Never changing oil - Stories

[Superbuick96]

I lurked on this forum but when I saw this thread I had to join! Although my story may not be the worse, its pretty bad.
I inhereted a 2003 Chevy Blazer, I knew that the oil changes and maintainence were not kept up with. And the 4.3 had 76,343 mi. When I recieved the Blazer it was February in N.E. Ohio and temps below freezing, My garage isnt heated so I took it to a Vavoline oil change garage. I told them to change it with conventonal oil, because I wasnt paying the 60-70 dollars the wanted for a Max life blend change. When it warmed up I changed the dino oil with the Max L. blend AC Delco oil filter I bought at the store for 17.00 dollars total. Anyway I found the service records last week. The oil was changed at: 15,232/30,432/48,398 miles. At Chevrolet dealership it was bought at, with whatever conventional oil they use . I received the Blazer at 76k mi. and had the oil changed. So that is around 28,000 miles on a conventional dealership oil. I drained the Vavoline change after 900 miles, it was filthy, and dumped 5 quarts of Max L. So far so good.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Superbuick96
I lurked on this forum but when I saw this thread I had to join! Although my story may not be the worse, its pretty bad.
I inhereted a 2003 Chevy Blazer, I knew that the oil changes and maintainence were not kept up with. And the 4.3 had 76,343 mi. When I recieved the Blazer it was February in N.E. Ohio and temps below freezing, My garage isnt heated so I took it to a Vavoline oil change garage. I told them to change it with conventonal oil, because I wasnt paying the 60-70 dollars the wanted for a Max life blend change. When it warmed up I changed the dino oil with the Max L. blend AC Delco oil filter I bought at the store for 17.00 dollars total. Anyway I found the service records last week. The oil was changed at: 15,232/30,432/48,398 miles. At Chevrolet dealership it was bought at, with whatever conventional oil they use . I received the Blazer at 76k mi. and had the oil changed. So that is around 28,000 miles on a conventional dealership oil. I drained the Vavoline change after 900 miles, it was filthy, and dumped 5 quarts of Max L. So far so good.


Those 4.3's take quite a bit of abuse....

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: Superbuick96
I lurked on this forum but when I saw this thread I had to join! Although my story may not be the worse, its pretty bad.
I inhereted a 2003 Chevy Blazer, I knew that the oil changes and maintainence were not kept up with. And the 4.3 had 76,343 mi. When I recieved the Blazer it was February in N.E. Ohio and temps below freezing, My garage isnt heated so I took it to a Vavoline oil change garage. I told them to change it with conventonal oil, because I wasnt paying the 60-70 dollars the wanted for a Max life blend change. When it warmed up I changed the dino oil with the Max L. blend AC Delco oil filter I bought at the store for 17.00 dollars total. Anyway I found the service records last week. The oil was changed at: 15,232/30,432/48,398 miles. At Chevrolet dealership it was bought at, with whatever conventional oil they use . I received the Blazer at 76k mi. and had the oil changed. So that is around 28,000 miles on a conventional dealership oil. I drained the Vavoline change after 900 miles, it was filthy, and dumped 5 quarts of Max L. So far so good.

Glad I converted you to a member with my thread!

Dave is right, these engines can take a lot of abuse... Although I would definitely use something like ARX or MMO or Seafoam to clean out the nastiness inside your engine if you intend to keep it for a while!

 

[StevieC]

Hearing all these stories about sludging and the engines running smooth/quiet. Could it "hypothetically" be true that a little bit of engine sludge could be a good thing? Just not enough to over take the engine and clog the oil galleries, and passage ways?

Just a crazy thought...

 

[tig1]

I can't see it. My engines have lasted long and clean. Sludge will increase heat and dirt in the precision part of an engine.

 

[occupant]

I do not know when the oil was last changed in my Torino's 351M. I changed it at 87505 with some 5w30 ST and 10w40 generic cheap stuff. Car has only run 300 miles since then and I've had to add 3 quarts of 50w in that time to keep it at the top of the dipstick. Rear main seal leak has slowed quite a bit. But until I get some real miles I won't know how much its consuming. The last oil change sticker on the door is from 30035 miles in 1982. I'm sure it's been changed since then but don't know how often.

 

[AdRock]

A former coworker of mine had her engine seize up one day on her way to work.

I started asking her some questions... I come to find out that the dealer told her that the trans fluid was good for the life of the car and she swore that he meant the motor oil also. If i remember correctly it had around 100k on it or something like that. The oil had never once been changed or even checked by her. She then proceeded to tell me that it had been making a lot of noise for a pretty long time but she just never had the chance to get it checked since it still ran.

Just the thought of it gave me the heebee jeebees.

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: AdRock
A former coworker of mine had her engine seize up one day on her way to work.

I started asking her some questions... I come to find out that the dealer told her that the trans fluid was good for the life of the car and she swore that he meant the motor oil also. If i remember correctly it had around 100k on it or something like that. The oil had never once been changed or even checked by her. She then proceeded to tell me that it had been making a lot of noise for a pretty long time but she just never had the chance to get it checked since it still ran.

Just the thought of it gave me the heebee jeebees.


Yet another example of why I won't buy a used car.

John

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: AdRock
A former coworker of mine had her engine seize up one day on her way to work.

I started asking her some questions... I come to find out that the dealer told her that the trans fluid was good for the life of the car and she swore that he meant the motor oil also. If i remember correctly it had around 100k on it or something like that. The oil had never once been changed or even checked by her. She then proceeded to tell me that it had been making a lot of noise for a pretty long time but she just never had the chance to get it checked since it still ran.

Just the thought of it gave me the heebee jeebees.




Wow....

