I am religious about changing the oil in my daily driver 2011 Toyota Tundra every 5000 miles. I change the oil in my 1997 Baja Performance boat with 502 Magnum every 50 hours and / or every fall when I winterized. I also change the oil in my John Deere Zero turn mower and Kubota tractor every fall no matter how many hours I put on them.

How often should I change the oil in my 60,000 mile Formula when I am putting 500 miles per year on it going to shows and cruise ins? I am using Mobile 1 synthetic. Seems like a waste to change every year, but cheaper than a rebuild if moisture in the oil is an issue. I have always been told to change oil in the fall if storing over the winter because condensation can build up in the oil. Any truth to that?

 

If you're worried about condensation building up while in storage, it would be better to change it in the spring. On my 92, I put about 2-3k miles on it per summer, and it just change it every 3k miles. I've never worried about it sitting over the winter. If I put 2k on it one summer, I just let it sit over winter and then drive it next summer till I hit that 3k mark and change it. Haven't had a problem yet.

 

Conventional wisdom has always been that when an engine is to be stored , It's to be stored with the cleanest possible oil .

 

If you start it in winter once and awhile it should evaporate any moisture.

 

That is along the lines with what I have always been told. The only harm in changing it too often is the money. Better safe than sorry.


Thanks for the feedback.

 

^^^ This ^^^

Exhaust products are an acid. That's what contaminates oil. CO2 + water = the same acid as Coke. Dirty oil EATS bearings and other parts.

Change the oil before putting it up for the winter. Don't start it over the winter if you don't have to: you just get the oil dirty again, and the period of time while it's warming up, is THE WORST for it. Take the batt out and keep it charged but don't start the motor. Leave it alone until spring.

Same deal as with a boat. You don't go out and start those randomly over the winter, either.