How many flat tires do you get a year?

[brewnog]

Two things.

Your tires will last longer if you rotate them about every 6,000 miles or every 6 months.

Moonbear rotates her tyres tens of thousands of times every day. That's the problem...

 

[Danger]

also... Danger, you can go way over 5000 miles before gettingf an oil change. depending on the car, you can go quite far

I'm not used to either new or small engines, so this could very well be true for them. On older, bigger ones (my El Caminio has a '76 Olds 455, and the Roadrunner is a '72 maxed-out 440), things like bearing and ring wear as well as looser tolerances and high operating temperatures put more strain on the oil (break it down and pollute it) more than something new. Even a factor as simple as whether or not you downshift for deceleration can affect how often you need a change (more compressive load on the rod bearings). Any significant ring wear makes for more frequent changes as well, because the blow-by adds combustion residue and extra heat to the pan.

 

[brewnog]

also... Danger, you can go way over 5000 miles before gettingf an oil change. depending on the car, you can go quite far. i always forget about oil changes, (half the time i'd do them myself, and then the sticker from the shop was wrong, so i'd ignore it, and then i'd forget when i was due... ) i never get an oil change until I'm at least 4,000 since the last. i think last time i waited till 6,000, and the time before that was 8,000. mostly its important to make sure you check the oil. make sure you have enough, and make sure its somewhat clean and runny. if it gets black and thick... time for a change.

Yeah, you can go further than 5000 miles without having an oil change, but changing the oil every 5000 miles can make the difference between your engine lasting 100,000 miles and 200,000 miles. Having said that, the choice of oil can make as much of a difference as the frequency of servicing.

 

[BobG]

I'm not used to either new or small engines, so this could very well be true for them. On older, bigger ones (my El Caminio has a '76 Olds 455, and the Roadrunner is a '72 maxed-out 440), things like bearing and ring wear as well as looser tolerances and high operating temperatures put more strain on the oil (break it down and pollute it) more than something new. Even a factor as simple as whether or not you downshift for deceleration can affect how often you need a change (more compressive load on the rod bearings). Any significant ring wear makes for more frequent changes as well, because the blow-by adds combustion residue and extra heat to the pan.

In general, the smaller higher rpm engines need the oil changed more often. From what you spend on tires, it doesn't sound like your type of driving mimics the average driver.

If you change your own oil and have seen what new oil looks like, you ought to be able to get a feel for when your oil is getting dirty just by how it looks when you change it. Most should be able to get 5000 miles, even with a small engine in the city with a lot of accelerating/decelerating. If you're driving only on the open road at a cruising speed (not hypatia speed), you might go quite a bit further between oil changes, but I wouldn't push that too far. If you're getting 10,000 miles between oil changes, your tolerance for ugly looking oil is probably exceeding your engine's. Today's cars should be capable of going over 200,000 miles. Pushing the time between oil changes may not seem like it matters in the short run, but you'll be lucky if your engine lives as long as it should.

Of course, if you're driving a $500 car, you're probably not going to get another 200,000 miles out of it anyway, so who cares. In fact, it probably leaks so much oil that you have to add a quart nearly every time you fill it up. You don't have to worry about changing your oil when it's cycling out onto the ground that fast.

 

[Gale]

Of course, if you're driving a $500 car, you're probably not going to get another 200,000 miles out of it anyway, so who cares. In fact, it probably leaks so much oil that you have to add a quart nearly every time you fill it up. You don't have to worry about changing your oil when it's cycling out onto the ground that fast.

HEY, HEY, HEY, NOW! My little car is worth way more than the $500 i spent on it. well... it was probably worth at least 2k. It only even had 40,000 miles on it when i got it, and its a '94... dodge spirit if you're interested... heh... At any rate, my car doesn't leak like... any oil! so pssh you! The only time it did, was the first time i changed the oil myself... i accidently put the filter on wrong, and when i started the car... well, there's still a big dark spot on our driveway... hehe.. my dad wasn't happy with me at all... but he mostly laughed cause i was a "retarded girl who shouldda known better than to change my own oil." But pssh him too! least i know how to change my oil, and i know how to change my tire as well... not that i ever have...

Also, i live in the country, ALL my miles are cruising miles. I've doubled the milage on my car, and its still running well. I'll be really excited when i finally pass the 100k mark! that'll be a special day. I don't drive as much as i used to, so it might take another year... unless i travel as much as i hope i can this summer... we'll see.

 

[brewnog]

Hmm, my sister is the only girl I know who knows how to change the oil or a wheel. All the other girls I know just go to the garage, and smile nicely at the mechanic, and get ripped off horrendously.

