Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Interval

[ATeam]

How much did you pay for your last oil change? What is that number times four? That is the cost savings you can realize over 150,000 miles if you change your oil every 25,000 miles instead of 15,000.

We have been doing 25,000 mile oil changes for a while now. At 200,000 miles, oil analysis results are normal and unchanged from when we did oil changes every 15,000 miles. No worries.

I have no worries because today, we are burning ultra low sulfer diesel fuel and running the better quality API CJ-4 oil, both of which are now commonplace, if not standard, out on the road. Also, our truck is equipped with a bypass oil filter. Once upon a time, more-frequent oil changes were wise. I believe that day is fading into the past.

The cost savings are undercut a bit by the oil you will add in 25,000 miles and the lube job you will need to do yourself or have done at the normal lubrication interval. But the savings still add up nicely.

I have heard of people out there that extend their oil change intervals beyond 25,000. We do not because our truck warranty would be voided if we did.

 

[TeamCaffee]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

We have also just added a bi pass filter to our truck and can all ready see a change in the condition of the oil. We are looking forward to our first oil sample with the bi pass filter. We figure with the cost saving we have with the bi pass filter we will have paid for the system in four months.

Bob put the system on himself so we also had the cost savings there. If you're semi mechanically inclined you will have no problems, took about one and half hours. We bought the OPS1 and Bob felt as if the system had very good install directions.

 

[LDB]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

>I have heard of people out there that extend their oil
>change intervals beyond 25,000. We do not because our truck
>warranty would be voided if we did.

Absolutely untrue. The Magnusson Moss Act prohibits such actions. Your warranty on certain specific engine components might be voided if it could be proven a failure to a lubricated part was due to extended change intervals. The remainder of the truck, including every part not lubricated by engine oil, would have full warranty regardless.

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[ATeam]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

You're right Leo. I should have been more specific. It is not the entire truck warranty that would be voided. Just the related engine parts if the oil was not properly maintained.

 

[theoldprof]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

A Team, you said "oil analysis results are normal and unchanged" Perzactly what is oil analysis, where is it done, etc. Thanks.

:+ :+

 

[greg334]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Phil,
I think that Volvo recommends a bypass system with regular OAs. I know that the EU versions of the truck has a longer oil change than here.

I would really be concern with the company that would not feel cleaner oil and less frequent oil changes would cause any problems even after the oil companies themselves talk about the advantage.

Which brings up another question, why isn't the manufactures embracing this? It has been around for some 65 years and the last time I checked there is not one manufacture that has a factory bypass system on a vehicle here in the US.

 

[davekc]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Which brings up another question, why isn't the manufactures embracing this? It has been around for some 65 years and the last time I checked there is not one manufacture that has a factory bypass system on a vehicle here in the US.
============================================
They don't because there are still issues with having them. Just because dirt is removed, that doesn't mean that there isn't contaminants or a viscosity breakdown. It doesn't mean they don't work, but the margin of failure changes. They (the manufacturer) want the best insurance. Oil changes at the recommended levels provides that.

Same deal with a Turbo3000. Have to be able to prove to a manufacturer that it works. They haven't, and so you see it on no engines. If it did, every engine manufacturer would be on it claiming they have the best economy etc.
Independent lab results mean nothing.











Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[RichM]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Prof an oil analysis is from a sample taken of your existing oil in the truck. A mass spectrometer breaks down the oil by molecular seperation of various compounds. Example if you have a high iron or brass content that may mean the rod bearings may be wearing down, glycol showing up would indicate a head gasket problem etc. There is a reading of what is called TBN which will give you the overall condition of the oil. It is best to always do this test when the oil being tested has the same mileage as the previous test did. That way you can compare readings and get a feel for if major components are wearing down.

Various oil companies offer these tests but you get an instant readout at any Speedco location for about $16.00.

 

[greg334]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Dave,
The additional filtration has really nothing to do with the issues you mentioned, viscosity breakdown comes from heat and if the heat is serious enough the engine will need help soon anyway.

I think that OPS1 is one of the better systems, which I have an Olberg filter which is really good too but the turbo3000 has a few puzzled and there is no real proof it works - it seems that everyone uses the really 'precise scientific' method how many gallons it took to fill the tank divided by how many miles driven when we have a 'hot fuel' issue throughout the country to say it actually say it saves fuel. I have yet to see an EPA style test (real world test with about $15K worth the test equipment) to prove it works. My dime to find a fuel saving device is on the hydrogen system for $900 a month lease from some company in Canada.

