RE: "octane myth" & "synthetic oil

[Nivi@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-11-05 04:15:07 EST, you write:

>>Besides, we don't all drive taxi cabs in New York. They have roughly 1
>>(one) cold start a day and run very lightly stressed, LARGE engines.
>>- peter, peterhe@microsoft.com, issaquah, wa, usa
>>  91 200qw
>>  94 acura legend gs
>>  80 mazda 626
>>
>
>Have to agree with Mr. Henriksen here.
>
>Just spent a short period of time today in NYCity playing chicken with
>pedestrians.
>
>NYCity is very much a start once, 2nd and 3rd gear tango. Oil gets nice and
>warm. Not much chance to get to 6000revs before next red light or BUS!
>
>If CR was testing for brakes. That would be a much more appropriate venue.
>
>Did I mention my brakes are a little soft. And Bus cutting into lane comes
>up real fast.

I tried to hold off on giving my input here, but as having the *exact* engine
type they used, the same car essentially, and having to drive in New York
along with the cabbies there, I would say that it *definitely* stresses the
engine (and engine oil) in more ways than you can imagine!

You do get up the revs to about 5-6k in just acceleration from start to about
3 blocks down - this is the only way to move the 2 ton vehicle (plus any
passenger weight), considering you do this every 3 minutes or more, it's
quite stressful - on the engine and driver!

Another factor: During the summer, one stands at idle in gridlock situations,
with or without the a/c running, the oil temperature and the engine gets
*very* hot! I remember when I was standing for about 30 minutes at standstill
and the oil (10w30, a little thin for the ambient temperature, I found out),
was seeping through the valve seals, and burning oil out the exhaust...I
quickly switched to Mobil 1 15w50, and have been running it ever since....

Other pertinent data: Engine had about 140Kmi on it at the time...so some
wear had occurred, but the engine hasn't been touched yet, with 322kmi!

Dorab (nivi@aol.com)
1993 S4
1990 CoupeQ
1986 Chevy Caprice