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Feature Story
Want to get the
maximum mileage from your truck's
engine?
Have the oil tested...
Those of us who are health-conscious make
it a point to see our family doctor at least once a year for a routine
check-up. Such visits are part of preventive health care—a way to nip
potentially big problems before they get a foothold.
In a similar vein, the only way to keep
an eye on an engine is to have the oil analyzed. Amazing as it sounds,
the price for such oil analysis is usually less than $20.
There are several companies around the
country that specialize in this.
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First Look
2007 Chevy Silverado
Here's your first peek at the official versions of the 2007
Chevrolet Silverado. These new versions are completely redesigned from
the frame up and represent a much more upscale appearance for GM's
best-selling vehicles.
The ’07 Silverado lineup is built on an all-new platform that
supports a smoother ride and responsive, confident handling while
delivering segment-leading capability and power. A lineup of six
powerful, Gen IV small-block V-8 engines complements the stronger
chassis to deliver the light-duty segment’s highest-rated towing
capacity (10,500 pounds / 4,763 kg), horsepower (367 hp / 274 kW) and
fuel economy, with a maximum payload capacity of 2,160 pounds (980
kg).
“Silverado has always been the most dependable, longest lasting
pickup truck, and the 2007 lineup extends that legacy with
industry-leading advancements in capability, quality, safety and fuel
economy,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “Silverado owners
form a partnership with their trucks; they are the everyday heroes who
value the durability and dependability of a Silverado to get the job
done. Our guiding philosophy during the development of the new truck
was delivering the confidence that comes with driving the strongest,
most dependable and longest lasting trucks on the road.”
CLICK HERE for the complete story
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According
to Herguth Laboratories, Inc. (www.herguth.com;
888.437.4884), an oil-analysis lab in Vallejo, California,
spectrochemical testing is a rapid, convenient, and relatively
inexpensive way to keep a scientific eye on engine wear.
Herguth
lab technicians, as do other oil-testing labs, use an Atomic Emission
Spectrometer to “identify common wear metals, contaminates, and
inorganic additives found in lubricants.” To do this the oil sample
you send them is burned in a control chamber and a beam of light
passed through the vapor to identify the elements the oil contained.
Bill
Herguth, Chairman and CEO says those numbers are then compared to a
“base sample” the customer has on file and the results given to the
vehicle owner in a detailed printout within 48 hours of receipt of the
sample.
"When the
lab knows the engine make/model, and number of miles," says Herguty,
"the report will tell you the significance of the data in relation to
what parts of the engine are becoming wear concerns."
For
instance, the sudden appearance of copper in a sample is a sure sign a
rod bearing has lost some outer chrome and is in the early stages of
failure. Knowing this allows the vehicle owner to have rod bearings
replaced in the near future instead of a very expensive crankshaft and
overhaul if the problem went undetected.
“A vehicle
owner should have the first oil sample done within the engine warranty
period in case there are problems down the road that could be traced
back to that time frame. Then have oil sampled periodically from that
point forward,” advises Herguth. “It’s like a person having an annual
check-up at the doctor’s office.”
The systematic sampling
routine continues at 50,000 miles with another analysis at 100,000
miles. After that, those running gasoline engines should have the
engine oil analyzed once every third oil change, or between
9,000-10,000 miles. Diesel owners should begin a 10,000-mile analysis
after about 150,000 miles.
Such
frequency can pinpoint wear patterns that can then be checked out and
the problem repaired before it leads to a far more serious domino
effect. Such is the value of a $20 mail-in analysis. —Bruce W.
Smith
To read more GCN AutoMedia Vehicle Reviews visit the
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