Engine Oil FAQ

Started by S204STi, February 09, 2008, 08:03:58 PM

rohan

Ok I'm a cop not a mechanic so my question may be stupid so be nice!
How come if you don't need to change your oil every 3000 miles that when I do change it at 3000 the car runs smoother has a little more pep and gets slightly better gas mileage? 
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Danish

Quote from: rohan on March 23, 2008, 12:46:00 PM
Ok I'm a cop not a mechanic so my question may be stupid so be nice!
How come if you don't need to change your oil every 3000 miles that when I do change it at 3000 the car runs smoother has a little more pep and gets slightly better gas mileage? 

Honestly, that whole sensation might be a figment of your imagination
Quote from: Lebowski on December 17, 2008, 05:46:10 PM
No advice can be worse than Coug's, in any thread, ever.

Eye of the Tiger

Quote from: rohan on March 23, 2008, 12:46:00 PM
Ok I'm a cop not a mechanic so my question may be stupid so be nice!
How come if you don't need to change your oil every 3000 miles that when I do change it at 3000 the car runs smoother has a little more pep and gets slightly better gas mileage? 

You should see how much better it runs after a 5000, 10000 and 20000 mile oil change. You know, be really scientific about it.  :lol:
2008 TUNDRA (Truck Ultra-wideband Never-say-die Daddy Rottweiler Awesome)

rohan

Quote from: Danish on March 23, 2008, 12:51:20 PM
Honestly, that whole sensation might be a figment of your imagination
That's not even remotely possible because cops have no imagination I've been told.
http://outdooradventuresrevived.blogspot.com/

"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from out children."

~Chief Seattle






Danish

Quote from: rohan on March 23, 2008, 12:53:47 PM
That's not even remotely possible because cops have no imagination I've been told.

They do make things up all the time though :lol:
Quote from: Lebowski on December 17, 2008, 05:46:10 PM
No advice can be worse than Coug's, in any thread, ever.

rohan

http://outdooradventuresrevived.blogspot.com/

"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from out children."

~Chief Seattle






rohan

But seriously I have the written proof in front of me for the mileage with my fill ups the other stuff could be inmy mind.
http://outdooradventuresrevived.blogspot.com/

"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from out children."

~Chief Seattle






CALL_911



2004 S2000
2016 340xi

The Pirate

Quote from: rohan on March 23, 2008, 12:46:00 PM
Ok I'm a cop not a mechanic so my question may be stupid so be nice!
How come if you don't need to change your oil every 3000 miles that when I do change it at 3000 the car runs smoother has a little more pep and gets slightly better gas mileage? 


I swear I've noticed the same thing...
1989 Audi 80 quattro, 2001 Mazda Protege ES

Secretary of the "I Survived the Volvo S80 thread" Club

Quote from: omicron on July 10, 2007, 10:58:12 PM
After you wake up with the sun at 6am on someone's floor, coughing up cigarette butts and tasting like warm beer, you may well change your opinion on this matter.

S204STi

#69
So are we talking about a police cruiser or a personal vehicle?

To me what you're doesn't make sense because oils will tend to thin out before they thicken, but then I don't understand all aspects of that end of things.  All I would say is that even if you get slightly improved fuel economy (let's say a couple of percent) I'd think that the extra cost of the oil change would counter any savings.

Further, I think that you are best off following the manufacturer's recommendation, not just some arbitrary number.  UOAs can help to determine for you whether that is providing enough protection, but those should also be taken with a grain of salt.

Soup DeVille

Quote from: rohan on March 23, 2008, 01:05:56 PM
But seriously I have the written proof in front of me for the mileage with my fill ups the other stuff could be inmy mind.

I would bet you get your air cleaner either replaced or blown out at the same time as well?
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

hounddog

#71
Quote from: R-inge on March 23, 2008, 10:07:15 PM
So are we talking about a police cruiser or a personal vehicle?

Personal vehicle is what he was talking about.  And I have always thought the same thing, they do seem to run just a little better on a new oil change.  And, I also change my oil every 3k, and no amount of convincing will make me change my mind.  I have no arguement for or against it, just how I feel.  You can not go wrong with clean oil and filter.  Unless, of course, there is evidence to the contrary?
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Byteme

Quote from: hounddog on March 23, 2008, 11:15:02 PM
Personal vehicle is what he was talking about.  And I have always thought the same thing, they do seem to run just a little better on a new oil change.  And, I also change my oil every 3k, and no amount of convincing will make me change my mind.  I have no arguement for or against it, just how I feel.  You can not go wrong with clean oil and filter.  Unless, of course, there is evidence to the contrary?

I think it is the placebo effect.  I get the same feeling after I clean my cars inside and out.  They just seem to run better.

BimmerM3

I agree that it's probably a placebo effect, but IMHO, better safe than sorry. An oil change with dino oil done by me costs less than $15. I recently switched to Mobil 1, but when I used dino I would change every 3000. Now I go every 5000 miles.

Ron From Regina

For a lot less than the cost of a tank of gas, its good insurance.

Champ

I wish, oil change in the Viggen is $35ish and the motorcycle is $40....

