HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
xtitan1 said:
Why? I would appreciate same actual data to explain why my proven method is flawed.
I have always used regular oil and have gotten 250k out of a few motors.
Synthetic oil question and oil change intervals?
- Thread starter Darkrider_LS
- Start date
Why? I would appreciate same actual data to explain why my proven method is flawed.
I have always used regular oil and have gotten 250k out of a few motors.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
Playsinsnow said:lol, haha I have been but not anymore. Wonder what Hardtrailz uses for an oil filter? lol
If Fram was that bad wouldn't they be out of business?
or is it because their application sucks for the demand our rides require?
If its any consolation I was using their Tough Guard or Extra Guard, can't remember because I rarely change it!
TangoBravo said:
djthumper said:
Generally wix, Mobil one, or Purolator? Have to look on last one but I won't use fram junk. Really expect another 100k plus from the motor without wasting money on synthetic. In my immediate family, good maintenance and cheap oil has worked for a dozen vehicles to run over 200k in recent years. Our caravan is at 190+ and runs as good as new. The body is rusting well before the motor.
I do what I do from experience, not cause myself or someone close is an am soil dealer. I mean anyone that buys a lul product can be a dealer for them. When I read into it, I found am soil to be more of a joke or pyramid scheme than anything. Still make ght be good product but the company turned me off.
I have used Walmart brand Super Tech full syn for years on many cars, and usually get an AC Delco filter while I am there. From what I have found through the years it's all personal preference as long as you keep up on your oil changes your truck will last for many miles. I personally don't believe I need Mobil or Amsoil. I don't believe the (cost) ends justify the means, but if thats what you have had for years and it works for you then great. I will just always suggest my brand to people cause it has always worked well for me with no engine problems ever.
Mooseman
Moderator
For oil filter comparisons, I really looked at this thread:
http://gmtnation.com/f23/oil-filter-comparison-testing-results-may-surprise-you-7115/
And what surprised me the most is that one of the worst filters was ACDelco. And even more of a surprise, the best best was a FRAM (albeit the higher priced Xtended Guard)
http://gmtnation.com/f23/oil-filter-comparison-testing-results-may-surprise-you-7115/
And what surprised me the most is that one of the worst filters was ACDelco. And even more of a surprise, the best best was a FRAM (albeit the higher priced Xtended Guard)
Playsinsnow
Member
- Nov 17, 2012
- 9,727
jonbo2002 said:
I also get the super tech synthetic, unless mobil1 is on sale. Idk but I really do feel mobil1 is better based on my own thoughts when I see it drain. just my .02. Seems to stay "clearer" half way through OLM life. Super tech is plenty OK though to me.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
jonbo2002 said:guess I will be switching filters then
Until you read some of the other studies out there. Seems there are about 5 different filters that win testing and none are really winners repeatedly. I try to read several and find something without major flaws and places well in all tests. Amazing that Fram can be bottom of barrel in some tests and tops in others.
Maybe we can toss all the testing links we can into a thread so everyone can make informed decisions? New thread or toss them in here? What yall think?
HARDTRAILZ said:
that would be nice if everybody put any research they found in here then we could make it a sticky
Playsinsnow
Member
- Nov 17, 2012
- 9,727
jonbo2002 said:
Oil change thread. What oil and how often. Filter too. Total miles driven. Do self or who does it?
Idk the guy that knows more about cars than anyone I know, complete rod rebuilds-with precision( I convinced him to replace my disconnect because he wanted to know how it works, got an envoy now because he knows my ride!) changed the oil in his DD '94 cavalier 4x's in 7years. Leaked a little so just kept adding. Car still runs with guy he sold it to. I'll start a thread in a few hours if no one beats me...
- Jan 25, 2013
- 9,332
HARDTRAILZ said:
Since it seems to be a good discussion going on in here might as well just throw them in here and as suggested make the thread a sticky if possible since a lot of good info is being discussed in here.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
Playsinsnow said:
When I started dating my wife, I asked about changing oil in her avenger. She said it used to leak so she had never changed it, but after a couple years it quit leaking so she figured it had sealed itself and it did not need more oil.....for 2 more years. I checked it and it was about a quart low and black, but not burnt so I added a quart and left well enough alone (I wanted the POS to die-ugly-crappy-wrecked twice). A year later we sold it without ever changing the oil or even checking it again. Definitely do not recommend, but the car is still running around the area and had 150k+ when we sold it. At least for the 40K I know about, it did not have an oil or filter change.
