20wt motor oil

[SavannahLion]

Manual says to use 20wt motor oil. Shop sells some no-name no listed weight brand for $3.97 for 1/2oz. Research indicates even the manufacturer is inconsistent on the weight specification.

Well... motor oil is motor oil so I hit up the auto section at wally world. Uh oh, forgot some details about those weight specs. They don't have straight 20wt or SAE 20. Since my application doesn't involve high temps can I get away with substituting 20w-50 oil? Or is am I going to want to use 5w-20?

[Malenko]

multi weight oil like a 5w-30 is a 5 weight when cold and a 30 when hot.  Without knowing the application I cant really advise what to get. If the oil isnt going to get much hotter than "cold" a 20w-50 would work.

[Nephasth]

5w-20. $3.97 for a 1/2oz!?!?!?! Jesus. My Mobil 1 fully synthetic 0w-20 is usually around $6.50-$7.50 a quart.

Oh yeah...
If you can build your own arcade controls, you can change your own oil.

[SavannahLion]

multi weight oil like a 5w-30 is a 5 weight when cold and a 30 when hot.  Without knowing the application I cant really advise what to get. If the oil isnt going to get much hotter than "cold" a 20w-50 would work.

Oh poop... bad edit. Damn phones.


It's a Daisy Red Ryder BB rifle and a pair of... model 1986 (?) BB rifles. Basically pink versions of the RR.

Yes... same model rifle from Christmas Story.

[pbj]

Use 3 in 1 for a BB gun

[Nephasth]

Wow. Wasn't expecting a BB gun.

[Ken Layton]

3 in 1 "Electric Motor Oil" is straight 20 weight non-detergent motor oil.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_95565-357-10045_0__?productId=1210103

[SavannahLion]

Wow. Wasn't expecting a BB gun.

It's all about responsible violence.

Thanks for the tip on the 3 in 1. Strange that I see electric motor 3 in 1 at different sites but the company site makes no mention of it. Closest is their motor oil formulated for 1/4 hp or larger. http://m.3inone.com/3inone-motor-oil.php
Is that the same? The packages look different so it must not be.

[ed12]

3in1 is a old reged trade name from singer
same stuff...diff pkg's
as ken stated..we use it for shaft's,bearing's in eclectric motor's,small mech's

ed

[mahkeymike]

[SavannahLion]

Ryder... actually.

That's why you're born with two eyes.

[pbj]

In my experience, air guns need very little maintenance and oiling.  When they do, 3 in 1 did it.  Some of the guns have been in the family for decades and still work fine.  If it turns out that it's really cheap motor oil in a convenient container I'll just have to learn to live with that... At the rate we're using it, I'll be 80 before that old metal can runs out.

 

[deadmoney5]

5w-20. $3.97 for a 1/2oz!?!?!?! Jesus. My Mobil 1 fully synthetic 0w-20 is usually around $6.50-$7.50 a quart.

Oh yeah...
If you can build your own arcade controls, you can change your own oil.

Why would you want to change your own oil nowadays?  Time spent to price saved isn't worth it.

[pbj]

Plus you gotta funnel all that old oil into empty milk jugs and put them in your neighbor's trash in the middle of the night.

[Nephasth]

5w-20. $3.97 for a 1/2oz!?!?!?! Jesus. My Mobil 1 fully synthetic 0w-20 is usually around $6.50-$7.50 a quart.

Oh yeah...
If you can build your own arcade controls, you can change your own oil.

Why would you want to change your own oil nowadays?  Time spent to price saved isn't worth it.

I was a mechanic for a number of years. Most important thing I learned while being a mechanic... Never trust someone else's work.

Peace of mind is much more valuable than a half hour saved.

[Vigo]

Agreed. If you have your oil changed, check their work right away. I think it isn't so much an issue of dishonesty, but more laziness.

Wife took our car in for a change a year ago. Only mentioned after a couple days driving on it that the engine was making terrible sounds. Checked the car, they barely put any oil back in the car. Large metal shavings in the oil.

