jx3

To vary RPMs the way you would through normal use throughout it's life.

irloyal

Ranger is too cautious and old school. Redline is available after a couple of hundred and should be used as part of the normal variation. Only reason you shouldn't redline for the first few hundred is to make sure valves are fully seated and spring retainers are seated.

Don't get me wrong, don't take to the redline and hold it there for hours or something silly. Modern engines are built to tight tolerances and need the heat and energy from some hard acceleration to scuff rings and avoid starting valleys in the cylinder walls.

Changing your oil every 4000 miles is also a waste of money and oil resources unless you are doing EXTREME driving (ie live on a dirt road and your HHR is a delivery vehicle that you shut off and start every 15 minutes) Follow the Chevrolet oil life monitor and you'll be fine.

And go to Bob is the oil guys web site to learn about oil. They have over 2000 regular members, many who are ASC mechanics, oil specialists, thermodynamic engineers etc. They know oil better than the Ranger or I ever will.

COOKZ32

Great Info Ranger, thanks not sure I want to redline it to soon anyway, but I may not be able to resist!! hahah

Thanks Again
Dan

Lone Ranger

I've been on BITOG since last year. And most over on BITOG would probably not run a conventional like Mobil Clean 5000 beyond 5000 miles on a regular basis, especially with mainly short distance drives. If I was running full Group IV PAO base stock synthetic I would follow the GM OLM more religiously. But @ less than $2/qt I'll continue changing out the MC 5000 every 4000. If they hadn't cut back the zinc and phosphorous when going to the SM standard to help save wear and tear on catalytic converters, I might also be inclined to run it a little longer. SL grade actually tended to have more anti-wear properties.

P.S. If you would read my post, you would see that my work commute is a short trip with plenty of stop and go which, especially in cold months of winter, certainly qualifies as severe service schedule. So I'll stick with the 4000 mile changes when using conventional Group II base stock oils. Also, as long as you drop off your used oil at a recycling point (Advance Auto Parts is who I use), it is not wasting oil resources becuase there are legit uses for the waste oil.

irloyal

So my questions to you:

With no knowledge of driving habits why do you tell Cookie to follow a schedule for severe driving?
And why don't you clearly point out that you have a severe driving schedule?
And why don't you point out that using group II conventional can still be extended beyond 4Kmi when you become an informed user. While many don't run beyond 5Kmi, with a good oil that has been analyzed you can start running it to 6K, 7K or even higher mileage.

I have no doubt that you are taking great care of your vehicle and that your schedule is right for you. I just don't think you should push it off on to someone else who can potentially get a better service life from their oil.

And BTW, yes, you are wasting oil resources if you change your oil too soon even if you recycle it (which everyone should do), since you are not maximizing the potential of the oil.

Finally a note to all:
You should never exceed manufacturer recomendations for oil use during the warranty period, you don't want to take the chance of voiding the warranty. You should become an informed consumer, and use that information to determine the most cost effective and environmentally effective uses of our oil resources that you can. Just by coming to a board like this and participating proves you are pretty sharp and are doing the right thing!

'Oyal

Snoopy

irloyal.......

YOUR last 3 paragraphs says it all.

I think I usually says....Whatever makes YOU comfortable!!

Lone Ranger

I never told Cookie to follow a severe schedule, where did you get that? I posted the schedule I follow regarding oil change, in response to your challenge.


Clearly point out? If it wasn't apparent in my 8:31 am post then I can't account for reading comprehension or lack thereof on the part of critics.

Because I believe that extending use of a conventional beyond 4000 or 5000 miles on a severe service maintenance schedule is risky at best, and not everyone is going to pay to have several oil runs analyzed in an attempt to stretch another couple thousand miles on a run of oil, especially when the cost of the oil analysis likely would exceed any cost savings gleaned from running the extra couple thousand miles, at least during the early stages when you're trying to establish a baseline for how the egine is wearing on that particular brand and grade of oil, as it would analyses of several back to back runs to capture a trend.

Agreed. But, again, not everyone is a BITOG'er who meticulously sends in oil samples for analysis, and thus without such information running to 6 or 7K is not always advisable.

You're manufacturing this supposed push off because no where did I say, this is the oil change interval the reader should adhere to. I said it is what I adhere to, and I mentioned it only to illustrate a factor related to engine break-in, i.e. apparent rate of oil consumption during an oil change interval.

I still disagree. Waste oil can displace use of virgin oil in asphalt production, if I remember right, for example.

Clevelandhhrss

I'll change mine when the DIC saids so. 54XX miles, 47% oil life left. NUFF SAID

JoeR

Rules to follow....

1. If you are a teen or thereabouts... Do not trust your DIC!! It had been proven, without a doubt that the male of the homo sapiens species is handicapped on this issue. There is only a given amount of blood volume. If it all goes to the brain, well, everything's usually OK. But if bloodflow is redirected to the penis, the brain is virtually cut off!

2. When it comes to your car.... Trust your DIC (the one in the car, dummy!).

kornellred

The owner's manual states that there is no break-in period. You are simply advised to vary your speed for the first 500 miles.

That seems unavoidable unless you get right out on the interstate and drive several hundred miles at a nearly constant speed.