sooper rescue: That is why I still insist that you cannot go 9000 miles before oil change. The best is 6000 miles or 6 months, even if you import Castrol oil to use here. There are real Mobil 1 being sold in the country. Try the Mobil along Lekki expressway. and the one in Maryland in Ikeja. They cant afford to sell fake oil there.

IdaraCHODB:

Thanks, I know the place, will pick it tomorrow and do an oil and filter change so i can begin my comparative tests

KA24DETT: You guys are something else. 3000mile oil change is a myth, myth propagated by jiffy lube to scam people and changing your oil before 3000mile does not mean ur car will last longer. Changing you oil every 3000miles does not provide any added benefit,
If you are running synthetic like i do, u can go up to 10,000miles on one oil change. Synthetic oil does not break down easily like petroleum based oils do. U just have to make sure u are using the real thing

All in, follow your manufacturers recomended oil change interval. Auto manufacturers from ford, GM are changing the regular oil change interval. Toyota are changing their oil change interval to 10,000miles with synthetic change. Mobil 1 Extended Performance is GURANTEED for 15,000 miles.15,000 miles, thats what most nigerians drive in a year

IdaraCHODB:

Ka24dett, herein lies the dilemma.

Some older cars state 3000 miles in their manual, and then the owners get confused because the manual says 3000 miles or 3 months and although the manual may specify synthetic, but the synthetic manufacturer says 10,000 miles or even 15,000. To make matters even more confusing, the oil manufacturer might even say follow the recommended OCI of your car manufacturer!

While some users even boast of 25,000 mile OCI with the same synthetic!

SO who is saying the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

And who do I side with the manufacturer of the car who knows more about the car OR the manufacturer of the oil who knows more about the oil.

One of my older cars specifies synthetic (Mobil1) and 3000 miles/3 months

But i have been following the schedule but using conventional oil and an economy oil filter

Now am switching to synthetic oil (Mobil1 ) and a high performance oil filter (Bosch DistancePlus to be precise) and 9,000 mile OCI. ( it appears that if your car uses timing chains, has overhead camshafts, has roller lifters, synthetic is the way to go, so am converting after suffering from the need to do an engine overhaul from sustained/extreme high speed driving with conventional oil in the engine)

After conducting extensive research, am damning the manufacturer OCI but others might remain in a quandary

Ka24dett, are you running extended OCI on specialized oil filters or an economy oil filter?

http://www.boschautoparts.com/filters/pages/distanceplusoilfilters.aspx

babs2aroks: Well As for me. I work on with "maintainance Required" Light.Once it pops up on the Dash I get my oil Drained and Replaced with a New filter.

About Viscosity of oils...to be honest we basically have 20W50 flooded in the Market When I 1st got my 06/07 Accord I searched for the recomended oil but to no avail

Now I stick to using mobil 20W50 I guess its because of our high temperature we don't need to use the manufactures spec(correct me if am wrong) in nigeria.

OP: Am sure you camry has a "MNT RQD" light. Change your oil when it comes up and reset the oil lifer after each service.that's what I do.

sooper rescue: 3000 miles or 3 months for conventional oils while synthetic is 6000 miles or 10000 kms or 6 months for synthetic oil. Although synthetic oil tries to eliminate sludge from engines, try and delay the service interval and all you get is sludge and sludge is the number one issue with modern cars. Anyone defending longer service interval should check their engine oil chamber and dip their hand into the chamber and see what comes out. If there is no sludge, congrats, but if there is sludge, congrats too.
Please read this.

