Maintenance Schedule B

Also, I change my oil every 3,000 miles (and change my filter every oil change). I may extend that to 5,000, but I do it more because I enjoy it and it gives me something to do with the jeep on a slow day.


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Consumer Reports did an in-depth review of engine oil some 15-20 years ago. This is the only lab-quality un-biased and extensive review that I'm aware of. They used a fleet of NY taxi cabs with 4.3 GM engines. The engines were rebuilt with new bearing shells that were precisely weighed and inspected. They tested various brands of oil at 6,000 mile change intervals, both conventional and synthetic. They even ran two engines with 12,000 mile intervals. In the end, they came to the conclusion that no one brand did any better than the other. Even the 12K engines showed no difference in bearing wear. The used oils did not show excessive metal buildup or any indication of accelerated wear.

The summed up the entire article by suggesting any brand of oil with the API sunburst (and appropriate application) works just as well as the other. 6000mi change intervals are more than adequate. The only time I would go more frequently - towing or repeated short trips where the engine never reaches full operating temperature. The oil change interval on long-haul class 8 DD15's is now 50,000miles on conventional oil. Yes, that's 4 zero's! These engines work harder and run way hotter than anything with 4 wheels.

Modern marketing has nothing to do with value. If you can convince your customers to pay $10 instead of $5 just with a label and name change, that's considered good business. Promotions all around! Never mind you're screwing over the average Joe.
 
What about additives like restore? I add seafoam to my gas about once every 10,000 miles, but have never added anything to the oil.


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The only time I would go more frequently - towing or repeated short trips where the engine never reaches full operating temperature.

That said, the FSM says frequent trips less than 10mi put you in Maintenance Schedule B, which is more frequent oil changes. I think they're saying that because the engine never reaches full operating temperature, it's harder on the engine. So would changing my oil every 5-6,000 miles be a good idea for someone like myself that drives <10 miles/trip quite frequently?
 
Your engine will reach full operating temp in just a few miles. My daily commute is 12miles one way and it's warmed up less than half way to work.
 
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What about additives like restore? I add seafoam to my gas about once every 10,000 miles, but have never added anything to the oil.
Oil additives should be avoided, all they do is disrupt and screw up the careful blend of how the oil manufacturer formulated the oil. Virtually every oil manufacturer strongly cautions against the use of additives.

And adding Seafoam to the gasoline is a waste of $$$. Virtually all US gasoline formulations have been required by the EPA to include enough cleaning additives to keep the fuel system clean, no additional chemicals are required... they're just a waste of $$$. In many conversations with dealer technicians (mechanics) when I had a slew of dealerships as customers, all confirmed it had been many years since they had seen a dirty fuel injection system. That the dealerships push fuel injection system cleaning services is just another way for them to increase their profits, that service is about 90% profit for them.
 
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X2. Sometimes I feel like I'm asking a stupid question, but then it turns out to be so worth it. Thanks all!

sorry but you made it too easy.....

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sorry but you made it too easy.....

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No problemo...I know, I know. I'm a teacher! If I said it once I said it a thousand times. Yet people still feel stupid asking questions! It's that part of us that wishes knowledge for humans was instinctual.
 
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Your engine will reach full operating temp in just a few miles. My daily commute is 12miles one way and it's warmed up less than half way to work.
X2, I'm always amazed how fast my Jeep engine warms up... it's about 1.5 miles to my freeway onramp and my engine is always fully warmed up by then.
 
I change the oil in my TJ when my WK2 tells me. The GC runs more miles, so when it says it's oil change time I change both. I figure it's smarter than I am.

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The guy I bought my Rubicon from ran Mobil 1 synthetic oil, do I have to stick with it or can I change to conventional? I've heard you don't want to mix them.
 
The guy I bought my Rubicon from ran Mobil 1 synthetic oil, do I have to stick with it or can I change to conventional? I've heard you don't want to mix them.

you can change next oil change. Won't hurt. I did about 10K miles ago after running Mobil 1 full synthetic for years.

BTW, where abouts in Mendo Co. are you at? I'm in Lake Co.
 
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The guy I bought my Rubicon from ran Mobil 1 synthetic oil, do I have to stick with it or can I change to conventional? I've heard you don't want to mix them.
You heard wrong, you can even mix synthetic and conventional together, they are 100% compatible and interchangeable. You can change to whatever oil you want whenever you want. Personally I run nothing but conventional oil in my engine since I live in a temperate climate. Only if I lived in a place that got uber cold like North Dakota would I pay extra for synthetic and then I'd only do so during the winter months. :)
 
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I do my oil change every 6,000 miles. I does not drive my Jeep as much as I do want due work traveling so last three years not even run 4, 000 miles all three together and me been picky replace it every spring, throwing away good oil but...
I have been using Valvoline Premium Conventional since my very first car. Oil filter is Fram, lately have been using Fran Thought Guard. While the oils drains out I inspect the brakes and rotates the tires.
 
Your engine will reach full operating temp in just a few miles. My daily commute is 12miles one way and it's warmed up less than half way to work.

The engine coolant temperature will reach its normal operating range but that doesn't mean the oil in the sump is fully warmed up. Many have experienced a situation where the oil level drops noticeably the first time they go on a long highway run of several hours. This after months of shorter trips. This is the result of moisture and/or accumulated acids cooking out of the oil. This is what the severe maintenance schedule is targeting.
 
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