C-ya
Member
- Aug 24, 2012
- 1,098
Since the thread is kind of wandering, I'll toss a story in. When we were in Pascagoula, MI, for precommissioning (new Navy ship, not a USS yet), some of the guys bought a station wagon from a local girl. It was promptly dubbed "The Hoopty", and got a rather unique paint scheme in which every steel wheel was painted a different fluorescent color, and of course, "HOOPTY" down both sides in hot colors. Anyway, the oil change routine for the Hoopty consisted of getting the used oil from someone else's oil change, although it did get a new filter. Car ran great! Surprised the heck out of all of us. They were trying to kill it, so eventually they just quit changing the oil. I can't remember if they sold it or just walked away from it when we left.
Sparky
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 12,927
TangoBravo said:
Several people back on some old threads on the OS had their oil tested several times and the OLM is pretty darn accurate. Now it is set to be used for standard oil, not synthetic, so you could probably go a little longer than the OLM says on a good synthetic oil, but I don't want to tempt fate.
I guess I'm not sure what the definition of "extended drains" is really. 25k I know would count for that (and again I'm never doing that, I lost an engine due to oil issues on my old car though it was the PO's fault not mine), but I don't know if 10-14k drains does or not. But that's why I run a decent filter and decent oil.
Some may say I'm spending too much on oil and don't need to run what I do, but spending an extra $50 a year for peace of mind is worth it in my book. I do two changes a year due to the miles I drive.
HARDTRAILZ said:
Oh I wasn't saying your method was flawed, but you said you had 160k miles or something and no issues at all, so I said you should knock on wood because whenever I say stuff like that I jinx myself!
DDonnie said:Now if only good oil could repair body rust
Well I think back in the day people used to take their used oil after a change and put it in a sprayer and spray the undercarriage with it to protect against rust from road salt and stuff during the winter
TangoBravo
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 208
xtitan1 said:
Believe it or not, this is still standard practice by many here in Wyoming. Why I don't know because we haven't used salt in 9 years.
meerschm
Member
- Aug 26, 2012
- 1,079
Somewhere here you missed the point that with a few exceptions, these come with computer monitor of use, which drives either an accessable %life left reading, or an instrument panel light. this lets you change based on use, or after a year.
you may want to figure out how to access the oil life monitor on your vehicle, and make informed change decisions.
at 7 quarts a pop, oil can get expensive, so you don't want to waste it, but you don't want to blow an engine due to stretching too long.
you may want to figure out how to access the oil life monitor on your vehicle, and make informed change decisions.
at 7 quarts a pop, oil can get expensive, so you don't want to waste it, but you don't want to blow an engine due to stretching too long.
TangoBravo
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 208
meerschm said:Somewhere here you missed the point that with a few exceptions, these come with computer monitor of use, which drives either an accessable %life left reading, or an instrument panel light. this lets you change based on use, or after a year.
you may want to figure out how to access the oil life monitor on your vehicle, and make informed change decisions.
at 7 quarts a pop, oil can get expensive, so you don't want to waste it, but you don't want to blow an engine due to stretching too long.
I for one would not trust an OLM(which is never updated to modern oils and filters)on a vehicle older then 3 years. Advances are made regularly in the field of oil and filters. To run a higher quality oil and filter and trust the OLM would be foolish, you're just waisting money. If I changed my oil every time my OLM said to I would be waisting the investment made in the oil and filter I use. Instead I choose to trust a lab to test my oil sample(whooping$12)with modern up to date guidelines, I change my oil based on the labs results. However I do change my filter to it's specs because my oil is rated for use far beyond any filters range.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
triz
Member
- Apr 22, 2013
- 746
TangoBravo said:
I use the OLM and reset one of my trip meters whenever I change my oil. That way I can actually see what mileage I'm getting out of my oil and gauge it with the OLM. I do send my oil out for analysis every so often. I don't do it every time I change my oil. I send it out mostly to gauge what is going on with my engine.
- Jan 25, 2013
- 9,332
Ok I got a question for you guys. Once I switch over should I test the oil at around 5k and at 10k to see how my oil is lasting? Giving some thought to doing this first oil change using normal oil and ordering from triz once I get home and do the change over to amsoil in the fall. That way im getting the proper filter and running the recommended oil at that point.
TangoBravo
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 208
HARDTRAILZ said:
Yeah but it cost me half as much over the span of a year(assuming you change atleast twice in a year) then using the "cheap stuff".
