3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
Sponsored by:

Separating Fact From Fiction on Oil Drain Intervals

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-12-08, 09:10 PM
  #1  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
 
2007 ZX-10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Separating Fact From Fiction on Oil Drain Intervals

I found the threads on this forum fascinating
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Board=3&page=1

FDs are well known to be exceedingly tough on oil, likely one of the more severe tests in the production street car world: blow-by, high fuel dilution, elevated operating temps, etc, etc...so, I'd like to see if there is any interest in a group of us FD owners sending in their oil to these guys for analysis
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free_test_kit.html
Old 07-12-08, 09:47 PM
  #2  
FD title holder since 94

iTrader: (1)
 
Tim Benton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cedartown, Ga
Posts: 4,170
Received 28 Likes on 21 Posts
A few have sent ours to Royal purple for testing with David Canitz a few years ago. The FD and rotary in general has fuel dilusion issues so it's best to change your oil every 3k at worst, even in the RX-8. Wait 5k on the 8 and it's not really much oil left for lubricity.

Tim
Old 07-12-08, 11:34 PM
  #3  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
 
2007 ZX-10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
do you recall what your % fuel dilution was?
Old 07-12-08, 11:57 PM
  #4  
Senior Member

 
trickshot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: My way, the highway.
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As I remember, the fuel dilution of the tested oil was running around 10%.

People get all **** about their oil on this forum, and most do change at 3k miles. But you don't see oil related engine failures being reported, so you can relax a bit.
It's your coolant mix you should be getting persnickety about.
Old 07-13-08, 12:01 AM
  #5  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
 
2007 ZX-10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
most FD engines fail prematurely for other reasons
Old 07-13-08, 12:05 AM
  #6  
Mr. Links

iTrader: (1)
 
Mahjik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 27,595
Received 40 Likes on 26 Posts
As far as fuel dilution:
https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...7&postcount=11
Old 07-13-08, 12:17 AM
  #7  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
 
2007 ZX-10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
the real question is what are the long term risks associated with high fuel diltuion? I was looking over the Blackstone Labs comments and they don't seem to think it's a big deal, but then again it was no where close to 10%
Old 07-13-08, 07:27 AM
  #8  
Moderator

iTrader: (7)
 
dgeesaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Kickass
Posts: 12,302
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
I'm currently in the (long) process of testing and sampling a few oils in my car.

My plan is to run my current oil (Mobil 1 10w-40) for 2k miles and take a sample at 1k and 2k, then repeat with Idemitsu (for it's extreme rotary-ness) and RLI Biosyn 5w-40 because of it's supposed superiority for tolerating heavy fuel dilution. I won't have my results for a year since I barely do 5k/year.
Old 07-13-08, 10:19 AM
  #9  
Senior Member

 
trickshot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: My way, the highway.
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by 2007 ZX-10
the real question is what are the long term risks associated with high fuel diltuion? I was looking over the Blackstone Labs comments and they don't seem to think it's a big deal, but then again it was no where close to 10%
Yeah, but engines are suffering cooling disasters long before there are any oil related failures. It's like you're worrying about eventual termite damage while your house is on fire.
Old 07-13-08, 08:11 PM
  #10  
Mazzei Formula

iTrader: (6)
 
Monsterbox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Birmingham, Al
Posts: 3,020
Received 143 Likes on 69 Posts
imho,

the rotary destroys oil quickly. In 2k miles the oil smells like a gas can. Therefore, it doesn't matter much if you have expensive sythetic oil or castrol gtx at 3k miles because the gasoline kills the lubrication.

