Oil Change questions

[Sylvus]

So I went to get my oil changed today, as I was a little overdue and I have some driving to do over the holiday, and the guy always rattles off 15 different things that are recommended at different mileages.

My question to those people that might actually know something about cars: how much of that shit is legit and should be performed at the intervals they suggest, and how much of it is them just trying to increase their profit margin?

Things they suggested were fuel system cleaning @ 15k miles, power steering flush or some sort of treatment @ 30k (I believe), front and rear differential, etc. I'm sure that a lot of that should probably be done at some point, which things should I take them up on? My car only has like 28k miles on it right now, I just had them do the oil change and said we could look at anything recommended for every 15k or 30k miles at my next oil change.

[Canoe]

It really depends on what you need done.

But for the things you have listed....

Fuel System Cleaning - umm, i've never even had this done - no clue what that is.

Power Steering Flush - Again - I think it's a rip off. Or i'd need to know more. If you go in and your level is fine and the fluid isn't discolored - I wouldn't worry about it.

Front and Rear Differentials - I highly suggest getting these done (I assume you have a rear wheel 4 wheel drive vehicle - otherwise you shouldn't 2 have these - Front wheel drive vehicles don't have them, real wheel have 1, and rear wheel 4 wheel have 2). The 1st time is especially important, and around 30K miles sounds about right to me (should have it done earlier if you are doing a lot of 4 wheel action). After the first time, you can really just keep an eye on the fluid, you can drain a little bit from the diffentials (mechanics will do this for you - even jiffy lub) and put it on a piece of paper or cardboard. If you see little metal shavings in it, you need to change it, as your differential isn't getting the proper amount of lubrication.

All this being said - I'm not a mechanic, but I am a fairly experienced "car" person - especially when it comes to 4 wheel drive vehicles. If there are any true mechanics I would go with what they have to say - however what I am saying above is what i've gone by, and i've always had good luck.

[Kelshara]

Hope you don't take your car into one of the standard "quick-fix" places. They are notorious for saying stuff needs to be done, getting paid to do it and not doing any work. I wouldn't even get an oil change at these places.

[Sylvus]

Nah, I stopped at one of those quick oil-change places, and just got my oil changed. Most of the services they provide involve filling or changing fluids, my question was about if and which of the services are bogus.

Checking the website of the place I visited there are no descriptions, but I think some of the things they recommended to me today are listed as:
"Pure Power Plus - Fuel Cleaning (2 step)" - That sounds kind of fake to me
"Power Steering Fluid Flush" - No idea

[Sendarie]

Things they suggested were fuel system cleaning @ 15k miles, power steering flush or some sort of treatment @ 30k (I believe), front and rear differential, etc. I'm sure that a lot of that should probably be done at some point, which things should I take them up on? My car only has like 28k miles on it right now, I just had them do the oil change and said we could look at anything recommended for every 15k or 30k miles at my next oil change.

Fuel system cleaning is a waste of money. They are going to charge you an insane amount of money to dump a bottle of fuel injector cleaner into your car.
Although I do this regularly I do it through the brake booster hose and use Seafoam but that might be too much for you.

P/S fluid, well I change mine about once every 2 years but thats only about 15k miles. Of course everything they do is a rip off but thats the normal ripoff rate for anyone that doesnt do their own maintenance.

The diff oil / gear lube is complete bullshit. About once every 60k miles is when you should change that.

Check your owners manual.

[Kelshara]

You use seafoam? What is your experience with that? I had planned to try that before I had to leave so never got around to it..

[Aabidano]

Check your owners manual.

Yep.

PS flush and fuel system flush both sound like a rip off, though you should be about due for a fuel filter change.

Look at and smell your PS and transmission fluid, if it's not whiteish, brownish or burnt smelling don't worry about it. That is something you should change every few years, brake fluid too while you're at it. Most people don't ever change either until the system fails, and they usually don't until after 100k.

I change transmission and differential lube about every 45k, it's cheap insurance if you plan on keeping the vehicle. Brake and clutch fluids every year or so.

[Canoe]

For differentials I usually do them every 40-50 K, but the first one on a new car I do it a little earlier (around 30).

Like AAB said, it's cheap insurance - if those go bad because you didn't get the oil changed - you are talking 1000's of dollar in damage.

Your owners manual probably says to do the differentials every 15K (at least that's what the wife's Liberty says) - which is a rip off - no need to do it that much.

[Kelshara]

Transmission between 45-60K imo for automatic. I changed it in my beater and I swear the previous owner never changed it. Now changes like buttah!

[Sendarie]

You use seafoam? What is your experience with that? I had planned to try that before I had to leave so never got around to it..

Using it like most boards say funnel about half a can in through your brake booster (mind you with the loss of vacuum you'll have to have someone hold the pedal down or it'll die).

After its all sucked up shut it down for about 15 minutes.

Start it up (booster hose back on obviously) and let it idle for about 20 minutes or until the billowing clouds of white smoke stop. Dont try driving it for about 30-45 minutes b/c pressing the accelerator will yield more smoke than a James Bond smokescreen.

The only negative effect is if all your maintenance isnt up to par it can cause problems. If you wind up with cracked or shitty seals and clean out too much gunk...well that gunk might be acting as a seal and you can end up with some new leaks.

Other than that, I LOVE the shit.

[Aabidano]

If you've got gunk on your pistons or valves sea foam does a great job, so does ATF for that matter. Every 3-4 years would seem sufficient to me though

On an old engine you're asking for problem as Send said, sometimes the gunk is the only thing keeping your oil inside. You can also break hunks of crap loose that can trash valve guides, seals, score cylinder walls, jam up your rings, etc..