TangoBravo
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 208
triz said:
As long as you have a method to track miles and ACTUAL oil life then your doing good. I'm not sayin my method is the only way, all Im sayin is if you choose to use a product with extended drains cycles you need to do more then trust the OLM. Im not saying using the "cheap oil" is wrong. While I think its a bad investment(really no investment) it does give some people a cheaper upfront cost and that works for them. I am the type of person that I dont go cheap on critical items like aftermarket bumpers(safety issue). cheap ebay lifts, spark plugs air filters and so on. So I am certainly not going to do so on my oil and filter. Really though it only cost me more upfront, because it always last longer then the cheap stuff, long enough to make it cost effective.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
TangoBravo said:
Changing oil twice a year...what are your costs? Its about $35 for two oil changes when I watch sales. Cheap dino(synthetic blend) and decent filters.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
I buycheap oil for $2 a quart by the case when it is on sale. Pretty easy to find. Farmstore I been buying from is synthetic blend, but it is still possible to find a buck a quart for reg dino with a rebate. Dad picked up 2 cases of Quaker State for $22 total recently with mail-in. So only $10 an oil change with that deal.
My dad and I buy oil and air filters from Advanced Auto whenever they send him 50% off $100 order, which they seem to do fairly regularly with what he spends there. Between us we have 9 vehicles. Buying this way, all filters are basically half price. Purolator PureOne is only 3.50, K/N is only 4, and only 6.50 for a mobilone.
I found oil from Amsoil is about 10 bucks a quart, so at least 70 plus testing @ 12 and filters....I do not see any savings and I get fresh oil and no worries. How do you see yourself saving anything?
My dad and I buy oil and air filters from Advanced Auto whenever they send him 50% off $100 order, which they seem to do fairly regularly with what he spends there. Between us we have 9 vehicles. Buying this way, all filters are basically half price. Purolator PureOne is only 3.50, K/N is only 4, and only 6.50 for a mobilone.
I found oil from Amsoil is about 10 bucks a quart, so at least 70 plus testing @ 12 and filters....I do not see any savings and I get fresh oil and no worries. How do you see yourself saving anything?
Sparky
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 12,927
TangoBravo said:
You keep saying "extended drains" - WHAT is the definition of an extended drain? Above what mileage and/or age?
I change mine when the OLM light kicks on, which is 6-9 months, 10-14k miles. I don't think this is considered an "extended drain" as you keep referencing 25k. But, if you do consider it as such, well, the OLM has been proven by several people and testing to work pretty well. Again, tuned for dino oil, so synthetic could maybe go longer, but I don't for peace of mind. A system like that doesn't "go bad" after a couple years or something, and oil hasn't improved by leaps and bounds over the last several years. Oil is still oil.
djthumper
Administrator
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
Sparky said:
I thought so too. I did not see mine for the first few years I owned my truck and just went by mileage, then I found out I had one. I have only had it light once or maybe twice as I prefer to not be so close to the end of oil life, but I do like to know its there.
triz
Member
- Apr 22, 2013
- 746
HARDTRAILZ said:
I use the XL which is right around 5-6 dollars a quart (full synthetic) I keep it in around 8-10k depending on how hard I drive it. The OE is even less then that around 4-5 a quart. More than what you pay for the dino oil but I'm getting synthetic and its goooooooooooooood.
Unless your looking at the Amsoil racing oil you shouldn't be paying 10 a quart.
djthumper
Administrator
It is but apparently there was also a delete code that allowed fleets to remove it, especially the rental companies.Sparky said:
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
mine started going off for the first time like 1000 miles after my last oil change... WTF is that all about? oh well everything looks, smells and acts fine lol. I will just keep up at around 8000 miles for changes
HARDTRAILZ said:
HARDTRAILZ said:
Trailz, didn't you get your PCM done? maybe it was locked out till you had that done?
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
triz said:
Probably was racing. I just googled amsoil 5w30, because I do not see the point in synthetic in the motor. I do use it in my diffs with what I put them through, but the motor was designed to run on dino and does so very well. I do not abuse my engine at all, so no need for anything more than what it was built for.
To me you are throwing away money as I get nearly the same life out of my oil and it's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. Proven itself time and time again for me over past two decades in multiple vehicles and motors. Not sure why you would waste money on oil that does nothing better, but to each their own.
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
jonbo2002 said:
I had it done twice in fact. Maybe that was what did it, but I do not know why they would even bother touching that aspect.
djthumper
Administrator
Mine was a rental car fleet vehicle and it has never gone off. When I had one of the VIN checks done there was a few extra delete codes on there.HARDTRAILZ said: