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Engine Oil--A slippery subject
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If you had a twin with an identical car and miles, and you drove exactly the same bothing putting 40,000 miles one the car, with one difference, the twin didn't change the oil there would be no measureable difference in the engines!
Now I would never go more than 6,000 miles between changes, but 40,000 miles in 17 months is the easiest driving you can do to an engine and there is no need to do any more often.
If you were the proverbial little old lady who one drives 2 miles to church on sunday, and 1 mile to the grocery store every other week, you would need to change the oil every 100 miles or less! Even then I'd rather you car with 100,000 miles then hers with 5,000 miles!
In other words, don't waste your time and money changing the oil that often, instead buy a good synthetic which claims that you can double your time between changes, and then double it. (which works out to 4,000 to 5,000 miles and that is a good number)
Note, if there is something that you are not telling me the above advice may not be correct. (for instance if you have a alternator/welder so you can drive to remote areas and fix steal bridges, and thus drive 40,000 miles, but had the engine running with the transmission in netural for many more hours not on the odometer) Know your driving habbits.
Is it really worth switching to synthetic oil now that the truck has 82,000 miles on it?
I do a combination of Highway and City driving, living in the Boston area, but with relatives in Maine. The truck has a 2.3 liter, 4 cylinder engine, and I load the truck up with weight lots of times because I am a Jazz drummer. I do about 75mph in the 65mph zones, and 65mph in the 55mph zones.
What about that stuff SLICK 50? Do these types of additives help out? I just don't want to run into a situation where the engine starts burning oil after 100k. Anything I can do to prevent that, I'll do it. I need this truck to last.
ALSO, to pick the brains of anyone out there willing to INDULGE me, as I am a NOVICE:
I am buying a 1999 Honda Civic Hatchback Automatic next month. Should I start this car off with Synthetic Oils like Mobil One from the beginning, and continue to use them for the life of the car?
The car is so small that I can slide under it (I owned one before), thus I have to do the Oil changes at these speedy lube joints, like Valvoline, and the cost of the oil change is really steep. Any suggestions?
Slick-50 has proven to reduce startup wear. They is evidence that it blocks small oil passages causing the bearings to fail early. (not enough evidence for me to say that it really does this, but some) I wouldn't consider it unless I was doing lots of driving where I stoped the engine several times an hour all day. Even then, a good oil should be enough. I personally consider it a waste of money, but if startup wear is all you care about it will help.
I know that his car is burning some oil. Any comments about this? I would think that synthetic oils would stand up to his kind of aggressiveness with the gas...
the on board computer on my 99 328i suggests oil change intervals at 16k miles. I've been doing the oil change at 8k miles with BMW synthetic 5w-40.
My plan is to keep the car for as long as the engine runs. Anyone think it's possible to get 300k or 400k miles out of this car with this oil service interval?
Also, the manual states coolant change every 4 years regardless of mileage. for me that would be close to 200k miles. anyone think I should change the coolant before that?
the auto transmission is suppose to be sealed and does not need fluid replacement for life. any truth in this?
thanks
It sounds like he threw a ring or something in the valve train is bad. It sounds like he is an aggressive engine rever. (extended used at or exceeding redline?or one or more high rev missed shift?) It would be a stretch to think that synthetic oil would bail him out.
Maybe a bit off topic, but someone asked (& it is 'additives'): For carbon removal, a polyetheramine (PEA) fuel additive is best. Chevron, Shell and some others make these complex chemicals for both gasolines and aftermarket fuel additive products. They also sell the "juice" (i.e. active ingredient of varying types and efficacies) to others gasoline brands, OEMs, and aftermaket fuel additive suppliers who rebrand and sell it. Chances are the small bottlers buy active juice from someone, pehaps cut it with solvent, and sell it.
