UMich97

Hey everyone, have a quick question. My owner's manual states that I don't need to change the oil until I reach 7500 miles, but the service manual from my dealer says 3000 miles. I'm at 3500 today and trying to decide if it is going to hurt my car to take it on a 500 mile round trip to visit my parents.....anyone have any insights or know which is correct?

Thanks in advance.

V8Mike

It won't hurt anything bust it CERTAINLY won't hurt to change it before.

UMich97

Unfortunately, changing it today isn't much of an option, because I don't have the tools, space, or supplies to do it myself and no place is open on Sunday to bring it to. ....However, I debating taking my '99 on the road trip instead, if it presented a potential issue. I've always heard that the first oil change is important to remove any particles left from the original engine build, but not sure if that is true or just an old tale.

Hani

I am also close to the 1st oil change.. we have it changed every 3,000 miles over here due to the hot weather.. we have dedicated owner's manuals and service manuals for our region..

Just try to change it as soon as you get the chance to put your mind at rest..

red devl

If you do it yourself, be prepared to break out the "jaws of life", to remove the oil filter. Ford
must have 800 lb. gorillas screwing them on. I didn't think I'd ever get mine off.

Ministang

Go with the factory recommendations, the dealer just wants to make more money off you by changing your oil twice as often as the factory recommends. On all of my new cars I usually tend to do the first oil change fairly soon (often, but not always, at around 1000-2000 miles), but then I stick with the factory mileage recommendation or 12 months, whichever comes first. Most of my cars see pretty low miles, so I change the oil once a year, whether that has been 2000 miles or 6000 miles. I typically stick with the manufacturers recommendation during the warranty period, then I may adjust it after the warranty is up. You'll be fine on the factory fill well past 3500 miles.

n8rfastback

the manual says 7500 so go 7500

you could go 10k without hurting anything, but its not recommended....

the dealer is just looking for more cash with the 3k thing... its stupid!!!

CalStang'07

For the last twenty years plus year, the rule in our shop has been. Change the oil and oil filter every at five thousand miles or at one year. Which ever happens to occur first on all daily drivers, light trucks and specialty cars too. Have not lost an engine yet! Believe the whole 3000 mile oil change thing has always been a rip off, ever since back when the newer blended oils with additives had arrived. And Consumer Reports agreed. Look it up. But if you are doing a lot of heavy towing or also driving in some very dusty/dirty conditions, then 3,000 miles is just smart insurance. CalStang

P.S. Once saw a 1954 Chevy manual, that recommended a change oil every 1,000 miles with straight 30W. My how times have really changed!!

Black GT500

Well Said, I agree...

shaun_beauchamp

Oil Change 101:

1.) Oils, especially full synthetics, can last up to 50K miles.
2.) Synthetic only means blend unless it is FULL synthetic.
1% Synthetic qualifies as "Semi-Synthetic".
3.) It is the contaminants that you circulate through extended drains which cause damage.
4.) Filters with BETA ratings of 200 or above do a 99.5% efficient job of removing particles.
5.) Filters ONLY rated with a Micron number should be avoided.
6.) Running the Motorcraft factory fill for my 06 Mustang has showed several good signs through
consistent oil analysis:

TBN is usually only 2 points below original values after 5K miles.
Fuel dilution usually degrades oil ONE ISO Viscosity level over 5K miles.
Oil always shows negligible amounts of moisture.
Wear metals appear to be consistent after track days, yet TBN drops 1 full integer.

When you look at an oil analysis, you need to make sure your TBN is above 2.0 on a scale from 1 to 10. You will see the factory fill is just above 7. Usually you will end with a value of 5 at 5K miles. If you run the car hard and do several track days, pull the oil at 5K. If you drive normally (under 4K RPM most of the time) and do not drive in a very dusty and sandy environment, 7500 miles seems a viable change value.

Remember, all the contaminants that are in your engine either come from:
1.) Original Machining Process
2.) Component Degredation and Wear
3.) Ingress through air intake
4.) Fuel passing by piston rings
5.) Moisture coming from head gasket
6.) Trans fluid leaking in from rear main seal (automatic)
7.) Human error (idiot gets garbage in system during oil change)

Be smart, oil is "cheap" when compared to pistons and engine blocks. When in doubt, change it out.

I don't sell engine oil, but I do have access to a lab for analysis: beauchampengineering.net

krnpimpsta

I changed my oil at 700 miles, 2.5k, 5k, 7.5k 10k, 12.5k, and soon again at 15k.

After that I plan on changing every 3k.

I use the factory motorcraft synthetic/organic blend and am not worried about my oil breaking down at 3000 miles. That is not why I change my oil. I change my oil & filter to minimize contaminants being rubbed all over the insides of my engine.

Glenn

I know your probably not running mobil one but I like this test. http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html
I believe the ford techs know what they are talking about with the 7500 mile change interval. If your worried change it out at 6k and your still more than safe, any thing else is a waste of oil and cash.
I use mobil one and change any where from the 7500 to 9500 miles.

cave diver

Making people think that you MUST change the oil every 3,000 miles is simply a marketing scam and a fraud in the public by the various 'quick lubes'. Even at 5,000 miles modern oils are still protecting your engine just fine. Change at the manufactures recommended intervals, anything else is wasting your money and our natural resources.

UMich97

Thanks everyone!

I always know I can count on my fellow Stangers here. I decided to make the trip with the new '08 and will just change the oil when it is convenient, sometime between 3500 and 7500. Thanks again for the peace of mind.

StangRalle

I do mine every 9k miles.

Black GT500

Good choice, have a nice trip.

StangRalle

+1 This is absolutely correct!

UMich97

Thanks Black GT500.

Trip was enjoyable.....and as an unrelated note.....I reset the Avg MPG for the trip, only to find out that I got 25 MPG for the trip, which was a pleasent surprise. Shows me that when I'm just cruising and not "driving", I can even score the occasional good MPG. No question, Mustang's just rock, all around.

krnpimpsta

Your oil is fine. It will probably be fine for tens of thousands of more miles. But what about all the crap that is slowly buidling up in your oil?
* Crap from outside of your engine that gets in with the air from the intake and makes it way into your oil past your pistons.
* Crap/metal shavings from inside your engine that are rubbed off every time one moving part moves against another? (i.e., thousands of times per minute)

Black GT500

Huh?

That is what your OIL FILTER is for...

It is either filtering as designed or it is not, if it is not, you are screwed long before 3000 miles...