1000 mile trip

[Markjr]

I leave this Satutday to drive from the Boston area to South Carolina for school. As far as oil changes I have almost exactly 3000 miles on the Mobile 1 Full synthetic oil in the truck. I have a low end Fram filter. The oil is a bit colored possibly cause I drive 60 miles highway a day and the truck has 145k on it. Should I change or not for the trip?

 

[4-Ripcord]

The oil is still fine, but I'd change it just to get a quality filter on there. FRAM is one of the worst oil filters made IMO.

 

[Loyal Toyota]

I'm heading off as well, I'll be 3 hours away at Iowa City, Iowa. 180 miles.

You've had mostly highway miles on there, so it should be fine. Highway miles are easy on oil. However, I am on the same boat as you with 3000 miles and I am changing it before I head out due to the fact that I will not be able to change it at the University.

For the trip, it'll be fine.

 

[Nelsonmd]

You're fine. And FRAM may not be the best, but it is sufficient. I have used them on my vehicles for years, as do tens of thousands of people around the nation with no ill effect. Oil filters aren't a long life part, so they don't need to be super high quality. It is a much bigger deal that you replace it frequently.

BTW, you can't really tell how your oil is by the color. Just be sure you don't go a ton beyond the recommended limits. The limits are already under-stated because they want you to buy oil more frequently, and as car manufacturer's assume stupidity and laziness from their customers (rightly so). It's kind of like speeding. They set the speed limit to 10MPH below what they actually consider the limit of safety.

 

[twitchee2]

i did 800 miles last weekend towing my jetski. didnt even think twice about it and my oil, also mobile 1, i think had around 3500 miles on it. driving another 500 this thursday and im going to be towing, along with 700+ lbs in the back.

 

[cordrayj1]

i would not hesitate to take a 1000 mile trip. when i went wheeling this weekend, one of the guys w us had a jeep wrangler....me and my buddy w 4runners were cracking jokes before we left that we better make sure we have tools to fix his jeep when it breaks. he had to stop and check his oil every time we stopped. then come to find out his transmission was spewing crap all over the place . .. i guess its a jeep thing. i get bored checking over my engine. its the suspension and steering components that i tend to worry about more often.


in short. 3k on mobil 1 is weak. youre good.

 

[josh.bunch]

Doesn't Toyota recommend changing the oil every 5K miles anyway. If you are using a synthetic oil, which lasts longer, why would you be asking the question? I guess what I'm saying is...you will be fine.

 

[LittleCaesar]

You will be fine. Next time try Mobil 1 HM Full Syn. Works well.

I do have to ask why you are going to school in South Carolina when you are one of the most highly academically achieving places in the nation (Boston)? I hope more than just for the eye candy and rather good weather (BTW, I went to college in SC).

 

[JohnsD90]

Dude if you go to school in SC why did you buy your truck up here WTF! And sh*t your really worried about your synthetic oil? Just check to make sure the level is ok each fuel stop. And fram filters are fine, no reason not to run them.

 

[Markjr]

You will be fine. Next time try Mobil 1 HM Full Syn. Works well.

I do have to ask why you are going to school in South Carolina when you are one of the most highly academically achieving places in the nation (Boston)? I hope more than just for the eye candy and rather good weather (BTW, I went to college in SC).

Its a particular school in SC, BJU that Im going to.

 

[Markjr]

Dude if you go to school in SC why did you buy your truck up here WTF! And sh*t your really worried about your synthetic oil? Just check to make sure the level is ok each fuel stop. And fram filters are fine, no reason not to run them.

The reason I'm asking is cause of the color of the oil. A friend of mine had full synthetic and it didn't color for a long time. I was wondering if I should change it because of that. Also the reason I bought the truck here was because of financial reasons, I didn't have the money when I was in SC. I got home, sold my old car when I found this truck at a good price. I sorta got a deal on this one, because the clutch was gone I got about $1000 off of what similar ones were going for. I replaced it myself for $250.

 

[Nelsonmd]

The reason I'm asking is cause of the color of the oil. A friend of mine had full synthetic and it didn't color for a long time. I was wondering if I should change it because of that. Also the reason I bought the truck here was because of financial reasons, I didn't have the money when I was in SC. I got home, sold my old car when I found this truck at a good price. I sorta got a deal on this one, because the clutch was gone I got about $1000 off of what similar ones were going for. I replaced it myself for $250.

BTW, you can't really tell how your oil is by the color. Just be sure you don't go a ton beyond the recommended limits. The limits are already under-stated because they want you to buy oil more frequently, and as car manufacturer's assume stupidity and laziness from their customers (rightly so). It's kind of like speeding. They set the speed limit to 10MPH below what they actually consider the limit of safety.

You can't tell from looking at the oil if it is bad, unless maybe it is several x the intended life span. You have to do chemical analysis to determine if it is bad. That is why we just go by intervals.

 

[Markjr]

You can't tell from looking at the oil if it is bad, unless maybe it is several x the intended life span. You have to do chemical analysis to determine if it is bad. That is why we just go by intervals.

Thanks for the input