Tune up
#31
10-04-2005 | 10:19 AM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,618
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From: Atlanta, GA
The manufacturer is not going to void your warranty if you follow their instructions and they would have to prove that oil caused the failure which is very hard to prove.
#32
10-06-2005 | 08:42 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22
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From: Kansas
Wow, what a can of worms you opened!! I also maintain four Fords in the family. I use Trop-Artic because it fills my needs and is very reasonable and easy to find. My vehicles do not burn oil (my truck has 136k on it, my son's truck has 143k), and I have no problem changing fluids @3000-3500 intervals. Now Trop-Artic is a synthetic blend, I must have the best of both worlds, according to the dueling writers on this thread!! Full synthetics seem to be a crutch for lazy people, hahaha!
#33
10-07-2005 | 12:12 AM
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Atlanta, GA
#34
10-07-2005 | 12:42 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,278
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From: Seabrook,NH
Use a quality synthetic (Mobil 1, Amsoil, Royal Purple, etc) and change at normal intervals (5000 - 7500 miles) and save yourself some money even if you do not go for extended intervals (10K to 25K). 3000 is the severe service interval. This is overkill for most people and a waste of money and resources. Read your manuals. If you are going to or have to change at 3000 intervals save your money and use a name brand dino oil.
#35
10-07-2005 | 08:05 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,618
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From: Atlanta, GA
I got your answer on this
http://home.earthlink.net/~cmcguffey/amsoil/discuss.htm
continued on next post
http://home.earthlink.net/~cmcguffey/amsoil/discuss.htm
EXPERT DISCUSSES EXTENDED INTERVALS
by Garrett McKinnon
NOLN Staff Writer
Other than automakers themselves, perhaps no other companies truly know (or can predict) the future of passenger car oil change intervals better than oil companies.
That's why a recent seminar conducted by Dr. Fran Lockwood, vice president of technology for The Valvoline Company, was an eye opener for many people.
The traditional North American oil change interval of three months or 3,000 miles for severe-service driving is being challenged mightily by oil change intervals in Europe.
Take Volkswagen, for instance. The company plans to introduce a new service specification for gas engines during the third quarter of 1999, Lockwood said during the recent Automotive Oil Change Association convention. The new service specification calls for a 30,000 kilometer (18,750 miles), 24-month drain interval. Peugot introduced a similar
spec in the fourth quarter of 1998.
"European intervals are rising faster than North American intervals," Lockwood said.
"Europeans are proposing extended drain intervals in their oil specs. API (the American Petroleum Institute) does not specifically mention extended drain intervals in their new specs. API will keep that language out, so it will be the OEM's prerogative to include extended intervals in their service specs."
Currently, the biggest factor affecting oil change intervals is the definition of severe service.
"And frequent short trip driving of less than five miles, which most Americans do - is a key component of severe service specifications," Lockwood said.
But what, specifically, is driving extended intervals in North America? Is it really consumer pressure, or a marketing gimmick from automakers?
"A lot of this is marketing," Lockwood said, referring to extended intervals supposedly offered by oil monitors on GM and Mercedes vehicles.
Most of these monitors are being found to trip before 4,000 miles has elapsed. Even the Mercedes hi-tech system, which actually has a sensor that physically measures some of the properties of motor oil, is imperfect, especially in high-temperature operating conditions, Lockwood said.
"Consumers should be wary, but there's not a lot of public information on drain intervals," she said.
One of the few studies that has been done on oil change intervals was done by GM. The research showed that oil has an operating temperature 'sweet spot' that can maximize oil change intervals. Hotter or colder temperatures will shorten the drain interval considerably.
Other tests done by a few chemical companies show that fuel economy falls dramatically with extended oil change intervals, something the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will no doubt dislike.
by Garrett McKinnon
NOLN Staff Writer
Other than automakers themselves, perhaps no other companies truly know (or can predict) the future of passenger car oil change intervals better than oil companies.
That's why a recent seminar conducted by Dr. Fran Lockwood, vice president of technology for The Valvoline Company, was an eye opener for many people.
The traditional North American oil change interval of three months or 3,000 miles for severe-service driving is being challenged mightily by oil change intervals in Europe.
Take Volkswagen, for instance. The company plans to introduce a new service specification for gas engines during the third quarter of 1999, Lockwood said during the recent Automotive Oil Change Association convention. The new service specification calls for a 30,000 kilometer (18,750 miles), 24-month drain interval. Peugot introduced a similar
spec in the fourth quarter of 1998.
"European intervals are rising faster than North American intervals," Lockwood said.
"Europeans are proposing extended drain intervals in their oil specs. API (the American Petroleum Institute) does not specifically mention extended drain intervals in their new specs. API will keep that language out, so it will be the OEM's prerogative to include extended intervals in their service specs."
Currently, the biggest factor affecting oil change intervals is the definition of severe service.
"And frequent short trip driving of less than five miles, which most Americans do - is a key component of severe service specifications," Lockwood said.
But what, specifically, is driving extended intervals in North America? Is it really consumer pressure, or a marketing gimmick from automakers?
"A lot of this is marketing," Lockwood said, referring to extended intervals supposedly offered by oil monitors on GM and Mercedes vehicles.
Most of these monitors are being found to trip before 4,000 miles has elapsed. Even the Mercedes hi-tech system, which actually has a sensor that physically measures some of the properties of motor oil, is imperfect, especially in high-temperature operating conditions, Lockwood said.
"Consumers should be wary, but there's not a lot of public information on drain intervals," she said.
