| sammyg2 |
12-08-2014 03:47 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by LakeCleElum
(Post 8387273)
The "3000 mile change" was around many years before quick change oil businesses existed.....I worked in a service station changing oil back in the mid-60's....As most of us here know, that 3K is now out-dated thinking, but many still stick to it, and places like JiffLube profit form it.........
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We're both correct, in different directions:
There was a time when changing oil frequently was a necessity, back when gasoline still HAD high sulfur content and carbs ran rich and ignition systems had points. The oil got diry fast. 3000 mile oil change intervals were fine, some people did it every 2000 miles.
Then in the late 70's with unleaded regular and smog motors and electronic ignition, engines ran cleaner, and oil lasted a little longer.
Then in the 80's with electronic fuel injection and computerized ignition they got even cleaner.
By the 90's, the OEM 3000 mile requirement was long, long gone for most cars. 7500 was not uncommon.
But in the 90's jiffylube decided to bring back the 3000 interval and started an aggressive guilt campaign and were very successful.
I read some documents regarding that back when I worked for Shell.
BYW, jiffylube is now giving up on that campaign due to environmental preessure and is saying it depends on the car and driving habits. IOW it's up to the manager of the jiffylube to make up what he wants.
Quote:
History of the 3,000 mile oil change myth
In the 1970s, typical cars took 10W-40 oil which was used for a duration of 2,000 mi (3,200 km) or less. In the 1980s, to improve fuel economy and engine performance 5W-30 oil was introduced which was then used for a duration of 3,000 miles. A modern typical vehicle would use 5W-20 viscosity oil or synthetic oils for durations greater than 7,500 miles (12,100 km).
From the early 1980s most oil change shops have been recommending an oil change every 3,000 miles. During the following decades engine technology and oil technology have advanced requiring less frequent oil changes under normal driving conditions.
This recently identified "myth" has continued to exist due to the complexity existing in today's car industry. The diverse array of cars and oil types available make it hard for an average person to reliably know what to do.
In response to this, car manufacturers include a manual with recommendations for how often the oil should be changed often including recommendations based on driving conditions. Some models now come with a monitoring system that alerts the driver when the oil needs changing. Depending on driving conditions, these can extend change intervals to 10,000 or 15,000 miles. In case of diesel engines and manufacturer recommended long-life oil, the indicated change interval can be as long as 19,000 miles (31,000 km) (BMW) or 30,000 miles (48,000 km) (VW).
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