View Poll Results: A poll
I have it done & use Synthetic blend
0
0%
Voters: 44. You may not vote on this poll
- Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
Monte Of The Month -- March 2007
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,264
From: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
i've never heard of champion labs filter's, do they make their own filters?? cuz a lot of the smaller companies just buy filters from the bigger companies and slap their name's on em...
maybe they're only in the states...never heard of em
maybe they're only in the states...never heard of em
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 833
From:
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
Champion Labs makes the following filters
AC Delco Ultraguard Gold
Bosch
Car And Driver
Champ
Deutsch
Mobil 1
STP
AC Delco Ultraguard Gold
Bosch
Car And Driver
Champ
Deutsch
Mobil 1
STP
Monte Of The Month -- March 2007
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,264
From: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
yah see and bosch, mobil1 and stp i wouldn't put on any of my cars
as for the mobil 1 one though i've heard fram is making that filter as well...
i dont think the debate on oil filters and oil will ever end...there's always going to be differences of opinions
but thats not a bad thing...
as for the mobil 1 one though i've heard fram is making that filter as well...
i dont think the debate on oil filters and oil will ever end...there's always going to be differences of opinions
but thats not a bad thing...
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 833
From:
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
Im just getting my info from what you all have posted on here in the last couple of days.....
http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html
As stated the only reason why I got an A/C filter at the time was because that is all they hadwhen I got my car.
http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html
As stated the only reason why I got an A/C filter at the time was because that is all they hadwhen I got my car.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 833
From:
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
Filters To AvoidThe following list of filters have known problems. You will see well-known names here and will probably be disappointed. This is because many of these brands have stopped making their own filters and buy from a common manufacturer.
Fram Extra GuardYears ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circuilating through my system. The oil passge to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.
Fram Double GuardAnother bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure releif valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.
PenzoilThis filter is a Fram! It is the exact same design as the Fram Extra Guard filter and it is junk. On the up side, it costs $1 less than the Fram version.
Quaker StateThis is another Fram Extra Guard that I have seen at K-mart. It used to be a Purolator, but Quaker State is now owned/controlled by Penzoil...
Fram Extra GuardYears ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circuilating through my system. The oil passge to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.
Fram Double GuardAnother bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure releif valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.
PenzoilThis filter is a Fram! It is the exact same design as the Fram Extra Guard filter and it is junk. On the up side, it costs $1 less than the Fram version.
Quaker StateThis is another Fram Extra Guard that I have seen at K-mart. It used to be a Purolator, but Quaker State is now owned/controlled by Penzoil...
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
ORIGINAL: Mrrench
Again this if from info that has been posted on here from GUYS IN THE FORUM......
Again this if from info that has been posted on here from GUYS IN THE FORUM......
Thanks Michael for your post & information. I've learned
what the members are doing & also a lot more
about oil & filters.
[hr]Below is to lighten things up : )
[:-]
[align=center]How To Change Your Oil
[blockquote]Women:
[*]Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 since the last oil change.
[*]Drink a cup of coffee.
[*]15 minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.
[/ol]Men:
[*]Go to O'Reilly auto parts and write a check for 50 dollars for oil, filter, oil lift (AKA kitty litter), hand cleaner and scented tree.
[*]Discover that the used oil container is full. Instead of taking it back to O'Reilly to recycle, dump in hole in back yard.
[*]Open a beer and drink it.
[*]Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
[*]Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
[*]In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
[*]Place drain pan under engine.
[*]Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
[*]Give up and use crescent wrench.
[*]Unscrew drain plug.
[*]Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil; get hot oil on you in process.
[*]Clean up.
[*]Have another beer while oil is draining.
[*]Look for oil filter wrench.
[*]Give up; poke oil filter with Phillips screwdriver and twist it off.
[*]Beer.
[*]Buddy shows up; finish case with him. Finish oil change tomorrow.
[*]Next day, drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car.
