I have an F-350 diesel (7.3 power stroke) that I don’t use much since I retired. Probably put 1000 miles a year on it. Is it ok if the oil is a couple years old?

  • chuck1830@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    I typically change most of my cars when they need to based on mileage which is anywhere between 6 months to a year. I do have several cars I rarely drive like <200 mi a year, some have gone 5-7 years without a change and I’ve never had any issues. When I do drive them I try and spend 20 min or more on the interstate to heat the oil and remove any moisture. Just change it at intervals you’re comfortable with, I personally have never heard of an engine failure from aged oil but I have seen oil break down from extreme mileage or overheating. I have farmers in my extended family who have rarely driven tractors and grain trucks that are simply outdated but are used once in a blue moon, some of them haven’t seen an oil change since the 90s and still start and run fine. Any anecdotal evidence is useless, if you want to know for sure what shape your oil is in it would need to be analyzed in a lab. I wonder if there is a study on oil breakdown over time, would be an interesting read.