Engine oil advice

Paradigm

The company I work for has sprinter vans used for a variety of jobs & have very little trouble with them. I'm pretty sure that they are used as hard as any van but they don't change the oil every 3000 miles!

I agree that manufacturers oil change schedules are very optimistic & that even 12000 miles is too long for most vehicles but 3000 miles is OTT.

A decent fully synth oil should easily last a minimum of 6-9000 miles even under the harshest use/british weather....

If you're having to change oil at 3000 miles to prevent engine damage I suggest an alternative.... instead of changing the oil, change the driver

jd82

I suspect your Sprinters are doing 0-50mph from cold though like an ambulance is expected to do!

bigjl

Paradigm wrote: »

The company I work for has sprinter vans used for a variety of jobs & have very little trouble with them. I'm pretty sure that they are used as hard as any van but they don't change the oil every 3000 miles!

I agree that manufacturers oil change schedules are very optimistic & that even 12000 miles is too long for most vehicles but 3000 miles is OTT.

A decent fully synth oil should easily last a minimum of 6-9000 miles even under the harshest use/british weather....

If you're having to change oil at 3000 miles to prevent engine damage I suggest an alternative.... instead of changing the oil, change the driver

Mmm, i suppose you are an Advanced driver then?

We also don't use fully synth, I believe it is a semi synth. The service schedule is something that is there to ensure the vehicles last and don't require excessive replacement parts, they also get used hard, of course they do, that is the nature of the beast, they did initially use fully synth.

But when a vehicle is driven hard, the turbo gets hot, they are then turned off, the newer the oil the more protection from this harsh treatment.

Also when the vehicle has an oil change they also check the brakes, etc, it would be a waste of time and increase vehicle down time to have seperate servicing schedules, it take sminutes to do an oil change, so it get sdone whilst the brakes and suspension are given the once over.

Don't forget that these engines are sometimes swtiched on for the best part of 24 hours a day, though sometimes they are only used for 12 hours hence the abuse from cold.

To reiterate, we had engine failures due to lubrication problems when we first got the Mercs, as stated earlier.

In the 8 years since the introduction of the revised schedule they have had none that I aware of, a few turbos, but no bottom ends letting go.

I will continue to change my oil ear;ier than the manufacturer state, and as I have never had an engine go bang it seems to work, considering that I used to be an extremely high mileage driver, 70k+ a year. i think my experience is relevant.

As an aside the Met Police have pretty much the same service shedule, but they are a bit more anal sometimes, for example if a vehicle has a puncture they replace an axle set.

Though both services never just change pads always discs aswell, and neither will have a puncture repaired, ever, even if the tyre has done ten miles.

If you ever look into the kind of maintenance that people carry out on performance cars like Subarus and Evos you will find very similiar policies, keep the engine oil clean and change it regularly, my opinion is that the oil is the life blood of an engine, and if i do 4 oil changes a year it costs me about £120, an expense that I am happy to pay, but then I never fit cheap tyres or brake parts either, not worth saving a few quid.

flyingscotno1

Paradigm wrote: »

I agree that manufacturers oil change schedules are very optimistic & that even 12000 miles is too long for most vehicles but 3000 miles is OTT.

A decent fully synth oil should easily last a minimum of 6-9000 miles even under the harshest use/british weather....

My car is allegedly 2 years/21000m between services (and thus I suspect for the average driver) oil changes despite manual stating harsh conditions 12 months. It does have an oil degradation meter which flagged up I needed an oil change at just about a 1 year and 12000m.

mikey72

I'll change petrol engines oil and filter every year or 12000 miles, and diesels every 6000 miles.
All with semi synthetic, and so far after 200,000 miles between the main two cars they're running fine.
(the old cars get an oil change every 6000 miles, or yearly if it's less, with a good old 20-50 mineral, they don't like synthetic)

mikey72

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Still a fossil fuel mineral oil though, the manf will specify semi or full synthetic to align with there schedule

Just to confuse people, GTX is now available from Castrol as a part synthetic as well, in a 10/40, as well as a mineral 10/40, and a mineral 15/40.
Some varieties are A3/B3, and some are A3/B4.
The only way to make sure you get the right one is to read the label, as it is quite often sold will the wrong description as well now.

Paradigm

bigjl wrote: »

If you ever look into the kind of maintenance that people carry out on performance cars like Subarus and Evos you will find very similiar policies, keep the engine oil clean and change it regularly, my opinion is that the oil is the life blood of an engine, and if i do 4 oil changes a year it costs me about £120, an expense that I am happy to pay.

I agree that regular oil changes are vital & that manufactures intervals are wildly optimistic, I said so in my reply above!

I still say that if you can't get 6-9000 miles between oil changes with a diesel van without blowing engines then something is wrong.

I know turbos get hot, I know how tough they are on oil but even so 3000 miles???

As long as your happy though what does it matter? Although I have to say that comparing a sprinter van with a scooby/evo is pushing the limits

A._Badger

mikey72 wrote: »

Just to confuse people, GTX is now available from Castrol as a part synthetic as well, in a 10/40, as well as a mineral 10/40, and a mineral 15/40.
Some varieties are A3/B3, and some are A3/B4.
The only way to make sure you get the right one is to read the label, as it is quite often sold will the wrong description as well now.

Another once-great company ruined by marketing 'geniuses'. Who lets them out of their playpens?

