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Oil change intervals

8K views 81 replies 17 participants last post by  Jeepman 
#1 ·
Been through a couple of oil changes so far but have not seen a oil change light so far. About how many miles in between should I expect. In my other cars the light pops up and when resetting it is apparent. In the van it’s hard to tell if anything is going on. I am a fan of these systems as the old 3K mile oil change seemed way to early.
Thanks
 
#3 ·
I target for 10,000 km (6,200 miles) using Valvoline Daily Protection 5W-30 Conventional oil. Right now I'm beyond that at 13,000 with no oil change reminder yet, but will be changing oil this week. I'm using a FRAM Tough Guard TG11665 oil filter rated at 15,000 miles (24,000 km) and will likely leave it on there for this oil change.
Last oil change I used Pennzoil full synthetic and let it go until the oil change reminder light started glowing at over 15,000 km.
Actual oil change: 15,467 km and 247 engine hours, averaging 62.6 km (39 miles) per engine our..
 
#4 ·
My OLM comes on ~15,000Km (9,500 miles) usually.
I change the oil at 10,000Km (or yearly) whichever comes first - easy to remember and well within limits
 
#6 ·
I wait till the light comes on or 12 months. The light always comes first by months.
 
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#8 ·
According to Carfax, the previous owner of my van changed it at 10,000 miles almost exactly, which tells me that is when the OLM comes on. They did a 6500 once as well. It was a country van, all highway miles, so it didn’t bother me.

I run around 6000 miles on all my oil changes, but will probably be doing it on a 12 month interval this year due to COVID and the lack of driving. That will be March....I’ve never seen the light on either my 2012 or this van. My 95 and 02 weren’t nice enough to tell me it was time for a change.

I use Valvoline Max-Life but I’m switching to the Havoline 6 quart box for convenience and price.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#11 · (Edited)
Color, not so bad, but an odor change isn't good. :)

Some oil changes color really quick, Mobil 1 being one of them I believe. Depends on the additives in the additive package for starters.

Author
Mobil 1

Hi Charlie, we double checked with our top formulators, and they confirmed that additive oxidation is a key cause of color change soon after an oil change. But certainly, there are other factors that influence color change including trapped particles.
 
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#14 ·
That's old timers thinking, modern day oils can do better. Some people were using 10,000 km oil changes decades ago with no engine problems. Take a look at the European oil change intervals.
BUT, 10,000 is a nice number to remember and it's safe. Keep on trucking. :)
 
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#13 ·
I think a good rule is 10,000 miles for synthetic, ~6,000 miles for a synthetic blend, and 3,000 ~ 6,000 miles for a conventional.
I'd recommend changing it every 6 months. I do it in fall and spring, on some vehicles I like to switch from a 5W-30 or 0W-30 in winter to a 5W-30 or 10W-30 in summer. A good rational for the 6 month rule is that, if you aren't driving enough miles to necessitate changing the oil, you probably aren't driving enough miles to heat up the engine to burn off condensation inside the engine. Sitting for long periods or only taking short trips is bad for the oil.
If you're stretching the oil changes out to 6,000-10,000 miles, try to remember to check your oil periodically. Maybe you won't remember to do it monthly, so do it every time you roll 1000 miles and see a bunch of zeros on the odometer. Not changing your oil isn't good, but realistically you could probably go tens of thousands of miles before you did significant damage. Running your oil low will burn up the rings and permanently damage the engine. Keeping it full is the most important thing.

I've got 435,000 miles on my 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager. The engine was rebuilt at 350,000 miles, I had the crankshaft and rod bearing caps off recently and the bearings looked brand new. It's gotten Castrol 5W-30 every 3,000 miles, my stepdad and I used to change it when I was a kid. Now it gets Castrol Syntec High Mileage, every 3000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first.
 
#18 ·
I've heard many times that the limitation of modern synthetic oil is the filter needs changed before the oil, and that the additives run out before the the oil breaks down.

Oil is cheaper than piston rings and valve seals though. As a mechanic I do two things, "preventative maintenance", and repairs...🤷
 
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#25 ·
Dependent on too many factors. Any estimation we make is just at best an estimation. The oils and filters could go well beyond the "recommendation", but I'm not taking that risk with my motor, and I don't believe for a moment anybody else who cares enough to have an account here is gambling on motor oil and filters either.
 
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#29 ·
Speaking of filters, after I rebuild this transmission, I'm definitely going to put a massive 5 micron screw on hydraulic filter and remote mounting block on my Transmission cooler return line.
 
