Warranty denied due to oil viscosity.

[4WD]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: philipp10
Originally Posted By: Cujet
Interestingly, the use of heavier viscosity than 0W-water, in some trouble prone engines, results in longer engine life and therefore less chance of a warranty claim.


Is this a true statement? I remember reading, on this site in the Oil University section that the wear saved from cold starts with thin oil was greater than the wear saved from a heavier viscosity.


Yeah, he also said that an oil that started at 10Cst cold was best, and that maybe the best oil was "addized kerosene"...absolute garbage.

Google his medical articles (his ACTUAL profession), and see if you would send your car to that plastic surgeon.


Well, about the only thing 0w20 “might” do better is “splash” (note I did not say splash lube) but I don’t see Briggs & Stratton push it and commercial lawn folks use 15w40 HDEO …

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: JLTD
Originally Posted By: hpb
Warranty denial - never.
Engine failure - never.



This, and


Originally Posted By: benjy
your ambient temperature + how you drive should govern oil choice NOT one size fits all for EPA mileage test that in some conditions is a POOR choice!!!



This.


Really?! Your ambient temperature? You realize oil gets hotter than ambient temperature right? Love how this turned into a thick vs thin thread. Will let you know when I have any oil usage in my car or engine problems from 0w20. Dont hold your breath

Yes, ambient temperatures - in some cases. I don't suppose you've read the thread by the guy in the Middle East that sees oil temps rise very high when it is 130F outside. Or perhaps the paper where a 30 is the same viscosity as a 20 that is about 20F cooler.

 

[userfriendly]

How many times a day does someone post; "What does your owners manual say?".

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: userfriendly
How many times a day does someone post; "What does your owners manual say?".
How many times does some one post which oil should I use in my new vehicle?

 

[JLTD]

The answers to those two questions: "About the same"

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: AVB
When I worked for the government we had a brand new F250 around a 2010 model for a service truck. When it came time for the first service I suggested they not use the same 15w40 that we used in everything. The next day the engine seized, the local Ford dealer replaced the engine under warranty, but I believe they drained out the 15w40 before sending it to the dealer. I can't say 100% that the 15w40 caused the failure because I didn't witness the oil change to know if the engine was properly refilled with oil. I did witness the truck being driven into the shop barely running until it stalled right behind my bay.


I believe you, but I do not think 15w-40 could ever kill a basically healthy engine, and certainly not in GA! Had to be something else...

 

[AVB]

I don't know what caused the failure. I don't know what the miles were either. Most likely it had been in service for 6 months at least. I know it didn't help that he limped it back to the shop until it just wouldn't go anymore.

 

[grampi]

My question is, how would a dealer prove the wrong viscosity was used?

 

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted By: grampi
My question is, how would a dealer prove the wrong viscosity was used?


Even a Blackstone test can tell you the viscosity of the oil.
But, you would most likely needed to have seriously upset the service manager in order to give them a reason to test the oil viscosity.

BC.

 

[Spector]

Well, if you are asked to submit the receipts for the oil that you purchased for A DIY oil change then the viscosity is on the receipt, at least it is on my Walmart purchases. So the dealer would know what you are putting in the engine.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Bladecutter


Even a Blackstone test can tell you the viscosity of the oil.


If someone runs 5w30 in a car that calls for 5w20, that UOA will probably show it as having the viscosity of a 5w20 anyways, most 5w30 UOAs we see posted here are like that.

But I still feel like the dealer is going to ask for receipts, and if you don't have them (or if they show the wrong viscosity or an oil without the proper specs) that will make your life very difficult.

 

[wtd]

I don't keep receipts for oil changes but I keep very detailed maintenance logs on 3x5 notebooks that I keep in every vehicle. I highly doubt I would have any problems on a warranty claim.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: wtd
I don't keep receipts for oil changes but I keep very detailed maintenance logs on 3x5 notebooks that I keep in every vehicle. I highly doubt I would have any problems on a warranty claim.


I don't see how that's a replacement for keeping receipts though. Anybody can buy a notebook after the fact and write a bunch of fake oil changes into it, so that's not enough proof in the eyes of a manufacturer that might be looking to find a way to avoid a $10,000 engine replacement.

I do have a notebook with my oil changes written into it, but I'm also saving all of my receipts and I would also show the dealer my oil analysis results too, as that will also be a record confirming the mileage and date of each and every oil change too.

 

[AVB]

If your vin and mileage isn't printed on the receipt how is that any better than a notebook? If it is just oil receipts how do they know what you did with that oil?

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: AVB
If your vin and mileage isn't printed on the receipt how is that any better than a notebook? If it is just oil receipts how do they know what you did with that oil?


They assume that people aren't just buying the oil and keeping it in their garage and never using it. Sure, you could buy it and then use it in another car and never actually put it in the car under warranty, but how many people will really do that? If your log book shows that ten oil changes were done, and you have receipts for 10 different oil and filter purchases, that's pretty solid evidence IMO.

 

[dishdude]

Unless they have to beat the oil pan and valve covers off with a mallet due to the sludge, I doubt they'd even ask.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: AVB
If your vin and mileage isn't printed on the receipt how is that any better than a notebook? If it is just oil receipts how do they know what you did with that oil?


They assume that people aren't just buying the oil and keeping it in their garage and never using it. Sure, you could buy it and then use it in another car and never actually put it in the car under warranty, but how many people will really do that? If your log book shows that ten oil changes were done, and you have receipts for 10 different oil and filter purchases, that's pretty solid evidence IMO.


There's been quite a few posts in the time that I've been here for people advocating buying spec oil to "prove" the oil change was done, then returning it and buying an xW30...OR doing the former and running a non certificated oil (like Amsoil) for extended drains.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Shannow


There's been quite a few posts in the time that I've been here for people advocating buying spec oil to "prove" the oil change was done, then returning it and buying an xW30...OR doing the former and running a non certificated oil (like Amsoil) for extended drains.


I don't know how that's possible, because anytime I have returned something to the store, they take your original receipt and mark it up before they give it back to you.

All I know is that when I asked my Chevy dealer what I needed to do in order do my own oil changes and keep the warranty gods happy, they said just keep all my receipts for the oil that I buy.

 

[Shannow]

I dunno, just saying what's been said...by the US folks who have said it.


So they write on it in pen before they give it back to you, or print over it...haven't seen anything like that down here.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
I dunno, just saying what's been said...by the US folks who have said it.


So they write on it in pen before they give it back to you, or print over it...haven't seen anything like that down here.



In my experience they'll either put it through the cash register again and it prints out new info, or they'll just scribble it out with a marker and write the new info in. Either way they've now tainted the receipt to show a return has been made.

I feel it's better to be safe than sorry, I'm going to buy the oil anyways and they are going to give me a receipt so I might as well save it and stick it in the same logbook I use to record all of my oil changes. Easy peasy. Why give them even a slight reason to deny the claim by throwing out those receipts?