Consumer Reports Oil Testing Results
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Consumer Reports Oil Testing Results=20
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Consumer Reports, with one of the most widely respected =
product testing laboratories in the world has just released the results =
of an extensive test on oil brands and oil changes, as well as other =
issues regarding car care. In the process, the test demolished much of =
the conventional wisdom regarding car lubrication. The two most =
surprising results: the frequency with which oil is changed doesn't =
matter after the first few oil changes on a new engine, and the type or =
brand of oil used can not be shown to make any difference.
The testers placed freshly rebuilt engines in 75 New York =
taxis and then ran them for nearly two years, with each cab racking up =
60,000 miles, placing different brands and weights in different cars and =
changing the oil at 3,000 miles in half the cars and 6,000 in the other =
half. At the conclusion of the test period, the engines were torn down, =
measured and inspected. The conclusions: Regardless of brand of oil or =
weight, no measurable differences could be observed in engine wear. =
Furthermore, there was no difference among cars which had oil changed at =
the shorter or longer interval.
Does this have any bearing on the enthusiast's car, which is =
given almost the opposite usage stored for long periods of time then =
started and driven for short distances? The tests suggested that our =
type of usage would build up sludge and varnish, indicating that an =
annual or semi-annual oil change is a good idea regardless of how much =
mileage the car is driven. But there is little indication that the brand =
or weight needs to be given serious consideration, and synthetic oil has =
no discernible advantage over the old stand-bys. More information on the =
tests and results can be obtained from Consumers Union or the July issue =
of Consumer Reports available at most libraries.
Source: British Car Magazine, October-November 1996
Related Stories:
More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Motor Oil
An Excerpt from a SAE Oil Filter Test Oil filter efficency =
test and a list of filters that fit the Spitfire
Visit the Mopar site for the study of major old filters and =
the results
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