"Ooh, you need new glow plugs, new CV joints, a new injector pump, some new splunge gockets, a new set of rapple clamps, and your flinge wodger needs replacing too..."

 

[zoobyshoe]

"Ooh, you need new glow plugs, new CV joints, a new injector pump, some new splunge gockets, a new set of rapple clamps, and your flinge wodger needs replacing too..."

Any home mechanic can replace the flinge wodger on their car him or her self. In fact, most often, it just needs a thorough cleaning to be restored to working condition.

 

[Gale]

Hmm, my sister is the only girl I know who knows how to change the oil or a wheel. All the other girls I know just go to the garage, and smile nicely at the mechanic, and get ripped off horrendously.

"Ooh, you need new glow plugs, new CV joints, a new injector pump, some new splunge gockets, a new set of rapple clamps, and your flinge wodger needs replacing too..."

hahahahaha... that's great... that's like, exactly what he sounds like they say when i go to the garage. I'm like "yep, yep ok... sure... mhmm... sounds good... mmmk..." and he just rambles on about stuff... as if i know what he means. I can change my oil, and a tire... and i know a few other small bits about cars (thanks to that good-for-nothing... though-apparently-something- EX of mine...) but really, I'm just as clueless as any other girl. I love my car though, so i try to take care of it... sorta... i got to admit though, there's not much hotter than watching a guy working on my car though... its like... ya.. HOT!


edit) random thing: that ramblind reminds me of that movie "Michale's Navy" and they tell that guy that they need to get a something something coaxial cable... and he believes them... so he gets left with that big pile of stuff while the other guys go to the bar... i love that movie...

 

[zoobyshoe]

i accidently put the filter on wrong, and when i started the car... well, there's still a big dark spot on our driveway... hehe.. my dad wasn't happy with me at all... but he mostly laughed cause i was a "retarded girl who shouldda known better than to change my own oil." But pssh him too! least i know how to change my oil, and i know how to change my tire as well... not that i ever have...

I was at a little cluster of stores here, near the zoobie brush shelter a couple years ago and walked by a woman standing next to her car with the hood up. There were empty oil containers on the ground nearby. I looked into the engine and saw that the cover of the air filter had been removed, and the air filter was floating in bath of oil.

Another time this young couple who lives in my building decided they should add some oil to the engine since they had "seen" it was low. They poured in about ten quarts, but still couldn't see the level rise when they looked into the hole, so they knocked on my door asking how much more I thought they should buy.

 

[BobG]

Hmm, my sister is the only girl I know who knows how to change the oil or a wheel. All the other girls I know just go to the garage, and smile nicely at the mechanic, and get ripped off horrendously.

"Ooh, you need new glow plugs, new CV joints, a new injector pump, some new splunge gockets, a new set of rapple clamps, and your flinge wodger needs replacing too..."

... not too mention refilling the headlights with more halogen. :rofl:

I do tend to get suspicious if they're replacing both the glow plugs and the spark plugs - those normally don't need replacing at the same time. :rofl:

 

[zoobyshoe]

... not too mention refilling the headlights with more halogen. :rofl:

I just buy the little kit and do it myself.

 

[Danger]

Another time this young couple who lives in my building decided they should add some oil to the engine since they had "seen" it was low. They poured in about ten quarts, but still couldn't see the level rise when they looked into the hole, so they knocked on my door asking how much more I thought they should buy.

I'd be right interested to see what happened when they tried to start it.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'd be right interested to see what happened when they tried to start it.

I explained what a dipstick was all about, and they eyed me suspiciously. I strongly urged them to drain it all out, and just put the reccomended 4-odd quarts back in. They wouldn't listen. They actually drove it around a bit before they had to junk it.

 

[brewnog]

I'd be right interested to see what happened when they tried to start it.

Mmm, I've seen some cars burn a lot of oil, but that's just crazy.

 

[Gale]

I was at a little cluster of stores here, near the zoobie brush shelter a couple years ago and walked by a woman standing next to her car with the hood up. There were empty oil containers on the ground nearby. I looked into the engine and saw that the cover of the air filter had been removed, and the air filter was floating in bath of oil.

Another time this young couple who lives in my building decided they should add some oil to the engine since they had "seen" it was low. They poured in about ten quarts, but still couldn't see the level rise when they looked into the hole, so they knocked on my door asking how much more I thought they should buy.

WOW! I just cross threaded it when i screwed it on! i wasn't at all that bad... Those poor people... what makes people think that they can just do that stuff when they have no clue... hehe... i don't get those sorts of people at all... heh...

