Synthetic Oil Changeover

[xsolara]

Didn't see an answer to this first question.

Does the 3.8 take 7.2 qts? I am about ready for my first oil change and was going to bring Mobil1 from Walmart and want to be sure I have enough.

That's what the owners manual says.... probably 7 qts would be OK

 

[PaFromFL]

After 35 years in aviation, I can safely say virtually all large aircraft use nitrogen in tires, struts, accumulators and virtually anything requiring gaseous pressure but the main reason was to avoid moisture, and ice. Recalling my 40 year old college chemistry I believe both nitrogen and oxygen are diatomic and that the nitrogen atom is smaller than oxygen and hence more likely to leak...

The main reason to use nitrogen in tires is that, unlike air, it contains no water vapor. When water accumulates in tires, it makes the pressure very sensitive to temperature (because the liquid/gas ratio of water changes).

 

[PaFromFL]

That's what the owners manual says.... probably 7 qts would be OK

Mine took closer to 7.1 quarts than 7.3 quarts, probably because a little oil remained in the engine.

 

[Focusin]

The main reason to use nitrogen in tires is that, unlike air, it contains no water vapor. When water accumulates in tires, it makes the pressure very sensitive to temperature (because the liquid/gas ratio of water changes).

I noticed some of the chain stores here in Canada are starting to offer nitrogen with winter tire set ups. I've never come across it before.

 

[kn5owa]

The problem with nitrogen - rarely mentioned - is how do you get a significant percentage of nitrogen in the tire beyond the approx. 80% that you already have by virtue of mother nature?

 

[Mark_888]

The problem with nitrogen - rarely mentioned - is how do you get a significant percentage of nitrogen in the tire beyond the approx. 80% that you already have by virtue of mother nature?

I read somewhere that they fill it with nitrogen, then empty it, and fill it again (using pure nitrogen) several times, until it gets up to about 95% nitrogen. That is apparently enough to reap the benefits of nitrogen.

Many have found that their tires loose pressure much slower with nitrogen than with air.

 

[Midnightsun]

Read this article on Nitrogen and judge for yourself. IMHO it is just a fad when used in our every day cars. I can see the benefits in race cars and aviation but not daily drivers.The normal air we breath which is what is in your tires is already 78% nitrogen so you are trying to get a small percentage of pure oxygen out and replace this with pure nitrogen. Most shops will just fill with nitrogen and do not purge so basically you are getting a small 10% nitrogen increase at best. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=191

 

[Mark_888]

Read this article on Nitrogen and judge for yourself. IMHO it is just a fad when used in our every day cars. I can see the benefits in race cars and aviation but not daily drivers.The normal air we breath which is what is in your tires is already 78% nitrogen so you are trying to get a small percentage of pure oxygen out and replace this with pure nitrogen. Most shops will just fill with nitrogen and do not purge so basically you are getting a small 10% nitrogen increase at best. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=191

Here is what the article says (from the link you provided):

"Nitrogen molecules have a more difficult time escaping through the microscopic spaces that exist between a tire's rubber molecules. Nitrogen is a "slow" inactive gas labeled as an inert gas due to its nonreactive nature with many materials. Oxygen on the other hand is a "fast" active gas that reacts with many materials called "oxidation." Additionally nitrogen is a dry gas that doesn't support moisture while oxygen combined with hydrogen makes water (H2O)."​

I was skeptical also, but I have found the above to be true, and my tires stay inflated to proper pressure much longer with nitrogen. I noticed this after buying my last set of tires at Costco, where they use nitrogen at no extra charge (they don't even ask if you want it).

I have a very accurate tire gauge that can read pressure to within one tenth PSI (I would not recommend this gauge to others, because there are less expensive digital gauges just as accurate):
http://www.accutiregauge.com/racing-gauge/accutire-ms-5510b-racing-tire-pressure-gauge/

 

[Midnightsun]

Here is what the article says (from the link you provided):

"Nitrogen molecules have a more difficult time escaping through the microscopic spaces that exist between a tire's rubber molecules. Nitrogen is a "slow" inactive gas labeled as an inert gas due to its nonreactive nature with many materials. Oxygen on the other hand is a "fast" active gas that reacts with many materials called "oxidation." Additionally nitrogen is a dry gas that doesn't support moisture while oxygen combined with hydrogen makes water (H2O)."​

I was skeptical also, but I have found the above to be true, and my tires stay inflated to proper pressure much longer with nitrogen. I noticed this after buying my last set of tires at Costco, where they use nitrogen at no extra charge (they don't even ask if you want it).

I have a very accurate tire gauge that can read pressure to within one tenth PSI (I would not recommend this gauge to others, because there are less expensive digital gauges just as accurate):
http://www.accutiregauge.com/racing-gauge/accutire-ms-5510b-racing-tire-pressure-gauge/

Whats the point? If your gauge is so accurate and you are dead set on having the proper inflation then you will add a pound of nitrogen to each tire every couple of months and I will add 2 pounds of air as an example. You still need to top up every now and then unless you are a garage queen which helps. Point is, tires should be checked regularly and adjusted. Not to mention the fact that you need to go to a garage that has nitrogen available and they will most likely charge you for it.

My best friend happens to own a tire garage, he was all yahoo when he got his nitrogen machine several years back when it was all the rage and recommended it hands down to air. Today he tells me don't bother, no real difference to the consumer except for cost.

 

[kn5owa]

I read somewhere that they fill it with nitrogen, then empty it, and fill it again (using pure nitrogen) several times, until it gets up to about 95% nitrogen. That is apparently enough to reap the benefits of nitrogen.

This topic was beat to death on a Sonata forum a few years back and some chemical engineers calculated the same numbers. I.e., fill the tires 3 or 4 times and you will maybe arrive at 95%. But who's gonna do that?

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[Mark_888]

This topic was beat to death on a Sonata forum a few years back and some chemical engineers calculated the same numbers. I.e., fill the tires 3 or 4 times and you will maybe arrive at 95%. But who's gonna do that?

I don't know if Costco does that or not. All I know is that after getting new tires at Costco (with nitrogen at no extra charge), my tires rarely lose pressure in between 7500 mile rotations (also free at Costco). I have a very accurate tire gauge, as mentioned above. That has not been the case during my previous 40 years of owning cars that had tires without nitrogen.

 

[jarred52]

I had a free nitrogen fill (the machine deflated and refilled the tires) at the shop that serviced my E320cdi several years ago. I am a fanatic about checking my tire pressure and have a small compressor to fill up to the pressure I want for that time. I run 1 psi over the car manufacturers recommendations for regular driving and 2 psi for road trips.

I found that the nitrogen kept the pressure more stable in outside temperature variations and had less leak-down over time. I would not pay extra for it but think it is beneficial to the car owners that don't regularly check their tire pressure.