Automakers Lengthen Oil Change Intervals
in [Drive]
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From: Eeyore on 27 Mar 2007 21:50 Steve Barker wrote: > Even the waste of money $ynthetics get dirty in 3000 miles. It's never been > an issue of the oil being worn out, it's DIRT and DIRT is what kills moving > parts. Do as you please, it's your junker. Synthetics enquestionably stay cleaner By providing better cylinder wall lubrication AIUI. Graham
From: Eeyore on 27 Mar 2007 21:55 SMS wrote: > jim wrote: > > > Whether your habits are idiotic or not depends on how long you expect to > > keep the car. The average new car buyer sells or trades in his car long > > before the extended oil changes make any difference that affects the > > price he gets for the car. So for most new car buyers changing the oil > > every 3000k is a waste of time and money as the only one who will > > benefit is someone else who owns the car much later in its life. > > Not even that person will benefit. > > The key is to find the interval where changing it more frequently will > have no effect on engine life. Changing it at 1000 miles, 3000 miles, or > 5000 miles will result in the same engine longevity. The oil is able to > suspend sufficient particulates for these intervals, and does not lose > either it's lubrication properties or its detergent properties. There is > absolutely nothing to support more frequent oil changes than 5000 miles. > > The exception is if the car is used in truly severe service, i.e. 100% > short trips where the engine never heats up to operating temperature > long enough for water in the oil to be vaporized. There are also a very > few vehicles where more frequent oil changes help prevent other service > issues, such as the old Saturn timing chain problem. > > Ask the 3000 mile oil change advocates why they don't change their oil > at 2000 miles, or 1000 miles, or 500 miles. 3000 miles came out of thin > air, with no scientific evidence to back it up, so why not go to even a > shorter interval, after all it's "cheap insurance," and everyone knows > that you should buy as much cheap insurance as possible. OTOH, there > have been extensive tests of engine wear at various oil change > intervals, and none have ever shown more wear with a 3000 mile oil > change than with a 5000 mile oil change. Ages back I came across a US auto magazine that tested a synthetic oil in real world use. They took regular samples and had it analysed. Its lubrication properties varies slightly over the period it was tested with occasional *improvements* between samples ! It was still OK at 15,000 mi and only at 18,000 IIRC was it finally changed when a definite deterioration was noticed. I do believe they performed intermediate filter changes btw, maybe @ 6000 mi ? It can actually be more important to change the filter regularly than the oil with synthetics. Graham
From: Noozer on 27 Mar 2007 21:56 "Steve Barker" <ichasetrains(a)some.yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1didnaxM2aPiL5TbnZ2dnUVZ_v2knZ2d(a)giganews.com... > The question is will it make 300K? the answer is no. Not with the oil > abuse you've been giving it. Using that kind of logic, it's a wonder that you can type at all considering the amount of time you sit there playing with your willie. That's about all the lubrication experience that you really have.
From: Eeyore on 27 Mar 2007 21:57 SMS wrote: > Scott Dorsey wrote: > > > It would strike me also that car manufacturers would want you to change your > > oil less often too, because they want to sell you a new car as soon as > > possible. It's not in their best interest that your engine last forever. > > Nice theory, but no automaker would push a maintenance schedule that > would cause their vehicles to have premature engine failures. First of > all, the owner would be highly unlikely to buy the same make of car if > he or she experienced a premature engine failure. Second, manufacturers > don't want to gain a reputation for poor long term dependability. Third, > car dealers make a lot of money from performing scheduled maintenance. > > How many people do you know that only buy a new car when the engine in > their current vehicle is destroyed by infrequent enough oil changes? > > As to the EPA, I don't know how much they care about recreational oil > changes (<5000 mile oil changes). The used oil is recycled, and used in > truck fleets, it isn't poured into the ocean or into the sewer (well > some backyard mechanics might do this). > > The sad thing is that so many people have been brainwashed by companies > like Jiffy Lube. Do Jiffy Lube even use decent oil ? The concept of quick-lube shops seems to be unknown outside the USA btw. Graham
From: Ron & Maggie on 27 Mar 2007 22:03
Hey Steve when it git's dirty I change it, I have this rare disease and I need the speed clean oil gives me to chase trains. Ron Steve Barker wrote: > Even the waste of money $ynthetics get dirty in 3000 miles. It's never been > an issue of the oil being worn out, it's DIRT and DIRT is what kills moving > parts. Do as you please, it's your junker. > |