 

[zoobyshoe]

WOW! I just cross threaded it when i screwed it on! i wasn't at all that bad... Those poor people... what makes people think that they can just do that stuff when they have no clue... hehe... i don't get those sorts of people at all... heh...

That's what I'm saying. You didn't do anything as whacked as these people.

 

[Gale]

That's what I'm saying. You didn't do anything as whacked as these people.

wooo, does this mean I've finally joined the elite ranks of the sane and normal??

i still feel bad for those kids... it reminds me of when i was dating my first boyfriend... my battery died, and i didn't know what to do, so i asked him. He was a dummy... had no clue... i had jumper cables, so we just started attatching them to various places, (er rather, i made him attach them to various places... just in case...) finally, some old, redneckish guys pulled up, so i jumped in front of their car, and i was like... "help.. please... my boyfriend is useless " and the laughed and were like.. poor gal... and then they jumped my car for me, made fun of the guy... and ya... it wasn't as bad as those kids i guess.. i can't imagine pouring that much oil into my car... oy! we did make some pretty cool fireworks though...

 

[Danger]

Mmm, I've seen some cars burn a lot of oil, but that's just crazy.

I'm surprised that they even could start it. Must have been a long-block. I'd have expected the pistons to push the oil up and drown the plugs. And if they did get a spark or two, I figured the downstroke would blow the oil pan off.

wooo, does this mean I've finally joined the elite ranks of the sane and normal??

I wouldn't go quite that far... :tongue:

we did make some pretty cool fireworks though...

If it wasn't a totally sealed battery, you're lucky you didn't make a lot more. The whole point of making your final connection to the engine block or frame is to keep the sparks away from the hydrogen that vents from the battery.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm surprised that they even could start it. Must have been a long-block. I'd have expected the pistons to push the oil up and drown the plugs. And if they did get a spark or two, I figured the downstroke would blow the oil pan off.

It was an old beater to begin with, and already burned oil. i don't remember how far they got driving it, but it was out of sight of the building. They completely gave up on it called the junk yard to tow it away. I don't believe there was any formal autopsy.

 

[zoobyshoe]

wooo, does this mean I've finally joined the elite ranks of the sane and normal??

Given the fact you knew there was such a thing as an oil filter, where it was, that it had to be changed, I'd say absolutely, yes.

When I saw the woman who had poured oil into her air filter pan, I was flabbergasted. I thought at first she was sabotaging her ex-boyfriend's car deliberately or something.

 

[Danger]

i don't remember how far they got driving it, but it was out of sight of the building

Okay. I misunderstood your original post. I thought you meant that they drove it for a few days or so before it croaked. Around the corner is a bit more believable.

 

[Moonbear]

Your tires will last longer if you rotate them about every 6,000 miles or every 6 months.

Was that general advice or directed specifically at me? I know to get tires rotated. I thought everyone knew that. And if you don't know, every time you bring the car in, they ask if you want it done. I just get it done whenever I bring the car in for any other random things it needs.

Not all brakes use the wear indicators anymore.

Yeah, apparently not. :grumpy: It would have been nice if they told me that when I got the car. You'd think the way they keep adding more and more idiot-proofing to cars that they wouldn't eliminate an indicator everyone expects is going to be there.

As for mileage between oil changes, my stepdad was a mechanic for 20 years and told me there's no reason to listen to that every 3000 mile advice, that's just to sell more oil changes. Depending on how you drive, 5000 to 6000 miles is about right. With so many places that will change your oil in 10 minutes, I just head to one of those places whenever I have a little time or pass one by when I'm anywhere between 3000 and 6000 after the last change (those little stickers they give you with your mileage at the oil change are the world's best idea! I used to never remember how long it had been). It's not worth doing it myself when there are places that do it so quickly...the extra cost is worth the added hour or two it would take me to spread kitty litter on the inevitable oil spill on the driveway (I can't even change the lawnmower oil without spilling some of it, and that takes less than a quart; I'd be a mess with 4 quarts), scrub the oil off of myself, the fingerprints off the car, find a container for the used oil and take it to a place to get it disposed, etc.

As for mechanics, it depends on who you go to. I've run into some who clearly were trying to get away with unnecessary parts and work, whether it was because I was female or if they would try that with anyone, I don't know, but while there's a lot I won't do myself, I at least know enough about what gets done to sniff out those who try that (I did do my own work when I lived home and near home, because my stepdad could help or talk me through it and he had all the tools). When I'm in doubt, I still just call him and tell him what my car is doing, what the shop says it needs, and have him tell me if it sounds reasonable.

