RE: [A/S] Oil Change Suggestions?

["Perry Joe Scudder" <perryjoe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Oliver,
Thanks very much for the very informative post on the "Oil Story". I found
there were massive amounts of outdated or just plain incorrect information
about oil life in the world of auto mechanics. You made some very good
points about the "New Machining capabilities" used in modern day
manufacturing of internal combustion engines. The same is true of the
technology of "Oil blending" for special purposes and uses. The only point I
did not feel you hit square on the head was the fact that the "Change the
oil every 3000 miles or die" rule was put in place when our grandparents
drove cars with an engine cut out with a chain saw, and oil "blenders" had
not come along yet. There was also the feeling that there was no end to the
amount of oil under the ground to be pumped out for our use. These old
technologies are set aside to some degree by the "condition of use" when the
older cars were driven at below 50 miles per hour, and had no high speed
turbo bearings to cook the oil, but the "endless amount of oil" myth has
long sense fell by the wayside. The "Oil Industry" would love to keep the
oil change frequency at 3000 miles or less if possible. If everyone in the
US switched to a 7500 mile oil change frequency, like they are doing in
Europe, it would cost the oil industry billions of dollars each year. They
can see no good future in extending oil change frequency.
I am an engineer, and usually go to extremes researching most things before
jumping in to spend my money. The research on the "oil change frequency" was
one of the most difficult subjects I have run across in quite a while. The
data clearly says "synthetics are better in every category the oil industry
has ever used to measure oil, but if you stick to the old "change your oil
every 3000 miles or die" theory, you are wasting your money. Synthetic oil
cost 3 to 4 times as much as conventional "dino" oil ( I need 14 quarts at
$6+ per quart for an oil change), so if there is to be any economics
involved there needs to be extended life of the oil or the engine or both.
I chose to install an enlarged filter system with a bypass filter, change to
synthetic oil after a 4000 mile brake in period, set up a filter change
frequency of 4000 miles for the "full flow" filter and 8000 miles for the
"bypass" filter, set up an oil analysis program with an independent lab that
is not associated with Amsoil, and change the oil every year regardless of
the number of miles (usually about 10,000 to 15,000 miles). Both Amsoil and
the Analysis Lab says I have set up a total over kill program for my engine,
but most mechanics (shade tree or factory trained) will tell you I am going
to speed up the death of my engine by using oil for more than 3000 miles. 
I am banking on three things. First: The engine will out last the rest of
the truck. Second: I will reduce my share of wasting our dwindling "Oil
Supply". Third: I will not spend as much time finding places and waiting for
oil changes while on 4 or 5 month trips in the Airstream.    End of my
story!

Joe Scudder