Do you feel it?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: KzMitch
The KZ900 doesn't necessarily run better, but it definately does SHIFT better. Much less effort. This has been true of every Japanese motorcycle I've owned.



Yes, on a bike and oil change is noticeable
 
Yes I feel it. If you guys can't tell the difference after fresh oil, then you guys aren't spiritually in tune with your car. You must become ONE with your car!
laugh.gif
 
Yes and no. For example, I did an oil change about a month ago where I took out used PP 5w-30 and replaced it with fresh PP 5w-30. I can't really tell any difference physically, but mentally I'm a little more relaxed knowing there's fresh oil in there.

However, I can sometimes notice small differences when changing brands of oil. Some oils are a little smoother, some are a little louder, etc. Most people say they can't tell a difference between brands, but I suspect the type of vehicle you're driving has something to do with it. Some cars seem like they go to great lengths to make the cabin feel as far away from the engine as possible that it's impossible to notice slight differences. Whereas other vehicles just go with basic noise reduction and if you drive the vehicle a lot and are very familiar with it, you can notice some of the differences. I feel my vehicle is one where I can notice the difference, however my sister's vehicles are more plush and I can't tell what's going on within the engine.
 
Well, not from one oil change to the next, but in some cases I've seen dramatic differences over the course of two or three changes (with shortened intervals). This christmas, for example, a friend lend me his Saab 900 2.1. (My own 900 awaits a gearbox rebuild, but parts are hard to find...)
He had bought the car not running and had swapped the shot engine with another used engine, which had been said to be running, but in otherwise unknown condition.
Well, it ran, but the hydraulic tappets were making a horrible noise when cold and the car generally ran vry rough. 1st oil change changed little, then after about 1 year/5000km the car got the 2nd change (mobil Delvac 10w-40), after 6 months and 5000km 3rd change (this time Shell HX7 5w-40).
The engine still runs rough, and the hydraulic tappets still make some noises at cold starts, but in my opinion it is now much quieter than it was a year before.
The mechanic who had serviced the car with the first change and then saw the car shortly after the 3rd change (and not in between) also commente don this...

So yes, oil changes make an engine feel differently - if it had been neglected before and the fresh oil has had some time (i.e. several oil changes) to clean it up.


The only times I noticed an immediate change was when I switched viscosities. Going from 10w-40 to 0w-40 really improved cold starts in the Saabs, but themost drastic hange I've ever seen was going from 15w-40 to 5w-40 in my old Mercedes 300d. This car has an oil pressure gauge, and whilst it could take up to 20 second to build up oil pressure when starting the engine in freezing temperatures with 15w-40, after going 5w-40 this time was cut to 3 or 4 seconds.
 
Actually, now that I thought about it more, I have one car (V6 RAV4) that have more knocking-like noise from cold engine (piston knock like) on fresh oil and goes away with more miles. It's subtle, but sometimes drives me nuts.
 
Our Navigator, which had 15% remaining on its OLM, was running like it had lost 4 rods and was ingesting marbles. After reading on the Internet about another Navigator that had the same issue and had gone to and left the dealer without resolution, I changed the oil to RT6, as they did with that truck. Runs like a dream since then.

Go figure.
 
The only thing I feel is the satisfaction of doing the oil and filter change.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Yes I feel it. If you guys can't tell the difference after fresh oil, then you guys aren't spiritually in tune with your car. You must become ONE with your car!
laugh.gif



You are right. I think I feel it now. Sub-zero temperature starts are definitely easier. Motor is quieter as well. Don't feel any performance increase but I feel like I am becoming one with the car.
 
Seat of the pants? No. Or even if I did, I'm sure it would be a psychological thing.

Makes me feel better about driving it though, that's for sure.
 
Have owned 15 cars in my day and all but one I could feel NO difference in performance when I changed the oil. My 2001 Ford Mustang V6 would begin to choke itself on Dino at 3K miles OCI. It would literally feel The car found the fountain of youth and it was so fun to drive for 2K miles before the next OCI. Maybe this is why I've never purchased another Ford, although I'm sure they are great cars that experience scared me a little.
 
Never felt any different between old vs new, brand X vs brand Y, Syn vs Dino. But I felt different between xW40 vs xW20 and xW30 vs xW20.
 
I've been changing the oil in my cars for the past thirty five years.
For the past thirty one, I've never had fewer than two cars to maintain and sometimes (now) as many as seven.
I'm going to guess that I've probably done 350 oil changes in this time, especially since I did 3K drains on everything in the bad old days of the 'eighties and early 'nineties.
I always find an engine to be smoother and quieter with fresh oil, and I don't think that I've been kidding myself about this for all of these years.
Even my wife can sometimes perceive a difference and will comment on it, though to her a car has always been and will always be a mere appliance, although as with any appliance, some are nicer than others.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top