Never changing oil - Stories

[Drew99GT]

My 94 Corolla beater, despite being a beater, is probably in better shape mechanically then 90% of the general public's newer cars. Tire pressures are perfect, brakes are good, brand new windshield, wipers are good, lights all work, good tires, newer struts, etc. etc. etc.

I see a ton of late model cars with under 50K, with bald tires, severely under inflated tires, no brakes, windshield wipers are original and totally shot.

Age of a vehicle doesn't necessarily translate into a safe, road worthy vehicle IMO.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada
...
One doesn't have to drive something fancy, flashy, fast, new or trendy, but if you share the road with my kids and I you had better keep it safe.



Right with you there Craig. But I live in Florida. Though I'm no bleeding-heart, if you know what I mean, I'm astonished that we have no form of inspection here at all. You pay the freight, and you get a new sticker for your plate. Now, we have no salt on the roads, but still. Ya drive in FL, you'd better keep your head on a swivel!!!!!!!!!

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT


Age of a vehicle doesn't necessarily translate into a safe, road worthy vehicle IMO.


I agree. My vehicle is a 1998 and an all-season daily driver/kid taxi (I commute by bus/train). As an enthusiast I strive for everything to work "as new". Tire pressures, tires, alignment, suspension bushings/balljoints, shocks, brakes, steering rack and tie-rods, fluids, interior condition, windows clean, paint polished, all OE parts or some superior aftermarket etc... It's in suitable condition to rip around the twisties on the weekend or simply commute and avoid accidents. Of course as the car ages, there's an increasing measure of "within financial common sense" applied but never to safety gear.

Luckily I now DIY almost everything and have found good sources for OE parts at a discount, so I both save money and "do more" with the maintenance budget.

I realize everyone isn't an enthusiast but, again, keep it safe for you and everyone else around you.

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada

I realize everyone isn't an enthusiast but, again, keep it safe for you and everyone else around you.

Somewhat off topic, but I get alot of idiots who pull up next to me at a light and start their smack talk, or stay in the passing lane next to me trying to goad me in a into racing.

Not just in this car, but the last one. Put on a catback dual outlet and a CAI, (Not becasue I bought into the supposed performance upgrade, I just like an exhaust that rumbles a bit.), and they come out of the wood work it seems.

 

[pitzel]

I did 62k km's over the period of ~4 years without an oil change on my GM 3.1L V6 engine, before it developed the dreaded lower intake manifold coolant leak. Esso XD-3 0W-30 oil, perfectly fine, with no sludge.

I'm confident that I could've gone at least 100k on the oil if the coolant contamination issue had not occurred.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: pitzel
I did 62k km's over the period of ~4 years without an oil change on my GM 3.1L V6 engine, before it developed the dreaded lower intake manifold coolant leak. Esso XD-3 0W-30 oil, perfectly fine, with no sludge.

I'm confident that I could've gone at least 100k on the oil if the coolant contamination issue had not occurred.

More details please!!!!!

 

[pitzel]

What can I say -- when I took the intake off to replace the gasket, there was no sludge whatsoever, and the coolant didn't even emulsify with the oil, but rather, just formed a translucent sludge of its own on the intake metal (which I just took a power washer to...). 62k km's is roughly equal to 40k miles.

Over the 40k miles, I added approximately 4L (~1 gallon) of oil. Most of the oil was not burned, but rather, leaked out.

I changed the filter once, first filter was a full-sized FRAM orange-can, and the second filter, roughly half-way through, was the half-sized FRAM orange can (bought at a garage sale for 50 cents!).

Esso XD-3 0W-30 Full Synthetic oil.

 

[StevieC]

My hat off to you... I would love to see a UOA on this oil run this long that shows the TBN & TAN numbers....

 

[pitzel]

Well XD-3 0W-30 is a diesel-rated oil, so it has a pretty good TBN reserve. If you search the UOA section, another forum member, "olympic", posted UOA's on a similar engine with similar miles. The XD-3 0W-30 that he uses remained well within specifications.

The magnetic drain plug did have its share of ferric material attached (small microshards), but there's been absolutely no change in fuel consumption, vibration, or performance.

