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Interesting article on oil changes
#1
BlazNT
BlazNT
This is about cars but still worth reading.
http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop-changing-your-oil.html
Remember it says to follow your owners manual.
http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop-changing-your-oil.html
Remember it says to follow your owners manual.
#2
Boobala
Boobala
I quit the 3000 mi. change routine years ago, these days I use Mobil 1 Full synthetic. I change oil every 5000 mi. , BUT I change the filter @ every 2500 mi. I may be throwing money away, but I have peace of mind .... I also use 1 qt. of Lucas OIL additive when I change the oil, I also use the Lucas fuel treatment about every 3rd fill-up. I have never had to have my injectors cleaned yet , in fact I picked up about 3 mi. per gallon since about after 3 months of using it. I check my mileage @ EVERY fill-up, in a log-book I keep. I save my old oil to use for bar-oil in my chainsaws, and although it leaves a slight residue on the chain, it works fine. ....Boobala .....:smile:
#3
D
deck~dragger
Yep, Lucas Fuel Conditioner was recommended to me a while ago. Advertised as a fuel saver and it is amazingly that. The stuff does make the fuel burn more efficiently and uses no solvents.
My truck has a 26 gl fuel tank and after using for a while am getting another 40 miles out of a tank. I would have never believed that although the truck had over 100,000 miles on it and had seen heavy use before I started using Lucas. I use it every fill up now. I buy the 32 0z bottle and that last me a few months, it is not cheap but actually pays for itself many times over. They make several fuel and oil products so make sure you get the right product.
D
deck~dragger
I quit the 3000 mi. change routine years ago, these days I use Mobil 1 Full synthetic. I change oil every 5000 mi. , BUT I change the filter @ every 2500 mi. I may be throwing money away, but I have peace of mind .... I also use 1 qt. of Lucas OIL additive when I change the oil, I also use the Lucas fuel treatment about every 3rd fill-up. I have never had to have my injectors cleaned yet , in fact I picked up about 3 mi. per gallon since about after 3 months of using it. I check my mileage @ EVERY fill-up, in a log-book I keep. I save my old oil to use for bar-oil in my chainsaws, and although it leaves a slight residue on the chain, it works fine. ....Boobala .....:smile:
Yep, Lucas Fuel Conditioner was recommended to me a while ago. Advertised as a fuel saver and it is amazingly that. The stuff does make the fuel burn more efficiently and uses no solvents.
My truck has a 26 gl fuel tank and after using for a while am getting another 40 miles out of a tank. I would have never believed that although the truck had over 100,000 miles on it and had seen heavy use before I started using Lucas. I use it every fill up now. I buy the 32 0z bottle and that last me a few months, it is not cheap but actually pays for itself many times over. They make several fuel and oil products so make sure you get the right product.
#4
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
A nice little "conspiracy" story with lots of generalizations and little fact or useful information other than to read our service manual.
As an example city taxi cabs do approximately 500km /day, 7 days a week.
Most do monthly oil changes which average around 14000km or roughly 8,000 miles with no problems because the engines are always hot, the oil is always hot.
However they will go in for some minor service 1 or 2 times a month because every driver dose a vehicle safety check before starting the shift so a car can get 2 or 3 of these done daily.
Joe average will happily take his car in for an oil change and allow a full inspection & service to be done while it is there.
However tell him to bring it in every 3 months for a safety check and you may as well ask if he wants to donate his testicles to medical science.
A pot hole or skimming the gutter can distort the wheel alignment and strip a tyre to the canvas in a very short time but does any one walk around their car and check all tyres before they jump in ?
We know the answer. Some old truckies will do it by force of habit and that is about it.
When we ran the courier business we used recycled 20w70 oil in the entire fleet again without problems, 4 oil changes / year and they were knocking up around 100,000 km / year without any unexpected engine problems.
We also ran retreaded tyres.
The big problem is oil companies and tyre companies have done such a good hatchet job on recycled oil & retreaded tyres no one wants to use either.
And of course very few owners have done sufficient science or engineering to tell spin from bull.
However my wife's car ( Ford laser) sat in the drive most days as she took the bus & we walked to the shops or ride the bike to scocial events.
It gave her nothing but trouble because it never got used enough, up to having the rear wheel bearings replaced 2 times because they had indented from sitting in the same place.
Oils require changing for a myriad of reasons,
Addative package consummed.
Water damage
Acid damage
excessive particulates,
So a blanket "good enough for another 2000 miles" is meaning less unless he tells us WHY it was good enough for another 2000 miles .
Every service agent on this list could recite hundreds of examples of customers who "serviced" their mowers regularly that come in with steering bushes that should have been changed 5 years ago, belts running in the root of the pulleys, deck supports flogged out twice their original size etc, etc, etc.
When Victa introduced the Power Torque engine, they designed a unbelievablely robust engine that required almost no maintenance, so none ever got done & the engine that used to start before all of the rope was out of the starter eventually takes 1/2 hour 300 pulls and a can of starter fluid to get it to go but they won't bring it in for service "because nothing is broke & there is no oil to change".
When I finally convince hem to allow me to service it, they don't believe that their old worn out impossible to start engine that needs to be replaced by a more reliable 4 stroke, once again starts before all the rope is off the pulley just like it did when new.
As an example city taxi cabs do approximately 500km /day, 7 days a week.
Most do monthly oil changes which average around 14000km or roughly 8,000 miles with no problems because the engines are always hot, the oil is always hot.
