Maintenance, lubricants etc.

[Dansan]

This board has been very helpful to me regarding decisions about my 95LC.

I've read with great interest the various posts and archived info about the various liquids used in these vehicles. Since I recently changed my engine oil, trans and diff fluids, I was drawn back to what people here had to say.

I would consider myself as intrigued as others when it comes to researching these fluids with a desire to use the best stuff, synthetics, Amsoil products, OEM materials etc., the goal being to extend the life of all the components as much as possible.

Having said all of that, I'm a little daunted by the cost of some of the premium materials. When I lived in Chicago and regularly had occassion to ride a limo to O'Hare airport, I became intrigued with the condition of some of the Caddies and Lincolns that I rode in.

It seemed that a lot of these vehicles had upwards of 500K miles on the original engines and these guys expected nothing less. They were probably putting on about 4,000 miles per week and changing the oil and filter weekly with at least monthly trans fluid changes. None of the drivers I spoke with used anything but the cheaper fluids and filters.

The reality is probably that very frequent use plays as much of a factor as the maintenance. Since most of us drive our LC's much less than these vehicles, does the use of very high grade lubricants give more than a very incremental improvement over "economy" materials?

I've read and believe that most wear occurs immediately after start up on a cold engine and the more frequent that cycle, the greater the wear. Limos and cabs would appear to minimize that to a great extent. I also understand that there are devices, frequently found on the likes of fire trucks, that will pressurize an engines oil system when the ignition is turned on, but before the car actually fires.

Has anyone here ever tried such a device?

Thanks.

 

[TX_TLC]

There was a guy in a 60 at Roundup this week that had a pre-lube system on it. It was the Cadota...the po put a 4.9 liter Caddy engine in it, the year just before the NorthStar was released. Each time he turned the key..there was 3-5 seconds of this mechainal noise...then vvvrooom it would fire up.

I will see if I can find his user name...I forget his name. But he could surly tell you about the brand ect.

 

[OGBeno]

Hey Dansan:

Nice post by the way; In terms of a mechanical or other such device for the 80 in terms of 'prepping' i t for running, I think you'll be barking upthe wrong tree. Do a search and spend as much time as you can reading all of the posts back from page 24X, whatever it's at at this point.

I'm convinced that the longevity to these vehicles is a constant vigilance in terms of PM (preventative maintenance):

Differentials: Mobil 1 75 w90
ATF: Mobil 1 (some cab drivers I've heard talk about their cars say the key is monthly ATF changes)
Xfer Case: Mobil 1 75 w90
Steering fluid: Mobil 1 ATF
Motor Oil: Depending on where you live, the types of climates you intereact with, this will vary. Do a search uner the screen name 'Cary' the Guy is the oil expert along with Raven on these boards.
Radiator: Toyota red mixed with distilled water
brake Fluid: anything synthetic.

I do 5-w30 during the winter and 10 w 40 during the summer. Once a year I do an interval with Delvac 1300 to see if everything is kosher with the seals....

No worries yet.

Enjoy.
-onur
Akron, OH

 

[perk]

I think you will find most people here praising the worth of synthetics. I have become a dedicated mud student myself, and from what I have learned here, I will only be using synthetics in the future. As I see it, synthectics aren't that much more $ considering that you can practically double your change interval.
As far as lack of lubrication during starts, Lucas offers an oil stabilizer that is intended to help the oil stay in critical areas once the engine is stopped. I am not an expert in this area, but from what I have heard, Lucas puts out well-respected products.

Perk

 

[Riley]

I wouldn't say that everyone is using synth fluids everywhere. I use dino motor oil and I know a few other obsessive types that do as well. You just need to change the dino more often (i.e 3K). I just can't bring myself to spend that much for M1.

 

[CruisinGA]

The 3 trucks I have in my care get good filters and cheap oil, changed very frequently.

Dino everything, Castrol engine oil, Napa Gold (wix) filters.

 

[cary]

As far as lack of lubrication during starts, Lucas offers an oil stabilizer that is intended to help the oil stay in critical areas once the engine is stopped. I am not an expert in this area, but from what I have heard, Lucas puts out well-respected products.

