Mark J. writes:
>Engine oil breaks down due to heat and blow by gasses. This generally
>starts after 3000 mi for average driving conditions.
-snip-
>For normal roadway driving change your oil every
>3000mi and your auto transmission oil every 20,000 mi and you won't
>have an lubrication related failure for hundreds of thousands of miles.
>Of course YMMV!
Using just this information and logic, I am happy to stay with conventional
oils and filters. I strictly adhere to this regimen. I hubly submit that
my lbc driving is pretty average. I put about 5,000 miles on the B in a
driving season, a combination of highway and local streets, no
racing/autocross. Hence, about half way thru the summer I give it an oil
change-right about now, in fact. Because of this, I just don't pay much
attention to alternative oils and filters. Others who race their engines or
use them as daily drivers with high mileage accumulation/difficult driving
conditions may justifiably disagree.
Having said this, it is still my expectation that bearing work might be
expected after perhaps 60,000 miles on the 3-main engine (as in Old
Whitesides) and 100,000 on the 5-main. At my rate of mileage accumulation,
that will be no sooner than the year 2006.
I replace the filter once a year, at the end of the season. I have adapted
the engine to a 'modern' spin on type. This is part of one of the last
things I do prior to winter hybernation of my lbcs; a filter and oil change.
The logic being: if the 'old' oil has accumulated breakdown products and
blow-bys, some of which are harmful to engine surfaces, they should not be
permitted to incubate in the engine for the several months of storage. I
put fresh clean wonderful pure punctillious clear flavorful and bright oil
in my engines prior to storage. I take a half-hour or so of driving with
the fresh oil and then the little dear is put to bed. As an aside: I also
"fog" the intake system with an aerosol oil used in marine engines. Friends
say doing that is silly and extreme.
Will "silly and extreme" Zehring
p.s. you guys missed my birthday and still haven't sent me that OD tranny!
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