaining in the additives or if it's been used up and time to change.

For the OP
You might consider using JGLabs as he's a member and contributor here in iRV2 and can find many posts w a little searching (hzjcm8 and he posts often on the Allison section)
I would guess that if you PMed him he would give you some very educated advice vs some of the speculation based on anecdotes.
I have used a local shop for oil analysis in the past but just switched mine to JG and my first sample in the works currently. So far very pleased w communication as I sent them my previous tests and they are working to get them entered in my history so my results snd trends are complete and all in one place.

I have to respectively disagree with you.
Maybe not money but the time it would take to do the oil change?
It's one or the other and the op chose to have it done when he got home.
No harm done. He'll make it just fine and not interrupt his trip.

We're all different when traveling and I would have either planned an oil change stop within a 10,000 mile journey or done it myself on the road.
It's also recommended annually even if mileage isn't a factor.
That's why i change mine so often. I prefer not to have old oil sitting in my engine.

Maybe i missed it but wondering if the oil is conventional or synthetic currently in his engine. Synthetic would be better.

As far as the lab testing yes there are contaminants in the oil. The chevy 8.1 is known to burn oil and I have 2 of those engines. The blow by and oil burning is sure to create some interesting tests along with burning fuel at 6 mpg.
Unless i was having issues I wouldn't send in for an oil analysis for them to tell me my oil was still giving me good protection or not. I would just spend the money on an oil change.
If the oil analysis showed some sort of excessive wear with high particles of aluminum or copper or other metals that might signify potential engine damage would you pull the engine and have it rebuilt? I know i wouldn't

Here's an interesting article on extended oil changes
I'll be changing mine often and it makes me sleep well.
https://blog.modbargains.com/15000-m...l-change-myth/

Maybe i came across as a jerk but we all have the same ideas in the end.
If i see anyone changing their oil on the side of the road I'll be the first to stop by and lend you a rag.