Changed oil to 0W20

[shatto]

Originally Posted by i-DSi

This is not true.
The 20W30 will be thicker all the way up till they both reach normal operating temp. And as this takes in winter 30 minutes and in summer 20 minutes you will definitely see an improvement in mileage. Especially in my case where it's 30 minutes one way to work.
And in my case it's possible I'm comming from 10W40 or 5W30 (I don't know what was in). And that makes a noticable difference.

You misread what I said, which is what you said.
MPG likely will not improve, changing from the same viscosity conventional or synthetic blend oil to full synthetic oil. If it does....goody!

Oil related engine failure? Extremely rare.
What does happen is the 'high wear' areas, like rings, wear out fast and the rest of us occasionally get behind a smoking two year old car.

[add|ct]

I know the 2.5L V6 Stratus engines from 99-05(or so?) had serious problems with sludge if minimal lapses in maintenance were allowed. Some mechanical issue(related to but perhaps not the engines primary components themselves?) put that engine at such a high likelihood of having the 'black sludge of death' that if I ever had to drive one I'd never go 1 mile past 3k, even with a synthetic. Unless people were willing to pay for my oil analysis(sies?).

ADDED: I may re-consider if the entire engine were re-manufactured by the dealer for free with a 100k or 10 year warranty.

[theholycow]

I'm just always trying to find the real data. I know what could happen, but I want to know who has actually suffered by following (but not exceeding) the manufacturer's recommendations. I haven't even gotten a report of smoke or sludge.

So far, all I can come up with is hearsay about mismanufactured engines from Toyota (sludge), Saturn (rings - after ten years, not two), and now the Dodge 2.5L that, due to being defective, are that sensitive. I bet if everybody followed the maintenance schedule instead of changing their oil early, Dodge would have been forced to fix their problem by 2001 instead of 2005 and would have had to fix the mismanufactured engines. Even so, I haven't received any actual reports of it, just common knowledge.

[i-DSi]

Originally Posted by theholycow

....I want to know who has actually suffered by following (but not exceeding) the manufacturer's recommendations. I haven't even gotten a report of smoke or sludge.

HC, you are right man.

Just a general remark: here in Europe is very common to follow manufacturers maintenance recommandations. Meaning keeping the oil in for a whole year or until you reach 15.000 miles. I've done this my whole life and never had the slightest problem.
It is such a waste of oil and recources...what I read from (a lot of) Americans: change oil after some months or 3 to 5k miles (even on this forum!?). If this would be necessary, than it's time to introduce some quality engines (or oil?) in the States.
But don't take my remark personally guys.

[theholycow]

i-DSi, those are exactly the types of thoughts I have. I wasn't aware that in Europe it is common to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. I guess there's a huge amount of data just waiting for me to look outside the US.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I think the main issue is all of the quick lube shops push you to change every 3,000 miles because the way they see it, every vehicle on the road is "severe service". Americans buy into the hype, and the quick lubes make more money because you're changing your oil 2 or 3 times as often. Personally, I do it the same as my father did on his cars when I was growing up. The manual said every 7.500 miles, but he did it every 5,000 because it was easy to tell when it was due just by looking at the odometer. This is what I do with my vehicles. 5,000 miles on the odometer, and it gets changed. My "extra protection" is that I use synthetic oil instead of the dino juice that dad used in the 80's.

[add|ct]

So, right there is at least part of the reason for the increase in oil consumption in the US, just from changing the oil too often. Can't a lot of the cars in Europe run diesel, though? Its kinda like that whole Smart car in Europe vs the 'not so' Smart version sold in the US, just because of not allowing a diesel fueled passenger car to be sold in America legally??

[Jay2TheRescue]

I don't think a diesel passenger vehicle is illegal, but the American public would be very reluctant to buy them. Too many bad memories of diesels that were sold to the American public that couldn't get out of their own way, plus the older models were noisy, smoked, and smelled.

Now I know that diesels are no longer like that, but most Americans don't, and therefore would not even look at the cars.

[add|ct]

...but it is true they can't sell the diesel Smart Car in America. The one that gets 90+ MPG?

[shatto]

The diesel SmartCar isn't sold for the same reason Fiat and Citro?n pulled out of America, and We couldn't get the HO Cummins for our Ram in California.

GOVERNMENT.

The feds and every state have so many regulations and it is so expensive to meet each that it is simpler not to ante-up and play the game.

I don't for a minute think that Americans are so stupid they cannot be educated to and accept the benefits of diesels or any other superior technology.
My proof? The Prius is subsidized because we know it isn't cost effictive and.... just wait to see the colossal flop of the Volt.