When I lived in MI, you'd think being so close to the motor capitol of the world there might have been some decent mechanics, but maybe everyone who knows anything just does their own work, because I could not for the life of me find a shop that knew what they were doing or didn't try ripping me off for stuff the car didn't need, so I finally resolved the issue by diagnosing the problem via phone with my stepdad (I'd tell him what the car was doing, and he'd tell me a bunch of things to try to narrow it down, I'd call back and tell him the outcome, he'd tell me what was most likely wrong, have me check out one more thing, and that would confirm it), and then I'd just go to the shop and say, "replace this part." That's what they were good for, changing parts, not diagnosing problems.

 

[Moonbear]

hahahahaha... that's great... that's like, exactly what he sounds like they say when i go to the garage. I'm like "yep, yep ok... sure... mhmm... sounds good... mmmk..." and he just rambles on about stuff... as if i know what he means. I can change my oil, and a tire... and i know a few other small bits about cars (thanks to that good-for-nothing... though-apparently-something- EX of mine...) but really, I'm just as clueless as any other girl

You don't have to be clueless. Oh, and the quickest way to sort out whether they're making up a list of parts you don't need or if you honestly need those things is to painstakingly go through the entire list and ask them to tell you what each part does, where it goes, why it needs replacing (i.e., what exactly is wrong with it that they can see), and what happens if they don't replace it. If they're honest, they can give you answers to all your questions, you'll learn something, and they know you'll return in the future because they took the time to provide good customer service. If they are trying to rip you off, they're going to have a hard time explaining what each of those parts does or why it's needed.

Mechanics also gain my trust when they tell me that parts DON'T need replacing too. For example, every manufacturer has their list of recommended maintenance for certain mileage levels. It shows me a mechanic is honest if they check out something on that list and come back to me and tell me, "The manufacturer recommends we change this part because your car has X miles on it now, but we looked at it, and it still looks to be in good shape, you can probably get another Y miles on it before it really needs replacing." Then I'll usually just ask what happens if it fails in the meantime, and if it's nothing too serious and I'm not planning any long trips, it can wait. The old-timers are usually the best for that sort of stuff, because they've worked on enough cars to guesstimate the life remaining on a part. The young ones just out of school I avoid. They don't diagnose anything, they just try to change every part that remotely sounds like it might have something to do with the problem until they finally replace something that makes the problem go away.

 

[brewnog]

Golden rule:

Always ask to see the parts they say that they've replaced!

 

[Huckleberry]

One time a mechanic told me that I needed to replace the belts in my car. I decided I didn't want that work done at the time. A few weeks, maybe a month later I was driving around town and lost a belt. I think it was the timing belt, but all my belts were bad. So my car stalled while I was going 30 mph around a turn. I lost my power steering and brakes. Fortunately there wasn't much traffic, so nobody got hurt. But I spent an hour trying to get a tow truck out there.

Another time I kept having problems with my battery. It wasn't holding a charge. I would drive to school and a few hours later try to start my car to go home and it wouldn't turn over. This happened so frequently that my friends were getting tired of finding me and my car and giving me a jump. I had a bad alternator. I tried to change that myself. HAHA. I guess it wasn't that hard, but I was trying to secure it in place and it didn't want to stay. I was lifting on the wrong part. So my alternator was a little loose and the belt squeeled so bad it was embarrassing. The battery problem was gone though.

I had a problem with a lawnmower last year. It wouldn't cut the grass. The blades weren't turning. So I turned it over to look at the blades and there was gunk stuck all around the undercarriage. I removed all that, but in the process of turning it over the oil went all over the inside. I started it up and the thing was smoking so bad I thought it was on fire.

So I try not to mess with things anymore. It's too expensive in the long run. And I listen to the mechanics if they say something needs replacing. Most places show the parts without me having to ask. Those are the places I go back to. I'm also wary if I bring my car into the shop and a few weeks later another thing goes wrong with it. If that happens more than once I go to another shop.

 

[Moonbear]

I had a problem with a lawnmower last year. It wouldn't cut the grass. The blades weren't turning. So I turned it over to look at the blades and there was gunk stuck all around the undercarriage. I removed all that, but in the process of turning it over the oil went all over the inside. I started it up and the thing was smoking so bad I thought it was on fire.

Hose down the underside of the lawnmower after you use it each time to keep that crud from building up (it also keeps the crud from rotting under the lawnmower and stinking up the garage).