Oil Sludge Problem:
Oil sludge is a real problem today. A vehicle cannot be adequately protected with a N3000 oil change. Let's be realistic. Maybe better stated, you get what you pay for...and quality oil changes are the most important maintenance you can do for your vehicle. If an oil sludge problem develops in your vehicle, it will be an extremely expensive repair. More and more people experience issues with poor oil flow due to sludge (where the oil turns to gel). What is the cause of this problem and is it avoidable? The cause is the properties and characteristics of conventional oil becomes stressed. Once a conventional oil reaches the engineering specifications for which it was designed, it will then breakdown into a gel that sticks to your engine and all moving parts in lieu of circulating and keeping your engine cool. As the gel settles in the engine, it actually stores heat instead of providing the cooling necessary for your engine. Sludge is the thickening and breakdown of the oil as it deteriorates, and as moisture and contaminants build up. This is what causes the oil to gel, resulting in excess wear as friction increases or, in extreme cases, a catastrophic failure of the engine due to lack of lubrication between moving parts. There are currently many legal issues and manufacturer litigation around sludge build up. Many companies, such as Volkswagen, have sent out technical service advisories to immediately switch to a fully synthetic oil.

Oil sludge usually starts in the top end of an engine (valve cover area) and the oil pan. The immediate damage begins to occur when the sludge or gel begins to block the oil screen siphon. Once this blockage occurs, catastrophic failure of the engine is eminent. The oil level of the engine may actually look fine...but your engine is truly being damaged by every stroke of your crank and camshaft as your engine loses oil pressure and no longer lubricates correctly. This is a huge issue for cars built in 1996 and newer.


Why did this start occurring in 1996 and newer vehicles? There are several issues...
• Many Lube shops that are competing for market share are trying to differentiate themselves as being the low cost leader and thus competing for consumers that think they are getting a bargain. How do they give oil changes for N300 to N500. Very low performing single grade oil that is purchased in bulk along with very cheap oil filters. Combine the very cheapest products along with very low skilled or inexperienced technicians and you have a N4500 oil change that will only add to sludge and other damage, as well as low performance to your engine and shorten the life of your vehicle.

• US Federal Emissions Specifications have really got tough from the mid 1990’s. In 1996 the tighter federal emissions standards were enacted. Combined with leaner fuel mixtures and higher combustion temperatures, sludge starts to appear as a real industry problem.

• Fuel economy pressures have led the manufacturers to engineer their vehicles for lower viscosity engine oils. When low quality conventional oil is used, these oils break down very fast in day-to-day driving.




This problem can be avoided or mitigated if the sludge formation has begun to occur (something you may not be aware of until it is too late). The only action that can be taken is to change your engine oil to a top quality synthetic oil. OANDO SYN, Mobil 1, Total Q9000 is recommended to replace the conventional oil being used that causes the damage in the first place. Anyone that chooses to use conventional oil is simply asking for severe engine problems. That is not an opinion; it is a proven fact. That is exactly why conventional oil must be changed at 3,000 miles to maintain the minimum protection properties, and OANDO SYN, Mobil 1 at 6,000 miles - pretty significant difference.

When changing from a conventional oil to a synthetic, such as OANDO SYN, it is best to first flush the engine and try to clean out the sludge build up.
Don't put clean synthetic oil in a dirty engine!

When an engine gets dirty, even regular oil changes can't help restore its operating efficiency. The detergent/dispersant's in most conventional engine oils can't handle the abnormal amounts of contamination found in a "dirty" engine. The new oil becomes dirty long before it should, losing much of its ability to lubricate and protect your engine and actually accelerating the formation of more sludge and varnish.

In this age of longer recommended drain intervals, it is especially important to have a clean engine before changing oil. Using our Fast Acting Engine Flush when you change oil is an excellent way to guarantee your engine stays clean. It has special solvents and cleaning agents that act fast but gently to remove harmful deposits that can cost you money in excessive fuel consumption and mechanical repairs.

Engine Flush is especially recommended for use before changing to Synthetic Motor Oils, or changing to conventional oils assuring that these super premium long life oils provide the maximum protection and service life they are designed to deliver.
The OANDO AUTOCARE Formula
for Better Engine Performance
1) FLUSH: To quickly clean residual sludge and engine deposits, Engine Flush is recommended: Add the flush and wash the cover. Idle the engine for 5-8 minutes, then immediately drain the old oil and flush. Then pour in the new oil and new Oil filter.
*Note: Engine Flush is not recommended for use in transmissions, differentials, air-cooled engines, engines that share a common oil sump with the transmission (motorcycles & ATV's) or engines not equipped with an oil filter.
2) POUR: Fill the engine's crankcase with the OANDO Synthetic Motor Oil 5w40 or Mobil 1 0w40 of the viscosity grade recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer or Conventional Oils that will eliminate sludge from your engines. OANDO Synthetic Motor Oils are highly resistant to oxidation and provide exceptional detergent/dispersant properties, helping keep your engine free of further sludge and varnish build-up.

