Oil change/fiascos

Mr_Shiftright

Yep, wider tires can account for some loss of fuel mileage; also differential gearing and differential loading. I doubt oil has anything to do with it.

shipo

It's highly unlikely that the oil is the issue. My bet is that you engine simply isn't broken in yet. Giv'er twenty thousand miles and then let us know. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

jlflemmons

Agreed with above, mileage on most new engines goes up once they are 'broken in'. Some will show improvement in 10K or less, others as stated above will slowly improve as you approach 20K.

My '05 Hyundai Elantra just hit 44k and is getting about 3MPG more than when new.

shipo

"My '05 Hyundai Elantra just hit 44k and is getting about 3MPG more than when new."

Yeah, our 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8 with 142,000 on the clock is still getting 3-4 mpg better than when it was brand new. ;-)

Best Regads,
Shipo

wtd44

The oil life monitor system you have described seems, in quick analysis, to suffer the fault of not addressing the oil in the vehicle being analyzed, but rather it adds parameters to increase and decrease the oil change interval on an assumptive basis. That is, it "decides" to add or subtract miles based on assumptions rather than OIL ANALYSIS. So that makes it a variable mile counter, but still not an oil analyzer of any degree. I think I'd still change the oil far more frequently than the periods you mentioned. But, that's me, and with out a doubt, I never get the full life out of my engine oils. And I don't intend to! :shades:

shipo

"So that makes it a variable mile counter, but still not an oil analyzer of any degree."

A "variable mile counter", no, I very much disagree with that, it is a variable condition analyzer. As for "not an oil analyzer of any degree", I don't believe that I've ever said anything different. With that in mind though, I was working at MB-USA back in the mid 1990s when they were playing with their OLM system and synthetic oil, and I have to tell you, their "assumptions" with regards to the OLM system were pretty damn spot on according to the multitude of UOAs that the had performed while perfecting said system. I have no doubt that one ones employed by BMW and Porsche are no less sophisticated and accurate.

Best Regards,
Shipo

wtd44

I find the topic interesting, but I must admit that it has no meaningful impact on me, considering I change my hydrocracked petroleum oil about every 3000 miles in not less than five cars and SUVs. And, I must admit it has not always been this way.

trulyclueless

I just went to my friendly local quicky oil change shop for a oil change today. I was told I can't get a oil change because apparently the oil drain pan was rusted out and the sludge from old oil help keep it seal. I was also told that the replacement for the oil drain pan would cost about $1,000, but they didn't offer to repair it. Now, I love my old crappy car but I don't love it enough to part with my hard earned money.

So, it appear the only reasonable course of action to take is to drive it to the ground.

I have few questions before undertaking this noble endeavor.

1. How long would my car last without changing oil ( I last changed about 9 months/3,000 miles ago)?
2. Is it safe to not change oil?(will the car blow up?)
3. are there any alternates to not changing oil/repair?

Thanks in advance for any helps!

p.s. for those curious, I drove 95 Ford Aerostar.

shipo

First off, get another quote on having the oil pan pulled, and either cleaned or replaced. Shouldn't cost more than a couple of hundred dollars as minivan oil pans are usually pretty easy to replace. The other option is to buy an oil extractor ( http://www.pelaproducts.com ) and change your own oil by sucking it out through the dip stick tube.

FWIW, I too have an old minivan and last year I was faced with the option of either junking it or putting a new transmission in it for $2,600. All things considered, the money spent on the new tranny effectively bought me a new (used) car for far less money that I could otherwise have gotten a similar ride for. All and all, money well spent.

Best Regards,
Shipo

wtd44

Don't you prefer them shiny and new?

shipo

Of course I do, but when I'm driving over 40,000 miles per year (as my current contract has me doing), it's kind of hard to continuing justifying my habit of leasing a new car every two to three years. :P

Best Regards,
Shipo

burdawg

I find it really hard to believe that a 95 Aerostar has an oil pan that is so rusted out that they can't change the oil. Also, the "sludge from old oil" is keeping it sealed?
Do they mean the area around the drain plug is so rusty that they think it will break away if they try to remove the plug?

rowlandj

If it really is that bad get an oil extractor (Pela makes one). This is the method used by Mercedes on all new vehicles and I have also used it on my Audi with good results.

If you do a web search you can find information about them.

