&@#%*& oil filter.......

[JLWarren]

Dear rb2,
If buying a gas can is too high, an alternative is to drain the oil into a catchpan with a spout, and then pour the oil (after enough cooling) into 2 liter coke bottles. You could even go back into the quart bottles (I use a metal funnel to direct the oil the right way.) At the parts store near me where I turn the oil in for recycling, they also accept coke and oil bottles as well. It's easy, and it's the law here (San Diego, CA), too. Jim Warren, 2001 LE

[PTRobert]

Originally posted by JLWarren
Dear rb2,
If buying a gas can is too high, an alternative is to drain the oil into a catchpan with a spout, and then pour the oil (after enough cooling) into 2 liter coke bottles. You could even go back into the quart bottles (I use a metal funnel to direct the oil the right way.) At the parts store near me where I turn the oil in for recycling, they also accept coke and oil bottles as well. It's easy, and it's the law here (San Diego, CA), too. Jim Warren, 2001 LE

That sounds like a great idea, too! Thanks. I used to just drain the oil into a pan with a spout and then haul that over to the local auto parts store, but it became a hassle when I traded my truck for a more accomodating vehicle for my wife and kids to ride in. Now that I have the Cruiser and my wife's vehicle, I don't want to get 'em dirty, but don't want to pay for some guy to change my oil, either.

Thanks again!

[JLWarren]

Dear rb2,
Glad to be of help. Just to make things clear, I take the oil over to the parts shop in the 2-Liter bottles and then pour it into their big barrel. I then take the bottles back to reuse (for whatever!) until they are starting to crack, and then I turn them in for recycling. Since the synthetic oil I use is good for 25,000 miles, though, I don't have to make too many trips down to the parts store!
Sincerely, J.L. Warren

[PTRobert]

What type of Oil to you use? I have no idea which synthetic to buy, but I think I want to start using it to extend the life of my vehicles.

Originally posted by JLWarren
Dear rb2,
Glad to be of help. Just to make things clear, I take the oil over to the parts shop in the 2-Liter bottles and then pour it into their big barrel. I then take the bottles back to reuse (for whatever!) until they are starting to crack, and then I turn them in for recycling. Since the synthetic oil I use is good for 25,000 miles, though, I don't have to make too many trips down to the parts store!
Sincerely, J.L. Warren

[JLWarren]

Dear PTRobert,
I use Amsoil 5W-30 for the engine,and since I have a manual transmission, I use Amsoil TCC (it is the lubricant specifically recommended by the Amsoil techs. However, based on the advertising statements I've seen, there are some different types of transmissions out there, so before using any lube, contact Amsoil's website, www.amsoil.com, and send a note to the techs, telling them specifically what you have, and asking them what they have that meets OEM specs.) The public website is at: www.amsoil.com.
I use oil analysis to determine when to change the oil. My initial oil change was put in at 3,000 miles, and didn't require change out (other than the filter at 12,500 miles) until 21,000 miles. Right after changing to a synthetic, you will see a "high" oil usage (I had to add a total of 2.5 qts. over the first 21,000 miles), mostly during the first 3,000 to 6,000 miles after changing (all this assumes that you are switching to a synthetic within the first 15,000 miles or so of owning your PT. If you have more than about 24,000 miles or so, then the ability to realize the benifits of using a synthetic oil begin to taper off, since the wear the synthetics minimize, has already occured, in using petroleum oils.
In September of 2001, after having the PT for about a year, I took my daughter back up to college (from San Diego, CA to Santa Barbara). I kept track of my gas purchases and indicated mileage traveled. Moving all of her stuff took two round trips. The PT's ability to carry "stuff" was well demonstrated. The next week AAA had a car "fair" up near Los Angeles. Their odometer/ speedometer checker showed my odometer to be right on specification. I had gotten 31 mpg on the previous trips to Santa Barbara! Those that don't want to have a manual TX really don't know what it is like. I've always preferred having a manual TX (they're cheaper, by about $840 or so), and now that they are all hydraulically-operated, without the huge springs that they used to have 15-20 years ago, they are almost effortless to drive. My 16-year old daughter, learning how to drive, was competent on the transmission after less than 20 minutes of driving around the local junior college parking lot! Ever since General Motors virtually stopped using manual TX's in the mid-1980's because they wanted to "standardize" their production lines (a complete joke, because virtually everything anyone sells overseas is a manual transmission since gas costs so much more there), the percentage of cars/trucks on the road today in the USA with a manual TX is about 15-18%. (However, it is interesting to note that recent commercials by both GM and some of the Japanese car makers (Nissan) have either shown manual TXs or suggest them..(Shift....). Most of those that say they can't drive a manual TX are those that either 1) remember the "old" days of the big springs, 2) are physically disabled (and I fully support this group's ability to get an automatic transmission), or 3) don't care that they are wasting oil unnecessarily. Plus, since an auto TX loses over 25% of an engine's power (I did the calculation for a research project when I was in college), I have thoroughly enjoyed the looks of surprise on BMW owners when I leave them in the dust at traffic lights!
J.L. Warren 2001 LE, 31 mpg, (... and how quick do you think your BMW 3,5,7 series is?)

