New Oil Standard For GM

GM has announced a new oil standard taking effect this year in Europe and next year globally. The new standard is Dexos Geos. DexosII is the diesel oil being released in Europe this year for the 2010 models and DexosI is the gasoline version coming to a lube center near you for the 2011 models.

There will also be a new rating for most cars and light trucks, GF5, that will replace the current GF4. The catch is that the GF5 oils are not expected to meet the DexosI standards. The DexosI will meet the GF5 specifications. So what's the problem, just use the Dexos in everything, right?

Dexos will use much higher quantities of molybdenum disulfide (Moly) that will add considerable cost to the oil. Moly is currently about $35 per pound versus the 68 cents per pound for the Zinc based additive primarily used now.

GM is also charging licensing fees for the Dexos certification estimated to range between $1000 and $5000 a year and an "under the hood" royalty to cover the cost of "ongoing testing" that is estimated to be between 8 and 25 cents per quart. Experts say this will make the cost of Dexos about 50% higher than the new GF5 oil used by other car makers.

There is a very good article in the National Oil and Lube News explaining this in more detail.

There is concern that this is basically a financial move on the part of GM, trying to bring in cash from wherever it can be found. Many believe this violates the current laws about forcing a car buyer to use the manufacturer's products for service in order to maintain the warranty. GM may be violating the Magnusen-Moss act which forbids a car maker from requiring a specific product be used unless it is furnished for free by requiring a proprietary oil formula for which it charges royalties.

Several of the National oil change associations have begun a campaign contacting their representatives about this.

Considering the current problems at GM I wonder if they have considered the customer dissatisfaction that may be caused by this new oil standard?

Ford and Toyota Recalls

Recently both Ford and Toyota announced major recall of popular vehicles. Manufacturers do not issue recalls for minor problems. Whenever they go to the expense of recalling thousands, or even millions of cars it is for something that is potentially life threatening. That doesn’t mean it is a big, complicated fix, just that the potential damage from the problem is significant.

The one from Toyota is relatively simple, a floor mat can slide forward and keep the gas pedal depressed causing the car to keep accelerating even after you lift your foot from the gas pedal. The following Toyota cars are affected by this recall;

- 2007 to 2010 Camry
- 2005 to 2010 Avalon
- 2004 to 2009 Prius
- 2005 to 2010 Tacoma
- 2007 to 2010 Tundra

This recall involves replacing the “All Weather Floor Mats” with a different style that will stay in place.
For more information about the floor mat recall go to www.Toyota.com/safetyadvisory or call your local Toyota Dealer.

The Ford problem is a bit more complicated and is actually an extension of a recall from a few years ago. You may remember the Fords that were catching fire, burning the truck to the ground and in some cases the house it was parked at? That is the same problem they are recalling more than 4 million more vehicles for.

This time the recall involves a cross section of the production including almost every car they made in the time period of 1992 through 2003. The following vehicles are included in the recall.

On these cars and truck the switch mounted to the master cylinder that  helps operate the cruise control can short out and start a fire in the harness. This fire can easily spread and result in catastrophic damages to the vehicle and anything parked near it. 

The fix for this problem is to install a short wiring harness addition between the original connection and the switch. This new harness will include a fuse that will blow eliminating the possibility of a spreading electrical fire. In my opinion this does not fix the problem, but does greatly reduce the danger related to it.

If you own one of the affected vehicles you will get a letter in the mail about how to have the recall services performed. Dealers will be inundated by customers wanting to have this service performed so be patient.
In the meantime remove the floor mat from your Toyota and unplug the cruise switch on your Ford product. If you are unsure of just what to unplug bring the car by Freedom Automotive or any reputable shop and we will be happy to do it for you. We value you as an individual and a customer.

What Is The Severe Service Schedule?

Many car owners are not aware that there are two service schedules for the maintenance of their car. The one that most people are aware of if the "Normal Service" interval. This is the one that the car dealer will talk about when he tells you that you don't have to change your oil but every 7500 miles, or coolant but every 100,000. What they do not tell the new car buyer is that there is another factory stated schedule of service for those of us who fall into the "Severe Service" category.
When most of us think of severe service we picture the guy who is pulling a 10,000 loaded trailer up steep hills all day long, or the poor guy stuck in Alaska's sub zero winter, Not so!

On the Ford website for service schedules , it has 5 boxes to check:

If you pick any box other than normal it will show a service schedule that reduces by half or more the mileage interval between most services, including oil changes and transmission services. Other manufacturers have similar qualifications on what they consider to be normal service.

Driving in heavy traffic with prolonged low speed operation, frequent stops and starts and the heat generated by all the other vehicles can dramatically raise the temperature of all the fluids in your car. Heat shortens the life of a lubricant. Even if no warning lights come on during your drive you are operating under a severe condition. Your car is designed to handle these conditions, if you take care of it by sticking to the proper maintenance schedule.

Repeated short trips, such as a very short commute to work or school (5 miles or less), do not allow the fluids in your car to warm up high enough and long enough to evaporate all the moisture that forms in it, or to burn off volatile compounds that form in the oil as part of combustion.

Towing of course increases the load on the engine, transmission and other power train components. Notice Ford doesn't say, "Towing more than" so many miles or a percentage of the driving time. It just says towing, using a camper or roof rack. All increase the strain on your vehicle and cause early breakdown of the lubricants and coolants.

Dirt is the enemy of your car! When we drive in dusty conditions we expect our air filter, both engine air filter and cabin air filter, to keep the dirt out. While they do a good job of keeping the largest dirt particles out of the engine some smaller ones still get through. Here the car makers have to seek a balance between perfect filtration, which would be very expensive and restrictive to air flow, or allowing some dirt to pass. Under normal conditions they do a good job. Under more trying driving a lot of dirt can get past the best filters in our car. It also works its way into the moving parts of the suspension, the transmission through the vent, and the differential. Frequent oil changes, filter changes and lube jobs are a must of you are driving in dirty conditions. The concrete dust and dirt stirred up by construction is the most common cause in our area, but some of us still live on gravel or dirt roads in the rural areas.

Off road use is self explanatory and if you are using your vehicle for hunting, mudding or other off road adventures get it serviced when you get home regardless of the mileage.

So you might ask what constitutes normal service? If you use your car for longer trips, say 25 or more miles each way at posted speed limits and do not carry more than a sensible load in it without a trailer or roof rack it is probably normal use as long as you avoid construction area, dirt roads and temperatures above 90 degrees. Not much of that around here.

Check your owner's manual for more specifics about your car and the service schedule you should follow.

WHEN INSULTS HAD CLASS!!!

Beautiful stuff. Just love it! These glorious insults are from an era before the English language got boiled down to 4-letter words.

"He had delusions of adequacy."
- Walter Kerr

"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."
- Winston Churchill

"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure."
- Clarence Darrow

"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary."
- William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).

"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it."
- Moses Hadas

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it."
- Mark Twain

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends."
--Oscar Wilde

"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend.... if you have one."
- George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill

"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there is one."
- - Winston Churchill, in response.