I am not an expert, but I guess I am apparently very lucky that the car has a variable valve timing engine. There are additional sensors/controllers in the engine and they have filters on them. I am told by a friend who is smarter than me that it kept a lot of the metal shavings out of the critical parts of the engine. Changed the oil myself about a half dozen times over a month and cleaned the sensors each time to filter out all the shavings. Still doesn't run like it used to, so I am assuming some damage is done. Sucks, the car was less than 5 years old.

Took my car into a different place recently, and they did the same thing, grossly under-filled the oil. Had to argue with the shop tech, apparently not all places check the oil level when done. They just let the machine fill it to the pre-programmed amount and call it good. Mine probably gets programmed in wrong all the time because I have the wacky hybrid engine. 

[Nephasth]

Yeah, the "mechanics", in any shop, that are performing the simplest of tasks (ie changing oil) are of the simplest minds. They're all mouth breathers.

[Vigo]

Auto repair is kinda a funny field. I've come across both brilliant mechanical engineers and drooling neanderthals with essentially the same job title, at least on the consumer end.

[deadmoney5]

I was a mechanic for a number of years.
[/quote]

Well there you go.....I guess if you have the space, and access to all the means necessary to make the job easier, go for it. 

[SavannahLion]

Agreed. If you have your oil changed, check their work right away. I think it isn't so much an issue of dishonesty, but more laziness.

Wife took our car in for a change a year ago. Only mentioned after a couple days driving on it that the engine was making terrible sounds. Checked the car, they barely put any oil back in the car. Large metal shavings in the oil.

I am not an expert, but I guess I am apparently very lucky that the car has a variable valve timing engine. There are additional sensors/controllers in the engine and they have filters on them. I am told by a friend who is smarter than me that it kept a lot of the metal shavings out of the critical parts of the engine. Changed the oil myself about a half dozen times over a month and cleaned the sensors each time to filter out all the shavings. Still doesn't run like it used to, so I am assuming some damage is done. Sucks, the car was less than 5 years old.

Took my car into a different place recently, and they did the same thing, grossly under-filled the oil. Had to argue with the shop tech, apparently not all places check the oil level when done. They just let the machine fill it to the pre-programmed amount and call it good. Mine probably gets programmed in wrong all the time because I have the wacky hybrid engine. 

Interesting... I used to have a Nissan where the opposite would happen, "tech" would put in too much oil. Learned from a garage that specialized in Nissans that there was a database release missing my engine model so the techs would put in the one for what was available, the next size up or something.

The engine sucked anyways. Plastic guides for the timing chain would break and cause a unique knocking sound. I could tell for years which Nissan had that exact engine due to the knocking sound.

[Nephasth]

I was a mechanic for a number of years.

Well there you go.....I guess if you have the space, and access to all the means necessary to make the job easier, go for it.

Yup. A drain pan and combination wrench... Tools only professionals have access to...

[pbj]

I can't get my arm beneath my Toyota, much less my front butt, so it's gonna require just a bit more equipment than that.

[Nephasth]

Stop eating.

[pbj]

Stop eating.

I eat because I'm depressed.  I'm depressed because I eat.

 

[Nephasth]

Lol. You can score a set of ramps at a garage sale real cheap... Or focus your Amazon scamming efforts towards a set.

[deadmoney5]

I was a mechanic for a number of years.

Well there you go.....I guess if you have the space, and access to all the means necessary to make the job easier, go for it.

Yup. A drain pan and combination wrench... Tools only professionals have access to...

LOL...I live in a ---smurfing--- apartment..I'm sure mgmt would love me changing oil in the underground parking.  It's ---smurfing--- 20 below here right now.   yep..let me save $5 to change my own oil. 

[deadmoney5]

I'm sure i could save $5 a month washing my clothes in the dishwasher as well.

http://mybrokencoin.com/ten-things-you-gain-when-you-stop-being-cheap/

[Vigo]

Lol. You can score a set of ramps at a garage sale real cheap... Or focus your Amazon scamming efforts towards a set.

