Blah said:
No manufacturer to my knowledge has ever give any break in
"requirements". However do you think its wise to rev that engine upto
7000 rpm every chance you get the first 500 miles? No? Engines do have a
break in time but no manufacturer is going to tell you that. Major proof
that you need to give your engine time to break in would be with
Cadillacs northstar engines. They have interference fit valves and if
you were to check the compression readings on a fresh motor to one with
1000 miles you would see a huge difference.
Lets see. New filter tech, tighter screen mesh, metal shavings and chips
from a brand new engine. Yeah I say its getting pretty restrictive.
Is this just idle speculation? Why wouldn't GM require an
early oil change if this was the case? I have cut a few
filters open and rarely see anything significant. It is easy
to examine the outside of the Vue's filter, and I haven't
seen anything of interest so far. There was nothing at all
left in the cartridge holder.
Everyone drives differently and in different climates. Some people are
harder on their engines than you and your sister....
Until this year my Sister's normal commute was 2 miles one
way. She essentially drove the car in 2 mile segments
separated by long periods of time parked. This is pretty
hard on an engine. I am easier on an engine than she by a
long shot.
and some people dont buy quality oils.
You need to define quality oil. If it meets the
specifications set forth in your owner's guide, then it
should be "quality oil." If it doesn't, then all bets are
off and you certainly shouldn't count on the oil change
indicatior.
Making a broad statement like that and expecting
everyone to have the same variables is a long shot. 4000 miles is the
limit I give any filter and 500 miles on a "fresh" engine is the limit
that should be given for both oil and filter.
And you are basing this limit on your Grandfather's wisdom?
You don't think the engineers at GM can size a filter to
last 75000 miles? How about European cars that use the same
size filter, but specify even longer oil change intervals
(10k or more miles)? Engines are better today, oil is better
today, filters are better today, fuel injection systems
don't dilute the oil with excess fuel, the oil isn't
contaminated with TEL, etc., etc., etc. - why do you think
you need to stick to the same oil change recommendations
that were in place in 1957? If anything, the oil change
intervals indicated by the oil change light are probably
conservative.
Besides that 100k miles on
that engine aint nothing. Thats a fraction of what a motor should be
able to reach if cared for. Sounds like the rest of it isnt keeping up
though so it wouldnt mater in that cars case.
You are now making my point. I have never gotten rid of a
vechile becasue of a bad engine. In the end, I dump them
becasue they are falling apart around a perfectly good
engine or becasue I am just tired of them. Why spend
hundreds extra making unecessary oil changes? Who are you
helping - the junk yard operator? I've have a 25 year old
farm tractor with 6000 hours (roughtly equivalent to 200,000
miles)that has a good engine and I have never changed the
oil more often than every 150 hours (roughly equivalent to
5,000 miles). This engines has been worked far harder, under
far more severe conditions than 95% of all car engines.
We all have to make our own decision on what is best.
However, I think we are being brain washed by places like
Jiffy Lube into believeing that we need to change our oil
every 3000 miles (or sooner). I believe that 5,000 mile oil
changes are mor ethan sufficient for 95% of all drivers. I
also applaud GM for including an oil change indicator that
is based on more than just miles in their newer vechiles. I
believe if owners would use this system, they can save
themselves time and money, while not reducing the useful
life of thier vehicles.
Regards,
Ed White
