Some modern oils and manufacturers advertise very long intervals, sometimes significantly longer than the conventional 3 months or 3,000 miles many of us are used to. When considering if this is acceptable practice, we need to consider oil degradation, consumption, and contamination.

These new synthetic and semi-synthetic oils may not degrade as fast as conventional oil, but they will still be subject to consumption at normal rates. If 1 quart per 1,000 miles is normal and the manufacturer says the interval is 10,000 miles, you will have to keep an eye on the level and be prepared to potentially top up 10 times between changes.

That method however, does not take into account contamination and dilution. A major byproduct of gas and diesel combustion is water. Water is a big part of blowby gasses, and will start taking up space in your crankcase even when you always bring your engine up to operating temp.

Though following manufacturer recommendations for oil change intervals should keep your engine healthy, you can’t go wrong with changing your oil earlier or more often.

There are some oil-change basics that apply to any four-stroke engine, but every application has best practices for service. Always do a little research before diving into any maintenance or repair. Here are some tips:

• Run the engine to full operating temperature to ensure the oil drains properly.
• Change the oil filter.
• Make sure the old oil filter o-ring is off the filter base so you don’t create a double gasket leak, and lubricate the new filter seal with fresh oil. Tighten the filter as the manufacturer directs.
• Replace your drain plug seal, and torque to the manufacturer’s specification.
• Add the recommended amount of the correct viscosity oil.
• Check the oil level as directed by the manufacturer.
• Add Sea Foam High Mileage, 1 ounce per quart of engine oil, to the crankcase 100–300 miles before changing the oil and filter. High Mileage re-liquefies old oil that has broken down into deposits. Just changing your oil normally will not clean these deposits out of your engine.