How often do you change your car oil?

ChrisGTL · 13 Oct 2011 at 21:47

Too many variables to say if 10k is too much.

But oil that is formulated to a OEM spec/approval will have been done so as per engine manufacturers testing.

But of course there are many other things to shorten the lifespan of oil.

Fuel Quality
Coolant Leaks
Levels of soot
Water content from coolant leak or just short journeys (condensation)
Heat (Oxidation)
Oil level in sump
Blow-by (Nitration)
Fuel dilution

chaparral · 13 Oct 2011 at 21:47

Changed my calibra engine oil after i did 42,000 miles

Bought the car with 58,000 miles on it and changed the engine oil when the mileage hit 100,000miles
(I only changed it because i got the engine oil free from work

)

My bike engine oil is change about every 3000miles or 6 months (At start of summer & end of summer)

Matt82 · 13 Oct 2011 at 21:50

And a turbo will be far harder on oil too.

My brother bought a clio once that had not had an oil change in 60k. Pure burned on sludge in there

ChrisGTL · 13 Oct 2011 at 21:51

Matt82 said:
And a turbo will be far harder on oil too.

My brother bought a clio once that had not had an oil change in 60k. Pure burned on sludge in there

One way to varnish the engine I suppose.

Draeger · 13 Oct 2011 at 21:55

Westyfield2 said:
12 months.

Likewise.

The bike though, I'm a bit more picky about. It gets changed every 2500 miles and a new filter gets chucked on.

cheets64 · 13 Oct 2011 at 21:57

10k do it myself, only do 5k miles a year, service it myself, had the car 5 years now, just keep an eye on things and get my mate to have a gander at anything suspicious, its a Toyota so its hard as nails.

Confused · 13 Oct 2011 at 22:30

Every 4500 miles, or 6 months, as per the Mitsubishi servicing schedule (I do 4500 miles in less than 6 months).

This is engine oil/filter, and ATF in the clutch packs in the AYC rear diff.

DAnDan · 13 Oct 2011 at 22:44

Matt82 said:
this thread
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e3...9029-blackstone-oil-analysis-bmw-5w-30-a.html

8k change and high metal content which they think is bearing wear,

ill see what else there is

Not really that high, and if the engine had been raced as they said, then it's perfectly normal.

Matt82 said:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=532197

ran on oe intervals by previous owner, sludge present

They didn't say there was sludge present. They said they found no evidence of it.

Matt82 said:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=475228

9k interval, low levels of wear but "additive" content very low

They said there is "plenty of additive remaining". Definitely not very low.

Matt82 · 13 Oct 2011 at 22:57

They didn't see excessivep solids, so obviously its there.

Regarding additive content in the third link, its scored two, which was at the point of needing changing... obviously not plenty

DAnDan · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:00

Matt82 said:
They didn't see excessivep solids, so obviously its there.

Regarding additive content in the third link, its scored two, which was at the point of needing changing... obviously not plenty

No, you can't tell if it's there simply from the oil. It may or may not be, which is what they have said.

"TBN was 2.0, plenty of additive remaining." It doesn't need changing at 2.

Simon · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:03

They have done the absolute basics and trying to judge an oil based on one drain is not exactly scientific. For a start they don't even have a TAN number, then there is no reference position.

Also you are looking at cars in the US where the drive cycle, road conditions, temperatures and fuel is very different to Europe.

Matt82 · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:06

Looks like I was wrong. The analysis came back and the condition of my oil is stillgood.I paid extra for the TBN analysis showing oil wear, and at 2.0 is just at the point where it needs to be changed.

Using a phone so can't copy and paste that well, but additive wise it was apparently at the point it needed to be change, and after how many miles?

Simon · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:08

Matt82 said:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115514

17k interval, metal content of oil way over average, although oil still had an "ok" additive content

Well a 17k drain is going have 6 times the amount of wear metal than a 3000 drain isnt it? Its simple accumulation of wear metals that aren't being drained ok.

Hence comparing to an average is stupid.

What is the starting TBN of these oils too? What sort of detergent chemistry is providing the base? What hangup remains from the previous oil?

DAnDan · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:08

Matt82 said:
Using a phone so can't copy and paste that well, but additive wise it was apparently at the point it needed to be change, and after how many miles?

But that's not what the report said, so I don't know why he, or you, are saying that? The report specifically said the TBN is still fine, not at the point where it needs changing.

And as Simon has said, they've done very limited testing, which hasn't shown much, but hasn't shown that the oil is drastically (if at all) bad.

-Ad- · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:12

bledd. said:
I do a lot of short journeys, and this equates to 2-3 a year

Acceptable reason accepted and approved for use

Mine doesn't seem to go down, only had to add 200ml in the last 3-4k which is nice. Need to sort out a crack that's appeared in the manifold though, right by the flange to the block :/

Simon · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:13

Matt82 said:
Using a phone so can't copy and paste that well, but additive wise it was apparently at the point it needed to be change, and after how many miles?

No TAN so irrelevant information. Also high soap detergent systems have a different titration response when titrated with the Potassium hydroxide reagent. (Not too relevent to what the oil has to do in an engine)

What ASTM method are they using for TBN too?

DAnDan · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:13

Simon said:
No TAN so irrelevant information. Also high soap detergent systems have a different titration response when titrated with the Potassium hydroxide reagent. (Not too relevent to what the oil has to do in an engine)

What ASTM method are they using for TBN too?

If he manages to get the answer for that I'll be amazed!

thedazman67 · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:21

When the message TIME FOR REGULAR SERVICE pops up on the driver information module.

Matt82 · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:25

Simon said:
No TAN so irrelevant information. Also high soap detergent systems have a different titration response when titrated with the Potassium hydroxide reagent. (Not too relevent to what the oil has to do in an engine)

What ASTM method are they using for TBN too?

All of that's a mystery to me, I'm not an oil merchant and I sucked at chemistry at school. However, I have seen the huge difference in engine condition when comparing normal intervals and long life. That enoughfor me to know long life intervals are no good for the long life of the engine.

So if all the numbers say long intervals are good, how does that explain burned/caked on oil, blocked pumps (look at the recent Octavia thread), look at the turbo failure rate on s4s once they moved over to variable servicing?

Simon · 13 Oct 2011 at 23:28

This is why I dont post in oil threads.

People with no clue of chemistry make posts as if they know what they are on about.

I guess no one posts when they don't have a problem and a lot of 1.8T engines got sold.