Femtol2009: This is an interesting thread,but I must say the long hours spent in traffic has nothing to do with mileage accumulation on the odometer as the odometer only count when you are mobile.Think of the hours used in Lagos traffic with no mileage accounted for on the odometer. I just follow a simple rule of balancing the mileage accrued since last oil change and average hours spent in traffic before I go for oil change. I don't necessarily wait u
ntil I get to the expected mileage indication on the odometer before I change the oil.

Ikenna351:

This thing with Nigerians!

Please, where did you learn that vehicles engine oil are to be changed every 3 months? You even went further to say "all vehicles, both new and used/tokunbo". Oh! I shake my head!

I want you to refer us to one, i mean, just one vehicle owners manual that instructed that the engine oil should be changed every 3 months. Lets clear this issue once and for all.

Nigerians love this thing called "Bandwagon Propaganda" so much." Everybody does it", thats all matters to us, even to our own detriment. No one bothers to investigate to be sure if this act everybody does is safe or good, as long as its a norm. Well, it's your car anyway. I have no right to tell you how to use it or what to do with it.

Ikenna.

oyinbogirl: I do my oil every 10, 000 kms, as per logbook guidelines. But my pistons are now worn, and the engine burns a lil oil now, I always find im topping up btween services. Here are some Varying factors for doing it every 5000 kms :

: type of driving you do (city or long distance) short drives, in traffic, stopping & starting can shorten oil life span

: If your engine is worn at all or has over 300 000 kms

: dirt roads rather than bitumen or sealed

: generally speaking older cars will need more frequent oil changes unless the driving conditions you currently are in are extreme eg high temperatures (cuts down oil life)


But if none of these apply to you, go with the manufacturers reccomendation.

Oh, and lastly before I forget, Check the appearance of the oil, you should check it each week (as well as the coolant) make sure it is'nt black & sludgy, and when you touch the oil between your fingers it should have some viscosity (should cling & make a kind of 'string' between your fingertips) if it has no viscosity - the oil is finished & needs changing, cos it wont be clinging to your pistons and moving parts. Hope I was of some help to you. cheers

Ikenna351:

There is nothing wrong in one being confused once in a while, you know. But when one tries to rationalize why being in a state of confusion is good, is where it gets funny.

I wouldn't say you were completely wrong (at least, you weren't completely confused), but that your engine started to burn oil simply because of long duration of oil change, is where you really sounded confused. What do you think would happen if your engine run without oil or ran out of oil? You think the combustion chambers are where the severe damage would take place? If your engine oil turns to water, what do you think would happen to that engine? Where would a severe fiction take place in an engine when there is no oil or loss of lubricating fluid? What do you think that would happen if fuel goes into the oil pan and dilutes engine oil? You could be right that bad oil would cause oil burn, but ..........

Even if you change your engine oil every week with the best fully synthetic oil in the market, but run your engine without thermostat, your engine will start burning oil, even before you finish paying for the car, if it was bought with loan. Even if you replace your engine oil every month but rev or race your engine hard at cold start or first start every morning, your engine will start burning oil, before you could brag "how durable my car is" to friends who drive other brands and knew when you bought her. Your car engine will burn oil mercilessly if you ignore to break-in the engine when new, whether out of ignorance or Nigerian thing (na tear rubber). My point? A lot would make an engine burn oil, even if you change your engine oil every month.

