Myth of Synthetic Oil Extended Change Interval

There is a myth floating around that I would like to quell. There is a misconception that if you use synthetic engine oil you can extend you oil change intervals as much as twice. I am not writing this article to put down synthetic oil. It is a wonderful product in many ways. It contains super friction modifiers and has viscosity stability control that organic oils just cannot achieve. However when placed in the internal combustion engine enviroment it still catches just as many contaminates as organic oil.

While it is true that synthetic oil envelopes contaminates better than organic oil, they are still there. They envelope the contaminate particles and allow them to collect in the oil filter without harm when they pass through and over vital engine parts.  I personally use synthetic oil and I do extend my oil change intervals but only by 1000 miles. There are absolutely no sludging problems with synthetics and internal engine heat handling is superior.

Idling of engines especially when cold puts gas contamination in engine oil. Now this is a contaminate that cannot be filtered out. While not harmful in small quantities it can build up with these extended oil change intervals. I cringe when I see or hear of people warming car engines up needlessly, like in the middle of summer. Why folks? With today’s fuel injected automobiles and superior lubricants you do more harm than good to your engine by prewarming. In the cold stage the PCM is sending rich fuel mixtures to your injectors. Too rich for an idling engine to burn. So it gets past your piston rings and into your crankcase to mix with your oil. Why not use that rich mixture to drive your car up to operating temperature. Driving will cause the engine to warm faster and stop dumping the rich mixture faster, saving gas and not diluting your oil.

Car Purchase Tips

Truck Tech’s tips on selecting a car for purchaseIn the past, repair shops were only interested in  making money repairing your car. Our shop wants to become actively involved in your vehicle from the selection – throughout the life of the car and all the way into trading or selling the car when your relationship with your car is over. Yes you heard right. Life is all about relationships and you and your car and you and your repair shop are 2 of the relationships in your life. After all a car is usually the 2nd major investment for a family after your residence.1) Select a car with widely available service repair facilities. You don’t want to be locked down  to returning to the dealer for all your service and repair needs especially after the warranty expires. Avoid extended warranty contracts. Most of them only cover about 50% of the repairs and expenses you are going to experience. You are better off paying as you go. Besides if you follow Truck Tech’s maintenance plans you will avoid emergency repairs which are generally the very expensive ones.
 
A) Avoid models that need specialty shops to perform the repairs. 
  A lot of Europeon cars fall prey to specialty shops with 
  expensive labor rates and parts. Choose a car with more choices for repair facilities.

B) Avoid car models that just recently appeared on the market even if they are produced by a major manufacturer. Aftermarket parts which normally tend to be more available and less expensive will not be available for these models for several years. These aftermarket parts prices are driven down by competition and can save you as much as 50% below dealer prices.

C) Check with TRUCKTECH1328@AOL.COM for recommended service intervals for the car you are considering. Some cars may be a bargain on the purchase price but need maintenance such as tune ups more often than others. These cars can drive your expense of operating that car sky high! We will be glad to answer any of your questions about maintenance. D) Choose a car with a good horsepower to weight balance. Just choosing a smaller engine in a car may not guarantee you will obtain good fuel mileage. You need enough engine to push the load. That is physics 101. If a smaller engine is pushing too much load it will certainly use more gas. If you need help deciding on a particular car and powerplant check with TRUCKTECH1328@AOL.COM.E) Pay attention to things that will require frequent maintenance such as rear drum brakes as opposed to rear disc brakes. Rear disc brakes will last twice as long and provide superior braking. An engine with a timing chain which is typically maintenance free for the life of the engine as opposed to a timing belt which requires periodic replacement. A car that is lighter on it’s tires will require less tire replacment. A straight rear axle as opposed to independent rear suspension although not as graceful of a ride will wear the tires less. If you are not sure and need advice email us at TRUCKTECH1328@AOL.COM . We will be glad to answer all your questions. Visit our website at www.trucktechautoandrv.com for further updates.