• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

7,500 miles between oil changes

This is not an uncommon recomendation on vehicles in the past decade. I usually go 5000 between changes with Mobil 1. But I am willing to go longer if I had to. I'd take it all the way to 10000 between changes with synthetic if I had to.
 
The owner's manual should say something like 7500miles under the "light duty use" type category. most drivers fall into the other category, where 3000Miles is the recommended interval. can't say for sure, because I lost my owners manual a long time ago, but if you do any kind of off roading, stop and go driving, short trips(under 5 miles),etc, you should change at least every 3000.

7500 seems abusive.
 
Yup, 7500 miles is only for 'light duty' use. http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/xj-a.html

Schedule 'B' is for:
  • Frequent short trip driving less than 5 miles (8km)
  • Frequent driving in dusty conditions
  • Trailer Towing
  • Extensive idling
  • More than 50% of your driving is at sustained high speeds during hot weather, above 90F (32C)
  • Off-road driving
  • Desert operation

Schedule 'B' calls for oil changes every 3000 miles. http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/xj-b.html
 
Anyone with ANY experience with long term ownership of a vehicle will tell you that following the "severe service" or "heavy use" maintenance schedule is the ONLY way to insure the longest possible service life for the vehicle, coupled with the least unplanned maintenance.

So....follow the "light duty" service schedule, and expect to be putting in new radiators, transmissions, engines, etc. in the vehicle MUCH sooner than with the more stringent maintenance schedule.

This has been common knowledge among those "in the know" for as long as manufacturers have been touting "extended" maintennce schedules.
 
With the qualities of oil nowdays, i personally think 3000 is excessive...unless running under the harshest of conditions. 5000 is where i change my oil usually and ive never had an engine quit on me...some with more than 300,000 miles on them. I run synthetic in my new car and change it every 6-7 thousand and dont feel bad about doing so. The XJ, since it gets wheeled hard, is subject to high trail temps and gets abused gets a fresh oil change every 3000.
 
I have worked in maintenance (30 years) for a governmental organization with a large fleet. After long term testing, using oil analysis, it was determined to run all our light duty vehicles on 7500 mile oil change intervals, all using dino oil.
Our police cars regularly turn 200,000+ miles before they are replaced. Modern oils combined with EFI makes all the difference. Engines can be idled for long periods of time without the oil dilution that carbureted engines suffer from. Major engine work or replacement is very uncommon, usually the result of overheating, due to broken hoses or belts and the lack of operator concern.
We tested synthetic oils and they can be run for even longer intervals but the cost difference was determined not to be worth it. We want to inspect the vehicles at least every 7500 miles for other problems.
My 97 Dodge Dakota 5.2 has lived on a diet of Mobil 1 and 10,000 mile change intervals for over 150,000 miles and still uses little oil and the engine still runs the same as it did when new. I just wish the rest of the vehicle had held up as well. YMMV
 
If 7500 mile intervals shorten the life of either my Jeep or my 78 Mercedes (also 7500 even though a diesel) I'll let you know. Don't hold your breath, though, because the Jeep has only got 248K so far and the Merc is only nudging at the 325K mark, barely broken in for the universal third-world taxicab. It won't be the engines that end these cars' careers but the tinworm. The rocker panels on my XJ are a distant memory, and if it weren't for the carpets I'd be braking with my feet. And just imagine what that Mercedes looks like as it heads into its 27th Vermont winter!
 
It all comes down to personal preference. I could change my oil at longer intervals, but I don't. To me, its cheap maintenance. Every 5000 kilometers I change the oil. I run synthetic too! If I wanted to save a bit of money I might stretch the interval further, but I feel that this is the best way to maintain my XJ.
 
I work at a lube center and yes most oil will last 7500, but 9 of 10 oil filters wont and generally most vehicles eat about 1qt every 6000 miles. Just my advice from personal experience and chrysler products tend to eat oil, not leak it, now fords on the other hand thats a diff story. Bascially at least change your filter every 3000 and oil about 6000-7500.
 
I change mine every 2500 miles I live on a dirt road and drive 30 miles each way everyday to work. I use baldwin Heavy duty oil filters they are hands down best on the market. I have gone as high as 5000 with castrol and a baldwin my oil was still gold in color.
Sam
 
Back
Top