How often to change oil on a lightly used pickup?

[Tom M King]

Since the mid '80's, or at least somewhere around then, I've been running full synthetic, and change it every 10,000 miles. When I sold the last truck, a gas burner 3/4 ton, it had 175,000 miles, and compression within a couple of pounds of new. The current truck is a fuel burner, bought new in Nov. '00. It has 357,000 miles on it. I don't have the stuff to test compression on a diesel, but it still runs as good, and strong as it ever has.

Pam has been through several cars since then, on the same oil change schedule, and all have gone two, or three hundred thousand miles. They were all still running fine, but she had just gotten tired of them, or was ready for some different configuration, from raising children, to dogs.

I never had to do anything on the engines of any of these vehicles, beyond changing the stuff that bolts on the front of them, or a water pump, or two. I did change the timing belt on a WRX, but that was because the original had 165,000 on it, and I was worried about it. The one that came out looked just like the new one that went back in.

I might be able to get by with a longer change interval, but with the good luck we've had, I don't have any reason to change. I have an efficient setup where I can change any of them in a few minutes, without making a mess. I do have a mechanic shop on the Ponderosa.

[Ole Anderson]

Both my 2002 Ford V-10 RV and my 1984 CJ7 with a 5.3 Chevy engine never see 5000 miles in a year. I change oil yearly in both. Our 2020 V6 Cherokee, like most newer vehicles, has an oil reminder function that we follow.

[Kev Williams]

We have a 40' diesel pusher with an 8.3 Cummins powerplant and Allison 6 speed auto trans, this same setup is used in fire trucks, buses, many big rigs fitted with auto transmissions rather than manuals. The title of this thread refers to a 'lightly used pickup' - Our motorhome dry weighs 27,000 lbs, and I can only imagine what a fully watered-down firetruck must weigh! These diesels on their easiest day are anything but 'lightly used'

--recommended oil change interval for these engines is 12,000 to 15,000 miles using NON synthetic oil...

--just for reference