El Cajon Oil Changes
I’m somewhere in between, because it depends. What kind of engine are you running? What sort of driving do you do? What’s the climate like where you’re operating your machine? Keep in mind that motor oil isn’t the only fluid that needs to be changed on a regular basis. If you plan on keeping your vehicle for a while, it’s wise also to change transmission oil, coolant and even power steering and brake fluid. Like everyone, I have my own ever-changing opinions on these things. So for the sake of simplicity, I asked a couple of experienced mechanics – Mike Hogarty, an experienced ASE master technician who owns . – what they thought. The bottom line is that you should always defer to the manufacturer recommendation for any given vehicle (remember the owner’s manual, that funny, not-so-little book taking up space in your glove box?). Here’s what else they had to say.
Motor Oil
“It’s most important to check your oil regularly,” Hogarty says. “Low oil level is far worse than not meeting some kind of regular interval.” Ask a dozen different people how often you should change your oil and you’ll get a dozen answers. Some stand by the classic 3,000-mile rule-of-thumb, while others posit that modern oils last longer than whatever it was people were using when that informal rule was created. The intervals he suggests for motor oil changes are 5,000 miles for synthetic blends and 10,000 miles for full synthetic. Hogarty also recommends the synthetic blend to customers, so that they can get their tires rotated with every oil change. LeBlanc sticks by an old standard, suggesting that the rule of thumb for oil change intervals is 3,000 miles for conventional oils and 5,000 miles for synthetics.
Transmission Oil
This is where things get tricky. Different vehicles require different types of transmission fluid (many manual transmissions use differential gear oil, and not all automatic transmission oils were created equal). Should you simply drain the transmission oil pan and change the filter, or go for the full flush by removing and replacing all the fluid in an automatic transmission? If it seems confusing, it probably is. Hogarty says that no matter what you do, don’t have this service performed at a quick lube shop. In the old days, the guideline was to change transmission fluid every three years, or 30,000 miles, whichever came first. Your best bet on newer vehicles, according to both Hogarty and LeBlanc is to see what the manufacturer recommends. Some transmissions need regular maintenance, and others are dubbed a “lifetime fill” and can go up to 150,000 miles between oil changes. “When in doubt, service the transmission with OEM fluid and filter starting at 60k, and every 30k afterwards,” Hogarty says.
Differential Oil
This interval, LeBlanc says, depends upon the type of differential and whether or not you use the vehicle for towing. Hogarty says 30,000 miles for conventional gear oil and 60,000 for synthetics. Diffs are pretty straightforward.
Coolant
This is one of the more overlooked fluids in a vehicle’s maintenance regime. When coolant gets old its pH changes, which can damage engine parts, gaskets and seals. You want to avoid allowing your engine to rot out from the inside, so having the coolant flushed and changed every three years is a good idea. Again, manufacturer recommendations vary – some newer vehicles specify every 10 years or 100,000 miles – but LeBlanc wisely suggests you check the coolant pH with an inexpensive kit every time you get the oil changed.