time between oil changes

[cp1969]

And it's how much to overhaul a engine? And nowhere did I say anything about not maintaining the vehicle. I said I do everything in my power to make sure they last as long as they can.

CJ4 - Oil analysis is well worth the money, especially for commercial trucks. In addition to giving you the ability to extend oil change intervals to a optimum point it can catch all kinds of problems. Oil cooler leaking? It will show antifreeze in the UOA and probably copper. Cylinder liner leaking? It will show antifreeze and no copper. Silicon count starting to rise, you probably have a air filter with a hole in it or leak in your air intake somewhere. Chromium and iron levels starting to rise, probably piston ring's and cylinder liners. Aluminum, Lead and Tin, bearing's are starting to wear.

There are numerous problems you can find early and long before they become a catastrophic failure. It is NOT a waste of money and IS considered good maintenance practice. Probably why all the medium/heavy truck dealers in my area (including the International truck dealer) do UOA's when they do a LOF, it's not a option it's just included in the price of the LOF.

Same as the Cat dealers. UOA is part of the oil change but an oil change at a Cat or IHC dealer is not a $25 affair.

But I don't think people who own DT466's are who Kick is talking about. As I read his post, I think he's talking about a guy who owns a car and a pickup and in those cases, I agree--UOA is pretty much a waste of money. Way too many of these engines end up propelling the vehicle to it's final resting place to declare that UOA is vital to get long life out of the engine.

 

[DieselPower]

Even on automotive engines it can be a good tool. I agree it may not be cost effective to do it every oil change but it still should be performed on a scheduled basis, once or twice a year depending on your mileage. It is also a very good tool to figure out your optimum oil change interval.

 

[KICK]

Even on automotive engines it can be a good tool. I agree it may not be cost effective to do it every oil change but it still should be performed on a scheduled basis, once or twice a year depending on your mileage. It is also a very good tool to figure out your optimum oil change interval.[/QUOTE]


sounds nice on paper or if you make your money selling service(s) such as oil analysis and specialty lubricants.

what if you are just the average person with several vehicles, who services them hisself and doesn't feel like taking oil samples and sending them to the lab twice a year at 20 bucks a pop in order to make a decision on if he needs to change the 20 dollars worth of oil that is contained in his vehicle??

then maybe, just maybe he changes the earl and the filter at some easily rememberred interval and calls it a day.

 

[indianaEPH]

Yes. Thank you.

Opps.. before somebody reminds me that it doesn't do an actual analysis of your oil and it doesn't know what brand you are using, like DP said, this is assuming the use of a spec oil.

Ditto.

This is something really simple that people are making very difficult.........follow the manufactures recommended oil change interval. In the case of my wifes GMC that is the OLM.

3K miles, for most folks running normal use vehicles is a waste of money and resources.

 

[mrutkaus]

I would be interested in oil analysis, but have to agree for most people it is a bit much. Maybe someday I'll get one, but then like with potato chips, you can't take just one...

I've had maybe 40 vehicles over the years with only one engine failure (which might have been oil related), and that was on a car whose history I didn't know.

I just use good oil and extra moly and change it at fairly long periods.

f I forget when a change is due, I smell the oil, and if it smells sort of old/acidy/burnt/brown/acrid I make sure to change it.

Mike

 

[anthonyk]

I use Amsoil severe diesel in my Dodge Ram 2500 with the Cummins.
I change the filter (Donaldson) every 10,000 miles and send Oil Analyzers a small 2 ounce sample at the same time.
Right now I have 75,300 miles on the SAME OIL and the analysis says it's still perfect. If you have proper filtration, there's almost no limit to the mileage you can crank out on truly high quality synthetics.
The 3000 mile oil change is a scam perpetrated by the oil selling industry and it's related partners like Jiffy lube etc. Even regular oil should be good for 5000 mile intervals under normal use.
I'd also like to point out that not only is that wasteful, but we're dumping literally billions of gallons of oil into the environment for no reason.
I'm not an environmentalist wacko, but why waste oil and pollute for no reason? I also love the fact that I traded a once a month 80 dollar oil change for a once every 3 month or so 20 dollar analysis, and no having to run back and forth to Hi Lo to dump the oil tub!

anthony

 

[cp1969]

Why such frequent air filter changes?

 

[KICK]

Why such frequent air filter changes?

because paper is made from a renewable resourse?

 

[kenmac]

Same as the Cat dealers. UOA is part of the oil change but an oil change at a Cat or IHC dealer is not a $25 affair.


I pay $25.00 for a UAO at the local cat dealer.& have had several. The stuff you get out of a UAO is/can be interesting. It tells you what's going on inside your engine. It also will let you know, that your favorite oil might not be as good as you think it is !