Scored a free creeper, ramps and set of jackstands at a garage sale this summer. 

LOL...I live in a ---smurfing--- apartment..I'm sure mgmt would love me changing oil in the underground parking.  It's ---smurfing--- 20 below here right now.   yep..let me save $5 to change my own oil. 

I'm with you there. My issue is more that I don't have the room in my little one car garage to hold a car (Better than when I didn't have a garage, though.) But damn, it got cold up here right now. I have to fix an e-brake cable, and it is too cold to even think about going under a car.

[Nephasth]

I was a mechanic for a number of years.

Well there you go.....I guess if you have the space, and access to all the means necessary to make the job easier, go for it.

Yup. A drain pan and combination wrench... Tools only professionals have access to...

LOL...I live in a ---smurfing--- apartment..I'm sure mgmt would love me changing oil in the underground parking.  It's ---smurfing--- 20 below here right now.   yep..let me save $5 to change my own oil.

I live in Cheyenne, WY, one of the windiest cities in the country. Was -13 this morning. I change my oil in my driveway in the elements. 10 years ago when I was in tech school, I changed my oil in the dorm parking lot. Man up, or keep coming up with excuses. It not about saving $5. It's about being able to handle your own ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---. Some men are just made of sterner stuff...

Wait a minute... You're not one of those Griff-richers are you?

[Louis Tully]

.

[Nephasth]

Yeah, there are few feelings greater than walking up to something that's broken and walking away from it fully functional. Congrats on the repair man!

[deadmoney5]

I was a mechanic for a number of years.

Well there you go.....I guess if you have the space, and access to all the means necessary to make the job easier, go for it.

Yup. A drain pan and combination wrench... Tools only professionals have access to...

LOL...I live in a ---smurfing--- apartment..I'm sure mgmt would love me changing oil in the underground parking.  It's ---smurfing--- 20 below here right now.   yep..let me save $5 to change my own oil.

I live in Cheyenne, WY, one of the windiest cities in the country. Was -13 this morning. I change my oil in my driveway in the elements. 10 years ago when I was in tech school, I changed my oil in the dorm parking lot. Man up, or keep coming up with excuses. It not about saving $5. It's about being able to handle your own ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---. Some men are just made of sterner stuff...

Wait a minute... You're not one of those Griff-richers are you?

Definitely not a car repair guy.  But my cousin is a mechanic, so at least I have that going for me.  I'm an accountant...I don't like getting dirty anymore.  Don't really consider it "manning up".  To each their own.  I play guitar in an AC/DC Tribute band.  That's "man" enough for me.

[Nephasth]

Just as I had suspected. Griff-richer.

Hey man, whatever helps you sleep at night.

[knave]

I have been capable of changing my own oil for almost 25 years...I've done so a few times too...but paying $17-$25 at my dealership for an oil change with a coupon frees me up to fix important stuff. I don't think of it as cheap. After all they mail me the coupons. I don't like disposing of the oil either and I'm too enviro-friendly to use PBJ's method.

But the advice to check after you get it changed is sound.

I might have to pick up some 3 in 1. I tend to use whatever I have laying around...

[deadmoney5]

Just as I had suspected. Griff-richer.

Hey man, whatever helps you sleep at night.

No idea what a griff richer is.  Lemme guess..it's a derogatory term That makes fun of someone else?  Awesome!  Congrats on being a real man who changes his own oil

[pbj]

My first car was $800 and wrecked into a palm tree the night before I bought it.

The amount of work I poured into it was obscene.  At 17 I vowed Id never be so poor I couldn't afford a reliable car.  Anything I've owned has been tossed to the curb as soon as I couldn't rely on it.  My F150 made it 11 years.

Some people enjoy car repairs and some do not.

 

[mahkeymike]

Some people can afford car repairs and some cannot.

 

fixed for you, well, fixed for me specificly.

[Nephasth]

Changing oil is not a repair. But yes, there it is again, peace of mind is valuable. Warranties and quality are worth quite a bit towards peace of mind.

