Change oil?

Taxi cab service is actually ideal for oil lasting. It's the short trip operation where the oil doesn't come up to temperature long enough that can cause damage.

In livery service Lincoln Town Cars easily lasted 500,000 miles on the little 302's and 4.6 liter engines.

 

oh,that oil stuff

Had a conversation,in the mid-90's,with a gentleman---about his mid-70's MBZ 450 SEL. He said he changed his oil every 1500 miles,because he thought every 3000 miles was too long.At 3000 miles,the oil looked too dark and dirty for his tastes(not the eating and drinking tastes,although,crude oil DOES come by it's flavor naturally)and he didn't want his precious baby suffering from bad oil.He credited the fact that his engine had never needed any surgery,in just over twenty years,to his changing the oil more often than recommended...Most oils out now,brag about being able to outlast the 3000 mile standard,from ages past.So,every 3 or 4000 miles should not be so bad.Basically,it's when the oil on the dipstick starts to look like black coffee,that something should be done.Because you don't want it to get to the point that it looks like molasses...Also Lucas Oil and a few others,make stuff to add to your oil,when it's gotten a bit older,that helps replenish those additives and detergents the oil came with.If you want to go down that route...

 

My brother has an 89 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 that he hasn't changed the oil in about 5 years. He just tops it off. He's been expecting the engine to go for a few years and it keeps on ticking with over 200k miles and still has the original clutch. Never changed the differential oil or transmission fluid (manual.)

 

Ford tough!!!!

 

Maybe he should change the oil more often.

It was a good engine to begin with and if one doesn't thrash on it too much it should go quite a few miles. But an oil analysis will reveal if the oil has sheared or there are any particles of concern in the oil.

Seriously though, one could easily change the filter on a regular basis and top off as necessary and it would be enough for a long engine life. In fact that's the basis of a few aftermarket systems that work especially well for applications where it's hard to get to the filter, like boats.


And I think that when your friend sees the gunk that does eventually come out of that diff he will have wished he had changed it sooner, just as a favour to a reliable piece of machinery.

 

His plan is to drive it till it dies. He lives about a 1/4 mile from the ocean and it is rusted pretty bad.

 

It may collapse first.

 

What he may be doing,is what I've done with some of my cars.Replacing with good oil,the bad oil that's leaking out somewhere,so it's always fairly good oil in there.

 

Part of the story of the first "exploding Pinto" was that it had broke down at just under 40,000 miles,because the owner hadn't changed the oil yet...The last part of the story was,as it sat in the fast lane,where it had stalled out,a 68 Impala---with a 427 up front---smacked into it at 70+ mph... I'm willing to bet a 76 Fleetwood Brougham Sedan DeVille would blow up in a big a$$ ball of fire,if you hit it from behind with a 68 427 Impala going 70+ mph!..

 

I use Mobil1. I change the oil & filter every 7,000, and do a (Wix) filter only in between at 3,500.

Thinking about changing to 4,000 & 8,000 miles.