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The time now is Thu Apr 18, 2024 5:22 am |
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GerryProctor
Senior Member
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 660
Location: San Antonio, Tx |
Everyone has an opinion on when you should change your oil. This is, of course, absent any analysis of the circumstances. Just based upon how they feel about it and nothing more. The bottom line for early changers is that oil is cheap and is worth the level of comfort it provides. It's hard to argue against that because, again, it's an emotional arguement.
I found this quote interesting:
quote:
"Greatly improved oils, including synthetic oils, coupled with better engines mean longer spans between oil changes without harming an engine. The 3000 mile interval is a carryover from days when engines used single-grade, non-detergent oils."
Now, anyone who has the original Rotunda service label on the cowl of their Fairlane can read what the factory recommended service interval was. On my '67, it says to change the oil at 5k mile intervals with a filter change every other oil change. Yes, even in the days of that crappy oil.
So this begs the question of where did the 3k mile service interval come from? Certainly didn't come from the factory over the last 50 years. As with nearly everything, you have to follow the money trail. Who would profit from changing oil earlier than the factory recommends? Could it be the oil companies and the service centers? Yep, that looks like a hot trail to me.
My driver cars have oil life monitors. I use synthetic but still follow the monitor. I change oil roughly around the 6k mile point. I have a Saturn Sky Red Line that doesn't get used very much (only 2k miles since I picked it up in Oct) and will change the oil in that one at the one year point.
I don't need the comfort buffer that changing earlier than necessary provides.
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Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:52 am |
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mygirls63
Senior Member
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 416
Location: Kansas |
quote:
Originally posted by GerryProctor:
Now, anyone who has the original Rotunda service label on the cowl of their Fairlane can read what the factory recommended service interval was. On my '67, it says to change the oil at 5k mile intervals with a filter change every other oil change. Yes, even in the days of that crappy oil.
So this begs the question of where did the 3k mile service interval come from? Certainly didn't come from the factory over the last 50 years. As with nearly everything, you have to follow the money trail. Who would profit from changing oil earlier than the factory recommends? Could it be the oil companies and the service centers? Yep, that looks like a hot trail to me.
I feel the same way as well Gerry.
Having worked at a couple of dealerships, the oil change intervals are service department driven. The main focus is not to change the oil and provide that "warm fuzzy feeling", but to maximize the service department's profits.
If you sell a cheap oil change, make nil on it profit wise, and encourage say a 3000 mile oil change interval, you will be under the customers car more often, and you can then "hunt" for other more lucrative, high profit repairs, as well as warranty work on the vehicles that are still in warranty.
I do, however, believe in performing transmission services at around 30 - 36,000 miles. In my opinion, that is the most abused and neglected fluid in the vehicle, followed closely by the engine coolant.
The advent of fuel injection, and dare I say pollution laws, have greatly reduced the contaminates in the oil, as well as cylinder, ring & valve wear. This still does not quite hold true with diesels in my mind though.
Only bearing wear and moisture are a real big contaminate now. Viscosity breakdown is probably the only major concern of mine next to metal (bearing wear). _________________ Scott
1963 Fairlane Mini tub 10pt cage New 408" C4 Canfield 195CC heads Comp solid roller Victor Jr. 9" w/4.11? gears Moser spool & 35 spline axles. www.marksullense85carburetors.com
Last edited by mygirls63 on Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:33 pm |
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mygirls63
Senior Member
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 416
Location: Kansas |
Oh by the way, the factories do actually push the short intervals on the service and parts side.
However, from the sales side, they tout longer life, less breakdowns, superior products, blah, blah, blah.
But the Field Service Reps and Parts Reps actually do work closely with the dealerships on developing programs to bring in customers for service.
Everyone wants to sell a product!
I am sure the oil companies don't mind though! _________________ Scott
1963 Fairlane Mini tub 10pt cage New 408" C4 Canfield 195CC heads Comp solid roller Victor Jr. 9" w/4.11? gears Moser spool & 35 spline axles. www.marksullense85carburetors.com
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Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:39 pm |
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SD44
Senior Member
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 562
Location: Mississippi |
Soooo.............what's the idea oil change interval for regular grades of oil (not synthetics)? _________________ NMCB 28 Seabee Battalion
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Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:19 am |
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GerryProctor
Senior Member
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 660
Location: San Antonio, Tx |
No such thing as "ideal" SD. It depends upon how hot the oil gets how often and other driving conditions. For conventional oils under normal use, you can go 5k miles easy. Only way to know for sure for your situation is to have an oil analysis done.
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Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:03 pm |
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Finally 1
Senior Member
Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 114
Location: Greenville ,OHio ,45331 |
A few years back I worked for a shop and we had a customer who came in for oil changes who was a retired Gm engineer and he ran synthetic oil and changed the filter every other time and went 5000 miles per oil change . The thing that always struck me odd was he only ran 3.5 qts of oil on a vehicle that should have had 4.5 qts . He claimed the car would get 3 more mpg by not having the extra oil sloshing in the pan . We had hired a kid who had worked at a lube center and was very anal about everything . I thought him and that guy were going to get in a fight over how he had his car serviced .
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Sat Jun 21, 2008 9:00 am |
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SD44
Senior Member
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 562
Location: Mississippi |
quote:
Originally posted by Finally 1:
A few years back I worked for a shop and we had a customer who came in for oil changes who was a retired Gm engineer and he ran synthetic oil and changed the filter every other time and went 5000 miles per oil change . The thing that always struck me odd was he only ran 3.5 qts of oil on a vehicle that should have had 4.5 qts . He claimed the car would get 3 more mpg by not having the extra oil sloshing in the pan . We had hired a kid who had worked at a lube center and was very anal about everything . I thought him and that guy were going to get in a fight over how he had his car serviced .
I guess leaving a quart out was his homeade windage tray. I'd just be too scared to run it low. _________________ NMCB 28 Seabee Battalion
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Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:11 pm |
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