[knave]

...peace of mind is valuable. Warranties and quality are worth quite a bit towards peace of mind.

People used to ask me why I went to the dealership for my oil changes. First reason is they always sent me coupons, so I never paid more than $25. Second, I drove a Jeep and I never trusted random oil monkey guy to know all the proper lube points of the 4X4. The dealer techs however, who did many of my exact vehicle every day had probably cracked the service manual or had the computer tell them...knew. I had the vehicle for 12 years, only had one issue after a service, called the dealership and they bent over to make it right. Picked it up, fixed for free, gave two free oil changes...I was happy with that service.

Now I have a diesel truck and the %$%$ oil changes are way more expensive...however the new dealership has shown me the same level of service...I just have to get on their mailing list for the coupons.

It is all about peace of mind and convenience.

Now when a small widget breaks on my cars I almost always fix it myself...$10-$60 part and a couple of hours is way better and more satisfying than $300-$600 at a shop.

[Nephasth]

Meh, I don't even trust dealerships, at least not the ones in my town. I bought a new set of michelin tires for my tundra a few years back. The tundra has tire pressure sensors. Didn't want a tire shop guy breaking the sensors, so I took it to the Toyota dealership. Watched the mechanic through the fish bowl window. 20 minutes in he's got the laptop hooked up to my truck. Dipshit broke a sensor. At least the truck was in a shop where they stocked the sensors and I didn't have to wait too long. While they did the the tires they did a free alignment check. They handed me a piece of paper with some of the alignment numbers in red, to indicate it's out of specs. I had no issues with pull, drifting, or tire wear, so I declined the alignment. Went home, looked up the alignment specs for my truck, and all the red numbers were actually within specs for my truck. I wish all shops/mechanics were honest, but fact is, the world is full of liars and morons.

[knave]

the world is full of liars and morons.

QFT

[SavannahLion]

Don't get me started about honesty and mechanics, I'm on my fourth cat converter, in part, because of the amount of ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow--- I had to put up with. I'm all for lynch mobs if it gets the ---smurf--- that started all of it.

[Vigo]

Too bad you are in Cali, otherwise you could probably get away with bypassing it. 

[pbj]

A mechanic pissed me off once.  Then he died of a heart attack 10 months later.

Moral of the story = don't mess with pbj

[Drnick]

My first car was $800 and wrecked into a palm tree the night before I bought it.

The amount of work I poured into it was obscene.  At 17 I vowed Id never be so poor I couldn't afford a reliable car.  Anything I've owned has been tossed to the curb as soon as I couldn't rely on it.  My F150 made it 11 years.

Some people enjoy car repairs and some do not.

 

This 

[dkersten]

This may be a "DIY" forum, but just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you NEED to do it.  I get more satisfaction in life knowing I am fully capable of doing something but don't need to do it. 

Frankly, there are few things in this world I can't do on my own if I really wanted to do them, but a very long list of things I either won't waste my time doing for myself or simply aren't worth the savings to me. 

There is also a list of things I have learned I will never do for myself again.

Here are a few of them off the top of my head:
Concrete removal.
Carpet installation.
Oil Changes.

Rather than call each other girlie-men for not doing some mundane task like changing your own oil, what sorts of things will you never "DIY" again in your life?

[pbj]

This may be a "DIY" forum, but just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you NEED to do it.

Rather than call each other girlie-men for not doing some mundane task like changing your own oil, what sorts of things will you never "DIY" again in your life?

Blowjob

[SavannahLion]

This may be a "DIY" forum, but just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you NEED to do it.

Rather than call each other girlie-men for not doing some mundane task like changing your own oil, what sorts of things will you never "DIY" again in your life?

Blowjob

Key word was, "again."

[danny_galaga]

Plus you gotta funnel all that old oil into empty milk jugs and put them in your neighbor's trash in the middle of the night.

I was a mechanic for a number of years.

Well there you go.....I guess if you have the space, and access to all the means necessary to make the job easier, go for it.

Yup. A drain pan and combination wrench... Tools only professionals have access to...

LOL...I live in a ---smurfing--- apartment..

