I've watched enough fleet vehicles at work go with absolute minimal maintenance and maximum abuse and still go well over 100,000 miles. It sure changed my need to be paranoid about maintenance. I won't abuse a vehicle, but I'm not going to go crazy on maintenance. Change the fluids and keep it clean, and it will rust to oblivion long before you have an engine failure.
Why Do We Complicate Things?
- Thread starter Gene K
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I've watched enough fleet vehicles at work go with absolute minimal maintenance and maximum abuse and still go well over 100,000 miles. It sure changed my need to be paranoid about maintenance. I won't abuse a vehicle, but I'm not going to go crazy on maintenance. Change the fluids and keep it clean, and it will rust to oblivion long before you have an engine failure.
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I’ve asked myself this question many times and this is what I’ve come up with for an answer...
We over complicate things on our oil/cars/maintenance because of pride. We want to believe that we are contributing to something we didn’t make/build, and make it last longer and perform better. Even if it really doesn’t matter much. If it does it just a little bit, we feel pride and take credit in that. And that’s good enough for me!!!
We over complicate things on our oil/cars/maintenance because of pride. We want to believe that we are contributing to something we didn’t make/build, and make it last longer and perform better. Even if it really doesn’t matter much. If it does it just a little bit, we feel pride and take credit in that. And that’s good enough for me!!!
I posted this response in a HDEO thread about six weeks ago, seems to fit well here:
ToadU is absolutely right. Most all of us here at BITOG WWWWAAAAYYYY over think this stuff. I was reminded of that the other day. This kid at work has a mid 90's Honda Passport. I should have taken a picture, it is a wreck. Body damage all over. If the county health department saw the interior they would have it condemned. All of the tires have cords hanging out. He has 360k miles on it. I promise you he is not wringing his hands wondering "should I run PUP or M1 EP?". He is not sending samples to Blackstone to have the TBN measured. He is not cutting open oil filters. On rare occasions he pulls the stick to see if there is any black liquid on the end of it. If not, he goes into the c-store and buys a bottle of whatever is cheapest and dumps it in. No offense to anyone, I am talking to myself here just as much as anyone. OP has spent a ton of money on a very nice truck. He should absolutely take excellent care of it. I guarantee that if he puts any MC oil in the sump that is recommended for that truck and follows the OLM, he will never have a oil related issue as long as he owns that truck.
ToadU is absolutely right. Most all of us here at BITOG WWWWAAAAYYYY over think this stuff. I was reminded of that the other day. This kid at work has a mid 90's Honda Passport. I should have taken a picture, it is a wreck. Body damage all over. If the county health department saw the interior they would have it condemned. All of the tires have cords hanging out. He has 360k miles on it. I promise you he is not wringing his hands wondering "should I run PUP or M1 EP?". He is not sending samples to Blackstone to have the TBN measured. He is not cutting open oil filters. On rare occasions he pulls the stick to see if there is any black liquid on the end of it. If not, he goes into the c-store and buys a bottle of whatever is cheapest and dumps it in. No offense to anyone, I am talking to myself here just as much as anyone. OP has spent a ton of money on a very nice truck. He should absolutely take excellent care of it. I guarantee that if he puts any MC oil in the sump that is recommended for that truck and follows the OLM, he will never have a oil related issue as long as he owns that truck.
I'm a professional - it's not placebo. I'm sorry you are not "in tune" with you engines.
I can be blessing and a curse.
Blessing: It gave me a good paying job when I was younger; Curse: You notice everything wrong with every car.
Let me tell you, MOST cars I ride in have big problems the owner is completely oblivious to.
- Ken
Don't know. I've had higher viscosity oil provide better low end torque over low viscosity in non VVT engines - so its not that.
I would guess the invisible FM package.
IN VVTi cars viscosity a be very critical; depending how the mechanism and the ECU interact.
-Ken
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I know a guy who when buying used prefers high mileage vehicles over vehicles with 50-60k mike vehicles. He says if they made it to 150,000-175,000 they were well cared for and the money he saves on the higher mileage vehicle makes it worth it to him. Of course he does a thorough inspection, though.
I kind of agree and yet disagree. Personally I think the sweet spot on a used car is 50,000 miles with a good oil change history, but yes, I agree that vehicles and engines driven a lot are usually in better health than the ones that sit around a lot and short trip. No doubt.
The usual BITOG economy calculations has the oil changer making $0 / hr and taking 0 minutes to change the oil.
