I'm starting my oil "experiment" soon...

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Thomas Pyrek

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I have a beater 1989 prelude that at one point in it's life had a very competant Jiffy Lube employee strip the oil drain plug threads. I'm too lazy to pull the oil pan and drill and tap new threads, so I just buy those rubber plugs and reuse them until they don't look like they will hold together very well (usually 2-3 times). But oil changes are boring anyway, so I'd say lets try something different.


My plan is to use Mobil 1 SUV oil and go for one year. I will obviously have to top up and I will do an occasional filter change. I will keep "detailed" records of milage and the amount of oil added in addition to getting an oil analysis done at the end of the year.


I have done the Auto RX back in the spring and have been running Delvac 1300 since. Upper end looked spotless when I took off the valve cover to adjust valve lash. Driving is either long highway miles back and forth to school or short jaunts in the city while I am home. I expect the milage to be around 10k when done.
 
Why not just get an oversized drain plug? They come with self-tapping threads, and are for this exact situation. They are (or were) a couple of bucks at NAPA. Take your old one with you so they can give the the proper size. Using a rubber stopper for a drain plug is asking for trouble.
 
quote:
Originally posted by C4Dave:
Why not just get an oversized drain plug? They come with self-tapping threads, and are for this exact situation. They are (or were) a couple of bucks at NAPA. Take your old one with you so they can give the the proper size. Using a rubber stopper for a drain plug is asking for trouble.
Click to expand...
Exactly
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thomas Pyrek:
I have a beater 1989 prelude that at one point in it's life had a very competant Jiffy Lube employee strip the oil drain plug threads. I'm too lazy to pull the oil pan and drill and tap new threads, so I just buy those rubber plugs and reuse them until they don't look like they will hold together very well (usually 2-3 times). But oil changes are boring anyway, so I'd say lets try something different.


My plan is to use Mobil 1 SUV oil and go for one year. I will obviously have to top up and I will do an occasional filter change. I will keep "detailed" records of milage and the amount of oil added in addition to getting an oil analysis done at the end of the year.


I have done the Auto RX back in the spring and have been running Delvac 1300 since. Upper end looked spotless when I took off the valve cover to adjust valve lash. Driving is either long highway miles back and forth to school or short jaunts in the city while I am home. I expect the milage to be around 10k when done.
Click to expand...
What's the experiment? People run assorted versions of M1 to 10K miles all the time...
 
quote:
Originally posted by Al:

quote:
Originally posted by C4Dave:
Why not just get an oversized drain plug? They come with self-tapping threads, and are for this exact situation. They are (or were) a couple of bucks at NAPA. Take your old one with you so they can give the the proper size. Using a rubber stopper for a drain plug is asking for trouble.
Click to expand...
Exactly
Click to expand...
I would do that, but it already has been oversized. Yes, this pan has been stripped multiple times. When I bought the car it already had the rubber plug in it. About the only options I have now are helicoil, drill and tap 18mm threads, get a new pan, or just do this.


and as for the 10k thing... I used to drive a lot more, so it would have ended up being 20k or more, but I've had to limit my driving due to fuel costs. What is different about this test, is that a majority of the miles will not be highway, but city speeds in Chicago, 20-30mph constant, with occasional jaunts on the interstate.

Cold weather, short driving, many starts, ect ect ect. I do the hardest driving.
 
going one year on good quality oil has been done.
I am doing it now and my friend has been doing it for years. Nothing new here
wink.gif


If you want to experiment then go full year on cheap no name dino oil or go 2 years or 45,000 miles on a good synthetic oil. with only one filter change half way.
wink.gif
 
First you can buy threaded bungs and weld a new drain hole .

Second , instead of synthetic how bout a dino 10w-40 ? It would cost you less .

Pennzoil 10w-40 runs to 10k in Chevy's that see's alot of light road use all the time but no analysis's .
frown.gif
 
My 89 Prelude beater never needs oil changes, it burns and leaks oil at an amazing rate. Hmm, so do my 89 and 94 Accords. My Honda's are the ultimate in no oil change experiments.
 
I can't afford to do that. I still need this car to last at least until I'm done with school (2 more years). Maybe once I'm done with school I'll do top ups and yearly filter changes, hehe.


Mainly the point of this was to proove that a quality oil can go a significant time even in the harshest circumstances.
 
There are all kinds of people running 10,000 miles and more on dino oils, they are driving leased vehicles and couldn't care less.

There are lots of folks running 10,000 miles and more on synthetics, they drive a lot of hiway miles and do just fine.

Each to their own experiment.
 
You want 2 more years out of your engine? Just change the oil every 4,000 miles and use a decent filter.

You can get API certified SL/SM oils for $0.82 every day and for much less if you watch the sales.

Use the appropriate viscosity for you engine and the temps and you will not have an oil related problem with your engine.

Do your long term experiments when you can afford to lose the engine.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ugly3:
You want 2 more years out of your engine? Just change the oil every 4,000 miles and use a decent filter.
Click to expand...
That would be nice, but that would reqire me to drop $5 every other oil change simply for the plug, or spend the $$ to properly fix it. Neither seem to be as good financially as spending money on an oil that is for sure to last a decent amount of time. Filters and this oil are a moot point as I stocked up on it when the money was good. In other words, right now I'm putting no money out. To do what you suggest would be to put money out (albeit, only $4). However, that would be a poor choice (IMO) due to the weather I'm in. Where I'm at has experienced sustained temps below 5 or 10 F.

Thus, experiment is in quotation, because it really isn't.
 
Why do you think a rubber drain plug can only be safely used a time or two? We used to use the same plug for years and years. The plug came with a tool for insert and removal, the tool had a rod that slid down the center of the plug and reduced the diameter. Worked like a champ.

I see they have some now with a screw to expand the diameter (like the plugs in a boat) and they last for years in boats.
 
because the rubber gets physically torn apart. If the oil pan hole were smooth, I would agree. But alas, it is not. If you want to take a look at it and change my oil and such I'll give you the address of where the car is an you can do it, if you would like.
 
To address your original comments, yes you can go 10,000 with M1 SUV oil. Seems you've already thought out all the other scenarios, and come up with the best solution for your particular situation.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Motorbike:
The two dollar bung I brought up and 5 bucks for a muffler shop to braze it on was too much
smile.gif


Using dino instead of the 5 buck a quart synlube and money saved there would fix it for good
Click to expand...
For what it's worth, the welders and mechanics I have access to in Chicago are not quite as helpful as the mechanics you have in the tropics of Antartica. The people around me don't like doing anything other than installing parts because they are lame and I only have one friend who knows how to weld, and he doesn't like to be at his work past closing because people always ask him to do extra **** .


So, I'll say again, I have everything here to do this, this will cost me no more money than I already have (ie, I bought the plug, oil and filters long ago), and chances are I will spend the small amount on change and the "five bucks" I mean $25, to have someone around here do it for me (and then have me bring it back because they didn't weld it right).


Either way, I'd be running this oil, plug or not. What's the big deal?
 
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