I live in an apartment, and I change my own oil. It's not rocket science.

I'm sure mgmt would love me changing oil in the underground parking. 

You know you don't just let it drain all over the floor, right?

[Nephasth]

This may be a "DIY" forum, but just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you NEED to do it.

Rather than call each other girlie-men for not doing some mundane task like changing your own oil, what sorts of things will you never "DIY" again in your life?

Blowjob

Key word was, "again."

After the first time, he wasn't too impressed with his skill set...

[pbj]

After the first time, he wasn't too impressed with his skill set...

You were much better at it than I was for sure.

[yotsuya]

I once drained my swimming pool and scrubbed the entire thing by hand. It's a big diving pool from the 70s, so you can imagine how long that took.

[Vigo]

I once drained my swimming pool and scrubbed the entire thing by hand. It's a big diving pool from the 70s, so you can imagine how long that took.

That's also a project you don't want to have coincide with hanging Christmas lights.

[yotsuya]

I once drained my swimming pool and scrubbed the entire thing by hand. It's a big diving pool from the 70s, so you can imagine how long that took.

That's also a project you don't want to have coincide with hanging Christmas lights.

Amen, brother!

I did it last year. That summer was the summer I got my gall bladder removed so the pool went to hell. It looked like a swamp. After I drained it, I had to scoop out piles of dead algae. It was a lot of work, and I had to acidwash the bastard, but once I was done, the pool looked great. Still does!

[Nephasth]

After the first time, he wasn't too impressed with his skill set...

You were much better at it than I was for sure.

I'm going to have to start charging more.

[pbj]

After the first time, he wasn't too impressed with his skill set...

You were much better at it than I was for sure.

I'm going to have to start charging more.

 

 

my swimming pool

Must be nice to be rich, 1%er.

[deadmoney5]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

[yotsuya]

Must be nice to be rich, 1%er.

The pool was already in the backyard when I bought the house. Ain't no Griffrichin' here! 

[menace]

I'll do my own oil, brakes, etc--but NEVER again will I do the tansmission oil and filter--why for the love of all that is shiny is there not a drain plug on the tranny case???  Every car I've owned had had like 22 bolts that have to be sequentially removed and the tray tipped and blah, blah, blah==hate that job!

On a side note--in my line of work I meet alot of married couples buying houses--almost without fail only one of them is handy.  If its the wife, its cause the husband doesn't know which end of the hammer to swing.  From there I often hear that his dad was handy so he never learned to be...Really makes me see how much stuff I do around here that my kids don't have to, so they never learn the skill.

Moral: if you want your kids to be handy and independent, stop fixing their ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- (and don't let your wife "just get them a new one..")

Oh and getting back to the original topic--I had a BBgun and yes I almost shot my eye out--shot at a sapling for target practice and that bb came back and hit my face 1/8" from my eye--I always nod very sagely at that scene in the movie--damn right you will...damn right.... 

[Nephasth]

Moral: if you want your kids to be handy and independent, stop fixing their ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- (and don't let your wife "just get them a new one..")

I think you've got the moral a little ---fouled up beyond all recognition--- up. Get your kids involved in your projects and teach them those skills. I'm big on DIY because my dad was all DIY when I was a kid. He taught me how to change my oil, process the meat from the hunt, and to build ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---. Developing those skills at an early age has enabled me to surpass my old man in technical ability, and now he comes to me for help. Full circle.

[dkersten]

My father was like me - very handy and even if he had no formal training, could look at something and figure out how to fix it or make it better.  Thing is, my folks divorced when I was 5 and my mother moved me 1000 miles away.  My step dad was the opposite, the kind of guy who figures his expertise lay elsewhere so he would do what he did best to earn the money to pay others to fix or build things for him.  But I grew up like my father, not like my step dad, despite not being in an environment where it was encouraged or even where there was an example.  I got in trouble a lot when I would get a new toy and within hours be more interested in taking it apart to see how it works than in playing with it.  Later in life when my car was up on jack stands in the back yard while I rebuilt my engine, the only encouragement I got was to get a job so I could hire someone to fix it and get it out of his back yard. 

