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Date:         Mon, 12 Aug 2002 03:22:40 -0700
Reply-To:     mike <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mike <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Faintly Van related/TDI
Comments: To: Joel Walker <jwalker17@earthlink.net>
In-Reply-To:  <000501c241ca$60d3fce0$36ed79a5@here>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I agree on the oil change intervals idea. I use/d syn in my Honda [for sale, need a reliable car?] and still changed the oil every 3K. Reasoning is that even at the cost of syn it's the cheapest engine insurance there is.

And since diesels are even more costly to rebuild, and are tougher on their oil, same reasoning applies.

Well, I won't do it till 15,000 miles anyway so I have some time. Using Rotella [sp?] in the meantime.

By the way only caught the sales guy in three errors/exagerations/b.s. Statements. "I used to drive a diesel and they only need rebuilding after 1,000,000 miles" [Even with Cats the truck companies figure around 1/2 that I hear, but I could be wrong on that]. "Many customers say they get MORE than the EPA gas mileage [48 mpg. Doubt if many customers ever talk with him again. But I could be wrong on this]. "The way to operate the stereo is with the bass and midrange about 3/4 of the whole way up, and the treble all the way up". [No, and I couldn't be wrong about this unless the mid fi manufacturers had completely changed their design philosophies, and skunks changed their stripes]

Thanks,

Mike

> From: "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@earthlink.net> > Organization: not likely > Reply-To: "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@earthlink.net> > Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 01:34:57 -0500 > To: "mike" <mwmiller@cwnet.com> > Subject: Re: Faintly Van related/TDI > >> Would you go to syn oil in a diesel and, if so, at what mileage? > > hmmm. don't know if i would ... don't know if any synthetics are rated > for diesels. check at the truck stops and see if they have any on the > shelf (near the counter where the truckers pay for their fuel). > anyway, i'm not convinced that it's cost-effective to use the > synthetics ... if you change your oil more often (than 'recommended'), > i think you're better off. synthetics tend to lull you into a false > sense of security (in my opinion) and you leave the oil in the engine > longer than you should. there's lots of other reasons, besides the oil > viscosity, to change the oil. on diesels, fuel dilution is a big > factor ... because of the high compression of diesel engines, some of > the fuel gets blown past the piston rings before it's ignited. this is > called blow-by. happens in all engines, but in gasoline engines, the > oil is hot enough (after the engine warms up) to evaporate almost all > the gasoline. in diesels, the diesel fuel doesn't evaporate ... so it > stays in the oil and makes it thinner and thinner. and it doesn't make > any difference if it's synthetic oil or dino oil. also there are acids > formed during combustion that make their way into the oil .. and > replacing the oil is the only way to get them out (well ... there was > this old-timer who would put a tablespoon of baking soda into his > engine oil every month!). :) > > anyway, to me, it's cheaper and better in the long run to change the > oil every 2500 miles. in a diesel, i'd suggest every 2000 miles. and > replace the filter that has trapped some of that acid and a good > portion of the particles and dirt that made it in past the air filter. > and change the air filter often in a diesel .. they suck a LOT of air. > a dirty air filter can make the exhaust black with soot (not enough > air getting in to mix with the fuel that's sprayed in), and when > that's happening, you can bet there's a lot of fuel being blown past > the piston rings. :( > > figure out the cost of a synthetic oil change (with filter). figure tw > o of those a year. now figure the cost of a dino oil change (with > filter). figure four of those a year. maybe six. see how it stacks up. > last time i checked the synthetic prices at wal-mart, it was just > about even. > and frequent changes with dino oil have an additional benefit ... it > makes you (or someone) look at the engine more often, so you see small > leaks or cuts on belts or wires that are fraying before they become a > major problem. > >> Insurance? Why should that be a problem? > > uh, the scam about having the wreck to get the insurance. ;) >


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