It's a quck and easy method to do oil changes without getting under the car, assuming the filter is fairly easily accessable from above. This could get you by for some time to come and eliminate the need to deal with the defective pan at all.

Good Luck,

JR

crankshaft

are you leaking oil right now?if not i doubt the oil pan is that rusted out.you can go a little longer but i do not believe sludge will seal anything.take your vehicle to someone more knowledgeable than the flunky working at the quick oil change place for an oil change.

Mr_Shiftright

oh gawd...how can an OIL PAN rust? Think about it.

Sounds like a scaredy-cat amateur at the Jiffy Lube who doesn't know how to professionally remove a stuck bolt. You can soak them with a solvent, you can tap them on the corners with a chisel to knock them loose, you can judiciously apply leverage, you can buy special sockets to do this job.

altair4

Here's my guess. The last time they changed the oil on this thing at the Iffy Lube, they made a FUBAR mess of it, and did some cack job to mask their problem. Recoginizing the mess ahead of time, they're now refusing to get involved in trying to open something that they made have sealed shut previously.

Go someplace else that is reputable. See what they say, preserve evidence if they find some jury-rigged fix from the last oil change. Then go after the jerks how screwed your vehicle.

I thirty plus years of driving, self-maintenance, reading automotive journals, and reading the web, I've NEVER heard of an oil pan rusting. And I've maintained cars far older than your Aerostar.

chetj

well my bro in law changes his oil once a year religiously and car still runs,if that tells you anything..he puts 30k a year on his car too....it has 180, 000 miles now, but it is definitely louder than it used to be coz of his lack of oil changes...at least make sure it has enough oil, he doesnt even do that...you should be fine till 7500 miles, oil is really good now

isellhondas

You hit the nail on the head.

I'll bet the last time that Quickie Lube place worked on that Aerostar, they buggered up that bolt and forced it in at an angle so it wouldn't leak.

Worst case senario would be a new oil pan and it wouldn't cost anywhere near 1000.00. I would take it to a competant SHOP, not another quickie lube. They can put in an oversized drain plug or install a heli-coil.

I despise these quickie lube shops for this very reason!

wtd44

Go to an auto parts store and get a drain plug repair/replacement kit. It is a two phase thing. You drill out the damaged hole to a specific size, and then install a permanent "double plug" unit that has a new drain plug in the center, surrounded by a larger plug. The big plug stays put, and is never wrenched on again, once it is set in place. You change oil by removing and replacing the smaller plug that's in the center of the bigger one. Why the double plug? It assures that the new no-leak seal is never disturbed in the pan, while allowing you to open the center hole by wrenching on the smaller plug in the middle. These things work. I used one to repair a stripped out transmission plug on a friend's Harley many years ago.

wtd44

Do it yourself, and most all oil change problems disappear.

roadburner

Do it yourself, and most all oil change problems disappear.

Agreed!

Mr_Shiftright

Yes but then you have other problems, mostly time and safety related.

And of course there's always the risk of bringing in a fried engine that was serviced with DIY oil changes. God help you if there some bunged up piece on the engine that the dealer can point to.

But if you're out of warranty, got a safe place to do your work, sure why not?

isellhondas

Yeah, but what a PITA!

Spilling oil, cleaning up afterwards, getting rid of the old oil etc.

Done too many!

210delray

You can't do it yourself in your dealership's service bay?

I have access to a lift and oil drain recycling tank at work (we're allowed to use these during lunch or after hours, as long as we have a "buddy" around in case of an emergency).

So I can change my oil in air conditioned comfort, and not have to hassle with the used oil. It gives me a chance also to inspect the underbody of my vehicles and make sure nothing's amiss.

I suppose when I retire I'll have to reconsider, as dragging out the ramps and dealing with the used oil really is a pain. I understand you're not even supposed to put oil filters in the trash, because you can never drain all of the oil out.

wtd44

Isn't it ridiculous? I've heard that some facilities, somewhere, crush filters to ring out the oil left in them. And to think, the oil comes from the innards of the Earth, but is too toxic to return it there... :confuse:

210delray

It's not that absurd. Crude oil comes from deep underground, well below the water table, and is held in pockets of rock. Used oil, contaminated with heavy metals and poured out on the earth's surface, will end up in ground water -- not so good.

isellhondas

Uh, no! Use one of our hoists?

