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 Post subject: ALL YOUR OIL ANSWERS *edited
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:49 pm 
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OK, this topic comes and goes just about once a month and 9x out of 10 in ends in a massive explosion.

SO … This is the be all, end all thread of “When Should I Change My Oil”

THE THREAD IS LOCKED SO THAT IT DOES NOT TURN INTO A PI$$ING CONTEST. PLEASE READ AND IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD SEND ME A PM. IF I FEEL IT'S VALID I WILL ADD IT.

When asking this question you will get A LOT of different answers. Some say every 3,000 miles or 3 months no matter what. Some will say 6,000 miles or 6 months with good quality oil. Others will say do it when the manual says to and some will even say listen to what ExxonMobil says and change it every 12-15K or once a year using Extended Performance Mobil 1 oil.

Bottom line, there really isn’t a RIGHT or WRONG answer to this question. It’s more about user preferences and what makes you comfortable. If you are comfortable changing it every 12k or once a year then go for it. If you want to follow the manual and the dealer recommended service intervals then go for that.

The best advice on this topic is to do your own research and do whatever makes you comfortable. This is an OPINIONATED topic and remember, opinions are like stupid holes, everyone has one.

DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH INCLUDES:
- READING YOUR MANUAL
- TALKING TO YOUR LOCAL DEALER AND/OR DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORP.
- USING GOOLE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY
- USING THE LINKS PROVIDED BELOW



Another popular topic is "What Brand of Oil Should I Use?"Again, this is in OPINIONATED matter. Most people have a brand preference because that's what they've used over the years and some people really don't care what goes in as long as it works. The best answer is to do your own INDEPENDENT research and come to your own conclusions.

Here is a little info to get you started ...

CONVENTIONAL OIL
It is always recommended to change conventional oil between 3000-5000 miles. Their is minimal anti-ware & cleaning additives in conventional oil. This oil in most cases will not hold up & protect past 3000-5000 miles.

SYNTHETIC BLEND OIL
Synthetic Blend formulas are a blend of premium conventional base fluids and a high-performance synthetic fluid. Also, these formulas offer an extra level of cleaning agents versus conventional oil. These oil changes are recommended from 5000-7500 miles.

SYNTHETIC OIL
Yes Synthetic oil is better for your car. Yes you can go longer on oil change drains. Recommended drains range from 7,500 miles / 6 months to 15,000 miles / 1 year depending on which oil company you go with. Yes it will help with getting better gas mileage. NO it will not fix internal engine problems. Again I am not gonna debate on which brand of synthetic oil is better or worse so I will just talk about Synthetic Oil in general. Just remember that with Synthetic oil if you are going to be extending your drains you should get a high quality oil filter that can handle the extended drains.

WHY SYNTHETICS
Conventional oils come from crude oil that is pumped from the ground. Crude oil is made up of a complex mixture of molecules that form chains and rings of different sizes and shapes. Long chains of carbon atoms produce a thick, viscous fluid that flows slowly. Shorter chains produce fluid that flows more readily.

In an oil refinery, crude oil is separated into various fractions. These become the basis for lubricating oils and fuels. Thick tangled masses of carbon chains become asphaltic materials used in roofing tar and road work. Very short chains and ring compounds of carbon are volatile and can be refined to produce gasoline and other products.

While petroleum refining is an advanced science, small amounts of contaminants, such as sulfur and reactive hydrocarbons, cannot be completely removed from petroleum, and may end up in motor oil base stocks.

All motor oils are made up of base oils and additives. In general, fully synthetic motor oils contain non-conventional, high-performance fluids. Synthetic blends usually use some non-conventional, high-performance fluids in combination with conventional oil.

To meet the demanding requirements of today's specifications Synthetic Oil uses high-performance fluids, including polyalphaolefins (PAOs), along with more additives then conventional. Each viscosity grade (5w30, 10w30, etc.) uses a unique combination of synthetic fluids and selected additives in order to tailor the viscosity grade to its specific application.

WHAT BRAND OF MOTOR OIL SHOULD I USE?
If you ask what brand of motor oil to use you will get different answers from different people. I say use Mobil, other people say use Royal Purple, some people say use Valvoline, some people say use Amsoil, etc. ... There is no right or wrong answer on which oil to use. The best thing to do is so some research on each brand and see what floats your boat the most.

Here are some links to a few oil company's ... Do your research and use what you think is best.

www.mobil1.com www.exxon.com www.valvoline.com www.royalpurple.com www.amsoil.com www.shell.com www.castrol.com www.quakerstate.com www.penzoil.com



**DISCLAIMER** I am in NO WAY saying that you should ignore your manual and/or dealer recommend service intervals.

_________________
Out - 2008 Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4
In - 2011 Jeep Liberty Carbon Edition http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3972889/2 ... ed-edition


Last edited by Mike08Liberty on Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:25 pm 
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One of the only ways to tell the condition of your oil is to use S•O•S (Scheduled Oil Sampling). By using a service like this, one can effectively extend their oil change interval only if the test support extended drain intervals. Now I have taken this directly from the Caterpillar maintenance manual.

What is SOS? Regular laboratory analysis of your engine’s oil, as well as the fluids from other components like hydraulics, transmission, final drive and cooling system.

Why is it important? Analyzing fluids on a regular basis gives you insight into the internal condition of critical (and most expensive to fix) components. Small problems are kept from growing into big ones. Repairs can often be forecast and planned.


