Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » 9 car care myths you can ignore
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| Re: 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68882 is a reply to message #68855] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 10:05   |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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So true on all counts, except I'd go a little further on the Premium gas thing. Premium gas (assuming that it is a higher octane) slows down the flame front in the combustion chamber. That effectively will do the same thing as retarding the timing on a given engine. It's not a biggy, but has just the opposite effect of what people expect on an engine that doesn't need premium.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68915 is a reply to message #68910] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 14:20 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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""I think this article is very misleading on all counts. If you want to ignore warm ups and frequent oil changes, go ahead. Just remember, you are asking that GMC motor to pull the weight of 2 1/2 cars! Pay me now or pay me later applies. Keep changing that oil and letting it warm up if you want it to last. Obviosly synthetics can go longer, maybe 5K or so. ""
I think the article was primarily meant for today's car owners. Cars and trucks may have some specific requirements, but I still largely agree with the tips. The two issues you mentioned may be valid for our GMC's, but even then I still tend to agree with the myths. I have no problem running mine 7500 miles between changes and have done so for 20 years. The engine is still as quiet as the day I got it and seems to burn no oil (dino at that). As far as warm ups, I tend to not do that either. Obvously I take it easy until warmed up, but I have no qualms taking off immediately. Any wear while cold has already happened by the time it starts and I like to get it warmed up asap. Oil and filter change intervals are a great example of American Marketing genius. For modern engines, even 7500 miles is overdoing it. Most people who have oil life monitors enjoy 10,000 to 12,000 miles between changes--and that's based on the manufacturer's conservative usage tables.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68916 is a reply to message #68855] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 14:29 |
GeorgeRud
Messages: 1380
Registered: February 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
Karma: 0
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The oil change intervals really are a matter of preference, and many new cars come with installed warning lights that monitor how the car was driven as to when the oil should be changed. Not good for the oil change places, as they all go a lot further than 3000 miles!
When oil was cheap, it did no harm to throw $5 of oil an a new filter every so often, but no way does it have to be every at 3000 mile intervals. Same with synthetics, they're very good, but are they worth the price difference?
George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68917 is a reply to message #68915] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 14:44 |
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Bob,
I'm on your side for the mileage interval thing. As to warm up? It depends
on the age of the car. However, I never let a car idle more than a minute
unless it's been outside and very cold. In that case I let it go about three
minutes to be sure things are moving including the power steering and brake
fluid (I do push the brakes on occasion). I learned about letting the
steering and brakes do it's thing from a 2002 Kia Sedona I used to have.
That thing acted more like me in the morning than a piece of automotive
engineering.
Remember in the 60's when the auto companies were bragging that you could go
6,000 miles between oil changes? My dad was the VP of engineering at a
filter company then (and there are memories about Ford and the spin-on
filter, patent infringement, etc. that come to mind). He always said that
their tests proved the claim was valid provided that you started with a
clean engine.
He also did an experiment with a 65 Falcon. He set up an oil filter for a
large Cummins engine. The case was chrome and mounted on the engine side of
the RF fender. He'd drain a cup of oil every 5,000 miles. He finally changed
oil at 25,000 miles and said it was just about as clean and resilient as the
day it was put in.
I also recall one service station attendant checking the oil when I was
driving to/from college in the Falcon. I was wearing a dark suit. The car
was Polar White and as plain as they came. The attendant asked if "that
chrome thing has some kind of special radio equipment" thinking I was a
young, federal agent. I showed him where the oil lines led to/from the
engine block. He got his answer.
