If it works for you then great but I'd be concerned about viscosity, additive depletion and TBN. If the guy has coolant in his oil, will the TP remove it? I suspect not. How much can you actually save when when there's perfectly good oil available for half a dollar, especially when your buyimg expensive filters and a cheap one wouldn't effect performance? Don't say build quality here because being careful isn't in the profile.
The ultimate low cost oil change
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Back in the mid-90's I worked for an LTL carrier that had several shop trucks (Ford F350 V8 gas engines). They used them to service tractors at terminals that were within a days drive. Those shop pickups ran synthetic oils with long OCI's-20K or more. They were all pretty long lived-300K on the odometer was not uncommon. The trucks never towed anything, however they had utility boxes on them and were always full of parts, tools and equipment. I do not remember what brand of oil he used in them.
Other things went wrong-but I don't ever remember any lubrication related failures in the 10 years I worked for the carrier.
The shop manager was big into UOA's and knew exactly how long he could go on each type of equipment with different types of oil.
The line haul tractors went 20 or 30K between oil changes and the city tractors went around 15K. Granted, these were diesel engines with a much larger sump capacity. When I left they were beginning to test never changing the oil. Several test units (line haul tractors) were equipped with by-pass filters; filters would be changed, a sample taked for analysis, and the oil topped off on a regular basis. Unless the sample dictated otherwise the oil would not get changed.
A quality synthetic has the ability to go further than 10K in many applications, and in many cases does as is demonstrated on this board.
Shows you how little viscosity actually matters....
I mean, come on, he's filtering primo oils. Amsoil, M1 and Royal Purple? Filtered that's probably better than what many of us put in our cars. Gives me new hope for the 30 gallons or so of used M1 I have.
I mean, come on, he's filtering primo oils. Amsoil, M1 and Royal Purple? Filtered that's probably better than what many of us put in our cars. Gives me new hope for the 30 gallons or so of used M1 I have.
I remember that study. As I recall it was done with NY cabs and CR seemed to single out Penzoil as the top performer...
michaelc80
I agree with your story and the shop manager was a wise person. What I have seen so far is that the average V/8 engine gas or diesel, low mileage or high mileage is pushing the limit with 15 K max. I did run my diesel pickup 20 to 25 K with analysis, but I was doing 75 mile one way commutes to work way back then. I also had a bypass on the engine and changed the fullflow at 12K.
The average consumer looks at the bottle of oil with the 25,000 miles embossed on the label and thinks they can do the 25K without thinking twice.
What I have seen with analysis is 15 K is usually the max, and in fine print it states that severe duty (which fits most people) 15K is the limit. The 1 year theory is also a fine print statement, why, because the average person only puts 12K a year on. At 10K the oil has used MOST of it's life up for the average user.
I agree with your story and the shop manager was a wise person. What I have seen so far is that the average V/8 engine gas or diesel, low mileage or high mileage is pushing the limit with 15 K max. I did run my diesel pickup 20 to 25 K with analysis, but I was doing 75 mile one way commutes to work way back then. I also had a bypass on the engine and changed the fullflow at 12K.
The average consumer looks at the bottle of oil with the 25,000 miles embossed on the label and thinks they can do the 25K without thinking twice.
What I have seen with analysis is 15 K is usually the max, and in fine print it states that severe duty (which fits most people) 15K is the limit. The 1 year theory is also a fine print statement, why, because the average person only puts 12K a year on. At 10K the oil has used MOST of it's life up for the average user.
Thats what im saying, it defeats the purpose of this site.quote:
Originally posted by ScottB:
Shut down the site now - we're all wasting our time here...
Scott
Ding ding ding!! We have a winner!
I would draw the line at toilet paper oil though... aren't you extracting the good additives from the oil along with the nasty stuff? But if you've used it so long without problems, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.
Shut down the site now - we're all wasting our time here...
Scott
I think that all depends upon the situation and circumstances. My multiple UOAs on my wife's short-tripper Toyota Sequoia plainly show that the the either M1 5w30 or GC could go at least 15k miles. In my G35 using GC, 10k seems like the reasonable OCI, while leaving a generous safety margin, again, per my UOAs.
Even with cost aside, I think it's great how you are being so resourceful. If it were me, I'd install the bypass on the car. Sure, you'd be putting "dirty" oil into engine, but the bypass would clean that up quicky and continue to clean as long as you run it.
I don't have enough volume or the means to burn the spent oil for heat, so my collection center reaps that benefit.
Great job
I don't have enough volume or the means to burn the spent oil for heat, so my collection center reaps that benefit.
Great job
As others have ppointed out. Oil change with new oil with known viscosity, TBN and additives- couple of bucks. If you like dabbling..that's great. Just not for me anymore. I'm into less effort.
Cripes, I thought I was a cheapskate with my beloved .59 cent Chevron!
AstroVic, can you get your buddy in the delivery business to use 5w-20 and let us know the results?
I agree with Razl.
If you got a motorguard bypass on your car, the oil would be run through the TP many many times and would end up cleaner than through your system.
We always hear people talking (joking) about using other peoples' synthetic oil drained at 3k OCI's - but you're putting your money where your mouth is!!
How about a UOA before and after?
If you got a motorguard bypass on your car, the oil would be run through the TP many many times and would end up cleaner than through your system.
We always hear people talking (joking) about using other peoples' synthetic oil drained at 3k OCI's - but you're putting your money where your mouth is!!
How about a UOA before and after?
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