Engine cooktop inspires men to make road-trip movie.

A Culinary Adventure
"Earlier this year when Dan Dresser had his 1989 Toyota Camry in for an oil change, the mechanics noticed some unusual oil spills. They found cooking oil — rather than engine oil — spattered on the car’s motor.

Dresser wasn’t surprised. He’d chosen the car because, in addition to its good gas mileage, it was good for cooking.“I confess: I always look at the manifold to see if it’s good for cooking or not,” he said, noting that he’d driven a Toyota Celica to California about 10 years ago and made an apple pie, among other things, during the drive. “Toyotas that were made between 1987 and 1992, there’s something about the design of the exhaust manifold — it’s perfect for cooking.”

Dresser was searching for such a Toyota because he and Jason Wussow, who owns Beaner’s Central coffee shop, were driving to Taos, N.M., and wanted to turn their cross-country trip into a culinary adventure. Once they rebuilt the car — and christened it “Ellen” — Wussow and Dresser vowed that any hot meals would be cooked on the manifold of the Camry."

Choosing the Right Engine Oil

Choosing the Right Engine Oil: "If you want to own and properly maintain a vehicle, at some point you'll have to figure out what kind of oil your car takes. Whether you're at a service center being asked what kind of oil you want or at a parts store shopping for oil to top off the engine, you'll want to know what's recommended.

The owner's manual gives all the information necessary to put the right viscosity oil — 10W-30, 5W-30, etc. — into your car. Most will have a temperature chart showing which conditions are best for different viscosities. It's also common to see the recommended oil printed on the oil cap under the hood.

In the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse owner's manual, for example, Chevrolet recommends using 5W-30 in virtually all climates, except extreme cold. When temperatures drop below negative -20 degrees Fahrenheit, however, Chevrolet recommends either switching to synthetic 5W-30 oil or going to a 0W-30 viscosity to better handle the extreme temperature."

Why Oil Matters

What if I Don't Change My Oil?

If you're reading this article, you're probably not one to skip a few oil changes, but you might be wondering what might happen to your car's engine if you did. In short, it's not pretty.

One of the problems, according to Bachelder, is that there will begin to be build-up in the cooler parts of the engine, like the crankcase and around the camshafts and valves.

'You would get the carbon deposits, the sludge as you would call it, coming out' of the old oil, he said. 'To clean the engine would be relatively expensive because it would require taking parts off.'

'It can get to the point where it's so thick that it can't be pumped,' McDonald said. 'You can start to wear out your piston rings. Once those begin to wear it's not easy and not inexpensive to fix that problem.'

It can get worse. Bachelder says the pistons could eventually seize or the camshafts could be damaged. Getting a bill for either one of these repairs would make even a few high-quality oil changes look like pocket change. Regular oil changes, according to Szemenyei, are like 'really cheap insurance' for your engine

Oil Technology

Oil-Life Monitors:

You used to have to keep track of when to change your oil, but some newer cars with oil-life monitors will do it for you, letting you know when it's time to seek service.

'The manufacturer believes enough in those that they're putting the warranty behind them,' Bachelder said. 'It's a better gauge of what the oil has been exposed to than the three-month or 3,000-mile intervals.'

McDonald says oil-life monitors observe things like temperature and engine speed in order to calculate when the oil should be changed. He also adds that its calculations are based on the oil recommended for the engine. That means high-performance synthetic oil won't necessarily result in a longer service interval from the oil-life monitor even though the oil may be able to handle one.

Perhaps the monitor's most important benefit, however, is a simpler one.

'It helps remind people that their oil needs to be changed,' Szemenyei said."

Oil Maintenance 101

Oil Maintenance 101 - Cars.com: "The decision of whether or not to turn your own wrench basically comes down to how comfortable you feel underneath a car. You can typically save a few bucks by doing it yourself, but there are almost always deals and coupons that make the price difference negligible. Purchasing just oil and a filter can cost $20 at a parts store. A shop down the street with a $19.95 oil change saves you the additional hassle of putting your car up on jacks or ramps and getting dirty."

Intellistick FAQ- What is the best oil?

Intellistick FAQ: "What is the best oil?
This question is often asked. There are many factors to consider in determining the best oil such as cost, additives, regional conditions, driving habits, etc. The IntelliStick can help you determine which oil works best in your particular engine by allowing you to see when the additives deplete for any oil brand and how long the oil lasts prior to oxidation."

Diesel engine maintenance manuals free - .Pdf & Word Free Ebooks Download

Great resource! Obviously I can't verify all the contents but I did find some good random old manuals here.