[cid]

Transmission between 45-60K imo for automatic. I changed it in my beater and I swear the previous owner never changed it. Now changes like buttah!

This doesn’t help if you own a dodge. I changed mine every 40k because I am aware of their shitty trans and two weeks ago at 91k it went BOOM!! Fastest 1600 I ever spent for 4 hours of work, I was real suspicious until I got there and seen he still had another 10 in stock ready to go.

[Kelshara]

Yeah I am not going to do it on the beater.. it has 160K on the clock and keeps on ticking. I ain't causing more leaks in that thing!

As for Dodge.. my Dodge was made by Mitsu hah.. as I said, 160K and still running on original engine and auto transmission. Helped a lot when I flushed the tranny

[Aabidano]

This doesn’t help if you own a dodge. I changed mine every 40k because I am aware of their shitty trans and two weeks ago at 91k it went BOOM!! Fastest 1600 I ever spent for 4 hours of work, I was real suspicious until I got there and seen he still had another 10 in stock ready to go.

The Dodge branded trans fluid from the dealers isn't the same thing as you get in the store, off the shelf "equivalants" will frequently trash the clutches.

It's only about $200-300 in parts and not much labor is the sucky thing about it.

I like Dodge trucks, wouldn't buy one of the cars though unless it was made by someone else and rebadged.

[masteen]

Sylvus, never let them "professionally" clean your fuel injectors. Like someone said, just dump a bottle of injector cleaner in twice a year.

Also, using gas of a higher octane rating than your vehicle requires can lead to incomplete combustion, which causes carbon build up. So don't sue premium unless your gas-sucking land yacht actually calls for it.

[ooloof]

Fuel system cleaning is a waste of money. They are going to charge you an insane amount of money to dump a bottle of fuel injector cleaner into your car.

That is soooo true. dont waste your $$ on that.

[Aslanna]

If you've got gunk on your pistons or valves sea foam does a great job, so does ATF for that matter. Every 3-4 years would seem sufficient to me though

On an old engine you're asking for problem as Send said, sometimes the gunk is the only thing keeping your oil inside. You can also break hunks of crap loose that can trash valve guides, seals, score cylinder walls, jam up your rings, etc..

Wonder if thats what happened to my car. It made tapping noises so someone suggested some cleaner stuff. I added it to the oil and within a month my oil pump failed and the motor got crispified. Oops.

In the future I'll just live with tapping noises!

[Sendarie]

Fuel system cleaning is a waste of money. They are going to charge you an insane amount of money to dump a bottle of fuel injector cleaner into your car.

That is soooo true. dont waste your $$ on that.

Not only is it a waste of money but its actually detrimental. Running higher octane than what is called for will cause the abstrate in your catalytic converter to go all crispy critter on you. Then grats failed emission and a "Check Engine" lite until you replace them...and they aint cheap.

I love it when people say they filled up with a tank of the "good stuff". Its not "good" just different. Use whats called for.

[Sendarie]

Wonder if thats what happened to my car. It made tapping noises so someone suggested some cleaner stuff. I added it to the oil and within a month my oil pump failed and the motor got crispified. Oops.

In the future I'll just live with tapping noises!

By the time you hear tapping the damage is usually already done. Granted it could have just been lifter tick but if its a car you have had for a while and all of a sudden your hearing new noises especially anything that sounds like metal on metal contact, i.e. tapping and most importantly knocking and you need to shut it down right there on the spot and get it fixed. (Knocking sounds like putting a few rocks in an empty coffee can and shaking it around).

Even if its inconvenient to stop right then and there where you are it will almost definately be a helluva lot cheaper than "I think I can make it home" attempts.

If its just tapping that can often be fixed with a new oil change of a different weight of oil or even different name brands will sometimes work.

[Kelshara]

Tapping.. the sound of rodknock.. *shivers*

[Venti]

Having spent the first 15 years of my career in Automotive Service in varying capacities I feel confident in saying the following.

ALL "flush" type services that are outside the scope of your owner's manual recommendations are purely a profit center for whomever is recommending it. P/S, Fuel, even brake fluid flushes. If the manufacturer didn't design it into the life cycle of the subsystem of the car, then you won't reap any tangible benefit from doing the extra fluff thats being recommended.

Also, if you are familiar with your service schedule, you really have to inquire when you leave your car for service. Here's my example of my last major service on one of my cars.

2005 Acura TL
Major Service (30,000 miles)
Major Service "package" as per Dealer's menu pricing....$479.00
In addition to the stuff listed as needing replacement, etc in the manual, there was tons of "check this, check that, inspect here" blah blah blah.
However, if you itemize the things listed in the owners manual, and have only those items replaced, serviced etc, the bill is $320.00.

Big difference, and all you have to do, is know what's recommended by the car's manufacturer and avoid the sales pitch.

[Zver]

Or you can just lease a Lexus for 36 month and forget about any kind of maintenance...Wait, that’s not true, I did change the oil when I returned the car

[Aabidano]

Some friends with diesels have started to have an oil analysis done ($12.95) and change the filter every 5k instead of regular\frequent changes. That's what's always been done with commercial engines. I'm going to start, the analysis\filter cost is ~$10 less than my regular oil change cost.

With synthetics most of them have been hitting 20-25k before it's really time to change the oil due to the oil begining to lose it's properties.

Considering the cost of an oil changes on most cars it's probably not worth it, and probably voids your warranty to boot. Does save a lot of oil though @6-12 quarts per change.