Fuel system cleaners/additives, oil change intervals

[wmjinman]

Originally Posted by givemeslack

1. The "cheapest" gas can also be of low quality, in a station that's not a nationally known brand. It won't be good for your engine. I've switched to using a Sunoco credit card all the time at a station in my neighborhood. It gives 5 cents off every gallon and a statement in the mail of all purchases which is a good way to review expenses.

Being the cheapskate I am, I make a habit of always looking for the cheapest gas I can find. Frequently it's Arco AM/PM, but has also frequently been the off-brand stations run by - "ethnic minorities". And I have withstood barrages of dire warnings it would ruin my engine and give me poor gas mileage. Being the cheapskate I am, when I bought my brand new '85 Jimmy, I continued using the cheapest gas I could find - despite all the continued warnings that I'd "be sorry".

Well, almost 30 years later, that Jimmy still runs, has never had an engine rebuild, and always averaged 25 mpg on the highway (I think the EPA was like 21 or something). Now, I realize one case does not make "proof" of anything, but my other vehicles are also running the cheapest gas I can find, and also not experiencing any engine trouble or bad mileage.

Indeed, my 2000 Jimmy (my parents now drive the '85) was #31 on the list of "cars by % over EPA" on this site the last I checked, with 60% over EPA.

Now, for oil changes, most owners manuals I have say 7500 for "normal" or 3000 for "harsh duty". I usually just split the difference and go for 5000 miles - an easy number to watch for on the odometer. The '85 Jimmy's main odometer stopped working many years ago, and though I took it in to get fixed several times, it never kept working. (speedo & trip odometer continued to work fine though - weird). So for oil change interval on that one, I did twice a year - spring and fall time changes. Also easy to remember....

[oil pan 4]

I go by the milage, apperance, smell of the oil and how it beads and spreads out when dripped onto to a smooth surface.

The oil still looks new after 3,000 miles in the lincon. It gets its oil changed every 7,000 to 10,000. The lincon gets synthetic rotella.

In the hyundai its oil still looks really good even after 7000 miles. It gets oil changed every 10,000 to 12,000 and about the time more oil needs to be added. This one gets the hord of 10w-30 mobil1 synthetic I stole on sale for $2.50/Qt last year.

With my diesel the oil is always black even tho I hand built the engine about 2 years ago, put around 10,000 miles on the engine so far and change its oil every 3000 to 4000 miles. This one gets rotella synthetic (winter oil) or rotella synthetic blend (summer).
Its oil is always blacked out, it doesn't matter what I do.

I was cleaning out the garage last month and found like 8 gallons of SL rated synthetic rotella I bought on sale 3 or 4 years ago so every thing will be getting 5w-40 after the mobil1 runs out.

[givemeslack]

I take back what I said about "most cars and trucks" needing a change every 3k miles. That's just my two vehicles, according to the manual.

But, regardless, I think oil should be changed once a year, whatever the mileage.

I still stand by the Lucas fuel additive and every other oil change using an injector/complete fuel system cleaner, for performance, as well as fuel economy.

I do an "italian tune-up":

1. Pour the injector cleaner in the tank.
2. Fill the tank with gas.
3. Drive very, very fast on the highway.

In a motorcycle I'll use Sta-bil in the winter, when not in use. Gas with ethanol really does go bad, and absorbs moisture. The blue Sta-bil marine formula is the best.

[UFO]

I just top up my Toyota when it gets a quart low. That's equivalent to an annual oil change and about 2000 miles.....

[wmjinman]

Originally Posted by UFO

I just top up my Toyota when it gets a quart low. That's equivalent to an annual oil change and about 2000 miles.....

LOL!!! Sounds like my dad's method. I'm sure his oil filter is a solid block of hardened crud by now and the sludge in the bottom of the oil pan gets scraped by the crankshaft!!!

[UFO]

Originally Posted by wmjinman

LOL!!! Sounds like my dad's method. I'm sure his oil filter is a solid block of hardened crud by now and the sludge in the bottom of the oil pan gets scraped by the crankshaft!!!

Yep, leaks more than it burns, sits more than it is driven. If it ever breaks, I want to swap in a diesel.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by givemeslack

I take back what I said about "most cars and trucks" needing a change every 3k miles. That's just my two vehicles, according to the manual.

But, regardless, I think oil should be changed once a year, whatever the mileage.

I still stand by the Lucas fuel additive and every other oil change using an injector/complete fuel system cleaner, for performance, as well as fuel economy.

I do an "italian tune-up":

1. Pour the injector cleaner in the tank.
2. Fill the tank with gas.
3. Drive very, very fast on the highway.

In a motorcycle I'll use Sta-bil in the winter, when not in use. Gas with ethanol really does go bad, and absorbs moisture. The blue Sta-bil marine formula is the best.

What vehicles?

[givemeslack]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

What vehicles?

I drive:
1992 Ford Ranger. 152k miles.
1999 Buick LeSabre. 173k miles.
2002 Maserati Coupe. 21k miles.

I don't have precise miles per gallon stats, but it is definitely more than the EPA rating for all of them because of the way I drive. I do a lot of coasting in neutral.

[2000neon]

My civic calls for 7500 mile oil changes. I see no reason to do it any sooner than that with normal driving conditions.

[Frank Lee]

Can't speak for the Maz, but the others don't have 3k recs in their manuals.


Oil Change Intervals - It Always Surprises Me - Ford F150 Forum