oil change

[ciche]

I just got a 93 camry se (no manual) and wondering how long I need to change engine oil. As I see under the hood, it says change engine oil every 12 month or 7500mile. In serve condition change every 6 month or 3700 mile. As I know generally changing oil every three month or 3000 mile. Can you tell me how often to change engine oil? Thanks a lot.

[Brian R.]

There is no rule. Change it more often than 12 mo/7500 miles. Changing it every 3 mo/3000 miles is often enough to make everyone happy. Somewhere in between is correct.

My opinion, if you drive your car often and reasonably long distances so that the oil is heated up well pretty much most of the times you drive it, change it every 3750 with dino oil or 5000 miles with synthetic. If you are hard on your oil and don't drive far or let your engine heat up well in general, then 3000 miles/3 mo is probably a good idea for any oil. The more you abuse your oil, the more you need synthetic oil.

Some people prefer time to miles, but I have an easier time keeping track of miles than months.

[nipsirc]

Brian

I have a 95 camry. Would it be better for me to use the synthetic oil which is much more expensive or should I stick with the dino oil I'm using. Will the synthetic oil do any more good than the dino one if I already have 230,000 km on it?

[Brian R.]

If you find you are driving shorter distances and you engine doesn't get hot for very long, except occasionally, I would go to synthetic. If you heat your engine thoroughly often, stick with dino oil.

[ciche]

Thanks a lot Brian. BTW, what is synthetic oil and what is dino oil? If I go to Wal-mart to change oil, does it will be dino oil? In my case, I don't drive long distance but I heat up engine 5 minutes before I drive it every time.

[ciche]

Thanks a lot Brian. BTW, what is synthetic oil and what is dino oil? If I go to Wal-mart to change oil, does it will be dino oil? In my case, I don't drive long distance but I heat up engine 5 minutes before I drive it every time.

[ciche]

Thanks a lot Brian. BTW, what is synthetic oil and what is dino oil? If I go to Wal-mart to change oil, does it will be dino oil? In my case, I don't drive long distance but I heat up engine 5 minutes before I drive it every time.

[Brian R.]

Walmart uses dino oil because it is normally adequate and alot cheaper. The difference between them is in the base oil. Dino base oil is distilled from crude petroleum from the ground. Synthetic oil is manufactured from short-chain materials (also originally from petroleum) with very good control over the structure of the oil. This makes it very uniform and stable compared with dino base oil. Both are modified with additive packages to make the oils unique to the oil manufacturer.

[Bmaintz]

Just a note.... synthetic oil has a higher flash point with less burnoff... Also will cut down friction & heat a bit with better fuel economy... Although the synthetic cost more it has longer drain intervals so your overall cost between the two would be close... I get a 5% better fuel economy with my '94 Camry with Amsoil...

[zeek1403]

I have a few suggestions:

1. Use synthetic oil no matter how you drive (5W-30 preferred by me).
2. If you drive only short distances, change the it every 4-5 thousand miles. For long distance driving, change it every 6-9 thousand.
3. Dino oil NOT reccomended.

[Bmaintz]

Just a note... In Europe a 7,500 mile oil change is normal with a good oil & filter... Amsoil has a 25,000 mile oil for a engine in good condition...

[ciche]

Thanks all you guys! Just one more question:Where can I find sythetic oil? Do I have to go to the dealer each time?

[Bmaintz]

Wal-Mart handles Mobile 1 & Castrol Syn. plus others.... Amsoil is only through an Amsoil Dealer....

[Brian R.]

Any autoparts store will have a couple of brands of synthetic oil

[mrtwo]

Since I prefer to change oil myself, so I want to use oil with longer intervals. In Walmart, I saw a Mobil Synthetic blend with 7500 miles interval. There is also a Mobil 1 sythetic which is more expensive but did not have a say about the intervals. Any way know? Also, what kind of oil filters should be used with either of them. There is a regular Fram filter ($3) and a more expensive one (also from Fram) for $10. Any comments? Thanks.