Some Tips about Changing Your oil?

bigjl

NWOIHTS wrote: »

I don't know about it going black very quickly, if by using the car for very short runs then yes it will blacken quicker. Fact is that if the oil is black it is contaminated it needs changed. When I worked in the trade any mechanic I knew with a diesel used to change oil about every 4K. Now the engines are tighter tolerances and more efficiently designed so I doubt the oil will contaminate as quick, although that also depends on wear of the engine.

Sorry mate, but you are completely wrong here.

Oil has changed dramatically over the last five years, let alone over the last 10/15 years.

Diesel vehicles dirty their oil quickly due to soot.

The soot loading of the oil can only be measured with Used Oil Analysis, not by looking at the oil.


You are making widespread generalisations and making comments without detailed knowledge on the subject.

Commercial vehicles run as much as 100k miles on one oil change, though they usually have extra filtration systems like bypass filtration or centrifugal filtration systems.

The Land Rover Discovery TD5 is also fitted with a centrifugal filter system.

There are condemnation limits on oil which are regularly used I the transport Industry which are used to get as much mileage as is safe from the oil.

Please try not to spread misinformation it doesn't benefit anybody.

gazzak_2

If all us diesel owners changed our oil when it goes black, we'd be changing it every day. Absolutely awful advice.

Oil should be changed at regular mileage intervals, NOT on what it looks like.

The screwdriver and oil filter tip is also a bad one. Many newer cars have oil pipes that extend well into the oil filter so trying to bash a screwdriver through it will cause a LOT of damage.

OP, I wonder if you ever did work on cars.

Richard53

NWOIHTS wrote: »

I think people are getting the never need to service or do anything to your car' fever now because of the longer service intervals.

Far from it. I adhere religiously to oil change intervals, doubling them for hard use if necessary. But as others have said there is a school of thought that modern oils are so well specc'd with detergents etc that flushing is no longer necessary or even advisable, and that oil flushing belongs in the past, along with straight 30 weight oils and a dash of Redex every weekend 'to keep the pistons clean'.

As I said above, I think the idea of a flush every oil change sounds great in theory, but I wasn't clear on what current practice might be.

forgotmyname

Use flushing oil in a modern turbo diesel and it will need a new engine and turbo longer before one that just gets normal regular oil changes.

Flushing oil is a poor lubricant.

OP have you ever owned a diesel? As mentioned the oil could be black by the time you drive from the ramps to the carpark.

Your advice seems to be for older classic cars where oil went black because of the carbon build up.
Modern cars dont get this anywhere near as bad.

Take a new petrol engine and never change the oil, It would probably get to about 60,000 miles before the oil went anywhere near a darker shade.

My last oil change was at 4000 miles, Despite the manufacturers interval being 12,000.

Yet its still black. Diesel you see..

You found some ancient articles from old car magazines?

vikingaero

More oil change tips from Viking:

(1) If you only ever keep a car for 3 years and chop it in for a new one then stick to the manufacturers service schedule.

(2) If you keep your car for longer then halve the service intervals with an oil change

bigjl

Not a bad opinion Viking.

Though I have been changing oil as severe service recommendations advise for years now.

Living on the outskirts of London means traffic is unavoidable.

Avoriaz

Weird_Nev wrote: »

I used engine flush on the advice of a trusted mechanic friend. (The kind of mechanic who can fabricate parts, is an ex engine builder for bentley, and works as head mechanic at an independant specialist servicing all makes and models of performance car)....

Makes a change from fabricating invoices or unnecessary work.

TradePro

Weird_Nev wrote: »

an ex engine builder for bentley

Yeah, course he is.

Ask him to show you one of his payslips from when he worked there...

I have had the same stories about over 100 paint sprayers that used to paint Rolls-Royce's at the factory...

Popular urban myths - I doubt he would work at an independent garage now after such an illustrious position.

Back on topic though, the OP's advice isn't great in my opinion.

red_eye

NWOIHTS wrote: »

I don't know about it going black very quickly, if by using the car for very short runs then yes it will blacken quicker. Fact is that if the oil is black it is contaminated it needs changed. When I worked in the trade any mechanic I knew with a diesel used to change oil about every 4K. Now the engines are tighter tolerances and more efficiently designed so I doubt the oil will contaminate as quick, although that also depends on wear of the engine.

one of oils many jobs is to go black with contamination, after a few hundred miles the oil starts to go black. it does not matter about tighter tolerances the fact is the cylinders need to be lubricated so oil, exhaust gases and air fuel mix will make it past the piston rings there is no stopping it.

Stooby2

Vikingaero wrote:

(2) If you keep your car for longer then halve the service intervals with an oil change

Can't agree with that, especially if you're not doing much mileage. Once you get to 10 years or 70,000+ miles then twice yearly oil changes might start to make sense - but after three years, no.