The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread

[Elessar78]

 my CX7 Turbo is at 62K miles, been using dino oil on it but contemplating switching to synthetic. What do "you people" say on the subject? 

 

I've been looking online for an answer but all I find are gear heads that argue "stick with the manual recommendation" vs "synthetic is superior" until they eventually go off topic not having settled the matter. 

 

[Springfield]

1 hour ago, Elessar78 said:

 my CX7 Turbo is at 62K miles, been using dino oil on it but contemplating switching to synthetic. What do "you people" say on the subject? 

 

I've been looking online for an answer but all I find are gear heads that argue "stick with the manual recommendation" vs "synthetic is superior" until they eventually go off topic not having settled the matter. 

 

 

Go with synthetic if you want.  Keep it synthetic though.  It's superior to conventional oil but won't net you any benefit unless you stick with it.

 

And no, if you switch to synthetic you won't suddenly spring any leaks or have other sudden problems.

 

The one risk I see in synthetic oils is the length between oil changes.  If you go 7-10k between changes and never check the oil, an old car might burn oil.  If it goes too low then you could damage the engine.  Older engines should have the oil checked regularly, regardless of oil type.

[Elessar78]

What do you mean exactly by "oil checked regularly"? Do you mean just pulling and looking at the dipstick?

[twa]

2 hours ago, Elessar78 said:

What do you mean exactly by "oil checked regularly"? Do you mean just pulling and looking at the dipstick?

 

yes

[HoustonSkin]

I have an 08 nissan altima just over 100k miles.  Anyone here ever change the CVT fluid in one of these?  I'm going to tackle this in the next week or two.  Any advice?

Edited April 2, 2017 by HoustonSkin

[Elessar78]

24 minutes ago, twa said:

 

yes

Thanks. Didn't know if he meant get your oil analyzed. 

[Springfield]

2 hours ago, HoustonSkin said:

I have an 08 nissan altima just over 100k miles.  Anyone here ever change the CVT fluid in one of these?  I'm going to tackle this in the next week or two.  Any advice?

 

Drain it.  Refill it.  I believe that it's fairly simple.

[daveakl]

28 minutes ago, Springfield said:

 

Drain it.  Refill it.  I believe that it's fairly simple.

Words to live by.

[skinsmarydu]

13 hours ago, Elessar78 said:

What do you mean exactly by "oil checked regularly"? Do you mean just pulling and looking at the dipstick?

Every time you fill your tank, check your oil...remember how full service stations used to do it back in the day?  If you keep an eye (literally) on your engine, things go wrong less often.  Make sure your coolant/antifreeze is at the proper line, your hoses are good, etc.  I keep a milk crate in the trunk with everything I need, including jumper cables, screwdrivers, shop towels, a funnel...all that stuff.

Full disclaimer:  I have one of those older cars that burns oil.

[Kosher Ham]

Buying an oil separator for the new car ... maybe today.

Pretty sure it won't put the warranty in jeopardy.

 

 

[Springfield]

Since I'm not at work now and I'm not on my cell phone, I'll expand on the whole oil thing a little bit.

 

 

Every engine is designed for a specific viscosity.  Stick with the viscosity which is designed for the engine.  If your back yard mechanic friend says to use a thicker oil when the engine gets older, don't listen to him.  The thickest oil for most modern (last 10 years or so) engines is generally 5W30 (or 5W40 synthetic).  Most newer engines require an even thinner oil (5W20 or 0W20).  A thicker viscosity oil should only be used in very rare cases, usually at the point of trying to save the engine.  Changing to a thicker engine oil is no replacement for actual repair of an engine.

 

That's lesson 1.  Use the specified oil viscosity of your engine (unless major failure has occurred, at which point it's probably too late any way)

 

 

Synthetic oil is superior than conventional.  Chemically, synthetic oil doesn't break down nearly as fast as conventional oil because it doesn't have the impurities that conventional oil has (specifically sulfur, among other things) and likely has added additives to extend the life of the oil.  Additives to oil help prohibit the break down of the oil and build up of deposits and sludge in the engine.  With the lack of impurities in a synthetic oil, the oil can last significantly longer.  It can't last forever though, because these impurities are introduced into the engine oiling system through combustion, blow by, cylinder leakage, etc.  Therefore, while synthetic oil is a much better type of oil, it still needs to be changed at specific intervals.

 

Lesson 2.  Use synthetic oil if you want the very best for your engine.

 

 

How often should you change your oil?  That's a tricky question.  Generally, it's safe to follow the manufacturer's guidelines.  That said, manufacturers have been increasing the longevity of their oil changes.  For instance:  Most new Toyota's require 0W20 oil, which is only produced as a synthetic oil.  Toyota requires oil changes every 10,000 miles for engines that require 0W20 synthetic oil.  Is 10,000 miles too far?  I can't say, but what I can say is that I don't wait to change mine every 10,000 miles for a couple of reasons.  Reason 1, I don't trust that specification.  Even with synthetic oil, I don't expect it to hold up 10,000 miles due to the reasons listed above.  The $70-80 for an oil change every 5,000 miles gives me a huge piece of mind (actually, it's less for me since I do the changes myself, but whatever).  Reason 2, it gives me a more regular timespan to put my car in the air and look at other things.  I like to check over things more than once a year, so changing it more frequently than 10,000 miles allows me to look over other things that could be failing also.  Reason 3, automakers can claim a lower cost of ownership if they reduce the required maintenance, which of course, helps them sell cars two ways... one being they cost less overall and two being that they fail prematurely forcing the owners to buy another car.  Aside from Toyota's lengthening intervals, some european cars call for oil changes every 15,000 or 20,000 miles.  It's crazy.

