Automakers Lengthen Oil Change Intervals
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From: SMS on 29 Mar 2007 13:46 C. E. White wrote: > "SMS" <scharf.steven(a)geemail.com> wrote in message > news:460be075$0$27179$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net... > >> 1. It's a little cheaper. > > What is a little cheaper? Havoline 5w30 is $1.55 per quart at Advance > Auto. Havoline straight 30 weight is $1.45 per quart. $0.50 per oil > change doesn't seem significant, but I guess it is a little cheaper as > you said. > >> 2. The wider the range between the two viscosities, the more >> viscosity modifiers and the less base stock in the oil. > > While this might be true if you wait long enough or over stress the > oil, is it true in a practical sense? I let my Saturn Vue go for 7000 > miles between changes once. I had the oil analyzed and it still met > the specs for a 5W30 oil. 7000 miles is really nothing these days. The 5000 mile interval is being exceedingly cautious, just as the 3000 mile interval was 30-40 years ago prior to advances in oil technology, engines, and filtering. >> However it's not really worth the significant extra wear at start-up >> to use straight 30 weight. Not if you care about getting very long >> engine life. > > Agreed - particularly if you are in a cold climate. I'm not defending using straight 30W, it's exceeding foolish to do so unless you live in a place where it _never_ gets very cold, such as Central or South America. Even in the southern parts of the U.S. there are often cold snaps. However using 10W30 during warm weather, and 5W30 during cold weather is probably acceptable for a vehicle that specifies 5W30. Usually they will show a chart with acceptable oils, with a lot of overlap between 5W30 and 10W30 based on temperature.
From: Mike on 29 Mar 2007 13:53 "Brent P" <tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message news:B9ydnV5g_9AtU5bbnZ2dnUVZ_vXinZ2d(a)comcast.com... > In article <s4QOh.5630$B25.2607(a)news01.roc.ny>, Mike wrote: >> >> "Brent P" <tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message >> news:wJWdnaPFx-OKoZbbnZ2dnUVZ_hadnZ2d(a)comcast.com... >>> In article <5e7m03h7jbpfh502qbt6nepp7ic8rsh94e(a)4ax.com>, clare at >>> snyder.on.ca wrote: >>> >>>> Minimum 20 minutes to get the oil to full operating temperature, and >>>> then about another 10 minutes for every day of short run cold morning, >>> >>> <snip> >>> >>> When your coolant has reached OT and the thermostat is open, the oil has >>> reached operating temperature some time before that. It's basic heat >>> transfer. If it had not, the coolant and engine block would still be >>> warming the oil and the Tstat would remain close. > >> Wrong. The oil takes much longer to reach operating temp than the >> coolant. Want proof, just wait till the thermostat opens and feel the >> bottom >> of the oil pan, still not hot is it ? > > The oil is circulating, not sitting in the pan warming it up. The pan is > where oil cools for the next go around. The pan should be cooler than the > oil circulating in the engine. > After a nice long higway run put your hand on the oil pan and tell me just how cool it feels to you.
From: clifto on 29 Mar 2007 14:40 zwsdotcom(a)gmail.com wrote: > On Mar 27, 8:51 pm, SMS <scharf.ste...(a)geemail.com> wrote: > >> Can you even still buy plain SAE-30 oil any more? > > Yes. Rotella T SAE 30 available in gallon jugs at your friendly > Autozone, Pep Boys etc. It will be with the "special stuff" like > synchromesh lube, marine and mower application type materials. I use > it in my T90 transmission. I thought Rotella was only rated for diesels these days. -- Pork: It's the other white flag! -- James Lileks
From: Brent P on 29 Mar 2007 14:46 In article <72TOh.5643$B25.3136(a)news01.roc.ny>, Mike wrote: > > "Brent P" <tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:B9ydnV5g_9AtU5bbnZ2dnUVZ_vXinZ2d(a)comcast.com... >> In article <s4QOh.5630$B25.2607(a)news01.roc.ny>, Mike wrote: >>> >>> "Brent P" <tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message >>> news:wJWdnaPFx-OKoZbbnZ2dnUVZ_hadnZ2d(a)comcast.com... >>>> In article <5e7m03h7jbpfh502qbt6nepp7ic8rsh94e(a)4ax.com>, clare at >>>> snyder.on.ca wrote: >>>> >>>>> Minimum 20 minutes to get the oil to full operating temperature, and >>>>> then about another 10 minutes for every day of short run cold morning, >>>> >>>> <snip> >>>> >>>> When your coolant has reached OT and the thermostat is open, the oil has >>>> reached operating temperature some time before that. It's basic heat >>>> transfer. If it had not, the coolant and engine block would still be >>>> warming the oil and the Tstat would remain close. >> >>> Wrong. The oil takes much longer to reach operating temp than the >>> coolant. Want proof, just wait till the thermostat opens and feel the >>> bottom >>> of the oil pan, still not hot is it ? >> >> The oil is circulating, not sitting in the pan warming it up. The pan is >> where oil cools for the next go around. The pan should be cooler than the >> oil circulating in the engine. >> > > After a nice long higway run put your hand on the oil pan and tell me > just how cool it feels to you. 1) cooler than the oil. Ever do an oil change? The oil coming out is hotter than the outside of the pan. 2) Put your hand on the transmission and/or the differential if RWD after a nice highway drive. Guess what they'll be warm too.
From: Brent P on 29 Mar 2007 14:47
In article <72TOh.5644$B25.1424(a)news01.roc.ny>, Mike wrote: > No, but I have run heavy equipment that was equiped with an oil temp > guage, does that count ? And there lies your source of error. |