Oil

Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
they tell us to change it after three months?

It depends on the mileage and to a lesser extent the environmental
conditions (dust, moisture, idling in heavy traffic, etc.). Since I
normally drive 1,000 miles a month or less and drive fairly
conservatively, I usually go six months or 5-6,000 miles or 6 months
between oil and filter changes (which I do myself to drain as much oil
as I possibly can) and have never had an oil-related problem, in fact
few non-routine car problems whatsoever.

If your car is subjected to severe driving or environmental conditions,
it may be a good idea to change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles or
so.


slatt333 wrote:
> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
> they tell us to change it after three months?

"slatt333" <slatt333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1164250223.708790.264610@j44g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
> they tell us to change it after three months?
>

No it doesn't. In my opinion and experience, the "3,000 miles or three
months" for motor oil is along the same lines as "lather, rinse, repeat" for
shampoo.

"slatt333" <slatt333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1164250223.708790.264610@j44g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
> they tell us to change it after three months?

If you have a reasonably new car, do yourself a big favor and switch to
Mobil 1 full synthetic 5w-30 and change your oil at 6000 mile intervals. The
oil changes per change may cost about twice as much, but overall the cost
will be the same or less than using conventional oils at 3000 mile
intervals, and the protection provided to your engine will be far superior.

"slatt333" <slatt333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1164250223.708790.264610@j44g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
> they tell us to change it after three months?
>

Actually the problem is that the oil will only hold so much in the way of
contaminants and the filter can only remove so much. After a while the
filter fills up and no longer filters adequately. Check the color. Note
that after 3 months, especially of hard driving, it's not clean anymore and
therefore isn't doing its primary job as well, i.e. lubricating the engine.

Years ago they only recommended changing the filter with every OTHER oil
change. Some cars had basically no real oil filter, e.g. Volkswagen Beetle.

Charles of Schaumburg

"n5hsr" <n5hsr@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:AtSdnbXXCNVJyfjYnZ2dnUVZ_oCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
> "slatt333" <slatt333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1164250223.708790.264610@j44g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
>> they tell us to change it after three months?
>>
>
> Actually the problem is that the oil will only hold so much in the way of
> contaminants and the filter can only remove so much. After a while the
> filter fills up and no longer filters adequately. Check the color. Note
> that after 3 months, especially of hard driving, it's not clean anymore
> and therefore isn't doing its primary job as well, i.e. lubricating the
> engine.
>
> Years ago they only recommended changing the filter with every OTHER oil
> change. Some cars had basically no real oil filter, e.g. Volkswagen
> Beetle.
>
> Charles of Schaumburg
>

What exactly would you define "hard driving" as? Long highway trip with no
stop, or in town traffic with many stops? I would have thought the first
one, but I would love to be sure about that.

"n5hsr" <n5hsr@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:08ydnccJuIxMSPjYnZ2dnUVZ_oadnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>
> "Reasoned Insanity" <mintclovers@@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:tbk9h.2060$%_2.695@newsfe19.lga...
>>
>> "n5hsr" <n5hsr@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:AtSdnbXXCNVJyfjYnZ2dnUVZ_oCdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>>>
>>> "slatt333" <slatt333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1164250223.708790.264610@j44g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>>>> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
>>>> they tell us to change it after three months?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Actually the problem is that the oil will only hold so much in the way
>>> of contaminants and the filter can only remove so much. After a while
>>> the filter fills up and no longer filters adequately. Check the color.
>>> Note that after 3 months, especially of hard driving, it's not clean
>>> anymore and therefore isn't doing its primary job as well, i.e.
>>> lubricating the engine.
>>>
>>> Years ago they only recommended changing the filter with every OTHER oil
>>> change. Some cars had basically no real oil filter, e.g. Volkswagen
>>> Beetle.
>>>
>>> Charles of Schaumburg
>>>
>>
>> What exactly would you define "hard driving" as? Long highway trip with
>> no stop, or in town traffic with many stops? I would have thought the
>> first one, but I would love to be sure about that.
>>
>
> Actually stop and go driving is actually harder on oil than steady highway
> driving. The oil never warms up properly or gets fully pushed through the
> engine at running pressure and temperature.
>
> Charles of Schaumburg
>

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. Add one more advantage to road trips
over in town trips.

"Don Fearn" <pooder@charter.net> wrote in message
news:50mbm2pm4ovj5pp7g1uscafqfr4cd66akd@4ax.com...
>I think it was "Reasoned Insanity" <mintclovers@@yahoo.com> who
> stated:
>
>>What exactly would you define "hard driving" as? Long highway trip with no
>>stop, or in town traffic with many stops? I would have thought the first
>>one, but I would love to be sure about that.
>
> Uh, no. Sustained long distance driving is easy on a car; it's the
> stop and go driving that puts high demands on the engine and
> everything else. Especially many short trips where the vehicle doesn't
> get the chance to warm up all the way to operating temperatures.
>
> -Don
> --
> "What do *you* care what other people think?" --Arline Feynman

Or get time to push it all the way through all the little nooks and crannies
that it does when it gets driven a long way and warms up.

