Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 13:33:41 -0700
Reply-To: jimt <wetwesty@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: jimt <wetwesty@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Subject: Re: Maintenance Schedule
In-Reply-To: <00f901c4d6a2$a6eb6ff0$c6ec79a5@jw1dy3621>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
On 11/29/04 11:05 PM, "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:
> yeah, but check the wording carefully in the manual ...
>
> "If you drive mostly short distances, or if you operate the vehicle in
> dusty areas, or under predominantly stop-and-go traffic conditions
> ..., the engine oil should be changed MORE FREQUENTLY.".
>
> other car companies call it "severe conditions", and they consider
> normal daily go-to-work driving as just that: severe conditions!
>
> so what's NOT severe conditions and what kind of driving is ok for
> 7500 mile oil changes?
> loooooong trips at highway speeds .. like from new york to los
> angeles.
>
> well, who the heck ever does that!!??? so basically, all the car
> companies are lying to you ... just to make you think their cars can
> go longer without maintenance. it's a crock.
> if you want the machine to last, you have to take care of it ... the
> old school ways are still the best.
>
> the best Rule of Thumb i've heard is this:
> *******************************************************
> change the oil every two months or 2000 miles, whichever comes first,
> in winter.
> change the oil every three months or 3000 miles, whichever comes
> first, in summer.
> *******************************************************
>
> in winter, the temps keep the oil from warming up fast enough, so it
> collects more condensation and acids and just plain crud.
> in summer, the oil warms up quicker, so you can go longer on it.
>
> so with regular dino oil (NOT synthetics), i would recommend to never
> go more than 3000 miles without changing the engine oil and filter. in
> fact, i've dropped my interval down to 2500 ... just so it divides
> nicely into the 7500 the book says. ;)
>
> i figure it this way ... a case of oil (12 cans/bottles) costs me $20.
> i'm kinda particular about the oil i use, so i spend more than i
> should. ;) an oil change uses 5 quarts. that's $8.33. a vw filter runs
> me about $7. so i'm spending a tad over $15 ever 2500 miles.
> for 15,000 miles a year, that's like 6 oil changes a year ... every
> two months. more or less. call it $100/year for oil changes.
>
> and a new engine would cost me what?? like $2500. so i can go 25 years
> changing oil at my schedule. :)
>
> like the old Bardahl ads used to say: you can pay me now, or you can
> pay me later. ;)
>
> good luck!
> joel
>
Mobile and shell published some stuff a couple years ago on the oils
being designed for added miles before changes vs the auto mfr staying with
their older standards for oil changes. Both basically said that even though
the oils were designed for it, the vehicle had to be designed for it as
well. Newer vehicles run hotter with finer tolerances so the gains in the
oil change are offset by the fact that the newer vehicle now needs even
better oil. Us with older engineered vehicles could probably get away with
longer oil changes but our vehicles actually have a much greater chance of
contaminants getting into our rather open engines. Cant win with vehicles,
only live with them. (or was that women?)
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
jimt
Planned insanity is best.
Remember that sanity is optional.
http://www.tactical-bus.info (tech info)
http://www.westydriver.com
| 