Perk

That stuff is crap, stay away from it.

 

[RavenTai]

Here is my take on it I am not a chemist nor a tribologist, just a Mechanic who has been reading what I can about oil.

There is no doubt that Synthetic oil is better oil, the question is will it have a payoff for you. No one can tell you how much longer your engine will last or even if it will on Synthetic vs dino.

For it to makes sense in a Consumer Reports/Clark Howard/business way it has to have a payoff. If you put expensive oil in an engine for 200K and then the vehicle is wrecked or stolen or has a failure not related to the type of oil, like Robbie’s oil pressure relief valve, head gasket, transmission, or the body is just plain rotted out and the interior is funky and you do not want to drive it anymore then there is no payoff.

But I do like the slight and yes incremental benefits synthetic oil gives,

A co worker has a mid 90’s Nissan that had well over 100K on it using Mobil 1 since new. Look through the oil cap and besides where the dark oil had settled in low spots the head was clean and bright, looked like it was cast yesterday and sprayed with oil. I like that. In contrast my 96 with over 100K of dino changes has a light varnish layer in most areas with the beginnings of sludge in spots.

Also Synthetic oil has a better viscosity index, its viscosity changes less with changes in temperature, it will not be as thick on cold starts nor thin out as badly at high temperatures, the same can be done with dino but it takes VII additives (viscosity index improvers) witch have their own set of problems.

I can rationalize the cost to myself. I always used dino in my beaters and most of the time took it to a quick lube place, used to be $20, it is now approaching $35, when I looked into Synthetic, for only slightly more than the quick lube place I could do it myself with Synthetic. If I never see any benefit I am not out much more $, maybe even slightly ahead considering longer intervals and slight gas mileage improvement.

Flip side of that those who use good dino oil and change it themselves will be well ahead monetarily. At a 5K interval after 200K the difference is $1400, a big chunk of the cost of a rebuild.

 

[sjcruiser]

Even though I use only Mobil1 on my cruiser, I've mainly used Chevron Supreme dino oil on other cars that I have owned. An '83 Cressida (acquired at around 136Kmiles) for instance, used nothing but this cheap oil from Costco, was still whispering quiet when I gave it away to a friend at 350Kmiles+, without any work at all (besides the timing belt ofcourse)! - same goes for the tranny. That said, I firmly believe that changing the fluids at the recommended intervals is the best thing to keep the drivetrains in top notch condition.

Well, if you'd ask why I use synthetics then, it's the cruiser, you know...

 

[Buckru]

Hey TX_TLC
His name is Rich and I don't believe he is on mud. The pre oiler came with the truck when he bought it. I am not sure of the brand but I will be happy to ask him when I see him this weekend.

Buck

 

[Bruneti]

I also understand that there are devices, frequently found on the likes of fire trucks, that will pressurize an engines oil system when the ignition is turned on, but before the car actually fires.

Has anyone here ever tried such a device?

I personally have not used a device like this, but the concept is simple. You are basically charging a small accumulator with oil at your vehicles' oil system pressure.

I also own a Supra, and there is a roadracer on supraforums that uses the Accusump system. This is available from places that cater to roadracing. www.racerpartswholesale.com is one example. This guy uses a small Accusump with a manual valve kit. He has is plumbed in such that he can open the manual valve to release the pressurized oil into the engine, then starting the engine after that. He will then close the valve while he is driving the car at high enough rpms to have max oil pressure. This traps the pressurized oil in the Accusump until he opens the manual valve again.

You could also possibly rig something like this together yourself with some industrial hydraulic components. In my opinion, the most important aspect of doing this is understanding the engines oem oil system well enough to plumb this in for proper operation and the most benefit. You would need some check valves to control direction of flow (not backflowing to the oil pump & pan) and making the best use of the volume of oil to reduce engine wear. If only an oem would make something like this standard equipment to make a vehicle last longer...Nevermind, they'd never do that 'cause they need to sell more cars!