 

Lesson 3.  Change the oil at the specified interval.  If using synthetic oil and an interval that is beyond your comfort, you aren't going to hurt anything by changing oil sooner than the manufacturer recommends (and you may even help).

 

 

Older cars should have their oil monitored more frequently.  As an engine ages, maybe 100,000 miles or so, it will inevitably start to "consume" oil.  Oil consumption can be due to burning oil (either through the bottom end - piston rings, or through the top end - valves/valve seals) or through oil leakage.  Some oil leakage is minor and not worth the cost of repair, some is major and needs to be fixed to continue operation of the vehicle.  Most all oil consumption usually starts as a minor loss of oil and slowly progresses, however it's impossible to judge how quickly an oil leak intensifies so any engine with a known oil loss should be monitored regularly.  How regularly is up to the owner of the vehicle and how meticulous they want to be.  Generally once a month or so is OK, depending on the driving habits.  Here's another neat fact, some new vehicles (thinking GM and Mini here) have released TSB's (Technical Service Bulletin) stating that oil consumption is normal.  The tolerable spec is somewhere near a quart of oil every 1,000 miles if I recall correctly.  I don't think this is normal, but apparently some engineers or inside automakers do, so it's never a bad idea to be vigilant in checking your oil regularly even if you don't suspect any problems.

 

Lesson 4.  Check your oil for god's sake.  If the red oil light comes on (not the maintenance light), then it's possibly too late.

[Malapropismic Depository]

Kind of loosely or indirectly related to car mechanics, but probably something you've had to deal with.

How do you get a heavy gasoline smell out of clothes ?

There's no visible stain to target and scrub directly, just an overwhelming smell of gas on an entire set of clothes.

It's been soaked a couple hours in Oxy Clean, and gone through 2 "heavy" cycles, and used several suggestions

from the internet to add to the wash, such as baking soda, mineral oil, and vinegar, but the smell just won't come out.

[Springfield]

3 minutes ago, Malapropismic Depository said:

Kind of loosely or indirectly related to car mechanics, but probably something you've had to deal with.

How do you get a heavy gasoline smell out of clothes ?

There's no visible stain to target and scrub directly, just an overwhelming smell of gas on an entire set of clothes.

It's been soaked a couple hours in Oxy Clean, and gone through 2 "heavy" cycles, and used several suggestions

from the internet to add to the wash, such as baking soda, mineral oil, and vinegar, but the smell just won't come out.

 

Light a match.

[Malapropismic Depository]

Wow, that hopeless, huh

[twa]

ya tried Dawn?

usually takes a couple washes if they were soaked

[Springfield]

3 minutes ago, twa said:

ya tried Dawn?

usually takes a couple washes if they were soaked

 

This.  A strong detergent should lift the gas out of the clothes.

[Malapropismic Depository]

Thought of Dawn, but I was concerned that a dish liquid would be far too sudsy for a washing machine, and could cause a sudsing nightmare in the machine.

Thought I heard that somewhere.

Do you just use a few drops ? Or was that information I heard, totally incorrect ?

[twa]

1 minute ago, Malapropismic Depository said:

Thought of Dawn, but I was concerned that a dish liquid would be far too sudsy for a washing machine, and could cause a sudsing nightmare in the machine.

Thought I heard that somewhere.

Do you just use a few drops ? Or was that information I heard, totally incorrect ?

 

I hand wash and soak in hot water with several squirts

it breaks down hydrocarbons well.

you can use in a washer if ya don't go nuts

http://www.wikihow.com/Wash-Your-Clothes-With-Dish-Liquid

[Malapropismic Depository]

10 minutes ago, twa said:

 

I hand wash and soak in hot water with several squirts

it breaks down hydrocarbons well.

you can use in a washer if ya don't go nuts

http://www.wikihow.com/Wash-Your-Clothes-With-Dish-Liquid

 

Great, thanks. You all saved me the trouble of resorting to a less desirable option I found on the internet - which was stuffing them in a bag of charcoal for a couple days.

[LadySkinsFan]

Put the new battery in the Honda Del Sol, added some fresh gas, pumped the gas pedal a few times, and it fired right up!  I am going to miss that car. 

 

Now for pictures and putting it on Craigslist!

[Kosher Ham]

How much ? 

[LadySkinsFan]

I'd like to get $1500 for it. It needs to be painted.  It has 64k original miles. Clutch works, air works, probably needs a tuneup/oil change.  I have an extra smoke plexiglass top too. Car is Milano Red. Good little project car. Interior is in excellent shape. The tags are dead.

 

What I'd like and what I take are two different things, just want it gone. If you're interested, let me know. I wish I could keep it. Purging most everything for my move.

Edited April 4, 2017 by LadySkinsFan

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

So are semi synthetic oils useless?

[twa]

1 hour ago, Dr. Do Itch Big said:

So are semi synthetic oils useless?

 

Semi useless ......no oil is useless unless you buy it and don't put it in. 

They are a higher quality blend compared to conventional, or a lower quality compared to full synthetic.

[Springfield]

2 hours ago, Dr. Do Itch Big said:

So are semi synthetic oils useless?

 

In my experience, semi-synthetic and conventional are not much different.  I believe that they're probably similarly priced as well.

 

Creates a nice "good, better, best" buying proposition though.