Motor oil 'condition' sensors... do they work?

[GA_Boater]

I'm at 5K-6K intervals for our fleet with a full synthetic. Growing up, it was a 5K interval. Then someone along the way decided it was 3K. (hmmmm, who could that be?) Follow the $$ guys. Over servicing is wasteful on the wallet and natural resources.

Every place selling oil or the oil change joints. Except dealers like Ford's Fast Lane because it's hard to recommend 3000 mi. changes when the owner's manual has the interval in black and white.

 

[Volphin]

BTW, I'm jealous of the oil burning shop heater! Those are SO neat.

 

[HT32BSX115]

BTW, I'm jealous of the oil burning shop heater! Those are SO neat.

Yeah. I love the thing. Bought it off Craigslist 5 or 6 years ago.........It's a Lanair HL140....... It will burn just about anything (trans, hyd, kero, diesel, oil up to about 50wt even gear oil if you dilute it......etc.......no gasoline though.......BOOM!)

 

[WIMUSKY]

Heck, when I was a kid the oil rarely was changed and it was black when I did. Never seemed to have engine problems either. Never had money to change it on a regular basis. Would rather put that money in the tank. But that was back in the day when motors were virtually bullet proof. 350 Chevy........

Nowadays they're dummying down everything with sensors so the average guy doesn't even have to think... And it's not just vehicles.....

 

[GA_Boater]

As we veer off topic - Electronics are replacing driver education and skill. Maybe self-drivers aren't such a bad idea.

 

[generator12]

One question for you guys regarding these oil change warnings. Just got a 2014 Mustang for the lady and saw a mention about it in the owner's manual. Since I do my own oil changes (6000 miles) I need to know: Do I need to do anything to turn the warning off after the oil change?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Just got a 2014 Mustang for the lady and saw a mention about it in the owner's manual. Since I do my own oil changes (6000 miles) I need to know: Do I need to do anything to turn the warning off after the oil change?

The owners manual usually has instructions for resetting the alert after you or anyone else changes the oil.

 

[alldodge]

And if the manual does not, search the net. My truck is reset by turning the key ON, then slowly depress the accelerator 3 times in 10 seconds. The Caddy has a reset button as part of the turn signal lever