Flying-High_2

bigjl wrote: »

The vehicles are the 2.7 five cylinder Sprinters with an 5 speed Autobox. We bought (or rather initially leased them) them over a few years, 52reg, 53reg, 54reg, 05reg then 55reg. They are now buying 2.2 Auto Sprinters that are already having engine problems, something to do with a 5 tonne vehcile with a tiny engine, they got the first on 08reg, 58reg, 59reg and the last on a 10reg.

However, you aren't comparing like for like, your vehicles will be on constant revs, on a dual carraigeway, low levels of boost, started in the morning, not hammered from cold. Driven in pretty much the perfect way. Ours are used under what would be termed "harsh conditions".

I you read the entire thread you will see I made reference to the fact that they tried to run them to the extended mileage intervals and they had to replace engines, which as an NHS Trust we have to buy from Mercedes, not a recon from bod round the corner, Mercedes UK only.

Oil lasts as well as it is treated, use a vehicle harshly and you need to change it more often.

And the Police, Ambulance Service and Fire Brigade I would assume don't have warranties, they aer null and void due to the usage that they are out to.

Any failures come out of the budget, when they first started going bang the sent them back to Merc, Merc said you haven't been changing the oil, all blame passed back to the Trust.

Also the vehicles we use aren't low revving commercials lie the Foden mentioned.

But then if you think we are wasting money then call the DoH, after all nothing to worry about if the Ambulances start to break down on the way to calls, nothing to worry about atall.

The basic function of oil is to prevent metal to metal contact, the longer it is used the less effective it becomes, more products of conbustion builds up in the oil, no doubt the sheer strength will be reduced, thoughnit is 20 years since I studied mechanical engineering and I am sure somebody will know the exact terminology.

As far as leaving the oil in a vehcicle for 60k, this might be possible on a vehicle driven over low annual mileages, not in a dusty of harsh environment, especially a car as clean running as a petrol Nissan, but seriously why run the risk for the sake of £30 and an hour out of your weekend.

I used to work with Nigerians minicab drivers years ago, they had the same servicing schedule, they were also always changing their cars when they made funny noises, and where convinced the BMW's and Mercedes where rubbish as they only lasted 70k or 80k before needing repair.

If you keep the oil clean then an engine will last indefinately, anybody rememeber the million mile 3 series that Mobil 1 had, a million miles and when the engine was stripped down it was within manufacturers tolerances for a brand new engine.

Thanks for taking time to explain the background and kind of work these Sprinters are covering.

I Fully Understand the reasoning behind the service schedules now... Reliability is the key 100% of the time I guess and Oil is cheaper than Metal ATEOTD.

Is that the Kind of Mileage an Ambulance covers weekly then circa 500?.. I dont know why but I'd of hazarded a guess at bit higher.

There was a big Hoohah in our local papers last year due to Our New ambulances being no good due to the Front Axle being Overladen with all the kit on board... Seem to be Sprinters again around here again now since that... 516 IRC.

benham3160

bigjl wrote: »

Mmm, i suppose you are an Advanced driver then?

We also don't use fully synth, I believe it is a semi synth. The service schedule is something that is there to ensure the vehicles last and don't require excessive replacement parts, they also get used hard, of course they do, that is the nature of the beast, they did initially use fully synth.

But when a vehicle is driven hard, the turbo gets hot, they are then turned off, the newer the oil the more protection from this harsh treatment.

Also when the vehicle has an oil change they also check the brakes, etc, it would be a waste of time and increase vehicle down time to have seperate servicing schedules, it take sminutes to do an oil change, so it get sdone whilst the brakes and suspension are given the once over.

Don't forget that these engines are sometimes swtiched on for the best part of 24 hours a day, though sometimes they are only used for 12 hours hence the abuse from cold.

To reiterate, we had engine failures due to lubrication problems when we first got the Mercs, as stated earlier.

In the 8 years since the introduction of the revised schedule they have had none that I aware of, a few turbos, but no bottom ends letting go.

I will continue to change my oil ear;ier than the manufacturer state, and as I have never had an engine go bang it seems to work, considering that I used to be an extremely high mileage driver, 70k+ a year. i think my experience is relevant.

As an aside the Met Police have pretty much the same service shedule, but they are a bit more anal sometimes, for example if a vehicle has a puncture they replace an axle set.

Though both services never just change pads always discs aswell, and neither will have a puncture repaired, ever, even if the tyre has done ten miles.

If you ever look into the kind of maintenance that people carry out on performance cars like Subarus and Evos you will find very similiar policies, keep the engine oil clean and change it regularly, my opinion is that the oil is the life blood of an engine, and if i do 4 oil changes a year it costs me about £120, an expense that I am happy to pay, but then I never fit cheap tyres or brake parts either, not worth saving a few quid.

Just a slight aside, my dad worked for Essex (now EEAS) and they have traditionally always used Transits (2.4TDCi six-speeders recently) the main vehicle he last worked on has now clocked 300k ('07' plate) and is still just about running on it's original engine. EEAS are now rolling out Mercs thoughout I believe, replacing the Essex fleet of Transits.

Infact, that was only of the reasons he was glad he left when he did, as apparently all new vehicles have to be fixed-bulkhead? My father did say the day they introduced those would be the day he handed in his notice:rotfl:

My friend is a tech for EEAS (old East Anglian) who are allegedly getting the automatic Mercs, what are they like?

Regards,
Andy