Is driving 1000 miles or more past an oil change bad for your engine?
The answer to this question usually differs from one car manufacturer and mechanic to another. Even though there are standard guidelines (i.e. every 3,000 miles ) communicated in oil chains like Jiffy-Lube, there are other related factors that must be considered, including the following:
- How often should you change the oil in the newer model vehicle versus older model cars?
- What are the car manufacturer’s recommendations the for make, model, brand, and year of the vehicle
- Driving Conditions (i.e. freezing temperatures)
- Type of Oil Used in the Vehicle (synthetic versus conventional oil)
In essence, going over the standard guidelines by 1,000 miles or more may or may not be a problem at all. However, before you continue to drive your vehicle without an oil change, you need to learn as much as you can about each of the considerations provided above.
For example, if you are driving in extreme weather conditions like freezing cold temperatures, you need to make sure that you are not driving 1,000 miles over the recommended guidelines.
Or, if you want to drive much farther than the recommended mileage, you may want to use a higher-grade synthetic oil in your vehicle instead of conventional oil.
All of these factors will determine how far you can expect to drive without experiencing problems or causing costly damage to your engine.
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How many miles can you go past an oil change?
As noted above, how many miles you can go without changing the oil usually depends on several factors. One of the most important factors is related to the type of oil that you use in your vehicle.
For instance, if your vehicle only takes synthetic oil, you can drive as much as 10,000 to 15,000 more between oil changes. Furthermore, synthetic oil is much better in performance than conventional oil.
So, if you want your car to always operate at ultimate performance and at maximum miles, you should use synthetic oil instead of conventional oil.
What happens if I go too far over my oil change mileage?
If you go too far over your oil change mileage, the oil in your engine will begin to break down and wear out over time. And, as the oil in the engine gets thicker and dirtier, it is no longer effective enough to lubricate and absorb the heat.
Also, on top of this, there is a laundry list of problems that can occur. From damaged warped engine components to a blown head gasket between the engine block and the cylinder head, some major and costly issues can happen if you run a car too long without changing the oil.
Since the miles past an oil change can differ from one scenario to the next, you may not always know what to expect.
Therefore, before you try to determine how long you can drive without getting an oil change, it’s best to go to a mechanic to have your oil change done sooner than later.
Because the price that you pay to get an oil change is far less than the damage that can be done, you do not want to wait to see how many are too many.
Conclusion
Can you go 1000 miles past an oil change? According to the information published on numerous auto repair sites, the answer will depend on several key factors.
This is mainly because the timing for an oil change usually differs from one car manufacturer, major oil change, and scenario to another.
Even though there are standard guidelines (i.e. every 3,000 miles) communicated to most car owners, the driver must look at the total picture before they can make their decision.
Also, if the owner of the car uses synthetic (higher quality oils) instead of conventional oil, they may be able to drive 10,000 to 15,000 miles more before an oil change is needed.