I buy cheap 20w50 castrol gtx and change it every 1-1500 miles. Costs 15 bucks total with the filter and is cheaper and more effective at lubrication then spending 30 dollars on sythetic and changing it every 3k
Old 07-13-08, 10:46 PM
  #11  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
 
2007 ZX-10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Monsterbox
In 2k miles the oil smells like a gas can. Therefore, it doesn't matter much if you have expensive sythetic oil or castrol gtx at 3k miles because the gasoline kills the lubrication.
speculative comment with no facts in hand...high gas dilution reduces apparent viscosity, it does not "kill lubrication [properties]", furthermore it is not necessarily true that all oils perform similarly when exposed to high fuel dilution
Old 07-13-08, 10:58 PM
  #12  
Torqueless Wonder

iTrader: (1)
 
cptpain's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,020
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
imo,

this talk about fuel and oil is beating a dead horse. this HAS been discussed many times. especially about oil sampling


everyone is going to have their own experiences about oil change intervals and relative fuel dilution.
Old 07-13-08, 11:17 PM
  #13  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
 
2007 ZX-10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
plenty of subjective opinions, few facts...the testing proposed by dgeesman will be interesting
Old 07-14-08, 04:49 AM
  #14  
Moderator

iTrader: (7)
 
dgeesaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Kickass
Posts: 12,302
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by Monsterbox
the rotary destroys oil quickly. In 2k miles the oil smells like a gas can. Therefore, it doesn't matter much if you have expensive sythetic oil or castrol gtx at 3k miles because the gasoline kills the lubrication.
That's how the RLI Biosyn is claimed to be different - based on end-user testing in the Audi RS4 race engine (another fuel dilution nightmare), the engine wear data was much better than they had seen before. Mine will be a test of the claim for our application. By no means will I "prove" anything using my one car and 3 oil changes driven over 3 seasons of the year, but it should at least be interesting. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...6906/site_id/1

My goal FWIW is not to extend oil change intervals (at 5k/year that's barely twice a year anyway), but if during that 2k I can get better wear numbers I'll absolutely continue with that product.

Dave

Last edited by dgeesaman; 07-14-08 at 11:47 AM.
Old 07-14-08, 05:18 AM
  #15  
Top's always down
iTrader: (5)
 
SLOASFK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Spain
Posts: 4,841
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by 2007 ZX-10
speculative comment with no facts in hand...high gas dilution reduces apparent viscosity, it does not "kill lubrication [properties]", furthermore it is not necessarily true that all oils perform similarly when exposed to high fuel dilution
Apparently you missed the "IMHO" part...

Personally, until Dave's results come back, I'll be following Howard Coleman's advice in this thread:
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/you-need-know-about-reformulated-oil-revisited-again-july-08-a-770726/
Old 07-14-08, 11:48 AM
  #16  
Moderator

iTrader: (7)
 
dgeesaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Kickass
Posts: 12,302
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by 2007 ZX-10
plenty of subjective opinions, few facts...the testing proposed by dgeesman will be interesting
We *could* open a can of worms and have people doing UOAs and posting them for discussion. But because of all the inherent variability, those discussions tend to waste time and teach nothing. And all for what we know is mostly a trivial issue in these cars.

Dave
Old 07-15-08, 07:34 PM
  #17  
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary

 
matty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: CT
Posts: 4,923
Likes: 0
Received 22 Likes on 14 Posts
come on its 20 bucks, change the damn oil!
Old 07-15-08, 10:19 PM
  #18  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
 
2007 ZX-10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by gmonsen
I think its always good to do research, so I support any efforts to better understand how our engines effect oil and vice versa.

10 years ago people argued over whether synthetic oil destroyed rotary engines or not and it was like the Civil War or Hatfields and McCoys. Today, everyone somehow knows that synthetic is just fine.
agreed

However, if the intent of the OP is to see if there is something in the oiling, like fuel dilution, that, if overcome, would make the engine run cooler or detonate less... that's probably not the case.
that wasn't my intent, my primary interest is to see if high end oils perform better than conventional oils when exposed to high fuel dilution
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
stickmantijuana
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
13
01-09-18 11:19 AM
tiger18
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
9
09-03-15 08:27 PM
rotor_veux
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
5
09-03-15 07:10 PM



Quick Reply: Separating Fact From Fiction on Oil Drain Intervals



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:24 PM.