And frankly, while I inherited the ability and desire to do things myself, I was taught that sometimes you should apply your time elsewhere and use the fruits of that time to pay someone to do things you could do (but maybe shouldn't or are a waste of your time).  I now use my abilities to do things I enjoy doing, and spend the money to have things done that I have no desire to do.  Nature vs nurture seemed to work out for me in that regard, at least in my opinion..

[danny_galaga]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

That's a fair point. I change my own oil, but pay someone to do my tax!

[SavannahLion]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

That's a fair point. I change my own oil, but pay someone to do my tax!

So if S.B. 8 passes you have to pay taxes to have someone do your taxes meaning you'll have to pay taxes just pay your taxes... er... wait. ---fudgesicle--- you California.

[pbj]

Sounds about right.  When I was a kid we lived in California exactly 11.5 months and got the hell out before December 31st.  Saved about $10,000 in the 80s.  Can't even imagine what it's like now. 

Well, actually, yes I can, it's people my age living two hours away from their job in an old house with three other roommates.

[SavannahLion]

Not sure what you can get for 10,000 in California anymore. Maybe one boob?

[danny_galaga]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

That's a fair point. I change my own oil, but pay someone to do my tax!

So if S.B. 8 passes you have to pay taxes to have someone do your taxes meaning you'll have to pay taxes just pay your taxes... er... wait. ---fudgesicle--- you California.

I'm in Australia, so the cost of the accountant comes off next years reportable income.

[SavannahLion]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

That's a fair point. I change my own oil, but pay someone to do my tax!

So if S.B. 8 passes you have to pay taxes to have someone do your taxes meaning you'll have to pay taxes just pay your taxes... er... wait. ---fudgesicle--- you California.

I'm in Australia, so the cost of the accountant comes off next years reportable income.

Including the tax on the accountant?

[danny_galaga]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

That's a fair point. I change my own oil, but pay someone to do my tax!

So if S.B. 8 passes you have to pay taxes to have someone do your taxes meaning you'll have to pay taxes just pay your taxes... er... wait. ---fudgesicle--- you California.

I'm in Australia, so the cost of the accountant comes off next years reportable income.

Including the tax on the accountant?

Well, I guess 

It's why I pay someone to do it 

[SavannahLion]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

That's a fair point. I change my own oil, but pay someone to do my tax!

So if S.B. 8 passes you have to pay taxes to have someone do your taxes meaning you'll have to pay taxes just pay your taxes... er... wait. ---fudgesicle--- you California.

I'm in Australia, so the cost of the accountant comes off next years reportable income.

Including the tax on the accountant?

Well, I guess 

It's why I pay someone to do it 

Yeah, we do the same. Point is if SB 8 passes we have to pay taxes for the accountant. CA is supposedly struggling so those jug heads are looking to tax things that wasn't taxed prviously such as your accountant.

[deadmoney5]

Jesus.  I didn't realize people got such a hard on for changing their own oil.  That's why I asked the question.

To each their own.  I'd rather play Galaga.

No different than paying other's to do their taxes. 

That's a fair point. I change my own oil, but pay someone to do my tax!

So if S.B. 8 passes you have to pay taxes to have someone do your taxes meaning you'll have to pay taxes just pay your taxes... er... wait. ---fudgesicle--- you California.

That doesn't make any sense.  You can deduct the amount that you pay the accountant.  The accountant claims the amount received as income..the accountant pays taxes on that.

[SavannahLion]

It's California... it doesn't have to make sense.

[danny_galaga]

You Californians must be doing something right. Last I heard, the state of California was in the top ten economies of the WORLD! that is, California has a higher GDP than at least 186 COUNTRIES!

[dkersten]

Crazy high GDP, and they finally balanced the budget... after raising taxes to the highest in the country.  I read an article a year ago that said 50% of the income taxes are paid by 145,000 of the California residents.  Out of a population of 38 million.  Just one more reason not to live there..  lol.