Doing it myself.

S204STi

Well, I think I presented some good reasons not to change your oil that frequently if you don't need to.  One is waste.  The other is long-term cost.  If you "Feel" like it's the best thing to do, great.  I just hope you put more thought into other decisions...

Champ

Quote from: R-inge on March 24, 2008, 05:35:05 PM
Well, I think I presented some good reasons not to change your oil that frequently if you don't need to.  One is waste.  The other is long-term cost.  If you "Feel" like it's the best thing to do, great.  I just hope you put more thought into other decisions...
Agree.

S204STi

Quote from: Champ on March 24, 2008, 10:20:17 PM
Agree.

Btw, that wasn't aimed at you, even though it came after your post.   =)

CALL_911

I have a question, R-Inge and everyone else.

BMW has a stupid, absolutely moronic system of computerized oil checking. No dipstick. The car's recommended oil change intervals are at 15,000 miles. Lately, my Dad and my Mom (when she drives the car) have been telling me that the oil change warning has been coming up. I went into iDrive and checked, and it said the oil level is fine. The warning still comes up for them. This car only has 6700 miles on it. What gives?

Oh, and I have every intention of writing to BMW on my Dad's behalf (not that he cares...), saying that the omission of a dipstick is absolutely boneheaded.


2004 S2000
2016 340xi

S204STi

I don't know much about the BMW system, but it could be that your parents are confusing the oil level warning with a different warning...

Either way, if the warning light comes on the whole point is to take it to the dealer ASAP to deal with it.

CALL_911

Quote from: R-inge on March 25, 2008, 08:19:40 PM
I don't know much about the BMW system, but it could be that your parents are confusing the oil level warning with a different warning...

Either way, if the warning light comes on the whole point is to take it to the dealer ASAP to deal with it.

Apparently it even flashed on the iDrive screen that "Oil Level is Low". But that's very odd, considering oil level was fine when I checked (also through the damn computer. Don't get me started on the whole dipstick thing), and the car is far below it's oil change interval.

In any case, my Dad's taking it to the dealer some time this week.


2004 S2000
2016 340xi

hotrodalex

The BMW system is dumb (this coming from a BMW fan) I have no clue why they don't have a dipstick anymore, it just makes things more confusing for the owners.

CALL_911

Quote from: hotrodalex on March 25, 2008, 08:23:42 PM
The BMW system is dumb (this coming from a BMW fan) I have no clue why they don't have a dipstick anymore, it just makes things more confusing for the owners.

Exactly. How the hell do I know if the goddamn computer is reading correctly?


2004 S2000
2016 340xi

GoCougs

#84
New oil is definitely a placebo affect. If you went from a 30W to a 0W-20, I could believe it, but staying with the same viscosity oil and assuming no great amount of contamination or heat damage to alter viscosity? I don't see how it's physically possible.

Secret Chimp

#85
Quote from: CALL_911 on March 25, 2008, 08:25:15 PM
Exactly. How the hell do I know if the goddamn computer is reading correctly?

You take it to the dealer and find out.

Dolla dolla bill, y'all :P


Quote from: BENZ BOY15 on January 02, 2014, 02:40:13 PM
That's a great local brewery that we have. Do I drink their beer? No.

Soup DeVille

Quote from: CALL_911 on March 25, 2008, 08:25:15 PM
Exactly. How the hell do I know if the goddamn computer is reading correctly?

The "change your oil" message is based on several factors including average throttle position, thousands of revolutions, and the conductivity of the oil.

It is not related to the oil level at all: that's an entirely different thing.

Oil loss is not oil contimanation or breakdown.

(Yes, a lot of it is just the Germanic love of complexity for its own sake)
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

CALL_911

The damn thing is saying that everything is okay on that diagnostic thing on iDrive, though!

Hold on, I'll get a picture.


2004 S2000
2016 340xi

Soup DeVille

Quote from: GoCougs on March 25, 2008, 08:54:37 PM
New oil is definitely a placebo affect. If you went from a 30W to a 0W-20, I could believe it, but staying with the same viscosity oil and assuming no great amount of contamination or heat damage to alter viscosity? I don't see how it's physically possible.

It's possible that as the filter traps more and more crap, it becomes more restrictive, and thus it takes more power to maintain oil poressure.

But that seems like a stretch to me too.

I'm still betting that the change in mileage comes from a clean air cleaner, not clean oil.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

The Pirate

Quote from: GoCougs on March 25, 2008, 08:54:37 PM
New oil is definitely a placebo affect. If you went from a 30W to a 0W-20, I could believe it, but staying with the same viscosity oil and assuming no great amount of contamination or heat damage to alter viscosity? I don't see how it's physically possible.

No, I agree, it's all but impossible.  But still, my mind messes with me...
1989 Audi 80 quattro, 2001 Mazda Protege ES

Secretary of the "I Survived the Volvo S80 thread" Club

Quote from: omicron on July 10, 2007, 10:58:12 PM
After you wake up with the sun at 6am on someone's floor, coughing up cigarette butts and tasting like warm beer, you may well change your opinion on this matter.