Engine oil

[Sherman Bird]

So you believe they spend billions of dollars to make their equipment outlast the owner because that is what is in their best interest? Where many of us believe the opposite, that they use engineers to build equipment that is harder and harder to service and tech like pre heated fluids that will lead to lower service life. Why was it necessary to make transmissions that you cant even check the level of? Transmissions that cost 800-1200 just fr a fluid change? MDS systems that shut down cylinders but yet send double the gas to the cylinders that are firing? Refuse to address hemi tick and cam failures because most of those happen right as the truck leaves warranty. Kind of the perfect storm? for auto manu's?

Because if vehicles last as long as they should, auto manufacturers will go out of business. I'd bet good money they spend a ton of time figuring out how to sell more vehicles not less. Very likely the "friendly" leases that have exploded over the last decade or two is an example.

You make good points! But manufacturers do not sell vehicles! Madison Avenue Ad agencies do that..... Social culture does that. Emotional factors do that! Watch any NFL football game.... and what are the commercials chiefly? Beer and Trucks!

Look at Subaru! Their "Love" marketing along with dogs in the ads has caused their sales to skyrocket! Several other manufacturers have started emulating Subaru. That is emotion selling the product. I don't want a Subaru.... just not my schtick! But some soccer mom seeing the "love" inference accenuated by a film clip of the safety automation within the ad is going to think like the Mother bear protecting her cubs and buy the product from subliminal factors!

The "Gladiator" mentality that is an undercurrent present in watching football prompts a certain subliminal Tarzan Machismo. Remember Sam Elliot's Baritone voice talking about "Ram Tough"? These ads aired during football games... not golf! Golf ads are usually high end luxo-cars.

Consumers wreck and destroy cars at an alarming rate! Manufacturers don't need to make poor quality vehicles! Consumers do a great job on their own turning them into junk. I own a very old truck that has been pretty well cared for.... still on the road... an 18 year old SUV with 266 thousand miles on it, and it still runs perfect, doesn't leak a drop, which I'd take on the road at will... and we have. This SUV has had good maintenance performed since day on... and, yes, it has been flushed many times! These are key reasons it still is a dependable, viable mode of transportation!

Ram is a very high quality product in today's market. Problem is, folks get caught up is a syndrome known as "Conclusion bias". You see or hear about problem in, say, a few hundred Hemi engines.... and all of the sudden the Hemi is junk! Never mind the million or so out there on the road that have never had the "tick" or any of the other seemingly prolific problems.... it's a matter of perspective.... and, even though a truck costs north of 70 grand these days, they still break!

 

[Lyle Longboat]

I run 5w30 or 0w30 in my Toyota LOL LOL LOL

I thought Rams where “crap” Scotty Kilmer and you’re Toyota’s!

 

[Sherman Bird]

I thought Rams where “crap” Scotty Kilmer and you’re Toyota’s!

Scotty Kilmer is a mouthy guy who, I'm surprised hasn't had his proverbial ass sued off! I watch his posts and just cringe! Maybe the big boys in the manufacturing world realize Scotty is a gnat among giants and choose their battles.

Also, if you read between the lines, Scotty proffers his very myopic opinion as gospel fact! Talk about Conclusion Bias!

 

[Sherman Bird]

In general, a 5-30 in TX, FL, etc. will be thinner than an 5-20 in MN, MT or Canada at most times.

Forget CAFE, use your intellect and choose what fits your climate the best.

In one of my GM factory classes years ago was all about oil. The DX block Oldsmobile Diesel engine had just been released and GM was paying millions in warranty claims for entire engine replacements due to extreme sludge/carbon deposits on the piston rings. I'd tear down one for inspection and it took a chisel to remove the piston rings from the grooves, thus destroying the usability of the piston.... so GM would just have us replace the entire engine! These were not engines that had been neglected for oil changes by any means! The culprit, so it turned out after GM spent a fortune in lubricant research, was 10W40 oil. It was the particular polymer for THAT particular weight range, and wasn't affecting the other multigrade oils. The fix was either 5W30, or 15W40. I think it was mighty good of GM to step up and replace those engines on vehicles with upwards of 80-100K miles on them. They admitted the problem and set about making it right!

For many years, GM owners' manuals SPECIFICALLY warned against 10W40 oil in any of their products!

The temperature guides in most owners' manuals do show the heavier 5W30 as an option in climes as that as we have here in Houston. My KIA has very small diameter oil passages in the engine... so I believe them when they recommend 5W20.

As far as the never ending debate over brand or base, well, that is so subjective to what Grampa used, or uncle Bill put in his old Plymouth that facts are usually drowned out by loyalty to the influence of our ancestors. Problem is, materials and manufacturing tolerances and processes coupled with modern engine/emissions controls, that our ancestors are no longer correct. When some Bubba touts his Pennzoil, or Quaker state, I realize the source, and use my education and studied awareness to guide me to the best things for my cars.

I must be doing something right to have 266,000 trouble free miles on my SUV, so I believe I'll keep using what the manufacturer recommends. I have so far, and so far, no problems!

Ask me about air filters! I dare you!

 

[Lyle Longboat]

Scotty Kilmer is a mouthy guy who, I'm surprised hasn't had his proverbial ass sued off! I watch his posts and just cringe! Maybe the big boys in the manufacturing world realize Scotty is a gnat among giants and choose their battles.

Also, if you read between the lines, Scotty proffers his very myopic opinion as gospel fact! Talk about Conclusion Bias!

Scotty is just slow and loves his Toyota’s! Poor little ******* don’t know any better! lol

 

[gfh77665]

The temperature guides in most owners' manuals do show the heavier 5W30 as an option in climes as that as we have here in Houston. My KIA has very small diameter oil passages in the engine... so I believe them when they recommend 5W20.

Ask me about air filters! I dare you!

Hi there, I am your neighbor in Baytown. So, seriously, what about air filters?

 

[Sherman Bird]

Hi there, I am your neighbor in Baytown. So, seriously, what about air filters?

If you spend a lot of time on the highways or freeways, take your air filter out of your vehicle after 30-40K miles and disassemble it and spread the accordian out flat. Then get some white paper towels and shake the debris out onto the paper towels. You will see some jet black debris, no doubt, among all the other dirt. That, my friend, is tire dust..... yes, as tires go down the road, they microscopically disintegrate. That's the nature of where the tread goes which results in worn out tires.

The rubber micro particulate can find its way through a cheapo filter's substrate and on to contaminating the MAF (mass airflow sensor) and on into the engine.

Higher end (read "expensive") air filters are treated with a special coating that traps this tire debris as well as others, while still allowing adequate air flow. I always try to install a factory OE filter in my cars as well as my customers' cars. Barring that, I choose WIX air filters, because they have this treatment.

There is a manufacturer of an air filter that requires oil to do it's job.... and the substrate is so poor, that when a bright light is shined through it, I've seen holes large enough to put a straight pin through without touching anything. As for the oil? it most definitely will contaminate the MAF sensor! There is absolutely no performance to be gained by use of these filters.

BTW, be sure and remove the plastic wrap that envelopes the new air filter before you install it! I actually had a customer install his own air filter and it got sucked into the MAF because he failed to remove this wrap.... the car had to be towed in!