About your theory that every car that has done 300, 000 km or older cars should change their oil frequently. I mean, seriously ?




kenna.

oyinbogirl:


Gee - what makes you feel I am even a little bit confused? Thats very weird...hmmm Anyway - Did I say my car is burning oil cos I ran it low on oil?? It seems like you have just assume.... but however I did not even mention the reason behind its using oil, simply because it isnt relevant to this posters topic. . I do not do any of the things you mentioned - Y will I? Am not that sort of owner or driver. I have sense enough to make things last. I am the 2nd owner of my car. so unfortunately didnt get to do any of the initial driving in. I dont say everyone with a car with higher mileage should change their oil more frequently I said it depends on factors. take certain factors into account when deciding at what intervals to change the oil.

All I advised the poster was to go on logbook recommedations, and, basing things off that. He could HALVE the interval based on a few things such as engine condition, driving conditions, and kms total if he wanted to - worn engines DO use oil - its an undeniable fact. The older something gets , the more wear is gonna happen, isnt it? But if you've cared for it well, and it isnt burning off oil , me myself would leave oil change as per normal time Dats all.......same advice as I'd give to anyone. ...so whats your yarn all about anyway? Irrelevant !

Ikenna351:

Without seeing your username, your above post is obvious that it came from a female. Probably you were standing Akimbo when you were typing that post.

Now, my own time to rant. My post you reacted to was trying to tell you something. That when engine loses what makes it prevent friction in the moving parts inside the engine that need constant lubrication when engine is running, because of longer interval in oil change/loss of viscosity, as you claimed, then the engine would die before you will have time to observe oil burning. There would be a severe friction on the crank journals, bearings, main bearing, Camshafts, etc, which would lead to a sudden death of the engine. So oil burning should be the least of your worries if you are claiming that changing your engine oil at recommended interval would lead to cylinder failures.

By the way, I didn't say cars with high mileage cannot burn oil. Even a badly used low mileage car or abused engine with low mileage may burn oil as well. But I was trying to tell you that an engine that burns oil doesn't mean oil duration of oil change should be reduced. Top up with the same oil grade in the engine till its due or you rebuild it.

So does my yarn still sound irrelevant?

Ikenna.

VolvoS60:

Some owners manuals go even further in helping the owner/user by specifying different oil change & sevice intervals for different operating/driving conditions. In these manuals, the oil change interval for "severe" operating/driving conditions is shorter than that of 'normal' operating/driving conditions. Since driving/operating conditions in most of Nigeria would definitely fall under "severe" , (a lot of stop-start/go-slow driving, particularly in the cities, high temperatures/humidity, poor road conditions - mud, sand, etc.), i would guess most users would find the owners manual very useful.

Get it and read it!

sooperrescue: They wont have engine trouble but the engine is gone. And the sludge there will be protecting the engine from failing. Flush out the sludge and that engine is gone.

anneki: @MIB1

I hope the attached files answer some of your questions and educate nairalanders on a lot of the misconceptions surrounding 5w-20 and 5w-30 viscosities especially with regard to ambient temperatures.

We need to be able to define "extreme driving conditions" so that we do not mislead nairalanders. Driving in traffic does not constitute extreme driving conditions. Sustained high speed driving is extreme, pulling trailers is extreme, but stop and go traffic is not. People need to google extreme driving conditions to know if they ever experience such conditions.

birdman:


Driving in traffic is worse than driving on the open highway. Unless you are doing 85mph and above, your car experiences less stress than if you are in stop and go traffic. In fact on newer vehicles, the onboard computer that tells you when you need your next oil change is adaptive. If you do only stop and go traffic all the time, it will likely make you change your oil after 3000 miles. If you do all highway, it could be 6000+ miles easily. Mixed conditions is somewhere in between.

ZIMDRILL:


thats a lie

the onboard computer doesnt know that you always drive in stop and go traffic, what it only only is the mileage you do .i.e you service and reset the oil change mileage all it does it counts down the mileage i.e 10000 to zero once it reaches 0 it display oil service if you dont reset it continues to count in negative digits

the only problem is see in nigeria is likely too much fake or sub standard oil labelled and original and people not being able to really separate the two they have opted to do less miles between the services as way to protect ones engine

the 1st pic shows service requirement at 15000 and the last instrustion say reset the service light indicator

the 2nd pic shows service requirement at 30000 i ticked the were say reset