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Cast iron engines need more oil changes ???

L

LJD

Well-known Member
I read in the news this morning that California wants to limit frequency of oil changes.

Yeah, I agree that probably a lot of oil is wasted by too many changes. But do we want a bureaucrat to tell us when?

The head of a California Auto Club stated the following. Seems kind of dumb and ill-informed to me. Somebody needs to tell this guy that aluminum blocks and pistons also expand. In fact, more then cast-iron. Besides, what the heck has metal expansion got to do with oil changes? Modern engines can go longer intervals because they burn cleaner, not because of metal expansion rates. Cleaner due to low-lead fuel and microprocessor controls.

Here's the head dunce's statement . . .

"The 3,000-mile oil change just says that the marketing campaign by quick-lube companies has been effective," said Steve Mazor, manager of the Auto Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center. It made sense years ago, when "we had cast-iron block engines with cast-iron pistons that would expand when they got hot and older lubricants," Mazor said.
 
"The 3,000-mile oil change just says that the marketing campaign by quick-lube companies has been effective."

I've been screamin' that for years. All ya do is wear out the threads on yer drain plug.

The one I really get a kick out of is the 'change it before winter storage and then don't forget to change again in the spring before hard work.'........What a crock.

Allan
 
I've got no argument that oil changes are often way overdone. If oil testing was easier and cheaper, it would make a lot more sense changing at X amount of miles or X amount of months.

Oil never "wears out" unless heated beyond its flash-point. The additives can become less effective over time.

I'm just perplexed at the head-Bozo's statements alluding to the idea that aluminum doesn't expand like cast-iron and therefore new engines with aluminum don't need as many oil changes? That is a dumb statement.
 
I am one that likes to wear the threads on the oil pan. I just started the three thousand mile oil changes about five years ago. Before that it was two thousand miles. Oil is not cheap but repairs are a lot higher. When I buy a car or truck it is driven till it is wore out then it goes for salvage. I have never bought a new vehicle in my life and I never will. What I buy now is something with at least a hundred thousand on it. I beleive in letting some one else work all the bugs out and then they trade them off and I can get a trouble free ride. JMO

Bob
 
Wasn't it originally 2000 miles? I was thinking that's what the two fingers in the Kendall Oil symbol was for?
I never heard how the experimant came out that the Car Talk guys on the radio were doing. One was trying to see how far he could go with his own personal car between changes. Seems like at one time he was up in the 70,000s.
As far as my 6.9 diesel pickup,I was changing that everytime I put new batteries in it. Got off that schedule when I had to change them in ungodly cold weather in February one year. I change it in the tractors a lot more often though,due to condensation.
I know guys who've worked in garages who still to this day say just change the filter and add a quart.
 
If you are buying used cars with that many miles on them how do you even know if the previous owner even changed the oil ? and then now to only go 2-3 thousand ?
 
My 1979, 1982, and 1988 GM manuals for gas or diesel recommend oil changes every 5000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first - for "normal" use.

My 83 diesel plow truck gets driven maybe 100 miles a year. I retired it from regular driving at 200K miles. I do NOT change the oil every year. Maybe every 3-4 years. For a 6.2 diesel, it's held up better then most.
 
Hey Dave,

Just wondered what the oil change frequencies are on your cars in Germany... I was still a kid when i left the UK but i seem to remember oil changes at 10 -12000 miles (once a year) for the last car my parents owned (a Volvo and Opel).

My Dodge truck get once a year, Cummins Diesel, 0W40 full synthetic, works about to about 14000 miles per.
 
Ya,the whole cast iron vs aluminum thing sounds pretty stupid. But,that's how extremist nut jobs work. Tell a lie often enough,it becomes the truth.
I can see computerized fuel injection,vs carburated,less chance of gas breaking down the oil,all that kind of thing,but not the whole cast iron thing.
 
This belongs on the same list of stupid ideas and reasoning as those who whine that Cows release so much methane gas that they must be taxed. I bear in mind that this idea is being generated in the land of fruits and nuts, California.
 
Pure bull. The cast iron pistons expanded less as they heated. They could be fitted tighter than can aluminum. Cast iron pistons are not good for high speed due to the weight. The weight was rougher on rod bearings. Prior to about 1955, most vehicles did not have oil filters standard and the add-on filters were just bypass flow, a very light oil flow through 1/4" tubing.
Filter
 
On my Land rover discovery,oil changes are every 10.000 miles. On my Leyland truck, grossing 90,000lbs in use, the changes are every 80,000 miles. So far she has covered well over 1 million miles on the original engine, clutch and transmission. Only had 3 sets of pads in the disc brakes, also
 
On my Land rover discovery,oil changes are every 10.000 miles. On my Leyland truck, grossing 90,000lbs in use, the changes are every 80,000 miles. So far she has covered well over 1 million miles on the original engine, clutch and transmission. Only had 3 sets of pads in the disc brakes, also both engines are cast iron.
 
Like you, what I buy has 100,000 or more. When it leaves it's on a trailer headed for scrap. Differance is, I shoot for a 5,000 mile oil change. Usually closer to 6 when I get to it. Last car I scraped, 94 La Sabre had 215,000 miles. Still ran good. Too many electical problems. Before that, 92 century. 242,000. Ran good yet. Right front A frame rotted out and folded up turning in the drive way. Todays engines last way longer because they took the lead out of the gas. Even the bare minimum of mantainance and the engine will still be running good when the car falls apart around it. Here in mich, anyway. Those in texas and arizona may fell differant. My opionion. Others may vary.
 
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