[PTRobert]

Originally posted by JLWarren
Dear PTRobert,
I use Amsoil 5W-30 for the engine,and since I have a manual transmission, I use Amsoil TCC (it is the lubricant specifically recommended by the Amsoil techs. However, based on the advertising statements I've seen, there are some different types of transmissions out there, so before using any lube, contact Amsoil's website, www.amsoil.com, and send a note to the techs, telling them specifically what you have, and asking them what they have that meets OEM specs.) The public website is at: www.amsoil.com.
I use oil analysis to determine when to change the oil. My initial oil change was put in at 3,000 miles, and didn't require change out (other than the filter at 12,500 miles) until 21,000 miles. Right after changing to a synthetic, you will see a "high" oil usage (I had to add a total of 2.5 qts. over the first 21,000 miles), mostly during the first 3,000 to 6,000 miles after changing (all this assumes that you are switching to a synthetic within the first 15,000 miles or so of owning your PT. If you have more than about 24,000 miles or so, then the ability to realize the benifits of using a synthetic oil begin to taper off, since the wear the synthetics minimize, has already occured, in using petroleum oils.
In September of 2001, after having the PT for about a year, I took my daughter back up to college (from San Diego, CA to Santa Barbara). I kept track of my gas purchases and indicated mileage traveled. Moving all of her stuff took two round trips. The PT's ability to carry "stuff" was well demonstrated. The next week AAA had a car "fair" up near Los Angeles. Their odometer/ speedometer checker showed my odometer to be right on specification. I had gotten 31 mpg on the previous trips to Santa Barbara! Those that don't want to have a manual TX really don't know what it is like. I've always preferred having a manual TX (they're cheaper, by about $840 or so), and now that they are all hydraulically-operated, without the huge springs that they used to have 15-20 years ago, they are almost effortless to drive. My 16-year old daughter, learning how to drive, was competent on the transmission after less than 20 minutes of driving around the local junior college parking lot! Ever since General Motors virtually stopped using manual TX's in the mid-1980's because they wanted to "standardize" their production lines (a complete joke, because virtually everything anyone sells overseas is a manual transmission since gas costs so much more there), the percentage of cars/trucks on the road today in the USA with a manual TX is about 15-18%. (However, it is interesting to note that recent commercials by both GM and some of the Japanese car makers (Nissan) have either shown manual TXs or suggest them..(Shift....). Most of those that say they can't drive a manual TX are those that either 1) remember the "old" days of the big springs, 2) are physically disabled (and I fully support this group's ability to get an automatic transmission), or 3) don't care that they are wasting oil unnecessarily. Plus, since an auto TX loses over 25% of an engine's power (I did the calculation for a research project when I was in college), I have thoroughly enjoyed the looks of surprise on BMW owners when I leave them in the dust at traffic lights!
J.L. Warren 2001 LE, 31 mpg, (... and how quick do you think your BMW 3,5,7 series is?)

Thanks for the info; I'll check that out now. I've tried to get my wife to drive the PT (manual TX) and she was hesitant because of the way manual TX vehicles were 10 years ago, or so. I've got less than 9,000 miles on the car so I think I'll start using the synthetic recommended by Amsoil. I wonder if it will do any good to change my wife's car over to Amsoil... (37K miles). We'll see. Thanks again. I look forward to improving my mileage.