Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
So do you swap out balljoints when they reach a certain age or do you wait until they develop play? How about U-joints? Brake rotors? Pads? Do you swap them out at half their serviceable life "just in case"?
On some of my vehicles, yes!. I don't wait till the bull gear goes out on my Detroit Series 60 motor. The damage would be wallet busting. There is an average life of this item, so at that point, whether it needs it or not, it gets changed out. Likewise, I change out crankshaft dampers on a schedule basis, again, based on average estimated life and irregardless of whether it needs it or not. There are several other applications where I take a similar approach. An airline doesn't wait till a engine goes out on an airplane before changing out and sending in for rebuild. Just as my Detroit, there is an average service life and the aircraft engine gets changed out at that point, again, whether it needs it or not.
So, I change my oil on a basis that fits what I feel is appropriate on my personal vehicles. I could give a rip if it will go longer or not. I have no interest in taking it right up to the edge of useable life. That would also entail numerous oil samples to determine what that useful iife actually is which would add cost and makes just changing it out when I prefer a cost effective proposition. Each motor is different and what might be printed on a marketing paper regarding an oil's useful life in that motor is not rock solid gospel in the real world.
I could not have said it better myself!
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: jk_636
What is this phrase, "over maintaining?"
Throwing away perfectly good parts or fluids before they are anywhere NEAR depleted. Changing a modern synthetic oil at 3000 miles is the same as changing the water pump, alternator, and power steering pump at 30,000 miles. Does anyone do THAT?
Originally Posted By: jk_636
If having a strict maintenance schedule is "over maintaining" then I am guilty as charged, but I do not understand the negative connotation you place on preventative maintenance.
A strict schedule is a good thing, nobody says otherwise. But there's absolutely ZERO advantage to a 3k oil change interval with today's oils. 6000 miles is already conservative and safe, following the oil life monitor is conservative and safe. And more sensible.
Quote:
Only one of my vehicles has an oil life monitor. And right now at a little over 3k miles it says that I have 67% life left (Using Royal Purple.) duh I dont put any stock into what that thing says.
Why not? To "not put any stock" into what a monitoring system tells you is ridiculous! Do you also ignore your temp gauge, your oil pressure gauge, and your tire-pressure monitors? The OLM's algorithm can take driving cycles into account, and reduce the life faster if you do a lot of short-tripping, stretch it out longer if you do a lot of highway driving. Its calibrated to work with average oil products- if you use something "better" then you're only adding safety margin. In this case, the monitor is probably spot-on for a conventional or blend oil, and you've got even more life available with RP. Again, a 6000 mile interval would be just about perfect, and leave you with a good margin of useful oil life so that you could be 100% assured you're not doing any damage.
I think there has been a bit of a misconception regarding my fluid replacement schedule.
I replace Dino at 3k, Syn-blends at a little past 3k, what I consider to be "Regular synthetics" (Like Mobil 1, PP etc.) at 5k (maybe a tad more based on driving routine) and what I consider to be "premium synthetics"(like Royal Purple) at 7k. I dont change out all oil at 3k...anymore at least.
As for replacing parts, yes I do change out parts before they ever hit their "service life." I dont wait for things to break before I replace them. This goes for everything from pads and rotors to PCV valves, filters, shocks, etc.
As for the OLM, I know it is not accurate based on OLM readings and comparitive UOAs. It is not a "gauge just like any other" and to say so is ludicrous. It is a algorithmic computer based concept that may or may not have much accuracy to any specific operating conditions. So when I say that at a little past 3k miles the OLM says that my Royal Purple is at almost half its service life, after 80% highway driving and strong TBN readings at double those miles, I can safely assert that it is nonsense.
Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Don't let the blind-believer, part-swapper jerk folks around. Probably does not even get to every handle a fleet, let alone his own wallet. Over-spending on maintenance is nearly as bad as neglect...
Blind believer and part swapper? I dont even handle my own wallet? Over spending is nearly as bad as neglect?
That last one is my favorite.
By this point you have assuredly lost all credibility with those who have didactic reasoning abilities. Perosnal attacks and witty anecdotes dont hold any weight in technical discussion.