Caterpillar has developed a maintenance management tool that evaluates oil degradation and detects the early signs of wear on internal components. The Caterpillar tool for oil analysis is called S·O·S Oil Analysis and the tool is part of the S·O·S Services program. S·O·S Oil Analysis divides oil analysis into four categories:


Component wear rate

Oil condition

Oil contamination

Oil identification

Component wear rate analysis evaluates the wear that is taking place inside the lubricated compartment. The S·O·S analyst uses the results of elemental analysis and particle count tests to evaluate the wear. Trend analysis and proprietary wear tables are then used to determine if wear rates are normal or abnormal.

Oil Condition analysis is used to determine if the oil has degraded. Tests are done to look at the oxidation, sulfation, and viscosity of the oil. The S·O·S analyst uses established guidelines or trend analysis to determine if the oil has reached the end of its useful life.

Oil Contamination tests are performed to determine if anything harmful has entered the oil. This analysis relies on the results from the following tests: elemental analysis, soot, particle count, fuel dilution, water, and glycol. The S·O·S Services program has guidelines for the level of contamination that is allowed in the various compartments of a Cat machine.

Oil Identification is another very important part of the S·O·S Oil Analysis program. The wrong oil in a compartment can severely damage major components. The S·O·S analyst uses elemental analysis and viscosity results to identify key characteristics of the oils.

These four types of analysis are used to monitor the condition of your equipment, and to help you identify potential problems. A properly administered S·O·S Services Oil Analysis program will reduce repair costs and the program will lessen the impact of downtime.

The S·O·S Oil Analysis program uses a wide range of tests to determine the condition of the oil and the condition of the lubricated compartment.

Guidelines that are based on experience and a correlation to failures have been established for these tests. See the following chart for the guidelines. Exceeding one or more of these guidelines could indicate serious fluid degradation or a pending component failure. A trained person at your Caterpillar dealership should make the final analysis.

Note: Cooling system problems will also reduce the life of engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems. S·O·S Coolant Analysis together with S·O·S Oil Analysis provide a complete and accurate method for monitoring the health of all machine systems. Refer to the S·O·S Coolant Analysis information in this publication. A properly administered S·O·S Services program will reduce repair costs and lessen the impact of downtime.





SOS samples are very informative and vital for the heavy equipment market and can also be very useful of the light duty/automotive market. Many places offer oil analysis. If you would like more info, please feel free to contact me.

_________________
2008 KK Liberty Sport NIGHT OPS EDITION + GILLS
OEM & Custom Skids - Factory Tow Package - Rock Lizard Skink Super Sliders
Prototype JBA 4 Inch Lift - JBA UCA's - Flowmaster Super 44 OR - Whacked Resonator
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:19 pm 
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Well it has come to my attention that we need to dive in to this a little further......

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2008 KK Liberty Sport NIGHT OPS EDITION + GILLS
OEM & Custom Skids - Factory Tow Package - Rock Lizard Skink Super Sliders
Prototype JBA 4 Inch Lift - JBA UCA's - Flowmaster Super 44 OR - Whacked Resonator
Jet Stage 2 - RL Gecko Basket Rack - Custom Winch Bumper - Recon 10.5K Winch
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:27 pm 
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Here is a little something that was passed along to me from another L.O.S.T. Member....



The nation's top mechanics are rejecting the recommendation by some in the auto field that cars can go 5,000 miles or more before oil is changed. The nation's top mechanics, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified Master Automobile technicians, weighed in on this and other issues in a survey conducted by ***** . Other issues in the survey, fielded in April, include:

* Current state of the American auto industry
* Controversial recommendation and trend toward longer intervals between oil changes
* Costs to car owners of delayed maintenance

"Certified Master Automobile Technicians are the best of the best," said ASE President Ron Weiner. "They are on the front lines of taking care of today's vehicles and they have definite thoughts on how motorists can participate in making their cars and trucks run better and last longer."
Oil Change Frequency

Mechanics view oil as the lifeblood of the car engine, with 84 percent saying not getting a regular oil change can cause the most problems for a vehicle, when compared to other maintenance issues. Sixty percent of the ASE certified master technicians said the oil should be changed at 3,000 miles - the longtime, recommended standard. Only 29 percent said between 3,000-5,000 miles is okay. Acceptability of 5,000 to 10,000 miles before an oil change is virtually non-existent at two percent.

"The message from the top mechanics in the country comes out loud and clear," said ***** Marketing Director Bryan Emrich. "Changing oil with quality motor oil, like *****, at regular intervals is the best way to prevent damage to your car's engine and keep more money in your pocket." Emrich said regular oil changes protect the engine and reduce sludge, which can impact engine performance and avoid costly repairs.


Cited from http://vioc.com/car-care/mechanics-veto ... anges.html

_________________
2008 KK Liberty Sport NIGHT OPS EDITION + GILLS
OEM & Custom Skids - Factory Tow Package - Rock Lizard Skink Super Sliders
Prototype JBA 4 Inch Lift - JBA UCA's - Flowmaster Super 44 OR - Whacked Resonator
Jet Stage 2 - RL Gecko Basket Rack - Custom Winch Bumper - Recon 10.5K Winch
Image


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:33 pm 
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Now, the information above has been provided to you, the end user, to aid the decision as to oil change intervals. In no way, shape, or form are "we" telling the end user what schedule to follow. Again, the decision is up to you and or your mechanic and or dealership.


If you would like to discuss this in greater detail, or believe that information you have should be add, please contact me, or an admin....

_________________
2008 KK Liberty Sport NIGHT OPS EDITION + GILLS
OEM & Custom Skids - Factory Tow Package - Rock Lizard Skink Super Sliders
Prototype JBA 4 Inch Lift - JBA UCA's - Flowmaster Super 44 OR - Whacked Resonator
Jet Stage 2 - RL Gecko Basket Rack - Custom Winch Bumper - Recon 10.5K Winch
Image


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