Placebo affect (?) of clean motor oil and a new air filter.

[vash]

my 2006 tacoma needed the stuff.

I changed the oil. I then took out the air cleaner to inspect. for the first time that I can remember, this was the first time I couldnt see sunlight creeping thru the filter element. oh-o. I went to the local shop and got hosed buying a WIX.

yesterday, going on my adventure my truck seemed smoother.

that has to be my imagination right? the air cleaner was dirty, but it wasn't debilitating.

I think it runs smoother with fresh motor oil too...placebo?

[gregpark]

Could be the air filter (or your imagination) but not the oil

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by vash

I think it runs smoother with fresh motor oil too...

Was it fresh "Cod-Liver Oil"?

I slay me

[Scott Douglas]

You should try washing the truck after changing the oil.

It really adds to the placebo effect as it goes thru the air a lot 'cleaner'.

[speeder]

If you clay bar it and wax plus check the tire pressure, it slices through the wind like a hot knife through butter.

[look 171]

New oil: 7 hp
Filter: 3hp
spark plugs (this is huge): 11hp
Clean exterior: 3 hp
Clean interior, especially the rug and floor mats, 5 hp.

It adds up.

No Vash, no real hp gain sadly, but I sure feel it too when I do mine. After a day or two, it goes back to slow again.

[rwest]

You and me brother, It always seems like the car runs smoother right after fresh oil and filter even though I can’t believe it would make a difference.

[look 171]

Funny or sad thing is, that extra smoothness or unfounded power only last the first couple miles. It must be the oil started to wear after couple miles of driving.

[juanbenae]

Tacos don't have one of those gauges on the intake that senses the vac rate, flow of the filter with red and green sections to tell you if it's obstructed or good?

[vash]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

Tacos don't have one of those gauges on the intake that senses the vac rate, flow of the filter with red and green sections to tell you if it's obstructed or good?

no. i dont think so. normally, i preemptively change out the engine air filter.

been 4x4ing to a lake and i suck a lot of dust.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Once, when I pulled the pan on my car, and the oil had a chance to drain out for over a week, I really looked forward to some powah gains due to super clean oil.

I put the car back together, and it ran like arse. I forgot to tighten the MAF up. "Where's my BIG POWAH?!?!?"
I was denied my free hp!!!!!

The oil did stay really clean though, for much longer than it usually did. Looking at the pan design, there was at least a 1/2 quart that was never getting drained. Probably at least a full quart (probably even more) when counting all the stuff that oozed out while I was waiting for parts.

[Zeke]

It's all in the mind. If you had someone do it you would not have the feeling. The air filter, however certainly might have made a difference.

[Scott Douglas]

Talk about oil not draining. Ever see the valve area of an F head head?
There are pockets about 1/2" deep that never drain since they sit in the casting such that there's no way out for the oil.
My '58 Jeep had sludge built up in there it was solid.
Probably should have left it there as the oil would have drained off the sludge without picking up any of it from a contamination standpoint.
How that engine managed to run when I first got it is beyond me.

[afterburn 549]

Every time I remove the recommended 5W20 from an engine and redo the O&F to 5W30, I could swear it makes a difference.
SMooooother, quieter for sure.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Put some TRD stickers on that baby and hold on tight!

[faverymi]

But it feels soooooooo good.

My cars all get like 10hp after a service. Who doesn't?

[911 Rod]

It doesn't matter as long as you feel good about it.
Have you done a drain and fill on the tranny?
I did mine on my Tundra last week and I swear it shifts smoother. Probably doesn't, but makes me feel good having done it.

[3rd_gear_Ted]

Please someone explain why changing automatic transmission fluid is a crap shoot in an older vehicle?

[afterburn 549]

What is a crap shoot about it?
and
When you say old, how old and what vehicles?
From experience, the old Fords (60s and 70s) would greatly benefit, especially if one had a few magnets in or on, under the pan.
Why ?
The Torq converters back then would shed metal particles, finer looking than the soot. On a magnet, it was EZ to see.
Changing the fluid is good for any transmission, and on these fords, it stopped the valve body from jamming up.
The pistons would get stuck, preventing the gear selected fwd or reverse from happening.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by 3rd_gear_Ted

Please someone explain why changing automatic transmission fluid is a crap shoot in an older vehicle?

I've read for at least on some of the volvos with "lifetime fluids", people go 100K-200K on the transmission oil (2000's era). Some dealerships are reluctant to do complete flushes on them b/c of liability, something like the debri in the worn out oil has worn the clutch plates to the point where if you remove the debri, there isn't anything holding it together. Removing the oil "somehow" removes some "stiction" quality, and with the new oil, the worn out plates slide and the tranny soon craps out- so people will do "partial flushes" instead. Also, i've seen it recommended to keep the old fluid and if the clutch slips, to put the old stuff back in. I haVE no idea how that much debri doesn't clog up the actuators and stuff.

I'm not advocating any of this- just relaying. In terms of total vs. partial flush, you'll see people who have done fine with full flushes, and people who have nothing but troubles. Hence the crapshoot. I'm of the opinion that that the transmission was gonna be on the way out anyway if it gets to that point. I wouldn't even report that if dealerships weren't saying that.


But if you catch the change early- then the debri hasn't damaged anything, so the flush works well. I've done at least 7 or so on my cars just fine.