There is ALOT to be said about regular oil changes. I worked for Southern Pacific Railroad years ago. My boss had two different trucks. Once an older Dodge 1/2 stepside with a 318 (1976?) and the other was a new 1984 Ford 3/4 4x4. Both had weekly oil changes. It was not uncommon for them to have been driven 600-800 miles per day or up to 4,000 miles per week... And same as Seafire reports. They had very very high miles on them. When they finally got ride of the Dodge, I think it had near 1 million documented miles on it. Yes, it needed new water pumps, and alternators etc... But, then engine was never rebuilt.
Jeff,
that reminds me of two service reps we had with a fortune 250 company I worked for out of MN back in the early 80s...
They were two brothers based out of Mankato MN... one's service area was west into South Dakota and the other one was east of Mankato and stretched into Wisconsin. Their Uncle owned the local Dodge/Plymouth Dealership in town, so they got a new truck every 3 years... always with an auto and the old Slant 6. Base model 1/2 ton. At the end of 3 years the trucks had 200K plus on them and were pretty rusted as they never undercoated them, figured they would be worn out anyway, and scrapped...
The funny things were their opinions on oil changes.
One brother religiously changed the oil every 3,000 mile and a new filter, running 10W30. Pennzoil no less.
The other brother, would religiously change the filter every 3000 miles, and just add oil as needed... Pennzoil once again.
Who knows if it was due to the bullet proof old Slant 6 or just blind luck...but both brothers had done that for going on 30 years at the time....and both engines always made it thru the 3years and 200K....
The one that never changed the oil was big on filters, changing his air filter every 3K also...yet changing the plugs and wires when they had little life left in them... the other brother was just anal retentive and did everything by the book religiously.
I think the brother big on filters and nothing else, was just lucky and also a true testament to that old MoPar Slant 6.
