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CA to spend $$ to tell when to change Oil

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:19 pm
by MrJames
CA to spend $$ to tell when to change Oil

Maybe this is old news here. If not then here is an article about the story. It has a couple of bad writing issues in it but you may get the idea.

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High Gear MediaBy John Voelcker | High Gear Media – Thu, Jan 5, 2012 12:59 PM EST

Driving green means not changing your oil until you need to

When was the last time state tax dollars went toward telling you not to do something?

Ads against drunk driving, certainly. Perhaps ads against smoking cigarettes.

But now, California is embarking on a campaign to persuade its citizens not to change their oil so much.

More modern motor oils, better control of the combustion process through vastly more powerful electronic circuitry, and the persistence of generations-old auto advice have combined to lengthen oil-change intervals.

Yet many of us change our oil more often than we need to.

In California, in fact, roughly half of all drivers change their oil every 3,000 miles—or even more often!—despite manufacturers' recommended intervals for new cars that may be a multiple of that number.

And that, says California's Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery, wastes oil that could potentially have a far longer life.

According to a story in the Los Angeles Times, the department has launched an ad campaign to encourage owners to be aware of the recommended oil-change interval for their car.

The tagline "Check Your Number," is also the domain name for a website that links owners to a website that gives the the carmaker's recommended interval—these days, often 7,500 to 15,000 miles—for their specific vehicle.

That links to some general advice about what the number means, along descriptions of unusual driving patterns that might require more frequent oil changes. Other more standard advice: Keep your tires properly inflated and switch off the engine if the car is stopped for more than a few seconds.

If every driver moved to the recommended oil-change interval, says a department spokesman, 10 million gallons of engine oil could be saved each year.

The change might as much as halve the amount of money drivers spend on oil changes, which cost $25 and up at quick-change facilities and potentially more at dealerships.

While green concerns aren't necessarily top of mind for many car owners, even in California, the economic argument will likely resonate with lots of people feeling the pinch of the three-year-old recession.

In other words, it's a win-win situation: Driving green means only replacing your engine oil when you really need to, and that saves you money.

Even the shrillest talk-radio hosts may find it hard to fight that one—though we have a sneaking suspicion they'll try anyway.

Re: CA to spend $$ to tell when to change Oil

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:12 am
by LiftedAWDAstro
I often wonder if we really need to change the oil in our vans at 3k miles. I still do, but to the eye, the oil is black after a few hundred miles anyways. I had a 99 Silverado 2WD that had the 4.3 and 4L60E and an oil change monitor. It would trip between 4k and 5k miles depending on weather, idle time, city or highway distance etc. My wife had a 2008 Dodge Nitro that says 6k max. It also has an oil change monitor and that generally trips around 5k. A buddy has an 07 Tundra and that has an oil change interval around 7500 miles.

I would think the engine design, filtering efficiency and driving style would dictate oil change intervals. I tend to run WOT a lot and run conventional oil so I'll stick to the 3k on my van and truck.

Re: CA to spend $$ to tell when to change Oil

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:27 am
by okie1
Just changed mine the other day @ 3000 miles, really was not that dirty but that is when I have always changed oil in all my cars & have never had a failed engine, some started to use a little oil due to high mileage wear.

Re: CA to spend $$ to tell when to change Oil

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:06 am
by MountainManJoe
I agree with the article that people change their oil too often. 3,000 miles is a myth, and GM thinks so too.



This guy's van seems to confirm it:
http://www.millionmilevan.com/

These guys put fresh synthetic oil and a new filter into a car, and then sent samples of the oil to a lab for analysis every 1k miles driven. Mobil 1 held on for 18,000 miles, and didn't need its first oil filter until 12,000 miles. Even though they only tested synthetic oil, I'm sure standard oil lasts more than 3k. I wish someone would do a similar test for ordinary Walmart oil.
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stor ... -life.html
"3,000-mile oil change intervals is a ridiculous waste of resources."
"Each year, Americans consume 640 million gallons of motor oil. Even if we just went from your 3,000-mile interval to a 5,000-mile interval, that'd save 256 million gallons of oil. Most estimates for oil recycling peg the amount of recycled motor oil at no better than half, so even with the most generous estimate we'd still save 128 million gallons of oil pollution. In other words, if everyone increased their oil change interval by 2,000 miles, we'd save the nation the equivalent of 13 Exxon Valdez accidents each year."

Then there's the well known Consumer Reports article about a two-year motor oil test involving a fleet of 75 New York taxi cabs and found no noticeable advantage of synthetic oil over regular mineral oil.
http://www.xs11.com/xs11-info/51-consum ... nt&print=1
But that's another topic.

Re: CA to spend $$ to tell when to change Oil

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:29 am
by ihatemybike
I changed the oil in my dad's Lincoln yesterday and told him to come back in 5000. He questioned it, so I showed him in his manual where it says he could actually go longer than that and told him about the better oils and filters. He's always done 3000.

I've been using the Mobile 1 Extended performance oil with Mobile 1 filters in Green, supposed to good for 15000, but I change at 10000.

Amsoil says that using their oil and filters it's possible to go 25000 between changes.

I should get some oil sampling kits to see how things are going.

I've also been thinking about trying an oil bypass filter like what they use on big rigs and industrial engines. Could be interesting.

Re: CA to spend $$ to tell when to change Oil

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 12:18 pm
by astroturf
"If every driver moved to the recommended oil-change interval, says a department spokesman, 10 million gallons of engine oil could be saved each year."

Now it'n that just like Cali to want to... Save the Oils!

What a hoot, Gooooooo Cali