Not in our lifetime and that's fine with me!

wtd44

There you go again, endearing the industry elitists into the hearts of the customer-base rabble!

kiawah

ykork,

Do you have a couple of these you'd like to have us test out for you? We've got a couple regulars on the board here (auto enthusiasts), who I'm sure wouldn't mind testing/evaluating this product.

jipster

Yeah, put me down for one of those dipstick sensor thingies.

imidazol97

Put me down for two, one for each car to test.

isellhondas

Of sounding like a wet blanket, I see any benefits to such a gimmick to be minimal.

Use good quality oil and change it on a regular basis and you will have no need whatever for anything like this.

I'm sure the hosts will pull his ad as soon as they see it.

I do miss Newport Beach, however.

kiawah

Website says it's in Beta test...and they'll be looking for beta testers soon. Just trying to get in the queue.

wtd44

It's a sad history so many of us share, but now "everyone" knows better. Ecological awareness has been long in the coming. Environmental contamination is still far too high, but not as bad as it might have come to be. I now worry about international sources as third world nations industrialize.

isellhondas

Working in a gas station, we used to pour used motor oil on the weeds to kill them. We poured anti freeze down the drains and the harbor was four blocks away.

We thought nothing of this at the time.

sjohnson5

I am a distributor of synthetic oils and lubricants...want to gather some data on oil performance and willing to give excellent pricing for partners of information.

shipo

Amsoil per chance?

isellhondas

Groan...not again!

wtd44

Another approach to sales? :confuse:

210delray

This isn't allowed by Edmunds; see "rules of the road."

vu2000

Hi, can anyone here tell me how to reset the oil change indicator light on the Toyota Prius. This proceedure is not listed in the owner's manual. Thank you.

210delray

It's your lucky day!

I've bookmarked the instructions from an earlier post:

Here's how to do it, from "moeharri" in 2005 (I don't believe the procedure has changed for '07 models):

Begin with the odometer in the normal mode (total accumulated miles, not trip A or trip B mode). Turn the car off, press the trip/odometer "stick" and keep pressing it while turning the ignition key back to the accessory/on position (you don't need to start the engine).

As you continue to press the stick in, the odometer will count down from 5 or 6 dashes to blank, and then the actual mileage will show again. At that point, release the stick and the light should go out.

wtd44

Could it possibly be true that the instructions for this procedure are not in the owners manual? Surely it is in there! :surprise:

210delray

It has to be in there; at least it's in my Camry manuals.

When I first got the '04 with the "maintenance required" light, my first thought was, "oh no, I'll have to go back to the dealer to get it reset!" But luckily, Toyota made it easy to do yourself.

mcdawgg

It is in my '07 Camry owner's manual. Took me 1.5 minutes to look it up and do it.

210delray

So it has to be in the Prius manual also, which is a lot thicker because of the extra complexity of the car.

0patience

2007 Toyota Prius L4-1.5L (1NZ-FXE) (Hybrid)

Engine Oil Replacement Reminder Light

This light acts as a reminder to replace the engine oil.
This light will come on when the ignition key is turned to "ON" and will go off after about a few seconds.
When you drive for about 7200 km (4500 miles) after the engine oil replacement, this light illuminates for about 3 seconds and then flashes for about 12 seconds with the ignition key turned to the "ON" position. If you continue driving without replacing the engine oil, and if the distance driven exceeds 8000 km(5000 miles), the light will come on. The light will remain on thereafter.

If the light is flashing, we recommend that you replace the engine oil at an early opportunity depending on the driving and road conditions. If the light comes on, replace it as soon as possible.

Resetting the system

The system must be reset after the engine oil replacement. Reset the system by the following procedure:
Press the "POWER" switch to the "OFF mode with the odometer reading shown.
Press the "POWER" switch twice to select the "IG-ON" mode while holding down the trip meter reset button.
Hold down the button for at least 5 seconds. The odometer indicates "000000" and the light goes off.

If the system fails to reset, the light will remain flashing.

wtd44

Could they have made it any less intuitive and more difficult? :shades:

roadburner

Could they have made it any less intuitive and more difficult?

Well, they could have installed iDrive...

0patience

I liked Honda's old way to do it, you stuck the key in a slot in the dash.

They took a simple procedure, like pushing a button to reset it and over complicated it on not only one model, but 90% of them out there.

Why? Because they know that most vehicle owners won't read the owner's manual or be able to find the procedure information to reset it, so those people will most often return to the dealer to have it done, at a nominal fee of course.