#31 ·
Just get a two stroke or a tesla, you'll never have to deal with oil changes!
 
#43 · (Edited)
Re Post 40
It could be Magnefine promoting their product.
Some members here came across those on their vehicles, some actually installed them. I believe 06DGC installed one on his power steering.
The filters were discussed for some time many years back. If one had a new cooler, the filter could be installed on the other line.
Reportedly Ford issued a "Special Service Notice" to no longer use the filter because people weren't replacing them at 30K? as rrecommended, or something like that. They do have a bypass. It's all discussed on BITOG
 
#44 ·
Re Post 40
It could be Magnefine promoting their product.
Some members here came across those on their vehicles, some actually installed them. I believe 06DC installed one on his power steering.
The filters were discussed for some time many years back. If one had a new cooler, the filter could be installed on the other line.
Reportedly Ford issued a "Special Service Notice" to no longer use the filter because people weren't replacing them at 30K? as rrecommended, or something like that. They do have a bypass. It's all discussed on BITOG
And what make you think his power steering system will last longer?

It might cause cavitation which will lead to major repairs.

True hydraulic system filters should go on the high pressure lines, but those filters are expensive.
 
#45 · (Edited)
I don't know, you will have to ask 06DGC.

Ford had some data that it saved their transmissions.
 
#52 ·
I think the idea, is that the transmission filter doesn't actually catch fine particles. A lot of material just becomes suspended in the fluid, sits on the bottom of the pan, or gets centerfuged to the outside of the torque converter.

Definitely not a 5 micron filter like we use on lift truck hydraulics and transmissions. I think engine oil filters are closer to 20 microns, and the 41TE filter is more like a mesh.
 
#54 ·
Hey 06DGC, did you use a Magnefine filter on your 06's power steering line? Somebody back then did IIRC, I think it was you.
 
#55 ·
I definitely had one on my transmission return line. Can't recall if I ever went forward with the PS. I may have. I bet I would have posted about it. Maybe I'll have a look.
 
#59 ·
Changed the oil in the van today. From: The Chrysler Minivan Fan Club Forums
Changed the oil, not the filter, on the 2016 GC, using Valvoline Daily Protection 5W-30 (5 liters) and topped up with Formula Shell 5W-30. 13,010 km, 205 hours on the oil.

The FRAM TG11665 filter is rated for 24,000+ km, so was good for another oil change. I target for 10,000 km but this one got past me by 3,000 km.

For the previous oil change I used synthetic oil and waited for the oil reminder message to come on at over 15,000 km, changed at 15,467 km/247 hours.

I figure the less time one spends working around Chrysler's mickey mouse oil filter setup, the less chance for problems.
 
#62 ·
This started as an oil change interval thread and migrated to transmission fluid concerns.
1) I "always heard" that transmission filters were just rock catchers. By "rocks" I think they mean 200 microns or larger.
2) The ease of changing an external filter allowed vehicle owners to avoid clogged filters. How diligently Joe Average maintains such a filter is open for discussion.
3) I also heard that pressures in transmission cooling lines aren't high so any filter's restrictive properties need be known.
 
#63 · (Edited)
There is an internal bypass on the transmission cooler circuit. There is 35 - 100 psi on the transmission cooler circuit in all gears and park at 1500rpm.
After the fluid returns from the cooler or bypasses it, it is used for the lubrication circuit of the transmission. The lubrication circuit is entirely fed by the cooler.

A filter on the cooler or cooler return line is effectively putting a filter immediately in front of the bearings.
 
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#65 ·
Which filter are you using? Not a bad idea doing it that way as you can do it all from the top. I expect you can get just as much out as you would using the drain bolt. Unlike the transmission, you can probably get right to the bottom of the pan.
 
#67 ·
I just shuddered when I read that. For our cars/vans, I jack up the vehicle so the oil drain plug is lower than the rest of the pan, just to make sure I get as much out from the bottom of the oil pan. Maybe it doesn't make a difference in the real world, but I can't imagine only sucking the oil out and feeling like a did it the right way.
 
#68 ·
For sure it's best to use the drain plug. I suppose if someone doesn't have the means to lift the vehicle, sucking the oil out is a viable option. I've strained oil coming out of the drain plug and found nothing in terms of sediment/contaminants. You might actually be able to get more out if you have a power pump and flexible hose. Is the drain plug at the very lowest point of the pan? I can't remember and just did an oil change a week or so ago.
 
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