However they will go in for some minor service 1 or 2 times a month because every driver dose a vehicle safety check before starting the shift so a car can get 2 or 3 of these done daily.
Joe average will happily take his car in for an oil change and allow a full inspection & service to be done while it is there.
However tell him to bring it in every 3 months for a safety check and you may as well ask if he wants to donate his testicles to medical science.
A pot hole or skimming the gutter can distort the wheel alignment and strip a tyre to the canvas in a very short time but does any one walk around their car and check all tyres before they jump in ?
We know the answer. Some old truckies will do it by force of habit and that is about it.
When we ran the courier business we used recycled 20w70 oil in the entire fleet again without problems, 4 oil changes / year and they were knocking up around 100,000 km / year without any unexpected engine problems.
We also ran retreaded tyres.
The big problem is oil companies and tyre companies have done such a good hatchet job on recycled oil & retreaded tyres no one wants to use either.
And of course very few owners have done sufficient science or engineering to tell spin from bull.
However my wife's car ( Ford laser) sat in the drive most days as she took the bus & we walked to the shops or ride the bike to scocial events.
It gave her nothing but trouble because it never got used enough, up to having the rear wheel bearings replaced 2 times because they had indented from sitting in the same place.
Oils require changing for a myriad of reasons,
Addative package consummed.
Water damage
Acid damage
excessive particulates,
So a blanket "good enough for another 2000 miles" is meaning less unless he tells us WHY it was good enough for another 2000 miles .
Every service agent on this list could recite hundreds of examples of customers who "serviced" their mowers regularly that come in with steering bushes that should have been changed 5 years ago, belts running in the root of the pulleys, deck supports flogged out twice their original size etc, etc, etc.
When Victa introduced the Power Torque engine, they designed a unbelievablely robust engine that required almost no maintenance, so none ever got done & the engine that used to start before all of the rope was out of the starter eventually takes 1/2 hour 300 pulls and a can of starter fluid to get it to go but they won't bring it in for service "because nothing is broke & there is no oil to change".
When I finally convince hem to allow me to service it, they don't believe that their old worn out impossible to start engine that needs to be replaced by a more reliable 4 stroke, once again starts before all the rope is off the pulley just like it did when new.
#5
Ric
Ric
Bert the nice little "conspiracy" story with lots of generalizations and little fact is about right. When your talking about oil changes generally speaking people are going to do pretty much what they want. Personally I don't worry or deal with oil changes. It goes to Ford when the truck tells me change oil soon and that's basically every 3000 miles or yearly which ever comes first.
#6
turbofiat124
turbofiat124
There is also a thing were you are supposed to change your oil at least every 6 months. I have a Ford Explorer that is seldom driven. After six months, the change oil light kicked on. I'm like, "The oil has less than 500 miles on it since I changed it last? I just reset the light. Then 6 months later at less than 1000 miles, it kicked on again!
When it doubt, I just change the oil when it get's black as coal!
A co-worker has the same Craftsman Husquarvna riding mower I have. We bought both of our mowers about the same time. I'm not sure how many hours his has on it but he says he has never changed the oil or air cleaner in since he bought his 6 years ago!
I've change my oil and filter about every 50 hours, and blew a head gasket (from over filling) and now mine I have to add about 1/4 quart of oil every 10 to 15 hours and smokes at start up. Go figure.
When it doubt, I just change the oil when it get's black as coal!
A co-worker has the same Craftsman Husquarvna riding mower I have. We bought both of our mowers about the same time. I'm not sure how many hours his has on it but he says he has never changed the oil or air cleaner in since he bought his 6 years ago!
I've change my oil and filter about every 50 hours, and blew a head gasket (from over filling) and now mine I have to add about 1/4 quart of oil every 10 to 15 hours and smokes at start up. Go figure.
#7
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
Nothing to figure,
You made a mistake and unfortunately your mistake has had some consequences.
Mower engines are fairly low tech .
Bad oil won't cause your engine to grenade overnight but it will cause it to wear prematurely.
Modern domestic ride ons have a design life of 500 hours ( about 10 years )
Oil costs about $ 5.
Change it every 50 hours and it will cost you a whopping $ 50 over the service life of the engine.
Cheap insurance if you ask me.
However, oil changing is a very small part of ride on servicing.
Greasing & oiling the moving parts is the most important thing that most home mechanics fail to do.
Going out to pick up my second "broken steering" of the season which has just started, because the owner failed to oil the lower steering bush.
So not only has it flogged out oval but he has not noticed it so now what could have been fixed with a $ 12 bush is going to cost $ 180 in parts + labour.
You made a mistake and unfortunately your mistake has had some consequences.
Mower engines are fairly low tech .
Bad oil won't cause your engine to grenade overnight but it will cause it to wear prematurely.
Modern domestic ride ons have a design life of 500 hours ( about 10 years )
Oil costs about $ 5.
Change it every 50 hours and it will cost you a whopping $ 50 over the service life of the engine.
Cheap insurance if you ask me.
However, oil changing is a very small part of ride on servicing.
Greasing & oiling the moving parts is the most important thing that most home mechanics fail to do.
Going out to pick up my second "broken steering" of the season which has just started, because the owner failed to oil the lower steering bush.
So not only has it flogged out oval but he has not noticed it so now what could have been fixed with a $ 12 bush is going to cost $ 180 in parts + labour.