[*]Throw oil lift (AKA kitty litter) on oil spilled during step 18.
[*]Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
[*]Walk to 7-11; buy beer.
[*]Install new oil filter making sure to apply thin coat of clean oil to gasket first.
[*]Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
[*]Remember drain plug from step 11.
[*]Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
[*]Hurry to replace drain plug before the whole quart of fresh oil drains onto floor.
[*]Slip with wrench and bang knuckles on frame.
[*]Bang head on floor board in reaction.
[*]Begin cussing fit.
[*]Throw wrench.
[*]Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss December(1992) in the left boob.
[*]Clean up; apply Band-Aid to knuckle.
[*]Beer.
[*]Beer.
[*]Dump in additional 4 quarts of oil.
[*]Beer.
[*]Lower car from jack stands.
[*][left][b][size=4]Accidentally crush one of the jack stands
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
[align=center]Updated: 2007[/align][align=center]Oil Change Basics [/align][align=center]Things to consider before you do it yourself By DON FULLER[/align][align=center]
With various oil change franchises from coast-to-coast offering oil-and-filter jobs for cut-rate prices, it's getting tougher to rationalize changing your vehicle's oil yourself as a way to save money. So, if you get dirty and grimy, you don't necessarily save any money, and when you're through you have to find someplace to get rid of the old oil, why bother?
To maintain the vehicle's warranty, you need to maintain the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval. Maybe you want some quiet therapy . Maybe you enjoy working on the car. Maybe you just want the certainty of knowing exactly what kind of oil and filter were used. Whatever the reason, here are some tips that might help you with your next oil change.
Slick Info
The first consideration is the oil change interval. The owner's manual for one late-model vehicle lists an oil change interval of 7,500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. It also indicates to change the filter every 15,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.[/align][/align][ul][align=center][/align][/ul][align=center]
[/align][b]However, many people think the oil should be changed more often. To maintain the vehicle's warranty, you need to maintain the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval. But different kinds of driving may require more frequent changes. For example, for that very same car, the owner's manual instructs an oil-and-filter change interval of 3,750 miles or six months if it's being operated under severe conditions, which are defined as:
Severe Driving
> Driving less than five miles per trip, or less than 10 miles per trip in freezing weather
> [size=4]Driving in temperatures more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit
> Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving
> Towing a trailer, using a car-top carrier or driving in the mountains
> Driving on muddy, dusty or de-iced roads
Notice what's first: Short trips, particularly in cold weather. Engineers will tell you that that's just about the harshest duty cycle for engine lubrication. Consider this: In the morning, start it up and go five miles to work, then shut if off. Four hours later, for lunch, start it up, go two miles to a restaurant, then shut if off. About one hour later, start it up, go two miles back to work, then shut if off. Another four or five hours later, start it up, go five miles to home, then shut it off. It's been driven 14 miles, never once given a chance to get fully warmed up, and had four cold starts. The oil has never been able to get rid of the moisture that forms from condensation or the residues of combustion processes that would be burnt off with heat, everything turns to a thick sludge, and if you don't give it more frequent oil changes you're in for expensive trouble. That sludge can eventually clog the oil pump screen, lubrication gets shut off, and a connecting rod ends up going through the side of the engine block. Buying a new engine gets kind of expensive.
Warmed Over
On the other hand, a guy who starts up the car, hits the freeway and doesn't stop for 200 miles has done a lot less harm. His engine has had only one cold start and plenty of time to get everything fully warmed up and working properly.
What about those expensive oils that are claimed by their manufacturers to deliver much longer change intervals, such as 25,000 miles?
With various oil change franchises from coast-to-coast offering oil-and-filter jobs for cut-rate prices, it's getting tougher to rationalize changing your vehicle's oil yourself as a way to save money. So, if you get dirty and grimy, you don't necessarily save any money, and when you're through you have to find someplace to get rid of the old oil, why bother?
