I never drive my Jeep…and I’m ok with it!

[Moblrn]

Haven't read all of the posts, but my feeling on not driving a vehicle much is to ensure that when ever you start it, you drive enough to have all the fluids reach "Operating" temperature for several minutes.

A short drive does not allow the evaporation of any condensation that is created by the different temperature of metals that is created by the initial warming. While the engine oil is very thin and warms up quickly the differential gears are still coated with a heavy oil and takes longer to warm up and become more fluid.

Got my new jeep a couple months ago and it sits covered much of the time too. Still motorcycle weather for a few more weeks in Iowa.

Rod

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[Sidewalk]

Oils degrade sitting in your engine, for a variety of reasons. The moisture in the air as well as air. Also, yes, crude oil has been in the ground for millennia, but you are not putting crude oil in your engine, you are putting in a refined oil with a ton of chemicals added to it. Some of those chemicals are there to handle acid buildup, moisture, reduce wear, etc. Oil chemistry is complicated.

I would probably change my oil once a year where I live, regardless of mileage (and most importantly, BEFORE long time storage). In places that have humidity, I would probably go twice a year.

If you are going to drive it occasionally just to drive it, get the thing properly heated up. If not, don't bother, you aren't extending the life.

I drive a lot, so not much of a concern for me. Maybe my motorcycle (GSXR1000) which I use much less frequently, but even that got a 3000 mile trip from California to Texas and back this year. I bicycle commute to work, and yet still drive about 14000 miles a year. I have 14000 miles between my motorcycle, van (1995 Powerstroke ambulance), and Jeep so far this year, and virtually all of it was for fun (getting me to the trails to mountain bike primarily). Doing 700 miles this weekend in the Jeep to ride my MTB.

 

[Gobirat]

Damn...I didn't know you could do this! I always buy my own oil and filter, but will definitely check it out. Many thanks for the tip!

I will never let a dealer change my oil again. I could care less about a few free oil changes if it might mean a damaged motor instead. Not knocking anyone for using a dealer. There are good dealers. Unfortunately I have had a couple bad ones on my previous vehicle. I had an eco diesel half ton pickup and they were to change the oil and filter. The filter on that truck was expensive because it was imported. I think the motor was made in Italy.

Anyways they never changed the filter and dropped the oil. I caught them on it before I left the lot because I looked under the hood and saw the fine dust on the filter cap had not been disturbed. Then they tried lying and said the reason there was dust on the filter cap still, was that they used a filter cap wrench so never touched the cap lol

I told them when u crack a fitler set up like this, oil will spill out a bit, so why is the fresh dust in the little oil catch lip below the filter not wet or cleaned up after having been wiped. The service manager agreed with me and they said the filter didn't get changed out. Then I get home and my oil plug was loose and leaked oil all over my drive and in my garage.

I gave them one more chance because I got some free oil changes out of the deal and it was another loose plug and oil dripping everywhere. Now I just keep my oil receipts and and filter receipts, and do my own. It actually takes a whole 10 mins on my JL and I know the job was done with pride, the correct oil is in the motor, the filter has been changed, and the plug properly torqued. As well as not being over filled or under filled.

I used to do services on a fleet, as far as oil changes etc when I was starting a new part time job at the power company. The big oil guns that hang above from the ceiling and you pull down and fill the oil up with. They were handy, but every now and then someone would grab the wrong gun with the wrong oil and fill up a motor. If caught it would be dropped, but I always wondered about those that weren't. And I would even see guys dial in 5 quarts, fill it up, and then cap it and shut the hood without even pulling a dip stick. Sometimes the guns would over and under fill too, as well as run the 50 gallon drum dry and not send accurate amounts.

With all the different viscosities and specs for different motors, there's bound to be a screw up. Many of the oil people I have seen don't seem like they even care. When they ran me through the ringers I asked are these people hourly or on a commission. Door number 2 sir lol. So skip some filters, go fast and sloppy, ring up more completions, and make more $$$. I told them that I was glad they weren't aviation techs.

