Changing Oil FILTER only, and topping off with fresh oil.

[FlaAveo5]

with synthetic oil you can easily go to 8000 miles before you do an oil change, it is normal for it to get darker with the heat from the engine

when you talk about dino oil, i'm guessing you're talking about conventional? switching back and forth from synthetic to conventional is a bad thing to do, because it will desintegrate your seals and then you'll have leaks all over the place, and then you'll have to do a complete gasket job, which could cost you about $2000

I dont switch back and forth, I have used 'Dino=Regular oil' like 2 times. Thats when Chevy changed it for me, and they told me it doesnt matter if you go back and forth....but I prefer 100% Synthetic, the Castrol blend was good, and a decent price, but now it is nearly the same price as total Synthetic. So I use that. I never loose oil, not a drop, I dont burn any oil, I have said it here that I hear guys saying they 'only' loose a quart of oil between changes, and they are thrilled, I would be in a panic! In all the cars and trucks I have owned, I have never lost a drop of oil,ever. But then again, I always buy new and have always traded in at 3 years, BUT this one is staying till it is to expensive to fix. No car payments is kind of nice.

[FlaAveo5]

Thanks all. I put in the new filter, a 'cheap' Fram...I have always used Fram 'Tough Guard filters, and I just had to use up my 1/2 quart of Syn.Edge I had left, to top it off, after changing the filter.
I'll change the oil and filter completely when spring hits here.
But I'll go look for this $22 jug of Edge oil at Wal-Mart...and stock pile a few of them, before Iran tries to totally strangles off the oil supply and motor oil is as rare as gold in price! Thanks all for the input.

[charlieb]

im not knocking fram filters they do work,but they have cardboard ends holding the paper filter togethers and this is usually what falls apart if you use them too long.(cut your next 1 apart if u dont believe me)thats why i suggest long life filters (extended life) it will save you US dollars in the long run.american and canadian money are pretty much the same for the time being.the wally mart in southern ont have the oil on right now,and yes castrol edge is only sold in a synthetic.last month it was penzoil platinum on sale for 22.88 5l jugs.i always stock up 3-4 jugs at a time because i change my oil way too often (according to the rest of the world) but i have never had an internal engine failure.if the price doubles then i will reconsider.all syn oil and conventional oil are 100% compatible (synthetic blend)so changing back and forth from 1 to the other hasnt been a problem for me in my 20+ years of self oil changes.

[charlieb]

What's in a Fram extra guard filter? - YouTube this link shows cut open fram filter for any1 interested most companies use metal end caps to hold filter media together and fram uses cardboard.

[snrusnak]

Wow, lots of opinions on here! lol.

First of all, switching back and forth between conventional and synthetic oils does no harm, does not disintegrate seals, etc. Granted, it's probably better to stick with one kind and not switch around, but it won't cause any harm, and it won't cause leaks to switch to synthetic at high mileage like some people claim.

I agree with not using cheap fram filters, they are poor quality compared to other brands at the same price. I prefer WIX filters (I believe same as NAPA brand).

I don't understand why you are wanting to change the filter every 2,000 miles though. A regular filter can go 5,000 miles if not longer. If you buy an extended life filter it should be good for at least 10,000 miles. Castrol EDGE is a good product, but you can get other good products for less money. I know autozone has specials on mobil 1 extended performance (15,000 mile oil) with a mobil extended life filter for like $30 some dollars from time to time. I've run this in our aveo for the past 2 years with 10,000 mile change intervals and the oil holds up well. I recently switched to Amsoil because I became a dealer and can order any product and get it at cost.

All synthetics are not equal, so you can't say "synthetic is good for X miles", or a simple statement like that. For example, some synthetic is recommended for 5,000 miles, some 10,000 miles, some 15,000 miles, and some even 25,000 miles. The use also depends. For example, I was using the same Mobil extended performance oil in my wife's Aveo (4 cylinder) and in my Dodge Ram (v. The oil still almost had a goldish tint at 10,000 miles in the aveo (driven normal and easy). In my truck (tow, haul, and raced) it was black at 7,500 miles, so I started changing it at 5,000 miles.

No matter what oil you use, the most important things are to match the life of the filter to the life of the oil, monitor the oil (check it regularly) to see when it needs changed, and don't assume because an oil lasts X miles in one application or with one brand that it will last the same with another application or another brand. And use a quality filter, it can make a big difference in dry starts vs lubed starts.

I'm a believer in synthetics, they protect better, and are better at all temperatures, last longer, keep the engine cleaner(from gunk/varnish/etc) and IMO are cheaper in the long run. I also, though, will not go past 10,000 mile change intervals, because there is always contaminants/dirt, and metal generation inside the engine. I like to drain/flush out the contaminants from time to time.

[charlieb]

i totally agree with snrusnak just didnt want to drag out the explanation.

[thehunterooo]

Don't change the oil/filter so much and use the saved money for gas money