To maintain the vehicle's warranty, you need to maintain the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval. Maybe you want some quiet therapy . Maybe you enjoy working on the car. Maybe you just want the certainty of knowing exactly what kind of oil and filter were used. Whatever the reason, here are some tips that might help you with your next oil change.
Slick Info
The first consideration is the oil change interval. The owner's manual for one late-model vehicle lists an oil change interval of 7,500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. It also indicates to change the filter every 15,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.[/align][/align][ul][align=center][/align][/ul][align=center]
[/align][b]However, many people think the oil should be changed more often. To maintain the vehicle's warranty, you need to maintain the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval. But different kinds of driving may require more frequent changes. For example, for that very same car, the owner's manual instructs an oil-and-filter change interval of 3,750 miles or six months if it's being operated under severe conditions, which are defined as:
Severe Driving
> Driving less than five miles per trip, or less than 10 miles per trip in freezing weather
> [size=4]Driving in temperatures more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit
> Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving
> Towing a trailer, using a car-top carrier or driving in the mountains
> Driving on muddy, dusty or de-iced roads
Notice what's first: Short trips, particularly in cold weather. Engineers will tell you that that's just about the harshest duty cycle for engine lubrication. Consider this: In the morning, start it up and go five miles to work, then shut if off. Four hours later, for lunch, start it up, go two miles to a restaurant, then shut if off. About one hour later, start it up, go two miles back to work, then shut if off. Another four or five hours later, start it up, go five miles to home, then shut it off. It's been driven 14 miles, never once given a chance to get fully warmed up, and had four cold starts. The oil has never been able to get rid of the moisture that forms from condensation or the residues of combustion processes that would be burnt off with heat, everything turns to a thick sludge, and if you don't give it more frequent oil changes you're in for expensive trouble. That sludge can eventually clog the oil pump screen, lubrication gets shut off, and a connecting rod ends up going through the side of the engine block. Buying a new engine gets kind of expensive.
Warmed Over
On the other hand, a guy who starts up the car, hits the freeway and doesn't stop for 200 miles has done a lot less harm. His engine has had only one cold start and plenty of time to get everything fully warmed up and working properly.
What about those expensive oils that are claimed by their manufacturers to deliver much longer change intervals, such as 25,000 miles?
RE: - Do you change your own oil/filter ? -
[align=center]Synthetic Engine Oil
[font="arial, helvetica"][size=2]by Jim Kerr
Synthetic engine oils have been around for decades and work very well. Just like many other products, they are always being improved and boldly marketed. Motorists may not be sure if the manufacturer's advertised claims about the synthetic oils are correct, or if they are just hype to entice buyers to the more expensive lubricant. Recently Pennzoil came out with a new synthetic oil with their new special additive "Pennzane". I thought I would try the Pennzoil Synthetic oil in one of my own vehicles to see how it performed.
[/align][/align][/align]Let me start by saying I wasn't expecting miracles. Even though the "Pennzane" oil additive is a synthesized hydrocarbon fluid and has been used by NASA since 1989 as a lubricant for space-going mechanisms, I didn't expect to launch my pickup truck into orbit. I also didn't expect the synthetic oil to be a "Mechanic in a Can" and repair or eliminate any mechanical problems with my truck's engine (it has none I am aware of).
What I was expecting was better engine protection during extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, and maybe a slight change in engine performance. I was also interested to see if the synthetic oil would make any difference in exhaust emission levels.
An exhaust gas analysis of the truck shows the hydrocarbons levels slightly high, but the truck performing well otherwise.
Operating the truck on the dynamometer enabled a baseline horsepower and emissions test to be done while driving at 100 kph.
After running some preliminary tests, the old oil was drained and the engine filled with the new Pennzoil 10W-30 Synthetic engine oil with "Pennzane" additive.
