Months or miles?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jan 13 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]375157[/snapback]</div>

In North America the API (American Petroleum Institute) sets the oil standards. THey are naturally in a position to suggest far more frequent oil changes, and to also keep standards low too. The average motorist in North America believes all motor oils are exactly the same, since the API "Starburst" symbol sort of implies it.

In the EU, the car maker is allowed to set the standard. The ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Automobiles) has motor oil standards that are - on average - quite a bit stricter than the API standards.

For example: most ACEA spec oils require far greater thermal stability, much reduced oil consumption, far lower deposits, no cold-stuck oil rings, etc.

Check out the following paper, in particular Page 7

http://www.iantaylor.org.uk/papers/IMechEReview.pdf

Note how short the average American oil change interval is. Three months, vs up to 24 months in the EU. The industry in North America very heavily promotes frequent oil changes, which is natural as it's good for business. The quick-change type franchises do a thriving business.

It really opened my eyes when I tried to track down an unusual value on my first used oil analysis for my Prius. After chasing a lot of dead ends the testing lab suggested I try to obtain a sample of the oil used before switching to Mobil 1.

I should tell you at this point I was informed by the local dealer *and* by Toyota Canada that it was the use of Mobil1 that was causing the unusually high Na readings in my oil sample. But virgin samples from the same case of oil I had used simply disproved that.

The wonderful dealer oil was absolute crap, it had free moisture in it, trace iron, high sulfur, and high sodium. When I presented that finding to the dealer - and forwarded it to Toyota Canada - they changed their tune.

Like most modern garages they had a 250 litre plastic tote bin out back, and an automated dispenser system was used to pump oil into the motor. The technician dials in the desired amount - say 4 litres - and it pours out. Not only was there no way of verifying where they sourced the oil, but like almost every garage they had a glaring bult-in source of contamination: the tote bin vent pipe. It was just a pipe out the top of the tank, with a 180 degree bend in it.

That sort of tank venting will allow dirt and condensation/moisture accumulation in the tote bin. I do industrial process control, and have come to rely on this company for desiccant filter breather systems:

http://www.des-case.com

I strongly suggested to the dealer over a year ago to immediately install a desiccant tank breather system, and as of last month they had not. So caveat emptor.

There were some North American Toyota engines affected with an oil sludging problem. With oil as nasty as the dealer service oil, I'm not in the least bit surprised. One consequence of the oil sludge problem was a change in servicing intervals.

I used to have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner with a 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine. The book suggested a normal 12 month or 7,500 mile oil change interval, which I did with Mobil 1. No issues at all over 380,000 km.

Toyota now recommends, at least in my Prius, a 6 month or 5,000 mile interval. Which is about one half your interval, using the same petrol motor.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Jan 14 2007, 08:56 PM) [snapback]375652[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for comprehensive reply.

Is all the discarded oil wasted? In other words, when a dealer changes your oil what does he do with the waste oil?
I'm vague about what happens in the UK but there are laws that oil must not be permitted to run into public sewers. The surface and other drainage systems at filling stations are fitted with arrangements called "interceptors" which separate fuel and other oils from the watery part, so what happens to it then? I don't know.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jan 15 2007, 12:30 PM) [snapback]375979[/snapback]</div>

I know if you change your own oil, you're supposed to take the old oil into a recycling facility. I assume that oil change shops do the same.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Jan 15 2007, 03:30 PM) [snapback]375979[/snapback]</div>

Good question. At least around here, +25 years ago, used oil was sprayed on gravel roads to control dust. I imagine a lot of it ended up in the ecosystem.

In theory anyway, the way it works now, all used oil is collected and disposed of in an "approved" manner. That may include: a shop burning the oil in a specially modified oil heater, a power plant burning the oil, or reclaiming and reuse.

Here is one example of a used oil heater

http://www.reznorheaters.com/catalog-rv.html

The shops have large mild steel bins, around 200-1,000 litre capacity, to store the used oils. Used oils such as motor oil, transmission oil, and gear oil, are usually mixed together. A tanker truck stops around when needed to slurp out the used oil, which is then sent off to where it is needed.

I'm a bit leery of burning the used oils, as they tend to contain heavy metals and sulfurs.

 

I have a 2008 Prius, bought in January '08, and it has, as of today, June 21st, 1852 miles on it.

I used to drive a Wrangler, so I'm used to a car with ZERO problems, and would only service the car based on milage - so I ended up servicing the car every 3k miles, or every nine months.

My question: Will I really void the warranty if I service the car based on milage rather than time? Yes, it's been six months, but I don't even have 2k miles on the car.

thoughts???

thanks

 

which ever comes first-miles is what i go by, since i average about 5K/month