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.
I’m quite inclined to agree with you.
The SMART thing to have done in my case was to go directly to step 2. Step 2 would have included the fluid flush of step 1 and would have replaced the possibly bad solenoids. And saved $350. for step 1. Statistically, odds wise, I now see this would have been better.
But IMO (and your) there’s no point in doing anything but driving it til it breaks now, because if it requires replacing the tranny....then it does, and the only difference between doing it now or after a roadside breakdown (and the car is only used locally) would be the inconvenience of that one day, since the folks have AAA so towing would be free.
I’m going to disco the battery to reset the fault light just for grins. It didn’t come on until maybe 2 days after getting the car back, so I don’t think it’s a sensor.
“I have a Plymouth Voyager, nine years old, with 126,000 miles. Tranny fluid and filter was last changed at 90,000 miles.”
I had one of those, one of the shorter ones. The LONG ones from what I have heard went thru transmissions. The one I had was one of the best cars I’ve ever had. I made loads of money using it, completely beat the crap out of it, drove it at least 25 round trips LA > SF. One day the engine actually fell out of it, because two engine mounts failed at the same time! I donated the thing, which was dumb, because engine mounts are cheap. Anyway, I loved my Ply van, incredibly reliable, never failed me.
“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.”
YES! A wise move.
The only cars I’ve kept with high milage were two Audi’s, and a TR7. But that’s not to say they didn’t have SOME repairs along the way..... just no show stoppers.
ASD, thanks for the story about your Voyager.
I have a shortie also, and the trans has held up well. You are correct about the grands, they were routinely more prone to defects, especially in the trans.
My previous Chrysler minivan was a short 1986 Caravan—had it 15 years and 225,000 miles. Gave it to a friend, who drove it another year and a half to over 249,000 miles and it gave up the ghost. Had the original water pump, alternator, starter, and A/C compressor when it went. It was a great vehicle.
So far, the my Voyager is doing well. I didn;t like the new body style so I passed on buying a new one this year.
What is it made from ?
Synthetiline ;)
Could be a good pairing with the new engine metal I have developed . I call it unobtainium .
This time, the state of californicate is right.
I had a couple of Ford Ranger pickups that I drove for very high miles. The first one, an ‘85 4-banger, I drove for 360 thousand miles on 5 or 6 oil changes without any internal engine repairs, and the other, an ‘88 that I gave to my son-in-law at 280 thousand, having changed the oil four times, and it is still running ok.
My present PU is a ‘94 F250 that has about 225 k on it, and is on its fourth oil change. I also have a ‘90 Cherokee that has had about 4 or 5 changes. As long as you drive them hard, and keep them warm, they don’t need many oil changes; its the slow easy driving that eats at the innards of the engine.
Only if you do mostly slow easy driving. If you keep it hot, the volatiles don't accumulate, so oil changes become a matter of asthetics.
The cars of the 60s had better bearings and crankshafts. Current engines use much smaller journals, both in width, and in diameter, and sometimes can scuff the bearings if you race the engine on a cold start.
Best of the best!
Especially the 7.3 diesel. No better engine has ever been made; that's why they got rid of it: to sell more new ones.
Amazing how something that actually works doesn’t stay static all in the name of progress and marketing.
And I’d like to see a flimsy jap truck do the kind of work your ‘95 did without blowing up...
You get better mileage when you pour your oil back into the Earth too. Mother Nature needs oiling just as much as a machine.
(I'm starting this meme to screw with Green freaks.)
Other than oil changes I changes the hard start sensor twice and the drive belt once ( it broke and she left me afoot only that once ).
I regularly pulled 20,000 trailers at 65 mph getting 14 mpg doing it.
That would be “20,000 pound trailers”.
??????????????????????
How, pray tell, can a piston engine function without connecting rods?
Take a class in auto repair, and the world will open up to you ;o)
Are those cars one of Obama's New Ways to Transport People?
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