How often do you change your oilguard filter element? I run dino and change the oil and full-flow filter at 3K miles. I could probably extend to 5K miles.

Thanks,
Tim

Check the owners manual, if I remeber correctly somewhere in there it states a max of 10K. I usually go 5-7K.

You can go 5k or better with no problem, use a good oil filter.

I run about 4 to 5K between oil changes. The manual says 10k which my brother follows to the tee, and has had no problems in 60,000 miles. I just can't let myself do that. When I go to synthetic, I will bump it to 8,000 probably.

How often do you change your oilguard filter element? I run dino and change the oil and full-flow filter at 3K miles. I could probably extend to 5K miles.

Thanks,
Tim
You definitely don't need to be changing the oil at 3k if you have an Oilguard bypass. Is this what you are talking about or do you mean the Oilguard full-flow filter?

If it is full flow(Oilguard now sells a full-flow under the Oilguard name that is made by Champion Labs, same as Mobil 1 and is a full synthetic fiber fiilter) then go atleast 5k miles or so.

If you are talking about the bypass, Oilguard says the bypass element is good for the duration of the oil change, or around 20,000 miles. I changed both of mine at 15,000 miles. The bypass looked fine and it was still flowing just fine. Remember, this bypass is designed for trucks with a 20 quart sump. It is overkill for our trucks and therefore does NOT need additional maintenance. The only reason I changed it at 15k miles was curiosity. I wanted to see what it looked like. The full flow can go the same distance as the bypass. Remember, the bypass is doing most of the work. SPICER

Thanks for the info. By the way, I was talking about the Oilguard bypass filter element, the EPS-20 element, not the full-flow oil filter. I run Delvac 1300 dino oil and the stock AC full flow filter and have been changing my oil at 3K intervals, yes. So now that I have the bypass, was wondering what the change interval should be on that.

Thanks,
Tim

I run a Harvard bypass filter. A bypass filter doesn't need to be changed until it becomes restrictive to the point that it doesn't flow much oil. One quick way to know if it is flowing well is to see if the filter is hot after driving for a while. When flowing well, the element will be hot enough to be very uncomfortable to keep your hand on. As it plugs, it will be warm at one end and cool as you go to the other end. Changing it sooner than this is a waste of money and oil. The filter works better and better until it plugs because it becomes more and more restrictive. This is why they clean the oil, rather than a full flow filter that can't be restrictive.

I cannot believe people are wasting money with these frequent oil changes. The patented GM interval system is proven....

Why waste the money?

How often do you change your oilguard filter element? I run dino and change the oil and full-flow filter at 3K miles. I could probably extend to 5K miles.

Thanks,
Tim
Terrible waste of money and oil.....go a minimum of 7,8K miles.

Prove to yourself the short interval is worth it. DATA???????????

I cannot believe people are wasting money with these frequent oil changes. The patented GM interval system is proven....

Why waste the money? Not quite sure what is proven about it as it doesn't do anything to test the additive package in reserve or the particulate levels in the oil in the engine. It probably errors on the conservative side based on it's use of engine temp data and revolution counting, but that doesn't even remotely take into account the different additive packages in the various different brands of oil, not to mention possible maintenance issues such as air filtration, coolant contamination etc.

At best I'd say it is a reasonable guess as when to change your engine oil if the entire vehicle is properly maintained, but other than that the only thing proven about it is that it's an idiot light on the dash IMHO.

Used oil analysis is a much better way to determine what the answer to the "when to change" question as there are too many variables to have either 1 set of hard and fast rules or base the idea off a couple of internally monitored engine parameters.

Cheap insurance to make sure every thing is ok internally too.

You know, I have owned a lot of vehicles over the years and I have always changed the oil in every one of them at 3K miles, on average. Sometimes it goes further on a particular vehicle due to travel etc, but 3K has always been the magic number. Every one of these vehicles was a gasser, no diesels.

Now with the Duramax and the 10qt oil pan, probably 3K is a little extreme, but the oil gets so dam black so fast, I can't bring myself to leave it in there any longer than 3K miles. I suppose that's just the ole gas mentality that when the oil gets black, it's getting close to time to change it.

I have had my oil tested every change and they too keep telling me to extend the drain intervals. I have now added the oilguard and so, starting with this load, I am going to a 5K interval and we'll see how the oil additive package is holding up. If it's still good, I'll go to 6K, and so on.

It's tough for me to break the cycle of an oil change every 3K miles. He11, I used to change the air filter every 3K miles too, at least I don't do that anymore... We'll get there. Hey at least I am not wasting money on synthetic oil... :-)

Tim

17,000 miles with Oilguard and my oil tests good as new, including additives, contaminants, TBN and particle count. And yes, my oil is black too. Color is a terrible indicator of oil condition. SPICER

With a diesel, you can't go by color. Submicronic soot will make the oil black, can't be filtered out, and causes no trouble. Go by oil analysis.