Service Regiment For Older Cars

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I've been considering for some time just periodically changing the filter and topping up the oil on the older cars and lawn mowers I service. This would include my Roadmaster, my grandmother's '93 Dodge Caravan, and my brother's '03 Pontiac Grand Prix for cars and 3 Craftsman YTS 3000 42" riding mowers. For the Roadmaster filter changes would occur every 4-5K miles, and the Caravan and Grand Prix once a year. Two of the mowers would get bi-yearly filter changes and one once yearly, as it sees more use in a mowing season.
 
Why would you change the maintenance schedule just because a vehicle get older?

And you are not really talking older. 30 or 40 or 50 years is older.
 
The oil will get used in time. One eye, splitting hairs on the definition of older has nothing to do with the point of the thread. Even if SS is poking fun, at least the question was relevant.

So....
 
+1

Over 175,000 miles (or equivalent hours on OPE), the motor needs to be watched more closely. Old oil gets thicker, things accumulate varnish and need to be cleaned. Blow-by starts to load the oil with by-products of combustion. Changes need to happen sooner.

My regimen is to use a good additive cleaner like BG109 with each change after 200,000 to keep everything free. No sticky lifters, no stuck rings. But, if it's already clicking and clacking, time for Kreen
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No need to get wild on the oil. 200,000 mile motor may well not need synthetic... Good dino oil does a lot to cushion worn bearings on start-up (higher surface tension & better capillary fill). If it rattles when started after sitting a week or so, it's a candidate for a good dino
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Depends on what you're looking to get: another couple years out of the engine, or another 20. Could you do it without any negative results? Possibly. You just might be fine. Would it be optimal? No. I'd just change with cheap oil if lessening costs was my objective. And would I do this on someone else's car? Not a chance. (your grandmother and brother's cars) If it came down to it, I think that a less-frequent oil and filter change would be better than never.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Generally speaking, as a car ages it needs more care(maintenance), not less.


That is my experience. Tensioners, electrical connections, actuators, hoses, motor mounts...lots to keep a closer eye on or replace to prevent mishaps. UOA's are a big help.
 
You'd have to be burning a lot of oil.

My lawnmower's oil level has never gone down. I'd be on 10+ year old sludge oil if I did that. Same with my Jeep. It doesn't use a measureable amount of oil. It would be full of sludge if I did that.

I thought you were a mechanic? Can't be bothered with pulling a drain plug while under there changing the filter? Might as well keep them nicely maintained and use up your oil stash.
 
None of these cars use much oil. If they did I would have said that.

This could at least extend intervals. If I change the filter and top up the Roadmaster at 4K, then I could push a full change to 8K. Doing the same to the van and the GP once yearly, I could push full changes to bi-yearly. The lawn mowers could be pushed to every 3-4 years.

Topping up also leaves your already established anti wear compounds in place longer.
 
What exactly have I asked that prevents me from working on cars for a living? Generally speaking, mechanics aren't very interested in oil or unorthodox service regiments.
 
Originally Posted By: Red91
None of these cars use much oil. If they did I would have said that.

This could at least extend intervals. If I change the filter and top up the Roadmaster at 4K, then I could push a full change to 8K. Doing the same to the van and the GP once yearly, I could push full changes to bi-yearly. The lawn mowers could be pushed to every 3-4 years.

Topping up also leaves your already established anti wear compounds in place longer.


If you want to do it half baked just change the oil and filter every 8k no matter the time. Don't even bother with the filter at 4k.
 
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Part of the Australian Light Horse, though technically a detachment rather than a regiment, and the cars were probably quite new at the time.

Involvment in WW1 tended to mean that was about as old as you were going to get.
 
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