 

[brewnog]

One time a mechanic told me that I needed to replace the belts in my car. I decided I didn't want that work done at the time. A few weeks, maybe a month later I was driving around town and lost a belt. I think it was the timing belt...

That could have been a lot worse than it was! Often, if your timing belt snaps, your valves stay open, the piston comes back up and hits the valves. Then, you get lots of nasty nasty noises, and a bill for a new engine. Most people think of belts as being pathetic rubber bands like a fan belt (which you can notoriously replace with a pair of tights), but the timing belt is definitely something to replace when your service book tells you to.

And (now) I listen to the mechanics if they say something needs replacing.

Probably a more healthy outlook. It's just a pity so many of them are willing to rip you off.

 

[zoobyshoe]

but the timing belt is definitely something to replace when your service book tells you to.

This is true. I had a timing chain snap on me once when I was 1000 miles from home. It took them a week to fix it. I'd only meant to stay a couple nights.

The truck I have now is extremely unusual in that it has neither timing belt, noe chain. Instead it has gears.

 

[brewnog]

The truck I have now is extremely unusual in that it has neither timing belt, noe chain. Instead it has gears.

Just an old-style OHV design then?

What a dull thread this is turning out to be. I accept full responsibility!

 

[zoobyshoe]

Just an old-style OHV design then?

I don't know what that is. Maybe timing gears are common in cars over there. Not here, though.

What a dull thread this is turning out to be. I accept full responsibility!

Really? So I'm off the hook for my scintillating quetion "How many flat tires do you get in a year?" It's really a miracle the thread lasted half a page.

 

[brewnog]

I don't know what that is. Maybe timing gears are common in cars over there. Not here, though.

Definitely in the old days. Overhead cam designs, needing timing chains or belts are a relatively recent (past 15 years?) thing. Before that, most engines just had a camshaft driven by gears next to the crankshaft, and pushrods which open and close the valves.

Really? So I'm off the hook for my scintillating quetion "How many flat tires do you get in a year?" It's really a miracle the thread lasted half a page.

I was only apologising out of politeness. If you were a gentleman, you'd excuse me, own up to it yourself, and possibly bake me a cake as an "I'm sorry" present.

 

[Evo]

One time a mechanic told me that I needed to replace the belts in my car. I decided I didn't want that work done at the time. A few weeks, maybe a month later I was driving around town and lost a belt. I think it was the timing belt, but all my belts were bad. So my car stalled while I was going 30 mph around a turn. I lost my power steering and brakes. Fortunately there wasn't much traffic, so nobody got hurt. But I spent an hour trying to get a tow truck out there.

Another time I kept having problems with my battery. It wasn't holding a charge. I would drive to school and a few hours later try to start my car to go home and it wouldn't turn over. This happened so frequently that my friends were getting tired of finding me and my car and giving me a jump. I had a bad alternator. I tried to change that myself. HAHA. I guess it wasn't that hard, but I was trying to secure it in place and it didn't want to stay. I was lifting on the wrong part. So my alternator was a little loose and the belt squeeled so bad it was embarrassing. The battery problem was gone though.

I had a problem with a lawnmower last year. It wouldn't cut the grass. The blades weren't turning. So I turned it over to look at the blades and there was gunk stuck all around the undercarriage. I removed all that, but in the process of turning it over the oil went all over the inside. I started it up and the thing was smoking so bad I thought it was on fire.

Note to self - never let huckleberry near anything mechanical.

Most places show the parts without me having to ask. Those are the places I go back to.

How do you know that the part came from your car and not someone elses?

 

[brewnog]

How do you know that the part came from your car and not someone elses?

Because those of us with any nous dismantle their cars before they take them to the garage, and, using a permanent UV marker, mark every component which is likely to need replacing, before reassembling your car. Then, when they show you the worn out parts, you whip out a black light, and examine all the parts to find your little purple mark!

Easy!

 

[Huckleberry]

Note to self - never let huckleberry near anything mechanical.

Just figguring that out?

How do you know that the part came from your car and not someone elses?

I could always keep it. It is my part after all. I suppose if I don't see them take the part off and bring it to me then I can't be sure that it was from my car. But I know that they often send these parts away to be restored. I think it is more likely that they wouldn't keep old parts around for every model of car that comes through their shop.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I was only apologising out of politeness. If you were a gentleman, you'd excuse me, own up to it yourself, and possibly bake me a cake as an "I'm sorry" present.

I could do that, yes, but I'd much prefer to leave responsibility for this thread to you. Perhaps, though, it's all Evo's fault. She is the moderator. Could even be Greg Bernhardts doing, somehow.