HI GANG,
I was looking in the owners manual of my 1976 Buick Electra 455V8 and happened on the oil service section. Buick recommended 6mos/7500 mile OCI light duty service and a 3mos/3000 mile service for heavy duty service, which is the driving that most of us do. Use an SE spec oil only. This was 1976, remember.
The oil grade specs were the most interesting to me, they said the following; 5w20, 5w30, 20w20, 10w30, were recommended ONLY up to 60F! Beyond that 10w40, 20w40, 20w50, above 60F! This engine likes to use oil and I am using Mobil Delvac Super 1300 15w40, to reduce oil use and an MMO treatment to free up the ring pack as this engine has seen a lot of 10w40 through the years and I'm sure that the rings and guides can use the help. The MMO seems to have cleaned up the internals and I have't had to add any oil in about 1000 miles, with about 1/3 showing on the add mark, on the dipstick.
This was my Mother's car from new and I have taken care of it, since new, This is an improvement in oil use as Kendall 10w40 Superb, was used for most of the OCI's. I tried staying with the 3000 mile, recommendation, but with the low miles per year, I did 6 month intervals on OCI's.
I may try Mobil Delvac 1 5w40, or the High Mileage Oils, later if a lighter grade can be used, like 10w30 or even 5w30. But, I think the Mobil Delvac Superb 1300, will do the job and I'll stay with it. As far as oil filters, I used AC, with a Fram, once in a while when I was out of AC's. AC is on it now.
I forgot that the conversation has evolved into savings of resources, which is good. I would like to add to the input this observation; The costs in energy and raw materials and include man hours to dispose, recycle and create a new automobile or other vehicles, (trucks, SUV's, etc). Versus the benefits and costs of a 3mon/3000 mile OCI, where owners are seeing 300000 or 500000 miles on their vehicle, maybe with a lower MPG average, than the newer cars. That car will have the life of 2 or 3 other cars combined, so where are the real savings?
Now the question, where are the TRUE savings made? The shorter OCI's or the longer 10000, 15000, or 25000 mile OCI's, for Passenger Cars? Which will last LONGER? I am not talking about big over the road trucks, semi's or commercial vehicles where longer OCI's are designed into the vehicles, just our everyday cars. What is your thinking on this?
[ May 28, 2005, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: pastmaster ]