Posted on 06/17/2008 7:19:00 AM PDT by Disturbin
According to a recent study by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, 73 percent of California drivers change their oil more frequently than required. This same scenario no doubt repeats itself across the country. Besides wasting money, this translates into unnecessary consumption of $100-a-barrel oil, much of it imported.
Using 2005 data, the Board estimates that Californians alone generate about 153.5 million gallons of waste oil annually, of which only about 60 percent is recycled. Used motor oil poses the greatest environmental risk of all automotive fluids because it is insoluble, persistent, and contains heavy metal and toxic chemicals. One gallon of used oil can foul the taste of one million gallons of water.
It’s been a misconception for years that engine oil should be changed every 3000 miles, even though most auto manufacturers now recommend oil changes at 5,000, 7,000, or even 10,000 mile intervals under normal driving conditions.
Greatly improved oils, including synthetic oils, coupled with better engines mean longer spans between oil changes without harming an engine. The 3000 mile interval is a carryover from days when engines used single-grade, non-detergent oils.
For several years, automakers like General Motors, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have installed computerized systems that alert drivers via an instrument panel light when it’s time to change oil. As an example, the General Motor Oil Life System (GMOLS) analyzes the engine temperature, rpms, vehicle speeds, and other driving conditions to calculate the rate of engine oil degradation. Then, software calculates when the oil needs to be changed. Other systems work similarly.
Because of the many external conditions and parameters that have to be taken into account, calculating the precise maximum service interval using mathematical models alone is difficult. Now, Daimler AG has developed a more direct and precise way to monitor oil quality directly on board a vehicle.
Daimler uses a special sensor integrated into the oil circuit to monitor engine oil directly. Oil doesn’t wear out, but rather dirt and impurities cause oil to lose its ability to lubricate properly, dictating the need for a change. Daimler uses the oil’s “permittivity,” that is, the ability to polarize in response to the electric field. If the engine oil is contaminated by water or soot particles, it polarizes to a greater extent and its permittivity increases.
To evaluate the quality of the oil, permittivity is measured by applying an AC potential between the interior and exterior pipes of an oil-filled sensor to determine how well the oil transmits the applied electric field.
Because not all impurities can be measured with sufficient precision via the electric field method, Daimler also measures the oil’s viscosity to detect any fuel that may have seeped into the oil. Daimler researchers measure viscosity while the vehicle is in motion by observing the oil's side-to-side motion in the oil sump. The slower the oil moves, the higher its viscosity. This movement is registered by a sensor and the viscosity is calculated on this basis.
A single sensor, along with the information already monitored by on-board computers, is sufficient to determine the various parameters of the engine oil. Daimler will likely use the technology first on its commercial vehicles. Here, large oil reservoirs mean larger quantities of oil can be saved. Plus, a predicted 25 percent increase between service intervals and reduced downtime will be of interest to fleets, and thus justify the added cost of installation.
There you have it. Put off oil changes because the Greens don't like it. What rubbish!
I use synthetic and change every 6k. Works out just fine for my car.
I change the oil when it gets dirty. Don’t care about time or mileage.
I only change mine every 8K or so and my last truck went 301,000 miles before I upgraded.
Yep. Synthetic oil. Lasts longer and not a petroleum product.
I just go by what the manual says... Honda made the engine, they know when the oil should be changed.
Those quick change oil places push that 3k myth.
I change mine between 4500-5500 miles and have put around 175k on each car before trade in and have never had a problem with the engine.
We should just tell all the liberals that, for the environment, they should drain all their oil and never change it. Changing oil is just a myth put out by oil companies to get you to buy more, but in reality, cars don’t need oil....
Then, we have less liberals on the road. :->
My last car was an Acura Integra hatchback.
I changed the oil EVERY 5,000 miles throughout its life. Regular (non-synthetic) 10w/40 oil from the oil-change shop down the block.
After the car passed mile 300,000, I sold it for $400.
It never needed any major engine work, and still used almost no oil between changes upon reaching 300,000.
- John
My Father in Laws Mercedes requires an oil change at every 12k. When his new MB hit 12K, we took it into the dealership and they did an entire “physical” on the car.
BS, standard oil will damned well lose its viscosity eventually. Ask anyone who's actually decided to see how long their oil will last. Eventually your car can't hold oil pressure, especially when idling, because the oil has lost nearly all viscosity and gets as thin as water.
Sorry to disappoint you, but most Synthetic oils ARE Petroleum based. The exception is Amzoil which is produced from fish byproducts. But even they use Methanol to create the chemical reaction which synthesizes the molecules. Which comes from petroleum or coal.
All the other American types are made from oil.
I use “Mobil 1 Extended Performance” synthetic, which is guaranteed for 15,000 miles, and couple it with their 15,000 mile 99.2% filtration-rate filter.
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil_1_Extended_Performance.aspx
It keeps down on the labor to change the oil, and it floods the engine with more detergents and additives to assure the oil stays good.
Actually, it's more about what the Honda dealerships like than what the engine needs.
See if you can find an owner's manual for a car from the 1960s.
Metallurgy wasn't as good, engines were less efficient, tolerances were looser meaning that more gas got down into the oil and yet somehow didn't blow up our engines by only changing the oil twice a year.
All oil is not created equal. The oil that is the basis for our motor oils tends to be poor raw material for gasoline. For instance the oil that gets pumped in Northwestern PA has a lot of naptha in it. Makes a great lubricant, but not good for gasoline. That said, I’m sure there are grades of heavy crude that can be used for either purpose.
John, I too had an Acura Integra Hatchbach, until I gave it to a friends 16 year old son one year ago. I bought it new in 1995, drove it to 46 states, changed the oil every 3000-5000 miles, and when I gave it away it had 250,000 miles and still running like new. I changed the timing belt twice as stated by the owners manual, and the Distributor went bad. Other than tires every 60k miles (need them or not), and batteries, no maint required...Best car I ever owned. The kid I gave it to drives the hell out of it now and it runs as good as ever...
We had a guest speaker who compnay rebuilds engines at our Rotary meeting.
He said the best procedure you can do to protect your engine on a new car is to change your oil at the 50-100 mile mark. By then the metal shavings/any possible dirt from manufacturing will be in the oil and then is the time to get rid of it. 5-6k changes after that are fine.
I only change mine every 8K or so and my last truck went 301,000 miles before I upgraded.””
I want to know what kind of truck you drive. I want one.
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