<misc>REPLY-Glass Homes-Tossing Stones

["Ron Browne" <rbrowne@xxxxxxxxx>]

Jim Ochi wrote, in an attempt to answer some FAQ questions:

< 5.  Some people follow the Service indicator lights for oil changes
(usually this means that they have an oil change every 7500-9000 miles).
Others change every 3000-3500 and ignore the lights.  Big debate about
what's better, no definitive answer.
Jim Ochi
jochi@domain.elided >>

Christopher replies with:

Jim,
I appreciate your desire to invote lurkers to respond but please only post
good information.
To my knowlege there is really no debate as to how often to change oil -
it's
simple,  the more you change the oil,  the less wear from abrasives and
contaminants. This is not a subjective/opinion/x/y axis answer,  the more
you
change the oil the longer the engine will last - PERIOD.  This is with all
other condions equal.  There are no conditions where changing the oil less
frequently will allow an engine to last longer.
I think the debate circles around the economics of changing oil.  There will
never be a resolution to this because each individel's fact pattern is
different.  The person who leases may only find it meaningful to change the
oil enough to maintain his lease obligation, but the person who has an
emotional bond to his new M3 may want it changed when it starts looking less
than clean.
I want all the fluids in my car to look new,  I don't really care if it has
an
effect on how long the piece lasts or not,  I simply enjoy looking into the
coolant tank or power steering reservoir and seeing spanking clean synthetic
fluid.
Talk about tribology if you want,  I change the oil because it makes me feel
good.
Christopher

=========================================
I write:
  Wait a second, Christopher.  Who appointed you king of oil knowledge, and
put you in a position to judge Jim's input as bad information? Jim stated
facts: That some people change their oil more frequently than others, and
that oil change intervals have long been a big debate.  And he is correct,
there are NO definitive answers.  Your position is that you like to _look_
at clean fluids?  That almost sounds like an obsessive compulsive disorder
thing.  (Dont be offended, you should see this thing I do with my thumb and
forefinger before racing on Grand Turismo on Playstation....anyone got their
International License yet?? Damn that things hard to obtain!)  I've read in
a number of publications that oil almost immediately darkens *somewhat* due
to the heat process, not because it's filthy.  Maybe thats a fact, maybe
thats an opinion.  Your opinion is that you must swap the oil frequently,
because the oil breaks down quickly, leaving your engine unprotected.  Other
opinions are that modern synthetic oils provide protection longer (as
verified by independent oil analysis labs), and that each time you change
the oil you invoke a dry start, the hardest experience on an engine.  Less
oil changes=less dry starts.  Do you also realize that a number of
digesters, including myself,  have well over 100,000, miles, some over
300,000 miles on their BMW's, and change their oil by the SI lights, or even
well beyond the SI light recommendations, and their engines are running
perfectly?  So you see, I dont think there is a definitive answer, so we
must be careful before we blatantly tell someone that their statements are
bad information.

Ron Browne
1992 318is
Bowie, MD
106,xxx miles.

PS.  Where the hell do you find synthetic coolant and synthetic power
steering fluid?  I bet if I could bottle synthetic windshield wiper fluid, I
could make millions.

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