Weird Oil Change Obsession

[CrackyWainwright]

That fact that we all daily check a web forum about engine oil (oil for crying out loud!) shows that we have an odd obsession that borders upon a fetish.

But I knew a man who was more obsessive than any of us. He lived not far from me and drove a 1991 Chevy S-10 pickup (I can't recall if it had the 4-cyl. or 4.3L V6 engine). He had no real mechanical ability except for basic maintenance, and he would change the oil once a month if not more often. If he made a trip that was over 100 miles, he would change that oil the next day so as to always have perfectly fresh oil in the truck.

People tried to tell him that was a waste of good oil and good money, but he would never listen. I don't know why or how he developed that strange obsession. He died about five or six years ago. I even went to his funeral.

 

[WobblyElvis]

You should have asked him for his "used" oil. You could have saved some money.

 

[Rat407]

Wonder how his truck is doing now. Would be interesting to see a used oil analysis.

 

[philipp10]

Originally Posted By: Rat407
Wonder how his truck is doing now. Would be interesting to see a used oil analysis.


it wouldn't tell you anything...

 

[CrackyWainwright]

Originally Posted By: Rat407
Wonder how his truck is doing now. Would be interesting to see a used oil analysis.


I actually know, and this part of the story is very dark and sad.

That man sat behind the wheel of that pickup and shot himself in the head (he had had a lot of tragedy and disappointment in life). His grown son cleaned out the inside of the truck when the Sheriff's Department pulled his father out, and he continues to drive it to this day. I see that truck in our small town from time to time. The son, who had never worked any one job very long as an adult, said there was no reason to let a good truck go to waste.

When his dad died I'm quite sure the truck's engine had clean oil.

 

[OneEyeJack]

At least what he was doing wasn't dangerous like eating fast food more than once a month.

I wonder if the oil he drained was now better suited for lubrication than the oil in an unopened bottle.

 

[callbay]

I have a friend that had one of his other friends trying to get my friends running pickup in gear from under the truck and he succeeded and it ran over him killing him.

My friend still drives that truck.

I knew someone else that had a head on in a car and the person sitting next to her was killed. The car owner had the car fixed and dove it for years.

I guess I would have traded the vehicles because of the memories.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: CrackyWainwright
Originally Posted By: Rat407
Wonder how his truck is doing now. Would be interesting to see a used oil analysis.


I actually know, and this part of the story is very dark and sad.

That man sat behind the wheel of that pickup and shot himself in the head (he had had a lot of tragedy and disappointment in life). His grown son cleaned out the inside of the truck when the Sheriff's Department pulled his father out, and he continues to drive it to this day. I see that truck in our small town from time to time. The son, who had never worked any one job very long as an adult, said there was no reason to let a good truck go to waste.

When his dad died I'm quite sure the truck's engine had clean oil.


Man, that's a sad story.
Maybe if much of his life was disappointing or painful, taking car of his truck he could have complete control of and it made him feel good to "do it right".

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi


Man, that's a sad story.
Maybe if much of his life was disappointing or painful, taking car of his truck he could have complete control of and it made him feel good to "do it right".


We have members on here like that. Crummy job, babies, wife spending most of the money, but they're in charge of car maintenance. And boy, are they!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I don't come one here for the oil posts but I do find the discussion of automobiles interesting.

 

[901Memphis]

I know this guy who checks the forums like every 30 minutes... He's a whacko.






Oh wait that's me!

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I know this guy who checks the forums like every 30 minutes... He's a whacko.






Oh wait that's me!


Is that every waking hour of every day? You've got a few others competing with you! It's all good fun.

 

[Branson304]

I just enjoy discussing cars & car-related things. Maybe we all have an oil fetish, but it's better than a drug addiction.

 

[Elevguy]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I know this guy who checks the forums like every 30 minutes... He's a whacko.






Oh wait that's me!
me too

 

[ToadU]

Originally Posted By: callbay
I have a friend that had one of his other friends trying to get my friends running pickup in gear from under the truck and he succeeded and it ran over him killing him.

My friend still drives that truck.

I knew someone else that had a head on in a car and the person sitting next to her was killed. The car owner had the car fixed and dove it for years.

I guess I would have traded the vehicles because of the memories.


My company has rebuilt tons of wrecked cars people have died in and resold them. We have even joined two halves together. I usually send them out of state to different auto auctions.

 

[pdxglocker9mm]

This forum is no different than any other i have been on.
Try this
Start about 3 threads in diffrent sections. Or comment on a few threads that you feel strongly about, then log off.
Dont check for a while like a month. I know its hard.
Then come back after your holiday
Guess what? Your threads if you had started one with any merit are active still. Or if your comments were good are still getting quoted.
Same people same questions same same same. Like you never left.
It really puts you in to perspective.
The world wont end. The sun will still rise. Someone will still comment how his completely unrelated engine problem was fixed. That fix does not help you because your engine does not have that system or is a few decades newer.
Some other weirdo will comment how one bottle of yellow mustard in a incorrect weight made his engine get 25 extra mpg, run quieter. But hey this is the internet so it must be true. Oui oui.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: JC1
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I know this guy who checks the forums like every 30 minutes... He's a whacko.

Oh wait that's me!


Is that every waking hour of every day? You've got a few others competing with you! It's all good fun.


I want to have a processor with WiFi implanted in my brain so I can BITOG all the time!!

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: pdxglocker9mm
This forum is no different than any other i have been on.
Try this
Start about 3 threads in diffrent sections. Or comment on a few threads that you feel strongly about, then log off.
Dont check for a while like a month. I know its hard.
Then come back after your holiday
Guess what? Your threads if you had started one with any merit are active still. Or if your comments were good are still getting quoted.
Same people same questions same same same. Like you never left.
It really puts you in to perspective.
The world wont end. The sun will still rise. Someone will still comment how his completely unrelated engine problem was fixed. That fix does not help you because your engine does not have that system or is a few decades newer.
Some other weirdo will comment how one bottle of yellow mustard in a incorrect weight made his engine get 25 extra mpg, run quieter. But hey this is the internet so it must be true. Oui oui.


"Ain't all waiting on you.
That's VANITY."

- Cormac McCarthy

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: Branson304
I just enjoy discussing cars & car-related things. Maybe we all have an oil fetish, but it's better than a drug addiction.

I registered here a couple years ago and there was a lot more talk about oil itself. Very high level stuff that had no real world application to me. Now, it's more car guys and the occasional conspiracy theorist to keeps things lively.

“Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave.”
― Cormac McCarthy, The Road

 

[Malo83]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: Branson304
I just enjoy discussing cars & car-related things. Maybe we all have an oil fetish, but it's better than a drug addiction.

I registered here a couple years ago and there was a lot more talk about oil itself. Very high level stuff that had no real world application to me. Now, it's more car guys and the occasional conspiracy theorist to keeps things lively.

“Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave.”
― Cormac McCarthy, The Road


I come for the entertainment, some of these posters are