I would change after a couple years. 5 years is too long for me.

But, your right what’s the difference if it in the bottle or in the engine at 230 miles. The more miles, it will start breaking down with time.

Also, I don’t think modern oils will separate like the old stuff did after it sits.

 

It's the moisture build up from short engine running intervals (read oil really never gets hot enough to boil any condensation off)


The GM recommended oil change is 3k mi OR 6 months…..while more modern oils are better combating condensation build up and intervals mi have increased, back then that's why the change interval

IMHO oil is cheap and changing it, for me, gives me a opportunity to look under car and see if anything else is going on.

Heck even my generators I swap oil every 2 years and have not as yet needed them in the 10 years I have owned them...but I run them every 6 months. Oil is always pristine but again, for me, its worth changing every 2 years

...and oil in a bottle is "sealed"...your engine is not

 

I have had the same questions forever. My drivers get changed when the light comes on and says change oil. The Camaros will never mileage out but probably age out per what oil changers and manufacturers advertise. I use Mobile 1 full Syn on all but the motorcycle.
That said, a motor is not necessarily hermetically sealed like the oil sitting on a shelf. Moisture can find its way in. Your climate control probably keeps that from happening.

 

I change oil in my camaro every spring regardless of mileage. I use 8 quarts of Joe Gibbs oil @ $8. a quart

 

I knew a college professor back in the 60s that never changed oil in his Plymouth. He had access to testing facilities to determine the acidity of the oil and moisture. He would just change the filter, add an additive to maintain Ph, and add oil if needed for the small amount he drained to obtain a sample. He drove 50 miles to work and back and had over 200.000 miles on a 318 back then.

I don't have the facilities and don't like the idea of the combustion residue in the oil (turning it black). I change the oil every 2 years on the 68RS even though it only gets driven 300 or so miles a year. The car sets in a heated garage, 45 to 80 degrees year round. I have never found moisture in the pan although the oil may be absorbing it.

 

Is it true oil and water don't mix. When you have 9 to 10 cars changing oil, synthetic and regular depending if its one of my 69's or the new Caddy and the Vet does get expensive, especially when your semi retired! Having said that, besides I will be painting the truck this week I am going to change all the fluids, trans and coolant have not be changed in 10 years. What about those tires? Oh well you all have a great day.

 

Tires are 'said' to be 7 year life.
VA turned down the bill for enforcing the 7-year rule as part of annual safety inspection as it would really cut down on economy and votes, imagine this...

 

two things about tires that are 10 years old or older, regardless of tread depth, on cars that see little if any use.

1. The rubber dries and "rots" (turns brown) and often show sidewall cracks
2. They flat spot so you have the WTF is that vibration from, especially at Fwy speeds

My car had 17 year old Goodrich TA's that had full tread but were hard as rocks when I got it. In hindsight I should have changed them before "driving aggressively" through canyons but fortunately had no issues. They would smoke from here to next week though. Even the tire shop who put on new TA's said they were somewhat "brittle"

So yeah even though most of us only put a few thousand a year on our collector cars...tires need replacing just due to age and sitting for long periods of time

 

The oil should be dumped/changed before the car is put into storage. Used motor oil will becomes corrosive in time and can eat the babbitting on the bearings.