poll - high mileage civics, what oil U burn ?

My 98 DX Hatch has 280,000KM, original PCV valve (everything else under
the hood is still original...except timing belt, spark plug and air
filter). The car's been a regular beater since new and usually kisses
the Redline when in first or 2nd gear.

For the past 3 years, I've extended the oil change interval from
every 5000km to every 15,000km. The car looses about a quart every
3000km (less when not driven aggressively or during winter). Since the
Mobel-1 gets very expensive from constantly topping up (costing
$8/quart), I've since switched to Mobel-1 0w40 (instead of 5w30), in
the hopes that the heavier oil will reduce oil loss. It seems to work.
In my last oil change, I did about 20,000km and only needed 2 quarts
for topping up (normally, it should be twice as much).

The only downfall from having a base engine that's completely
broken-in for aggressive driving, is that upgraded to a more power full
GSR engine is unnecessary. I guess I'll have to content with the
public's assumption that I have something much more powerful under
the hood.

Pars

 

oil gets hot, valve cover gets hotter. oil splashes on valve cover,
vapors attract on valve cover, both bake and get sludgy. sludge drops
down, impedes flow through pump strainer screen, etc? makes sense.

i heard some 4s were involved too. and ill bet a lot of em were just off
lease

 

oil gets hot, valve cover gets hotter. oil splashes on valve cover,
vapors attract on valve cover, both bake and get sludgy. sludge drops
down, impedes flow through pump strainer screen, etc? makes sense.

i heard some 4s were involved too. and ill bet a lot of em were just off
lease

 

theres always walmart synthetic- $12 for a 5qt jug.

 

theres always walmart synthetic- $12 for a 5qt jug.

 

is that the stuff that had a red cap, now its yellow? is it labelled
"energy conserving", aka: has the starburst symbol?

 

is that the stuff that had a red cap, now its yellow? is it labelled
"energy conserving", aka: has the starburst symbol?

 

I meant that if I had money to throw away on the (apparently
only) outside possibility that there'd be a serious seal
failure, then I'd probably go for it.

Otherwise, I agree the price of the synthetic oil itself is
probably justified, given that it will require less frequent
oil changes.

 

I meant that if I had money to throw away on the (apparently
only) outside possibility that there'd be a serious seal
failure, then I'd probably go for it.

Otherwise, I agree the price of the synthetic oil itself is
probably justified, given that it will require less frequent
oil changes.

 

From a link on TeGGeR's FAQs: http://www.yotarepair.com/Sludge_Zone.html

Mike

 

From a link on TeGGeR's FAQs: http://www.yotarepair.com/Sludge_Zone.html

Mike

 

i found Amsoil at the local Canadian Tire (canadian version of i guess
walmart but we have those too).

$10 a liter though, wow....
t

 

isn't tech 2000 (walmart brand) made by safety kleen? and arent they a used
oil recycler? just wondering if the stuff with the walmart label is in fact
reconditioned used oil??

i have no data to back that up, but dealt with safety kleen in my former
employ with a company that used them to dispose of hazardous waste.
(Furniture factory, our old used rags and sludge in the paint shop).

t

 

I sure understand that. The risk/benefit on changing to synthetic really
isn't compelling on an older engine.

Mike

 

I sure understand that. The risk/benefit on changing to synthetic really
isn't compelling on an older engine.

Mike

 

from what i understand of synthetic oil production that would be probably
be a cheap way to get the base oil used to mfg the synthetic, i presume they
send it back through a refinement process to gather the base oil used for
various grades and since it is engineered oil then the oil produced is
probably not suspect ( ? )

robb

 

from what i understand of synthetic oil production that would be probably
be a cheap way to get the base oil used to mfg the synthetic, i presume they
send it back through a refinement process to gather the base oil used for
various grades and since it is engineered oil then the oil produced is
probably not suspect ( ? )

robb

 

Date: Mon, Jan 16 2006 3:55 am

?? What does this mean? Make synthetic from recycled oil?

 

Date: Mon, Jan 16 2006 3:55 am

?? What does this mean? Make synthetic from recycled oil?

 

It is extremely expensive to recover post-consumer motor oil, just like
it's extremely expensive to recover *anything* post-consumer except
aluminum. That would NOT be a "cheap way" to acquire a base stock. Unless
you ignore the millions it will/would cost in tax monies that are/would be
required to cajole refineries into taking the stuff.

It's the re-refinement that IS suspect, since some re-refining is done
better than others.