The surprising truth about motor oils

[Doc_Bob]

The surprising truth about motor oils

Our 4-1/2-million-mile test with a fleet of New York City taxicabs turned some conventional wisdom on its head. ........................................................

Enjoy

 

[Gator6x4]

If this information is from the supposedly Yamaha Motorcycle test I always wondered why Yamaha was doing a motor oil test in cars and who paid for the test.

XS-XJ Yamaha

 

[john_bud]

The surprising truth about motor oils

Our 4-1/2-million-mile test with a fleet of New York City taxicabs turned some conventional wisdom on its head. ........................................................

Enjoy

Sounds about right, but the sample size really isn't large enough for meaningful (statistically valid) conclusions. Possibly if they would have gone to 250,000 miles meaningful changes would have been detectable (or not).

 

[Skyco]

That is the Consumer Reports study. Many motorheads have ripped it to shreds as meaningless. For one thing the highest wear supposedly occurs at cold start which taxis almost never do. Besides it was done 12 years ago, a lot has changed since then..

 

[RalphVa]

The 6k mile change period is nothing now. Synthetics can go up to around 15k miles on gas engines.

There are zero grade winter oils now. The latest Mobil 1 is 0w30. This is about the best for most applications. For cold starts (down around -40 F/C), a 0w oil is the ONLY one that got to the overhead valve train quick enough to keep it from smoking a few seconds after startup in startup tests down in a -40 cold room. STILL, 0w grade will be heavier at startup than its warm temperature designation. It's the nature of oil, or almost any fluid.

I like those prices: $1/qt.

Ralph

 

[Skyco]

One thing I gotta mention- I've always been a frequent oil changer with my vehicles and equipment and felt good about doing it.
Thing is I've run about 5 company vehicles* to around 150,000 miles each with just factory recommended service, and sometimes I was busy and went way past change intervals, and used whatever cheap bulk oil was at the quicky lube. None of them have ever used oil to any degree or had any internal engine problems

*2 Fords, 2 GMs, a Dodge and now a Jeep. All SUVS.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I agree with Skyco. In the last 22 years I have owned 1 Toyota, 1 Honda, 1 Chevy, 1 Dodge, 2 Saturns, and 11 Fords. I have never had a oil related problem with any. As a mater of fact I have never had a major problem with any vehicle I have owned other than the Dodges trannys, 2 in 40,000 miles, and a host of other small things and the Chevy blew the engine at 15,000 miles and the transfer case went at 35,000 miles. I must have just had a lemon but it turned me off for good on the Chevy for sure. I may buy another Dodge since they treated me right.

I buy what ever oil is on sale and change it every 3,000 miles in my gassers and every 5,000 in my diesels. Some weeks it Quaker State and some weeks it Exxon. I change air filters ever year or 15,000 miles and do all the other recommended service that is laid out in the owners manual. I feel its a pay now or pay later deal and I will be money ahead.

Chris

 

[ccrider]

I put 243,000 + miles on a 1987 Chevy. with a 3,000 to 4,000 mile oil & filter change with zero problems !

 

[jinjimbob]

I change the oil every 10k miles on a f150 truck, the manual says 7500 miles.

Every 3000 miles unless its once a year, is a waste. More than the money for me, its just a waste of time, unless you enjoy doing that kind of thing.

 

[plowking]

I heard on the radio,that it is encouraged to do 3000 mile oil changes to keep the mpgs up. Maybe cleaner oil gives better mileage? plowking