 

[caravanmike]

just found out my brother with a 1996 cavalier (2.2L) has not changed his oil in 17,000 miles. i almost stroked out when i heard that!
i changed it last with proline dino and a proline filter.

but when and if the motor throws a rod he will make a comment like what a p.o.s. or wow that came out of nowhere lol?

family! if it weren't for relation by birth i wouldn't have anything to do with half of them! mike

 

[chet2]

my friend knows a guy who has a taurus he bought at 100k who has just been adding oil when it knocks last 60k...maybe he learned that stunt from my friend who did same thing on his ford ranger, 3.0 v6, same engine as in taurus

 

[chet2]

wow that was impressive...she gets gold medal for abuse

 

[caravanmike]

any new stories?

i got a new one! the lady next door has a 2000 corolla with the 1.8L. she hasnt't changed the oil or filter in 4 years! its an oil burner so i guess it gets freshened up when a quart is added.

 

[JCCADILLACMOBILE]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: Superbuick96
I lurked on this forum but when I saw this thread I had to join! Although my story may not be the worse, its pretty bad.
I inhereted a 2003 Chevy Blazer, I knew that the oil changes and maintainence were not kept up with. And the 4.3 had 76,343 mi. When I recieved the Blazer it was February in N.E. Ohio and temps below freezing, My garage isnt heated so I took it to a Vavoline oil change garage. I told them to change it with conventonal oil, because I wasnt paying the 60-70 dollars the wanted for a Max life blend change. When it warmed up I changed the dino oil with the Max L. blend AC Delco oil filter I bought at the store for 17.00 dollars total. Anyway I found the service records last week. The oil was changed at: 15,232/30,432/48,398 miles. At Chevrolet dealership it was bought at, with whatever conventional oil they use . I received the Blazer at 76k mi. and had the oil changed. So that is around 28,000 miles on a conventional dealership oil. I drained the Vavoline change after 900 miles, it was filthy, and dumped 5 quarts of Max L. So far so good.


Those 4.3's take quite a bit of abuse....


+1, +2, and +3.

The 4.3L VORTEC V-6 is one of the BEST Engines, and i TRULY want another!

I have owned THREE: 2 1991s with the "Z" VIN, "150HP"; and a 1993, "W" Vin; 160-200HP (I think its more like 200.) MIGHTY Fine Motor!

.. As for Oil in this regard.. I dont think i ever had the pleasure of changing oil. Something happened to all of them.. the 1991 was in 100% Perfect shape too.

Ive heard SHops speak of "An Old Mercedes from the 80s came in and the guy wanted his oil changed... and we took the Drain Plug off, and Nothing came out. Put my Finger in there, and it was like Hot Gum.."

.. My Question, thats an AUTO SHOP Story..

IS IT TRUE?

Me-thinks the Engine would have "Seized' LONG before that, even in thee Tanl of a 80s Mercedes (420SEL or 560SEL or come other car...)

P.S.: OP, in 2003 (The Last Year of the Blazer, btw,) I think the 4.3 had been a New Engine, only for the one or two years. Its on Wiki... Was it a 2-door?)


Post 1

 

[addyguy]

Love this thread, and ones like it (check out '13,000 miles on cheap dino' for similar stuff!)

Lots of talk on here about 225 slant-sixes. My step-father had a 1975 Duster he bought used in the mid-1980's. Was driving along the highway to visit hs mom one day, and the oil pump quit, engine seized at speed, and blew-up all over the highway. That's what i heard from my mom, said it was quite spectacular.

He sold the body to hot-rodder for what he paid for the whole car!!!

 

[caravanmike]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Love this thread, and ones like it (


their is something interesting about people living on the fringes of society.

 

[wander2039]

Depending on how much oil my car uses in the next couple thousand I may not change the oil again. Just top-off and change the filter every 10k. Fixed the crankshaft leak but still leaks a bit from the oil pan when it feels like it and smokes on startup. I bet it'll still last 100k or more... probably won't have it long enough to know!

 

[ProStreetCamaro]

My father used to have the oil changed around once a year. He had 3 ford engines go bye bye around 60K each. All 3 lost oil pressure. 2 300 I6 engines and 1 302. The two 300's were work trucks and the 302 was in my moms bronco that got driven 2 miles to work and back. Once I got old enough I started changing the oil myself and never another oil pressure problem. My fathers excuse was "I changed the oil 3 times in my chevelle's 350 and at 90,000 I decided to pull the engine and have it built up and the machine shop said the engine was very clean so I never dreamed once a year would cause any problems".


I wish I had taken pictures of the one 300 I6 that our friend rebuilt (he owns a shop). He pulled the valve cover and walked over and grabbed a chisel and hammer and told me to find the head bolts. You guys talk about this jelly like sludge......well there was no sludge it was hard as concrete.

 

[ahoier]

That's some crazy story about opening the drain plug, and nothing coming out

My friend who works at a WM TLE said they had ONE instance like that....they always have to pull the dip stick to check the oil level before hand....well, the stick was dry....lol. They called the customer back to tell them the dipstick was dry, and to sign their little waiver; something about authorizing repairs to the vehicle with a dry dip stick (for who knows how many miles) and that WM can't be held responsible for damages that could occur from servicing the vehicle in it's condition (no oil on the stick).

Well, the guy signed the waiver, they pulled the plug, and no oil came out.....

All they could do was plug it back (they changed his drain plug and gasket) filled the crankcase up, and off he went.

Needless to say, the guy has been back since then, every 4 months, they sent him home with some Seafoam treatment for the crankcase to re-liquify any sludge and recommended another drain/fill in a day or two of driving. They said the oil came out thick, almost like syrup.....lol I wish they would have taken pics

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Love this thread, and ones like it (


their is something interesting about people living on the fringes of society.


Or perhaps the fringes of stupidity...