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Car transmissions - Standard or automatic?
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David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
I like having a tach, even with an automatic trans. I wish my oil pressure gauge had more numbers on it than just at the bottom, middle, and top. It seems like just above middle is normal for it. My 94 Caprice was a used police car. It had a transmission fluid cooler and a power steering fluid cooler. The day after I bought it (from a small independent dealer in Chicago) I took it for oil and trans fluid changes. When I first got the Trailblazer, I kept taking it back for oil changes every 3,000 miles (free under some warranty or other, which has since run out). They told me it was good for about 5,000, but I should let the monthly report from On-Star tell me when to change it. It gives a percentage of oil life remaining (which will be out of sync at the moment because at the last change they forgot to reset the computer). I have learned not to always trust the low fuel warning light. I have more than once run out without it coming on. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 66359 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
My tach used to respond to a thump on the dash above the tach, this was recommended to Me by other owners since the escort zx2 tach is defective and Ford never fixed that design, to get the tach to work again, now the tach does nothing, thumps don't do a thing, it'll be $95 to replace it and $105 per hour to install it. I plan on buying one in October, but installing it, well I see if I have enough money in My credit cards credit line to to do so, I might even get replacement drivers seat, maybe. Savoir-Faire is everywhere! The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST |
John McLeod VII Send message Joined: 15 Jul 99 Posts: 24806 Credit: 790,712 RAC: 0 |
In my rig, left for clutch, right for gas and brake When I rebuilt the engine on the car I learned to drive on, I stood in the engine compartment with the engine to work on it. That is no longer possible with a modern car... BOINC WIKI |
Jim Martin Send message Joined: 21 Jun 03 Posts: 2482 Credit: 646,848 RAC: 0 |
I try for at least a couple of oil/filter changes, a year. With 15K miles/yr., average, it's not enough. |
Carlos Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 30706 Credit: 57,275,487 RAC: 157 |
I try for at least a couple of oil/filter changes, a year. With 15K miles/yr., I change every 10K but I use a full synthetic oil. |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 66359 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
I'm going to spend somewhere near $424 in October on My car, for 4 Motorsport platinum plugs, 4 qts 5w30 Royal Purple synthetic oil, a K&N oil filter, tach and a drivers seat, though I don't see the seat being installed right away as it needs the cover and parts from the old one installed by an upholstery shop, the tach won't be installed then either, I just won't have the money right away for both, though I'll be able to do the other stuff on the secured credit card then. The oil I use was better than what was in the car when I'd bought the car, the car would smoke under acceleration, after I put the Royal Purple in the smoke went away. Savoir-Faire is everywhere! The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34060 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
I try for at least a couple of oil/filter changes, a year. With 15K miles/yr., Every 10K I do a major maintenance, every 5K I do a small maintenance. I always use half-synthetic oil, best for my type of car. (Toyota Yaris, unleaded gasoline) rOZZ Music Pictures |
Gordon Lowe Send message Joined: 5 Nov 00 Posts: 12094 Credit: 6,317,865 RAC: 0 |
I try for at least a couple of oil/filter changes, a year. With 15K miles/yr., I'm glad you brought that up. I've heard two schools of thought about mixing synth with regular. Some say once you go to synthetic, you can't go back, but other people have told me it's perfectly fine to mix. The mind is a weird and mysterious place |
kittyman Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51478 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004 |
I try for at least a couple of oil/filter changes, a year. With 15K miles/yr., All BS. There are mixes sold by Syntex with a mix of synth and regular oil out of the bottle. They market them as mixes. "Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once." |
Gordon Lowe Send message Joined: 5 Nov 00 Posts: 12094 Credit: 6,317,865 RAC: 0 |
I try for at least a couple of oil/filter changes, a year. With 15K miles/yr., Valvoline(and probably others) push recycled oil, which I've been using, but at first it seemed weird to me. I was worried it was "worn out" oil, but as has already been said, it's the additives that wear out, not the oil. The mind is a weird and mysterious place |
kittyman Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51478 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004 |
Next to Seti, the most I know is about my cars. I have driven them to death, I knew why, and I continued to do so. I have killed more big block Buick 455s than anybody I know. They just could not properly oil that number 8 rod. That was a long time ago now. Nowadays, I drive a 24yo Olds. I am not sleeping with the fishes just yet. I have a 1985 Maxda RX7 in the driveway. Sleeping for now. I must charge the battery before winter freezes it. I have always loved my automobiles. And driven many of them to an early grave. Could tell ya lots of stories about my cars and me. I could fill pages with them stories................... All true, mind ya. But me and cars have had a long history....LOL. My dad and I once had almost this same conversation about a '60 something Dodge Charger with the dealer. It was a prime, low mileage specimen. Coke bottle Charger. Hemi. I was 18. "Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once." |
Carlos Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 30706 Credit: 57,275,487 RAC: 157 |
I go way back on cars too. I bought my first car at the age of 12. A 1955 Chrysler New Yorker. It was a boat but it was powered by a nice big hemi. I stripped it to a dirt track racer and drove it around the back yard. I had a big back yard. Since then I have rebuilt around 20 engines. My favorite was a BMW. Ferrari was not fun, too many variables. The BMW the parks looked like they were made by artists, not engineers. American engines were functional. After market performance parts were great but not so much the stock. I drive a lot. My BMW I drove for 750,000 miles. I have had 3 Jeep Grand Cherokees each with over 250,000 miles. My newest car, 2 year old Audi has over 100K already. |
Mike Send message Joined: 17 Feb 01 Posts: 34382 Credit: 79,922,639 RAC: 80 |
I try for at least a couple of oil/filter changes, a year. With 15K miles/yr., Full sythetic oil is the best no matter which car and it last at least 20K. Its wasting money if changes earlier. With each crime and every kindness we birth our future. |
Jim Martin Send message Joined: 21 Jun 03 Posts: 2482 Credit: 646,848 RAC: 0 |
If I may insert another item, in our auto discussion: Miles/gallon (K's/gal). This is not boasting, or complaining, just for general info. -- my 2009 Ford Focus (5-speed, manual) gets 40mpg, highway, to Augusta, Maine (rolling terrain), but drops to 36mpg on a round-trip to Burlington, Vermont (through the Green Mountains). It has about 67K miles on it, and I don't know how many, total it'll have, when it should drop dead. For that, the best car, thus far, was a Ford Escort (I forgot the year.) -- It got 36mph, highway, and lasted 250K miles, before demising. I was not kind to it, on oil-changes, however. |
Mike Send message Joined: 17 Feb 01 Posts: 34382 Credit: 79,922,639 RAC: 80 |
I think it depends a lot on the kind of use that a car gets Mike. I drive about 4000 miles a year, and all of that is fast motorway and main road work. So I can get away with the BMW synthetic long life oil, and it will last 2 years or 20,000 miles whichever comes first. Your driving is even faster! A car that is used for stop/start city driving all the time will need it changing a lot more often. Nope, doesn`t matter. I made first oil change after 5 years and 20K. The oil was still clear like water. And i have merely stop and go. My uncle worked for Ford for more than 45 years. Most people just waste money changing oil so often. With each crime and every kindness we birth our future. |
Mike Send message Joined: 17 Feb 01 Posts: 34382 Credit: 79,922,639 RAC: 80 |
BMW engine`s are constructed a little different. Valve wiper rings are adjusted to burn a little oil. With each crime and every kindness we birth our future. |
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