In the end there are reputable dealers, I just had a couple bad ones and am gun shy now and wont take my chances anymore on an 80K vehicle.

 

[J0E]

Yes, change the oil - whether you drive it or not, oil degrades. Make sure you’re still starting the Jeep and taking it around the neighborhood once a week.

No need to drive it once a week. And driving around the neighborhood could be the worst thing, you need to get it hot before putting it away. When I lived in Montana I didn't start my big block vette for 6 months.

The first oil change should be done earlier than the following ones to flush anything that the break-in could have dislodged.

after that, just do like me and do a yearly oil change. Mine is an early 2018 and I have 14000 miles.

After your warranty expires, with a good synthetic oil, low miles, and always getting it hot when you drive, 2 years is no problem. I quit sending my vette 's oil to blackstone-labs.com because it always came back perfect after 12 months, 18 months. Superstition made me change it every 24 months.

My story is like most others already posted in this thread, and I have only put 6K miles on my JL during 1-1/2 years of ownership. However, changing oil at least once a year is a must. So easy to do, I never risk taking it to the dealer (even if it's free), and just do it myself. Enjoy and happy Jeepin'!

Not true with a good synthetic.

I put 5K miles a year on my Jeep and wheel every weekend. First oil change 6 months, 2,700 miles. Since oil changes are free I get them done every 9 months. Once it's out of warranty, I'll have my mechanic change with synthetic and then change every 2 years.

Yes, change the oil at least once per year even if you put VERY low miles on it. Oil is hydroscopic and will pick up moisture over time. You change it at least once a year for that reason.

I change every 5k mile or one year whichever is first...

Make sure to bring the engine to normal operating temp on short drives before parking it. Here’s a great article explaining why…

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-12-24-vw-5171-story.html

Not getting it hot leaves moisture in the exhaust system too, which dramatically accelerates corrosion.

 

[Steph1]

No need to drive it once a week. And driving around the neighborhood could be the worst thing, you need to get it hot before putting it away. When I lived in Montana I didn't start my big block vette for 6 months.



After your warranty expires, with a good synthetic oil, low miles, and always getting it hot when you drive, 2 years is no problem. I quit sending my vette 's oil to blackstone-labs.com because it always came back perfect after 12 months, 18 months. Superstition made me change it every 24 months.



Not true with a good synthetic.

I put 5K miles a year on my Jeep and wheel every weekend. First oil change 6 months, 2,700 miles. Since oil changes are free I get them done every 9 months. Once it's out of warranty, I'll have my mechanic change with synthetic and then change every 2 years.





Not getting it hot leaves moisture in the exhaust system too, which dramatically accelerates corrosion.

Yeah, sending oil samples seem to be a thing in the States. Never done it, never will despite the US 911 crowd insisting it’s the ‘’thing’’ to do …. Still drives line new.

 

[J0E]

Yeah, sending oil samples seem to be a thing in the States. Never done it, never will despite the US 911 crowd insisting it’s the ‘’thing’’ to do …. Still drives line new.

Nice car. No need to send in samples if you're doing regular changes or know nothing is wrong with your engine. Nice pic to show the absurdity of the 392.

 

[ErAcEr]

Haven't read all of the posts, but my feeling on not driving a vehicle much is to ensure that when ever you start it, you drive enough to have all the fluids reach "Operating" temperature for several minutes.

A short drive does not allow the evaporation of any condensation that is created by the different temperature of metals that is created by the initial warming. While the engine oil is very thin and warms up quickly the differential gears are still coated with a heavy oil and takes longer to warm up and become more fluid.

Got my new jeep a couple months ago and it sits covered much of the time too. Still motorcycle weather for a few more weeks in Iowa.

Rod

Very true on operating temps. And bike weather here too. 33k miles on my 2018 since riding a lot during summer months. And about 3-4k on 2 wheels. And I'm ok with the jeep sitting for a few weeks at a time. Also just picked up a Duracell Jump Starter to keep on hand just in case the battery goes through the motions.