Byron Songer
1978 Royale by Coachmen
Louisville, KY
Personal - http://web.me.com/bnsonger
Eastern States - http://www.gmceast.com
Bob de Kruyff wrote:
> I think the article was primarily meant for today's car owners. Cars and
> trucks may have some specific requirements, but I still largely agree with the
> tips. The two issues you mentioned may be valid for our GMC's, but even then I
> still tend to agree with the myths. I have no problem running mine 7500 miles
> between changes and have done so for 20 years. The engine is still as quiet as
> the day I got it and seems to burn no oil (dino at that). As far as warm ups,
> I tend to not do that either. Obvously I take it easy until warmed up, but I
> have no qualms taking off immediately. Any wear while cold has already
> happened by the time it starts and I like to get it warmed up asap. Oil and
> filter change intervals are a great example of American Marketing genius. For
> modern engines, even 7500 miles is overdoing it. Most people who have oil life
> monitors enjoy 10,000 to 12,000 miles between changes--and that's based on the
> manufacturer's conservative usage tables.
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GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
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--
Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net
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| Re: [GMCnet] 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68920 is a reply to message #68917] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 15:37 |
GMCNUSA
Messages: 283
Registered: August 2006
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Synthetic or dino oil? This is about my GMC's oil and for less than $30 more per year I will use synthetic every spring and 3-4000 miles after that. Dick Paterson told me synthetic was best oil for my motor/his rebuild, and I have more money than nerve and I have no money.
Just call me chicken. LOL
Larry Dilk
Indianapolis, IN
76 Eleganza II
Patterson 455,Turbo City TBI,
Just LOVE It!
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| Re: [GMCnet] 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68950 is a reply to message #68920] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 18:40 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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""Synthetic or dino oil? This is about my GMC's oil and for less than $30 more per year I will use synthetic every spring and 3-4000 miles after that. Dick Paterson told me synthetic was best oil for my motor/his rebuild, and I have more money than nerve and I have no money. ""
I'm a fan of synthetic, but in my GMC, it seems to do best with straight 30 dino. Of course living in Phoenix makes that do-able. However, if you have a vehicle that burns any oil, synthetic will leave some very nasty glass like deposits in your engine depending on what is causing your oil consumption.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68954 is a reply to message #68950] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 19:14 |
Keith V
Messages: 2337
Registered: March 2008
Location: Mounds View,MN
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I am a huge fan of synthetic. The inside of my wifes 150k saturn look perfect and the oil pressure is good even after dumping about a gallon on antifreeze into the oil from a bad head gasket.
My Dodge minivan has 205k on the original transmission.
Synthetic all the way!
Keith Vasilakes
Mounds View. MN
75 ex Royale GMC
ask me about MicroLevel
Cell, 763-732-3419
My427v8@hotmail.com
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| Re: 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #68968 is a reply to message #68916] |
Wed, 30 December 2009 19:56 |
Chr$
Messages: 2690
Registered: January 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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I drove a 1990 3 liter Chrysler Lebaron for 120K miles, and stopped changing the oil regularly around 80K. I probably went 20K between changes. Never had a problem, and that mitsu 3 liter never burned oil, which they are notorious for doing. I guess all that dirt helped. 
That car was so reliable, the only thing I ever had trouble with was the power top motor, the rear window motors, and had to replace the $11 clutch cable. Would have made a great toad, being a 5 speed, but the ex got it in the divorce. 
-Chr$: Perpetual SmartAss
Scottsdale, AZ
77 Ex-Kingsley 455 SOLD!
2010 Nomad 24 Ft TT 390W PV W/MPPT, EV4010 and custom cargo door.
Photosite: Chrisc GMC:"It has Begun" TT: "The Other Woman"
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| Re: [GMCnet] 9 car care myths you can ignore [message #69025 is a reply to message #68886] |
Thu, 31 December 2009 03:37 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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| jimk wrote on Wed, 30 December 2009 10:12 |
Ken,
Where is Blain?
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He was home that last time I talked to him a couple of weeks ago.
I have been going to fly down there and return his hone. I keep getting sidetracked with other projects. Example: I bought another Colorado yesterday on the east coast that need go pick up next week. It has a smashed bed. On the return trip I'll stop Wheeling, WV for some wheels and in Ohio I'll pick up a replacement bed that I will then leave at Topeka Graphics to get painted. Both the truck and the bed are red but different colors. Thanks GM.
I need to call down there and talk to the airport manager (Blaine) and see how much snow is on the runway. I'll tell him you are looking for him.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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