I change my own oil, and would like to minimize the # of times I do it per year because I don't actually enjoy it @ this point in my life.
I change my own oil, and would like to minimize the # of times I do it per year because I don't actually enjoy it @ this point in my life.
I personally notice a difference with mine. The boutique brands are the only thing that has actually quietened down the notorious LS piston slap for me. I measure MPG with every tank and it has trended upward with those oils by ~2% measured over an average of 10 tanks with the same driving conditions and style towing the track car (13.2 average to 13.5). The PCV is a notorious issue with these engines, and it stays cleaner with these oils. The oil temp and trans temp both run 5-10*F cooler.
I feel the same way about food though. Does local, free range chicken pack the same 8g of protein in 4oz as the chicken from the meat department at Walmart? Yes. You won't find me buying meat from Walmart though. Do people live to be 90+ years old eating meat from Walmart? Also yes. I prefer better ingredients going into my body and treat my engines and equipment no differently.
I feel the same way about food though. Does local, free range chicken pack the same 8g of protein in 4oz as the chicken from the meat department at Walmart? Yes. You won't find me buying meat from Walmart though. Do people live to be 90+ years old eating meat from Walmart? Also yes. I prefer better ingredients going into my body and treat my engines and equipment no differently.
Despite thousands of varying opinions and a staggering amount of information around here.....this site has actually helped me to NOT over think things nearly as much....at least when it comes to oil. Most oil is pretty good...and I've discovered that fact by hanging out here
So for me....I still grab my M1 or Fram Ultra filter (which ever is on sale). But the oil? I don't fret it anymore. Whatever synthetic 5/30 is on sale (currently Valvoline). My Tacoma 4.0 couldn't care any less.
So for me....I still grab my M1 or Fram Ultra filter (which ever is on sale). But the oil? I don't fret it anymore. Whatever synthetic 5/30 is on sale (currently Valvoline). My Tacoma 4.0 couldn't care any less.
Wrong Warren. WPP makes Costco. Warren Oil=Harvest King.
I have switched to using an oil filter for 2 OCIs (the horror).
I am even using a MityVac extractor which leaves a few ounces of oil in the pan!
A short time ago, this was verbotten.
You can forget those Fumoto things, though. I ain't going that far.
I am even using a MityVac extractor which leaves a few ounces of oil in the pan!
A short time ago, this was verbotten.
You can forget those Fumoto things, though. I ain't going that far.
In God we trust, all others bring data.....
I agree. 3 Pack a Day Smoker in remission for 35 years.
05 Chevy Cobalt just turned 325K. Followed OLM since new usually down to 0% using whatever weight/brand (no dollar store stuff) I had bought on sale. Anything from recommended 5w-30 to 20w50 when that was all i had.
No offense to you, or any other members here, but l think this is the common thing to do today. As we get older, we get wiser. Well, most of us do anyway. And, if an oil filter states it will go 20K miles before it needs to be changed, most will now run it multiple times to get their moneys worth. Some do it because they're too lazy to change it at every OCI. And, l think this is why they will buy a FRAM ULTRA, M1, or any other high mileage rated oil filter. They know it can/will last long enough to not have to change it at every OCI.
But, l'm just the opposite. Even if you paid me to keep my oil filter on my engine for multiple OCI's, l WON'T! I feel more comfortable knowing that my engine has a new oil filter at every OCI. I think that changing it at every OCI makes sure that l am doing everything in my power to increase the life/longevity of my engine.
So, now you know why l always say, "One Filter, One OCI!"
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Yet you always come here defending a filter many of us moved on from …No offense to you, or any other members here, but l think this is the common thing to do today. As we get older, we get wiser. Well, most of us do anyway. And, if an oil filter states it will go 20K miles before it needs to be changed, most will now run it multiple times to get their moneys worth. Some do it because they're too lazy to change it at every OCI. And, l think this is why they will buy a FRAM ULTRA, M1, or any other high mileage rated oil filter. They know it can/will last long enough to not have to change it at every OCI.
But, l'm just the opposite. Even if you paid me to keep my oil filter on my engine for multiple OCI's, l WON'T! I feel more comfortable knowing that my engine has a new oil filter at every OCI. I think that changing it at every OCI makes sure that l am doing everything in my power to increase the life/longevity of my engine.
So, now you know why l always say, "One Filter, One OCI!"
Not sure about wisdom … Just an opinion like people of all ages have … ?
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