Charles of Schaumburg

slatt333 wrote:
> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
> they tell us to change it after three months?

Why three months? If that is better than six months then obviously three
weeks will be better still. I recomend every third day to minimise
contamination, acid and sludge.
With Mobil1 of course.


Huw

"Huw" <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4sp2v2F10o2b9U1@mid.individual.net...
> slatt333 wrote:
>> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
>> they tell us to change it after three months?
>
> Why three months? If that is better than six months then obviously three
> weeks will be better still. I recomend every third day to minimise
> contamination, acid and sludge.
> With Mobil1 of course.
> Huw

Yes, definitely Mobil 1. Much better than that crap Castrol that the Brits
try to peddle in the US as real synthetic, when everyone knows it is a fake
and a fraud.

Mark A wrote:
> "Huw" <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:4sp2v2F10o2b9U1@mid.individual.net...
>> slatt333 wrote:
>>> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
>>> they tell us to change it after three months?
>>
>> Why three months? If that is better than six months then obviously
>> three weeks will be better still. I recomend every third day to
>> minimise contamination, acid and sludge.
>> With Mobil1 of course.
>> Huw
>
> Yes, definitely Mobil 1. Much better than that crap Castrol that the
> Brits try to peddle in the US as real synthetic, when everyone knows
> it is a fake and a fraud.

Oh yes, you would have to change that stuff at least daily, ideally three
times daily, just like common mineral oil.

Huw

Mark A wrote:
> "Huw" <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:4sp2v2F10o2b9U1@mid.individual.net...
>> slatt333 wrote:
>>> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
>>> they tell us to change it after three months?
>> Why three months? If that is better than six months then obviously three
>> weeks will be better still. I recomend every third day to minimise
>> contamination, acid and sludge.
>> With Mobil1 of course.
>> Huw
>
> Yes, definitely Mobil 1. Much better than that crap Castrol that the Brits
> try to peddle in the US as real synthetic, when everyone knows it is a fake
> and a fraud.
=====

What about regular Castrol? Is that stuff good, if not the synthetic
Castrol? I've had regular Castrol in my previous car before.

Built_Well wrote:
> Mark A wrote:
>> "Huw" <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
>> news:4sp2v2F10o2b9U1@mid.individual.net...
>>> slatt333 wrote:
>>>> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
>>>> they tell us to change it after three months?
>>> Why three months? If that is better than six months then obviously
>>> three weeks will be better still. I recomend every third day to
>>> minimise contamination, acid and sludge.
>>> With Mobil1 of course.
>>> Huw
>>
>> Yes, definitely Mobil 1. Much better than that crap Castrol that the
>> Brits try to peddle in the US as real synthetic, when everyone knows
>> it is a fake and a fraud.
> =====
>
> What about regular Castrol? Is that stuff good, if not the synthetic
> Castrol? I've had regular Castrol in my previous car before.
=====

This brings up another question. Who makes the best quality gasoline?
Is the best gasoline at Break Time, Shell, Phillips 66, or elsewhere?

"Built_Well" <built_well_toyota@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:456781fb$0$59507$892e0abb@auth.newsreader.oct anews.com...
> Built_Well wrote:
>> Built_Well wrote:
>>> Mark A wrote:
>>>> "Huw" <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
>>>> news:4sp2v2F10o2b9U1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>> slatt333 wrote:
>>>>>> Does all oil basically break down after three months and is that why
>>>>>> they tell us to change it after three months?
>>>>> Why three months? If that is better than six months then obviously
>>>>> three weeks will be better still. I recomend every third day to
>>>>> minimise contamination, acid and sludge.
>>>>> With Mobil1 of course.
>>>>> Huw
>>>>
>>>> Yes, definitely Mobil 1. Much better than that crap Castrol that the
>>>> Brits try to peddle in the US as real synthetic, when everyone knows it
>>>> is a fake and a fraud.
>>> =====
>>>
>>> What about regular Castrol? Is that stuff good, if not the synthetic
>>> Castrol? I've had regular Castrol in my previous car before.
>> =====
>>
>> This brings up another question. Who makes the best quality gasoline?
>> Is the best gasoline at Break Time, Shell, Phillips 66, or elsewhere?
> =====
>
> I want to get Toyota brand gasoline! ;-) [chuckle]
>
> Who makes the Toyota brand motor oil that the dealers use?

Mobil
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"Built_Well" <built_well_toyota@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:456781fb$0$59507$892e0abb@auth.newsreader.oct anews.com...
>
> Who makes the Toyota brand motor oil that the dealers use?

It may be that Toyota branded motor oil that is sold in the parts department
is from Mobil, but that changes from time to time.

However, if you get an oil change at a Toyota dealer, the odds of them using
Toyota branded oil are slim. Most of them buy oil in bulk from various
suppliers like Pennzoil/Quaker State (now owned by Shell), Castrol (now
owned by BP), Valvoline (Ashland), etc. If you want a full synthetic, most
will use Mobil 1.