Question for gearheads, mechanics and shade tree mechanics

twilson · Post by **twilson** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 12:16 pm

My Toyota Corolla is real old. It still runs great but the rot is getting to it. So basically I'm not taking real good care of it anymore cause it's getting close to the end of it's life (maybe another 2 years).

My question is if i change the oil but don't change the filter is that gonna be a big deal. It has a Fram filter on it and i understand they have a bypass in case the filter gets clogged up so that the engine won't sieze.

I have always changed both oil and filter at 3000 mile intervals but the car is not gonna be around a whole lot longer so I'm not worried about a little extra wear on the engine but i don't wanna see it blow up yet.

WhiteHotAfterburner · Post by **WhiteHotAfterburner** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:42 pm

You don't have to change the oil filter with every change. Two years is a long time in car years, though.

You also don't have to change the oil every 3000 miles , either...5000 miles is when I used to do it...the car I have with me now has an idiot light that alerts me when it is time to change the oil....the alert isn't based on mile driven and it is always more than 5000 miles.

I used to do it at 5000 miles because it's a nice number to keep track of.....and, that 'change your oil every 3000 miles' is a bunch of hooey. 5000 miles is also when I did all the other regular maintenance...check brake pads, rotate tires...etc.

Laterz,
WHAB

Hax · Post by **Hax** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:11 pm

Oil changes every 3000 miles are a waste of both oil and money in most if not all cases. There's no good empirical evidence that changing your oil more frequently than recommended extends engine life, it's essentially urban mythology. The only exception would be if the car manufacturer actually recommends it- and I'm not aware of that ever having been the case. Oil and filter changes should be done at the manufacturer's recommended intervals- often as much as 12,000 miles- and no more frequently. Otherwise you are just creating unnecessary waste and pollution.

arb · Post by **arb** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:21 pm

Uhm changing the oil and not the filter is kinda tarded,might as well just dump more oil in till ya actually change the filter.

Fucking weirdos...................

Butcher Bob · Post by **Butcher Bob** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:36 pm

twilson wrote:My question is if i change the oil but don't change the filter is that gonna be a big deal. It has a Fram filter on it and i understand they have a bypass in case the filter gets clogged up so that the engine won't sieze.

That by-pass is in the engine, not the filter...I always have my mechanic plug the by-pass. Essentially wut it does is, as yer filter becomes plugged up creating too much drag on the pump, the oil starts going thru the by-pass, unfiltered....which means you might as well not even have a filter at that point. The by-pass saves ya from blowin out the filter when it gits too plugged, but it does not do yer engine any favors. With an oil pressure gauge you kin see when this starts happening, but with an idiot light you kin not. Yer call.

twilson · Post by **twilson** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:45 am

Well I'm not worried about the engine experiencing more wear than normal cause like a i said the car is approaching the end of it's life and with the rot it's not gonna have much in the way of resale value no matter what shape the engine is in.

I just would like the engine to last another 2 years or so. If you think that changing the oil but not changing the oil filter will cause serious engine problems in the next 2 years thats all i am worried about.

If the engine will experience accelerated wear but no serious problem in 2 years that is perfectly fine. As it is now the engine runs perfectly. No noise. No oil burning. It has the same power and acceleration that it always has had which isn't much. (1600 cc engine - 5 speed manual tranny)

WhiteHotAfterburner · Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:52 am

Understood boo but, if he's changing the oil every 3000 miles then that filter hasn't even reached it's half-life, kwim?

He could run that filter through at least two of his cycles.

end of it's life and with the rot

What is rot? I'm not familiar with the term.

Take care all,
WHAB

Butcher Bob · Post by **Butcher Bob** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:38 am

booboy wrote:changing the filter is far more important that changing the oil...

Whaaa?!

I'm pretty sure you know viscosity plays a role too.

$10 fer a filter is a cheap insurance to pay, compared to havin yer engine seize up out on the road. Personally, I wouldn't take the chance...I've had it happen before.

twilson · Post by **twilson** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:02 pm

>> What is rot?

Just in case your not being sarcastic

Rot is rust.

twilson · Post by **twilson** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:07 pm

Also the people that are saying you can go 5000 miles between oil changes are talking shit.

Mileage is not the ONLY inducator of worn out oil. Time span also matters. I know old dudes that put 500 miles a year on their car.

That doesn't mean they can wait 10 years before changing their oil