 

[gsbrockman]

Also just picked up a Duracell Jump Starter to keep on hand just in case the battery goes through the motions.

Why not put your Jeep on a quality trickle charger?

 

[ErAcEr]

Why not put your Jeep on a quality trickle charger?

No need. The jumper is for when I know not the battery is going out and will get me to a place needed for repairs. A trickle charge will prolong the battery but failure is still inevitable. The bikes are on the tender over the winter, but the jeep still gets enough use for a re-juicing on weekend trips to stores or in-laws.

 

[J0E]

Why not put your Jeep on a quality trickle charger?

For what purpose? No need on a properly functioning electrical system. Just a waste of time hooking it up.

No need. The jumper is for when I know not the battery is going out and will get me to a place needed for repairs. A trickle charge will prolong the battery but failure is still inevitable. The bikes are on the tender over the winter, but the jeep still gets enough use for a re-juicing on weekend trips to stores or in-laws.

Trickle charge won't add any life. LA batteries don't need to be 100% but should never go below 50% charge. Driving once a month will keep them above 95%.

Bikes over the winter is the right time for a good trickle charger. Cheap trickle charges will bake a battery.

 

[gsbrockman]

For what purpose? No need on a properly functioning electrical system. Just a waste of time hooking it up.

Cool.

 

[BobW]

I will never let a dealer change my oil again. I could care less about a few free oil changes if it might mean a damaged motor instead. Not knocking anyone for using a dealer. There are good dealers. Unfortunately I have had a couple bad ones on my previous vehicle. I had an eco diesel half ton pickup and they were to change the oil and filter. The filter on that truck was expensive because it was imported. I think the motor was made in Italy.

Anyways they never changed the filter and dropped the oil. I caught them on it before I left the lot because I looked under the hood and saw the fine dust on the filter cap had not been disturbed. Then they tried lying and said the reason there was dust on the filter cap still, was that they used a filter cap wrench so never touched the cap lol

I told them when u crack a fitler set up like this, oil will spill out a bit, so why is the fresh dust in the little oil catch lip below the filter not wet or cleaned up after having been wiped. The service manager agreed with me and they said the filter didn't get changed out. Then I get home and my oil plug was loose and leaked oil all over my drive and in my garage.

I gave them one more chance because I got some free oil changes out of the deal and it was another loose plug and oil dripping everywhere. Now I just keep my oil receipts and and filter receipts, and do my own. It actually takes a whole 10 mins on my JL and I know the job was done with pride, the correct oil is in the motor, the filter has been changed, and the plug properly torqued. As well as not being over filled or under filled.

I used to do services on a fleet, as far as oil changes etc when I was starting a new part time job at the power company. The big oil guns that hang above from the ceiling and you pull down and fill the oil up with. They were handy, but every now and then someone would grab the wrong gun with the wrong oil and fill up a motor. If caught it would be dropped, but I always wondered about those that weren't. And I would even see guys dial in 5 quarts, fill it up, and then cap it and shut the hood without even pulling a dip stick. Sometimes the guns would over and under fill too, as well as run the 50 gallon drum dry and not send accurate amounts.

With all the different viscosities and specs for different motors, there's bound to be a screw up. Many of the oil people I have seen don't seem like they even care. When they ran me through the ringers I asked are these people hourly or on a commission. Door number 2 sir lol. So skip some filters, go fast and sloppy, ring up more completions, and make more $$$. I told them that I was glad they weren't aviation techs.

In the end there are reputable dealers, I just had a couple bad ones and am gun shy now and wont take my chances anymore on an 80K vehicle.

Know what you mean. My local dealer topped off the coolant tank for me (nice) but didn't tighten cap correctly. It blew off my next drive, a little ways up the Old Ridge Route. Luckily I could coast down hill to a tow. Cost me a new cap, coolant, and tow.... but I was lucky. That was the last visit.

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