Important lessons

[GMorg]

I was trying to identify what single lesson that I learned here was most important to me. I think that I have learned/concluded that the single largest culprit of wear is the air intake system integrity and/or a good air filter. Can anyone else identify a single lesson that they value? - busted myth, overturned dogma, broken conviction, or just neat little fact?

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

For engine wear,50 years of experiance has taught me that the crankcase ventilation system is the single most important system under the hood, followed closely by the air intake system. Naturally, oil and coolent come first. Without them, you won't get far, but you can sludge an engine very quickly if the PCV plugs, and you can wear out the cylinders quickly by driving in dusty conditions without an air filter.

 

[surfstar]

Cheap synthetic oil is better than full priced synthetic oil. Seriously.

 

[MN Driver]

I learned that UOAs are a cheap way to get a quick look at wear as it's happening in during that OCI and a fast way to determine obvious wear causes such those caused by coolant, dirt, water, and fuel. I also learned that the Halvoline that I've been using all these years seems to be a very nice oil after all and the Mobil 1 that I was thinking was the king of synthetics is simply just another synthetic, but at a better price than most others.

 

[rpn453]

To me, it's that the specifications are the most important component of any automotive fluid.

 

[Mitch Alsup]

Let the engine oil get up to operating temperature before hammering the throttle.

 

[Ray H]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GMorg: Can anyone else identify a single lesson that they value? - busted myth, overturned dogma, broken conviction, or just neat little fact?

---

Yeah - that marriage is forever...

 

[Pablo]

1) Some dino oils last amazingly well. 2) Blends are not "crap". In fact blends are probably the only way to build a great oil. 3) Redline is NOT 100% POE. Oh you said one. I'll pick #2.

 

[Tosh]

I learned that fuel consumption at idle is around 0.2 gallons per hour, or about 10% of the rate at 60mph if you get 30MPG.

 

[TomH]

quote:

---

Originally posted by JTK: That most of us *could* go 5-7Kmi on a <$2/qt oil and not break a sweat! Joel

---

I wholeheartedly agree!

 

[ocrstar]

I'll go along with the oem air filter discovery: better to have a little restriction and clean air rather than a 10th of a second better 0-60 and less filtered air any day (not to mention decreased maf sensor life like I did).

 

[Bryanccfshr]

That current oil specifications are performance based. If it meets the prescribed specs its going to perform well in the application.

 

[bretfraz]

1. UOA's have helped me make sure I'm headed in the right direction regarding my oil choices and OCI. The insight from folks like Terry Dyson have really helped me cut thru the petro-technobabble and focus on what's important to me. 2. Price + Image does not = Quality, e.g. Valvoline vs. Chevron Supreme. 3. Not everyone should change their oil at 3K. 4. Not everyone should go more than 3K on an OCI. 5. Oil filter "quality" is overrated. There are many good filters under $5.00. No need for a $10+ SuperFilter.

 

[LouDawg]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ray H:

quote:

---

Originally posted by GMorg: Can anyone else identify a single lesson that they value? - busted myth, overturned dogma, broken conviction, or just neat little fact?

---

Yeah - that marriage is forever...

---

AGREED!!! TIMES 2.5!!!!

 

[LouDawg]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GMorg: I was trying to identify what single lesson that I learned here was most important to me. I think that I have learned/concluded that the single largest culprit of wear is the air intake system integrity and/or a good air filter. Can anyone else identify a single lesson that they value? - busted myth, overturned dogma, broken conviction, or just neat little fact?

---

That just when I think I've figured out what oil/filter/oci I'm going to use, I read another post that leaves me scratching my head!

 

[JTK]

That most of us *could* go 5-7Kmi on a <$2/qt oil and not break a sweat! Joel

 

[Titan]

A 0w-30 oil can be thicker at all points on the viscosity scale, with the exception of the very coldest temps (which never occur where I live), ompared to most 5w-30 oils.

 

[GoldenRod]

The most important lesson I've learned on BITOG you ask? That Pennzoil is actually good oil, and that Mobil 1 is junk.

 

[TallPaul]

Most important lesson I learned here is that most any brand of oil will do so long as it meets the manufacturer's spec. It really dosen't matter for 99 percent of us whether we use Super Tech or Mobil 1 because most cars fall apart in other ways (or we get tired of them) long before the engine is toast. So there are two ways to do it. Buy the cheapest spec oil or buy the prettiest bottle, catchiest name, and if you are into playing with oil, don't forget the additives as they make for mixing fun. Also, one can extend their oil change interval in various ways and that is where Mobil 1 would have an advantage over Supertech, but in the long run you may not save any money runing M1 three times as long as Supertech. Most of us mollycoddle our engines when it comes to oil, prefering an oil that will get us 500,000 miles of engine use vs an oil that would only get us 250,000 miles.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Important lesson: There's a lot of free oil out there.