Sorry Phil for the departure.

 

[arkjarhead]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Phil,
I'm not trying to be a smart arse when I say this. You said something about lubing the truck yourself. Do you not have one of those deals that you shoot the grease in the alimights and it has tubes that carry it to the correct place? I forget what they call them. I know it makes greasing in those tight spots alot easier. I looked at a used pete once it had one. I sure wish I could remember what they call them.

 

[LDB]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

I've looked at the systems that automatically lube the chassis at every zerk fitting. They are pricey but appear to be good systems.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
OOIDA Life Member 677319, JOIN NOW
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[davekc]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Viscosity is usually related to heat, but not always. Also, as mentioned, there are other contaminants that may or may not filter.
If so, then manufacturers would have them on their trucks.






Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[riverrat2000]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

I have had a harvard bypass filter for 250,000 miles now, I do an oil analysis every time I have the truck lubed 10 to 15 thousand miles, I change the main oil and fuel filters every 20,000 and a complete oil change at 80,000 miles. The oil samples have alway came out fine with the exception of high copper levels which was traced back to the oil cooler. TBN.,base metals other than copper, sodium,viscosity,ect have always been in normal ranges and I could have went even longer but couldn't stand the idea of going any longer without changing the oil. One thought that the cat dealer told me though is to take the sample from the bypass filter tank instead of the crankcase because the bypass filter does such a good job of polishing the oil that if something were to become abnormal it wouldn't show up anyplace but the tank. this thing has saved me thousands, and the motor after 700,000 miles isn't using a drop of oil,this is one add on that was worth its weight in gold

 

[ATeam]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Our Volvo engine came from the factory with a bypass oil filter designed into it. You can see a picture of the filter at:

http://www.volvo.com/trucks/na/en-us/products/engines/engines.htm

Current photos do not picture the D-12 engine that we have. It is no longer made. D-11, D-13 and D-16 are the current choices.

In the photo, you will see three white canisters next to each other. The front two are full-flow oil filters. The rear one is the bypass oil filter. All three are changed with each oil change.

For those who may not know, a bypass filter is designed to filter oil at a much finer degree than the full-flow filters. While full-flow filters supply the engine's oil needs, the bypass filter receives and filters much smaller volume of oil through a different oil flow circuit, removing tiny particles from the oil that the full-flow filters are too coarse to catch.

 

[ATeam]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

ark,

My words were, "The cost savings are undercut a bit by the oil you will add in 25,000 miles and the lube job you will need to do yourself or have done at the normal lubrication interval. But the savings still add up nicely.

I did not say I do the lube jobs myself, though I do carry a grease gun with the right type of grease. When I bought it, I intended to do my own lube jobs between oil changes. But when it comes down to it, I find myself running through Speedco and paying them to do it instead. I don't recall the exact cost, around $25, I think. Sometimes it is just too easy to write a check.

 

[TeamCaffee]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

If every gadget or improvement device came standard on a truck can you imagine the cost of that truck? The manufactures watch their pennies and they sure are not going to put on anything extra they don't have to so their prices can stay competitive.


Why do we add a APU, air tabs, centramatics, nitrogen in the tires, Turbo 3000 Dvada, bi pass filters or even slowing down? It helps our bottom line and most of these items are bought with cash so you are not paying interest on them. Some people care about fuel economy and some do not.

 

[arkjarhead]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

I wasn't trying to bash you Phil I know you have a dressed out truck and I wasn't for sure if you had that thing whatever it is called. SOmething like a remote luber or something. Anyway just don't think I was trying to talk mess.

 

[ATeam]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

Understood

 

[pelicn]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

It was my understanding that by using the bypass oil filters you didn't need to do a complete oil change, just filter changes and make up oil. What am I missing here?

 

[davekc]

RE: Saving Money By Extending Your Oil Change Inte

That is usually the claim. I am still somewhat of a skeptic. I am still waiting on any of the oil manufacturers to use it. Volvo as mentioned has a bypass system, but you still have to change the oil at the manufacturers recommended levels.
The cost is too minumal for these not to be considered by any engine manufacturer. Since they don't, I have to wonder the reasons?









Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator