My husband says you dont have to change the oil on the car when the sticker tells you?

Question

He also says you have to drive till you are almost out of gas to get the "old" gas out?

I heard both these things are bad on the car ?
but he thinks he is all ways right.

Who is right and why?

Marving G. I know I am all ways afraid Im going to run out of gas and get stranded.

Answer 1

I'm not sure about the gas thing, but the oil and filter should be changed every 3,000 miles.

Answer 2

First of all I would pull the dipstick and smell for gasoline, If your oil smells like gasoline then you will need to change the oil more often or everytime it gets filled with gasoline which could be less then 3000 miles. The gasoline will ruin bearings very quickly because it washes the oil off of the moving parts. If it smells like gasoline then you havent changed the oil enough or used the right type of oil and ruined the piston rings, or your engine is running way to rich. This problem will need to be addressed before worrying if it needs changed every 3000miles. If the oil looks like oil and smells like oil it doesnt have to be changed every 3000. I would have it out by 10,000 if it isnt synthetic, Its not going to ruin the engine, the dirt just wears parts a little bit faster, but not fast enough to make a difference, Just make sure there is oil in the crankcase and your filter is changed at least every 10,000. As for not changing the oil, that is your or your husbands call, but you are wearing the piston rings and bearings faster under severe conditions, Like stop and go traffic. I am just trying to make sure your not driving around with Gasoline in your oil and not knowing, because that could be an even bigger problem.

I have personnaly went over a year and over 12,000 miles on non synthetic with no problems. If your going to use the oil for more then 3,000 miles then get synthetic.

I know for fact that people are saving money by not changing the oil in large Diesels. They change the filter. They have literally saved enough money to replace the engine and then some!

As for running the fuel low everytime.
It doesnt make a difference unless the car has been sitting for months. If it is a daily driver then the gas doesnt have enough time to go stale before you run it out.

Answer 3

Let's break this down:

OIL CHANGE: You really don't need to get your oil changed every 3,000 miles unless you drive an American-made car and you use it mostly for short trips (meaning the engine normally runs for 15 minutes or less). Changing the oil every 6,000 to 7,500 miles is fine for Japanese/European cars and American cars that are mostly driven on the freeway or usually run for more than 15 minutes at a time.

FUEL LEVEL: Not a good idea to let your tank get below 1/4 full if you can avoid it because (a) All the junk in the bottom of the tank gets drawn into the fuel pump, which can clog it and make it fail -- THAT is an expensive repair, and (b) If you live in an area where the temperature gets below freezing in the winter, letting the gasoline level get too low can cause the fuel line to freeze -- not good unless you want to wait until spring to drive again.

Answer 4

Well, oil companies came up with the 3,000 mile rule. You can actually let your car go longer. Depending on the manufacturer some suggest oil changes at up to 5,000 miles. But it doesn't have to be exactly when the sticker tells you. It just as to be regular and consistent. Keep in mind, the closer you stick to 3000 miles, the more money your quick change company makes off of you. So if you are 100 to 1500 miles over, don't worry, you aren't really hurting anything.

Check out amsoil.com for info on conventional and synthetic oils and how often they should be changed.

As far as old gas out first? That is the funniest thing I've ever heard. Your car won't care and neither should your husband.

Now if you want to save gas, only fill your tank up half way at each fill up, but you don't have to get the 'old' gas out first.
(I'm laughing as I type this. That made my day!!!)

I just thought about this, too. Most cars use the fuel in the tank to help keep the fuel pump cool. When your car reaches "E" it still has about 1 to 2 gallons on hand for cooling purposes. Going below that will shorten the life of the fuel pump. Believe me, that's good ammunition for your argument. Most mechanics will agree.

Good luck on convincing hubby.

Answer 5

There was a group that actually tested how long motor oil can last before it does damage to the engine. I can't find their website, so i'll have to try to recite this by memory. Standard 3000mi sythetic can actually last about 10-15k miles before it breaks down to the point where it's unusable! HOWEVER, the anti wear additives and what not hit a low at about 2000-3000 mi. So if you have a beater, 3000mi oil changes aren't necessary, per se, but if you plan on keeping the car for some time change the oil at the 2000-3000mi mark. I personally do at 2000mi.

wait! found it: http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html

as for the fuel, if you drain the tank down to empty by using it all, you risk clogging the injectors and fuel filter with any debris or particles in the gas. If you need to empty the tank, buy a syphon pump and drain it that way.

Answer 6

Oil changes should be based on how dirty the oil is and the viscosity of the oil rather than on an open mileage. If your husband is willing do test the oil and change it based on those criteria, then you do not necessarily have to follow the mileage based on what the oil change people put on the sticker.

The sticker is typically a recommendation based on a manufacturer's changing interval. Manufacturers typically do testing and make these recommendations based on their test results to minimize damage to the engine.

So it is highly recommended to change the oil based on Manufacturer's recommended interval rather than just based on a sticker that a quick lube place has placed on your vehicle. Most manufacturers now claim to be able to last 5000 miles per oil change rather than the older standard of 3000 miles (which most quick change oil places still use when they place the sticker on your window)

It is not recommended to let your fuel run below 1/4 of a tank. It does keep the sediment that may be in fuels from being trapped in the filter that is usually placed inside gas tanks. If sediment gets trapped, it makes the fuel pump work harder and therefore you will typically burn out your fuel pump faster.

So I would say for the oil change, look up the manufacturer's recommendations as opposed to trusting the oil change sticker. For the fuel thing, your husband is wrong. No reason he must get out all the old gas, and in fact filling up eariler creates less strain in the fuel pump.

Answer 7

To be on the safe side, always change your oil and filter every 3 months or 3,000 miles. However, there are exceptions to this rule of thumb. Newer cars are coming from the factory supplied with Fully Synthetic engine oil. Fully synthetic engine oil can go longer without being chagned than regular conventional oil. Consult your owner's manual for the proper oil change intervals. In there, they will tell you it also depends on your driving habits and driving conditions. For example, long highway trips such as the long commute to work and back, aren't as hard on the engine as short trips to church or the grocery store. The reason is with short trips, the engine doesn't get up to proper operating temperature AND sustain it. This helps to burn off any moisture that has accummulated in the oil as well as some contaminants. The longer you drive the car at proper operating temps the better.
If you desire, you can switch to long life synthetic oils and use a longer maintenance interval. But be prepared to pay the high price for the synthetic oil. Also, depending on how old your car is now and the mileage, a swich full synthetic oil can cause your engine to develop a slight oil seepage from gaskets and seals. This is due to the synthetic oil's high lubricity and thinning nature.

As far as driving all of the old gas out, that will only apply to leaving your car sit in storage for a long time and you should be using a fuel stabilizer that contains Isopropyl alchohol. If you filled up your gas tank with a 1/4 tank left, the new gas is going to mix with the old gas anyways. It's not going to make one bit of difference. These days, the fuel pump relies on the extra volume of fuel in the tank to cool itself. Driving on an almost empty tank can add to overheating of the fuel pump and causing it to lose suction on turns and curves. Both are bad for the pump. Not to mention the possibility of running out of gas.

Answer 8

I t really depends on the car and the driving habits. Here is an example: Usually New cars (I'm talking about "recent" models") do no t need the oil to be replaced as often since the use Synthetic Oil usually they ask you to take the car 5k miles 10k miles and then every 10k miles. In my case do not put that many miles in my car 'cause I live very closed from work, so in my case they usually put in my sticker to take the car for the service every 6 months but you cal always decided to go for the date or the miles in your car.

About the gas, I can never let my car to go below 1/4 of the tank, it just make me nervous to know that I will have to go somewhere unexpected and no having enough gas. Good Luck!

Answer 9

Us guys are sometimes stubborn. Neither of these things are bad for the car, but they don't help either.

There is varying data on the 3,000 mile oil change vs. the 5,000 or more oil change. A bunch of studies show that it may not matter, but it depends on how the car is driven, and because an oil change is pretty cheap, it's good maintenance to do it every 3K.

Getting the "old" gas out is just wrong. Most people fill up every week, and gas doesn't go bad that quickly. When he finally runs out of gas and calls you for help, ask him how the car's running now that he got all the old gas out. ;)

Answer 10

forget that "Old gas" crap. you will be sucking in sediment that clogs injectors. gas lasts long enough to go through the engine ok because the tidal mixing of fuel in your gas tank ensures no "OLD" gas is there anyway, even if you only drove once a month.

the more you change your oil, the better your engine will be. the sticker will be only a guide, but letting the oil filter get clogged and oil oil to remain too long will only wear out the components.

just get the filter changed and oil replaced every service, it doesnt cost that much more, but will help extend the life of your engine. many high mileage rentals are in top condition because of these regular changes, compared to backyard mechanics cars because of the thinking that the sticker is a scam to make money by the real mechanics.

Answer 11

LOL-That's a good answer IF u don't care about how the engine runs-IF u run it empty U will suck up all the trash & water into the fuel strainer,OR if the strainer is bad U will either clog up the injectors or the carberator.I wouldn't want 2 drive around all day& night running MY tank till its almost out - Butt if U don't plan on having ANy Emergencies then run it low.The longer it sits low on fuel the more condensation U will have .OIL - Every 3000 like was said IF U aren't in EXTREAM weather.Engines are $$$