 

[StevieC]

I just can't believe that it made it that long... I'm astonished and want to try this run with my Amsoil now...

Thanks, I will look up the posts from Olympic.

 

[21Rouge]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Thanks, I will look up the posts from Olympic.

Olympic used Esso XD for his fleet of taxis (Pontiac Montanas and Pontiac Vibes)

 

[wafrederick1]

The last one I seen which the oil was not changed was a 2002 Dodge Durango with a 4.7 and it was another used car dealer's vehicle which he was going take to the auction,the lifters rattled and the oil looked very dark,black.This dealer wholesales his vehicles.The lifters quieted right up after the oil was changed.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: pitzel
I did 62k km's over the period of ~4 years without an oil change on my GM 3.1L V6 engine, before it developed the dreaded lower intake manifold coolant leak. Esso XD-3 0W-30 oil, perfectly fine, with no sludge.

I'm confident that I could've gone at least 100k on the oil if the coolant contamination issue had not occurred.


Wow!

 

[addyguy]

Not suprised by this. I honestly think most vehicles could survive a lifetime fill, using synthetics, and just topping off.

If 1970's vehicles could survive 25k+ miles on synthetics back then (there were LOTS of examples of cars doing this) then there is NO reason they cannot do it now....

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Not suprised by this. I honestly think most vehicles could survive a lifetime fill, using synthetics, and just topping off.

If 1970's vehicles could survive 25k+ miles on synthetics back then (there were LOTS of examples of cars doing this) then there is NO reason they cannot do it now....


You might be right...

I'm gonna try a run on Amsoil of 30K KM (18K Miles) and see what happens in my UOA's... I will work up to this mileage with consecutive UOA's though.

 

[Drew99GT]

I'm dam near considering saying [censored] it, and installing Mobil 1 HM in my Corolla and just letting it go. Filter changes maybe at 10,000 miles, and a full change out at 20,000 miles.

Maxlife, coupled with some PCV system modifications, seemed to have slowed, or almost stopped my oil consumption. Then, on my last storm chasing trip in late April, I did some balls to the wall driving and saw redline a few times. Got back home and was almost 2 quarts low! And now it's right back to consuming a quart every 1,500 miles or so. Before that, I had barely even driven the car through the winter. I'm thinking I stretched the rods and scraped off that ridge that forms at the top of the cylinders or something.

Oh well, still runs fine!

If I could get a case or two of 10w-30 Mobil 1 HM for cheap, I'm going to do it.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Originally Posted By: Jerryb
Thirty years ago my father drove to my house in his 1969 Dodge with a 383 ci engine. I checked his oil and it was bone dry. I added 5 quarts of oil to his car. He told me he had his oil changed, drove from NYC to Philadelphia and back. He hen drove 35 miles to my house. I figure he drove about 240 miles with no oil, most of it on the NJ Turnpike at 65MPH. That car lasted another 6 years till someone stole it.


My dad had and old Dodge Dart or Duster, don't know the engine because I wasn't around then and he can't remember. He used to give it out to his customers to drive while servicing their cars... When he sold his station and he didn't know what to do with the car so he drained the oil out of it and drove it for almost 2 weeks to/from the station!

Then the engine finally seized...

Do that today!

Had to be a 225 c.i.d slant six!!

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: Gearhead
A co-worker went 65,000+ miles on a factory oil fill in a 2.9L Ford in a 1989 Ranger. He beat the [censored] out of it, and it ran well & was quiet.


A quiet 2.9 liter?? I didnt know they existed.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: Gearhead
A co-worker went 65,000+ miles on a factory oil fill in a 2.9L Ford in a 1989 Ranger. He beat the [censored] out of it, and it ran well & was quiet.


A quiet 2.9 liter?? I didnt know they existed.

Well when all the parts in the engine are caked together from not changing the oil of course it's quiet.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: Gearhead
A co-worker went 65,000+ miles on a factory oil fill in a 2.9L Ford in a 1989 Ranger. He beat the [censored] out of it, and it ran well & was quiet.


A quiet 2.9 liter?? I didnt know they existed.

Well when all the parts in the engine are caked together from not changing the oil of course it's quiet.

++++ 1 Stevie