Is zMax a lube additive? I cannnot recall hearing of a *lube* additive cleaning "carbon deposits". Nonetheless, zMax, in lube or not, may be great stuff, I just have no idea personally. I do know some aftermarket fuel additive products use cheaper non-PEA detergents that can leave combustion chamber deposits (but do clean injectors), others are perhaps mostly mineral spirits and a little additive (they clean like a good tank of normally additized major brand gasoline). Some are major manufacturer ingredients, carefully packaged, and work superbly. My advice is to stay with major brand fuel additive products, and the premium stuff within those brand families to clean your carbon. Note, if you use major brand gas there will not be much carbon to clean. There are several good ones at $7 to $10/bottle. Click & Clack recommend TECHRON(R) Concentrate and BG44K. There are other good ones too.
What's the consensus on using "brand name" gasoline (like Mobil for $1.25/gallon up here in Boston) over using "discount" gasoline (like Global or Merit, currently at $1.15/gallon)???
My Dad always tells me to go with Mobil - "don't put that other cheap crap in your car". However, I hear that ALL gasoline must pass a government test before it can be used in automobiles, so it would all then be virtually the same. Any ideas?
After seeing a lot of mechanics, they decided to take the engine apart to see what's going on.
it turned out the engine is rusting from the inside out. They did some tests and found a lot of water and other junk in the gas.
This was reported to the authorities and several gas stations were shut down.
Ever since, we've always used Mobil and have had no problems. For the small difference in price (usually only a few cents a gallon, or less then a dollar for a full tank) I wouldn't risk getting gas at a "discount" place.
in other words, if I were to get discount gas at a station that had new tanks, would i still get the same result? or, if i were to get discount gas directly off of the boat it came in on.....
see my point? thanks!
Most stations have newer tanks anyways, because Federal law, I believe, requires tanks to be made of the newer materials. (Fiberglass, I believe.)
I yield to anyone who knows of water being intentionally added to gas. This sounds far-fetched, no?
guitarzan
Community Leader/Vans Conference
The station had high traffic flow (because of their lower price) so I don't think water built up due to the gas sitting in the tank for long periods of time. I think the water leaked into the tank from somewhere.
Also, the test results that the government did on that station showed that other chemicals were found in the gas that should not be there. The theory was that the station mixed in some "low" cost chemicals to help them reduce the amount of real gasoline pumped into your car, and thus they can lower the price they sell gas at.
#428 the new federal law requires all stations to have double walled tanks. not fiberglass. Usually the tanks are made of metal of some sort (steel or aluminum etc).
My parents recently had the tanks at their station replaced with the new double walled tanks.
The theory is that if the inner tank started leaking, a sensor between the two layers would detect the leak and set off an alarm in the control panel. And the outer tank would prevent the leak from being absorbed into the earth thus protecting the environment.
Also the new nozzles have to recirculate the gasoline "contaminated" air from your car's tank back into the underground tank and not let it out into the atmosphere.
I find that my truck barely runs on the cheaper gas, but works fine on others. Other cars work just fine on that gas.
Note that Mobil stations are independant,and can buy gas from anyone. My parents ran into one (and only one) bad Mobil station in one car.
My Concorde has documented ataements reguarding the useage of 87 octane and not anything over 89 Octane. I believe (I gotta re-read that part to be sure) that they even state that I should limit the use of 89 octane. My question is, even though the manufacturer has declared the perfered fuel be 87 octane am I looking at any problems later on?
Which grade of Gasoline to use ?
guitarzan
Community Leader/Vans Conference
HoHo
I asked the sales associate about the differences, and he said that once I start to use synthetic oils in my truck, I can NEVER go back to using regular oils. He didn't have a reason why. He just said " cause it's bad if you go back ". IS THIS TRUE, and if so, WHY?
have you ever blended them together during an oil change; like 2 quarts regular, 2 quarts synthetic, etc.?
In a few days, I will be picking up my new 1999 Honda Civic Hatchback CX Automatic.
Is it still true that I need to change that new oil fairly soon, to clean out the new metal bits from the new engine?
Too much oil can get "churned" by the crankshaft and could lead to several types of problems depending on the engine type. If you have driven some with too much oil, suggest you check the PCV valve to be sure it's clean and free to operate properly.
I will probably follow it's recommendation from now on with only two exceptions.
1) If the vehicle was to not get driven much, I would probably change at 3 to 4 months.
2) Very dusty conditions, would probably change oil earlier.