[hr]
I started my investigation by running a baseline test on my truck. It is a full size GMC two-wheel drive pickup truck equipped with a 5.7 litre V8 engine and automatic transmission. The truck has had routine maintenance since new and with 30,000 kilometres on the vehicle, the engine has had a chance to break in completely. I hooked the truck up to our chassis dynamometer and drove it until the engine, transmission, and axle were completely warmed up. I was then ready to do some measurements.
The truck was due for an oil change, but I wanted to take an emissions sample and horsepower measurement before switching to the Pennzoil synthetic. I used a Snap-On four gas analyzer to check the exhaust emissions while driving the truck at 100 kph on the dyno. The readouts for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and oxygen were fine, but the hydrocarbons level was a little higher than I expected for a vehicle equipped with a catalytic converter. Perhaps the converter had degraded in performance because of using gasoline with a high sulphur content, or the engine could be running a little rich because of oxygen sensor contamination, but I was just interested in a base line measurement. I would have to check out the hydrocarbons level later.
[b]Next, I took a horsepower readout from the dyno. Rear wheel horsepower is always much lower than advertised horsepower rating but I wasn't after maximum horsepower; I wanted to see if there were any gains at part throttle driving. I set the dynamometer so it would load the vehicle with
[font="arial, helvetica"][size=2]by Jim Kerr
Synthetic engine oils have been around for decades and work very well. Just like many other products, they are always being improved and boldly marketed. Motorists may not be sure if the manufacturer's advertised claims about the synthetic oils are correct, or if they are just hype to entice buyers to the more expensive lubricant. Recently Pennzoil came out with a new synthetic oil with their new special additive "Pennzane". I thought I would try the Pennzoil Synthetic oil in one of my own vehicles to see how it performed.
[/align][/align][/align]Let me start by saying I wasn't expecting miracles. Even though the "Pennzane" oil additive is a synthesized hydrocarbon fluid and has been used by NASA since 1989 as a lubricant for space-going mechanisms, I didn't expect to launch my pickup truck into orbit. I also didn't expect the synthetic oil to be a "Mechanic in a Can" and repair or eliminate any mechanical problems with my truck's engine (it has none I am aware of).
What I was expecting was better engine protection during extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, and maybe a slight change in engine performance. I was also interested to see if the synthetic oil would make any difference in exhaust emission levels.
An exhaust gas analysis of the truck shows the hydrocarbons levels slightly high, but the truck performing well otherwise.
Operating the truck on the dynamometer enabled a baseline horsepower and emissions test to be done while driving at 100 kph.
After running some preliminary tests, the old oil was drained and the engine filled with the new Pennzoil 10W-30 Synthetic engine oil with "Pennzane" additive.
[hr]
I started my investigation by running a baseline test on my truck. It is a full size GMC two-wheel drive pickup truck equipped with a 5.7 litre V8 engine and automatic transmission. The truck has had routine maintenance since new and with 30,000 kilometres on the vehicle, the engine has had a chance to break in completely. I hooked the truck up to our chassis dynamometer and drove it until the engine, transmission, and axle were completely warmed up. I was then ready to do some measurements.
The truck was due for an oil change, but I wanted to take an emissions sample and horsepower measurement before switching to the Pennzoil synthetic. I used a Snap-On four gas analyzer to check the exhaust emissions while driving the truck at 100 kph on the dyno. The readouts for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and oxygen were fine, but the hydrocarbons level was a little higher than I expected for a vehicle equipped with a catalytic converter. Perhaps the converter had degraded in performance because of using gasoline with a high sulphur content, or the engine could be running a little rich because of oxygen sensor contamination, but I was just interested in a base line measurement. I would have to check out the hydrocarbons level later.
[b]Next, I took a horsepower readout from the dyno. Rear wheel horsepower is always much lower than advertised horsepower rating but I wasn't after maximum horsepower; I wanted to see if there were any gains at part throttle driving. I set the dynamometer so it would load the vehicle with