One of the few studies that has been done on oil change intervals was done by GM. The research showed that oil has an operating temperature 'sweet spot' that can maximize oil change intervals. Hotter or colder temperatures will shorten the drain interval considerably.
Other tests done by a few chemical companies show that fuel economy falls dramatically with extended oil change intervals, something the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will no doubt dislike.
#36
10-07-2005 | 08:06 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,618
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
Continued
That decreasing fuel mileage, though, is one of the things that a proposed passenger car motor oil specification from the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) would try to remedy.
The new GF-3 specification, Lockwood said, is trying to call for development of a motor oil that could overcome the decreased mileage problem.
Of course, fuel mileage is only one problem. Other studies have shown that emissions rise as oil change intervals are extended. And with the EPA working to limit even sub-micron particulate emissions (which are much smaller than emissions allowed on even today=s cleanest vehicles), no one really knows what to expect.
"Both the auto companies and the oil companies have to meet EPA requirements," Lockwood said, "but we don=t yet know what the future requirements will be."
If it sounds like auto companies are using extended oil change intervals partially as a marketing tool, why are they doing so?
"According to a Ford survey, most consumers are >very likely= to use a longer-lasting engine oil. They determined that people will pay about four times as much for longer-lasting oil," Lockwood said.
Many studies have been done showing that consumers are already starting to extend their oil change intervals, but the studies differ as to the length of the intervals.
A Valvoline study, though, found consumers average 3.61 oil changes per year and drive an average of 14,339 miles per year. A quick computation yields that consumers are driving 3,972 miles between oil changes, according to the Valvoline study.
Overall, though, this study indicates that consumers are driving less than they were a few years ago, but changing their oil at normal intervals.
Lockwood presented evidence indicating that owners of vehicles equipped with oil monitors have their oil changed every 4,000 miles on average, regardless of whether the monitor has indicated they should or not.
Still, the ball is currently in the automakers' court. One worst-case scenario indicated that if automakers implemented wholesale extended interval service specs and consumers followed them, motor oil sales would fall by up to 30 percent.
Lockwood, though, sees another scenario.
Severe driving will limit automakers' ability to extend drains without oil monitors. The EPA will indirectly drive oil technology with emissions requirements, which will limit the rate of oil change intervals. The maintenance industry will collaborate on consumer education campaigns to inform consumers of the risks of extended drain intervals.
New products for fast lube services will continue to compete with the core product of oil changes and keep fast lubes profitable. And, we have to realize that consumer behavior changes slowly," Lockwood said. "People familiar with 3,000-mile intervals will not be as trusting as those not familiar with them. Consumers, at least in this country, haven=t been following the extended interval trend."
If automakers do implement widespread use of oil monitors in an effort to extend oil change intervals, it might not be a bad thing for fast lubes. Besides the fact that most monitor-equipped vehicles won't go much beyond 4,000 miles without indicating the need for an oil change, there is also one other factor to consider.
"You might see some business because of oil monitors, because leased cars will come in for service (when their vehicle indicates it needs it) when they ordinarily wouldn't," Lockwood said.
The new GF-3 specification, Lockwood said, is trying to call for development of a motor oil that could overcome the decreased mileage problem.
Of course, fuel mileage is only one problem. Other studies have shown that emissions rise as oil change intervals are extended. And with the EPA working to limit even sub-micron particulate emissions (which are much smaller than emissions allowed on even today=s cleanest vehicles), no one really knows what to expect.
"Both the auto companies and the oil companies have to meet EPA requirements," Lockwood said, "but we don=t yet know what the future requirements will be."
If it sounds like auto companies are using extended oil change intervals partially as a marketing tool, why are they doing so?
"According to a Ford survey, most consumers are >very likely= to use a longer-lasting engine oil. They determined that people will pay about four times as much for longer-lasting oil," Lockwood said.
Many studies have been done showing that consumers are already starting to extend their oil change intervals, but the studies differ as to the length of the intervals.
A Valvoline study, though, found consumers average 3.61 oil changes per year and drive an average of 14,339 miles per year. A quick computation yields that consumers are driving 3,972 miles between oil changes, according to the Valvoline study.
Overall, though, this study indicates that consumers are driving less than they were a few years ago, but changing their oil at normal intervals.
Lockwood presented evidence indicating that owners of vehicles equipped with oil monitors have their oil changed every 4,000 miles on average, regardless of whether the monitor has indicated they should or not.
Still, the ball is currently in the automakers' court. One worst-case scenario indicated that if automakers implemented wholesale extended interval service specs and consumers followed them, motor oil sales would fall by up to 30 percent.
Lockwood, though, sees another scenario.
Severe driving will limit automakers' ability to extend drains without oil monitors. The EPA will indirectly drive oil technology with emissions requirements, which will limit the rate of oil change intervals. The maintenance industry will collaborate on consumer education campaigns to inform consumers of the risks of extended drain intervals.
New products for fast lube services will continue to compete with the core product of oil changes and keep fast lubes profitable. And, we have to realize that consumer behavior changes slowly," Lockwood said. "People familiar with 3,000-mile intervals will not be as trusting as those not familiar with them. Consumers, at least in this country, haven=t been following the extended interval trend."
If automakers do implement widespread use of oil monitors in an effort to extend oil change intervals, it might not be a bad thing for fast lubes. Besides the fact that most monitor-equipped vehicles won't go much beyond 4,000 miles without indicating the need for an oil change, there is also one other factor to consider.
"You might see some business because of oil monitors, because leased cars will come in for service (when their vehicle indicates it needs it) when they ordinarily wouldn't," Lockwood said.