Minuses: Expensive, and they will find leak paths you never knew you had. So expect some oil leakge at seals, gaskets, and porous metal parts which will "seep"(i.e. aluminum valve covers and oil pans).
my grandfather used to substitute a quart of this stuff in with his regular oil every few oil changes.
he swore by it, but that was a long time ago.
DOES IT WORK? Pluses....minuses...?
So it is harmless, and many do swear by it. May not be helpful though.
#443, my understanding is synthetic will leak through old seals, but not modern ones. My '88 S10 never had a problem with synthtic, my dad's '80 pontiac had small leaks.
Odd, in a field this big there is so little real data, most of it is: "well , I change oil every 3000 miles and it works for me". This based on Jiffy lube marketing. Changing every 500 miles works too. Probably every 5000 miles does too and uses up less of out grandchildren's oil.
JT
10W-30 will use a bit more gas than 5W-30 (say 1 to 2%, if memory serves), but based on your driving habits (and cheap Texas gas), I'd bet that is not a major concern for you .
JT
Honda uses what is called a "break-in" oil. It is supposedly specially formulated to help the engine wear in. Given that, I'd do whatever your owner's manual recommends.
Having said that, I changed the oil on our new minivan at about 1,600 miles instead of letting it go til the 3,750 the manufacturer recommended. Of course, I don't know if a break-in oil was used in it or not.
Hope this helps.
Dave
i'll check the manual when i get it.
steve
you seen the big red sign? LOOK: E-X-X-O-N.
GET IT!!?? TWO (2) X's. Godalmighty!
5W-30 is blended with a lighter base oil to get the "5W" part. 10W starts with a heavier base oil. Viscosity Improver (VI) is the multivis part, there is more VI in a 5W-30. The lubrication is from the base oil, hence a 10W has a slightly thicker "base" film than a 5W and is "tougher". VI is not a lubricant per se..
All said ***none of this will likely result in measurable end-user issue***. But in Texas, if allowed by OEM spec., I'd still pick a 10W vs 5W unless I cared about gas milage as top issue.
Buddy did similar thing in his VW Golf. We both had good luck.
I run 10W30 in summer and 5W30 in winter in my new Silverado.
Same reasoning as previous post. Less VI improvers is better....
Now to my point- I use synth in both my cars because for the weights I need, they don't contain any VI's. One is spec'ed for 5w-30, the other for the manufacturer's 5w-40 synth. It is my understanding that the uniformity of the synth base gives them the ability to formulate a wider viscosity range before needing VI's, as compared to mineral oils.
Adam
I have rarely seen an oil filter with the screw side up (so when you unscrew it the oil stays in the filter by gravity, let alone enough room to move around.)
Perhaps a squirt from a bottle of simple green before you start it up, will disolve the oil before it has a chance to heat up and smell.
However, a careful person will wipe away almost all of the spillage such that you should have very little odor ...and no odor after ~10 miles of highway driving.
If you change your own oil, here's an interesting observation. The oil filter has a polymer check- valve at it's inlet. When the oil is cool, this valve is sufficiently rigid to prevent escape of oil on some types of filters. You do need to drain the crankcase when the engine is hot, but removal of the filter can wait if you have the time. After about two hours, the cooled oil and check valve will allow the filter to be loosened and removed without spillage on some types of engines/filters.
The two-hour delay is impractical for most people, of course, and it won't solve the problem in all cases. A tool consisting of a sharp puncture device combined with a funnel could be used to puncture the old filter and drain it through a tube to the catch-pan. This would virtually eliminate spillage onto any engine, chassis, or exhaust system parts. Does anyone know of a shop that has such an anti-spill device?
However, Pablo, with the crowded engine compartments, won't it be difficult find a suitable remote-mount location on many of the transverse-engine cars?
If you have it serviced somewhere and you have the same problem advise the manager of it. Insist they clean it up.
I agree with "spokane" that the smell usually goes away in a few miles so it really isn't a problem (for me). Although I can easily see that it could be a serious problem for someone that may have a medical problem that is agravated by the smoke or aroma.
LSC