What have you done to your car today?

agw_01 · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:56

Cheers guys, I have heard of Blueprint, I was just surprised that a specialist used an aftermarket filter as opposed to a genuine filter. Not like the genuine filters are expensive or hard to get hold of.

Frozennova, same here. My Rovers always got genuine filters, same with the Scoobs. After just blowing close to £100 on oil, what's a couple of quid on an oil filter

Akagi · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:59

Surely on a Rover, genuine parts are the worst ones you can get?

agw_01 · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:00

Most service parts were made by Caterpillar don't you know

acemastr · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:44

Frozennova said:
Wouldn't use a K&N oil filter if you paid me.

For the negligible cost difference I use OEM filters on the MX5. Dad's Impreza only gets the Black OEM filters, was a few reports of the blue ones loosening themselves at one point

K&N have a nut on to get them off easier, run them in my R6 and CRF250, much easier to get off.

Akagi · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:49

I used the K&N Performance Gold filters on the Corolla/Celica. I'm pretty sure they do absolutely nothing to improve performance or oil flow vs a normal filter, but as ace says, they have a handy nut on them that you can stick a big socket on.

Don't need to worry about that on the Octy cos the oil filter is a paper cartridge in a housing which is on top of the engine accessible from above. Very convenient!

Clarkey · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:50

Why are your oil filters done up so tight that you need tools to remove them?

Akagi · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:52

You have to do them up tight-ish and if they get stuck/seized somehow (which I have had happen only once badly and had to get a strap wrench on it, and that ended up crushing it rather than undoing it!) it is much more convenient to have a massive nut to wrench them undone with, than a slippery glossy smooth cylinder!

Its also a lot easier to get a big spanner on a nut, than it is to get your arm at a good angle to get it un-done by hand.

Bearing in mind that I do my oil services without lifting the car up at all, I do it with the car on the ground, by feel. (though I did have to drive the Celica up some slabs!)

Raymond Lin · 27 Jul 2016 at 00:08

Could be just a fluke but been using V-Power the last few weeks, I think the ECU has finally adapted or something...

acemastr · 27 Jul 2016 at 00:20

My truck gets better mileage than your Volvo. You do a lot of miles

Raymond Lin · 27 Jul 2016 at 00:24

Most during Summer/Autumn, as weddings pushes the mileage up. The other seasons it goes down again.

Nikumba · 27 Jul 2016 at 09:24

Raymond Lin said:
Could be just a fluke but been using V-Power the last few weeks, I think the ECU has finally adapted or something...

What app is this?

Thanks

Kimbie

Jez · 27 Jul 2016 at 09:27

Raymond Lin said:
Could be just a fluke but been using V-Power the last few weeks, I think the ECU has finally adapted or something...

htmg][/QUOTE]

I wouldn't read into it, that higher final figure is over a single day period. Its very easy to get fluctuations of that magnitude with inconsistent usage and refuelling periods such as that.

Howard · 27 Jul 2016 at 09:32

Clarkey said:
Why are your oil filters done up so tight that you need tools to remove them?

I was wondering that. I always do them up fairly hand-tight but not stupidly so. I've never had an issue undoing one a year later, nor with any leaks or it working loose. It's ridiculous how tight some have been when I wasn't the last person to change it, and it doesn't make life easy when it's hidden away above an exhaust pipe or subframe or something. Cartridge filters accessible from above are awesome.

Acme said:
Bearing in mind that I do my oil services without lifting the car up at all, I do it with the car on the ground, by feel. (though I did have to drive the Celica up some slabs!)

You're just making life unnecessarily hard for yourself. Buy a set of ramps and it'll make the job of undoing the filter and draining the oil so much easier.

Jez · 27 Jul 2016 at 09:41

I just pump the oil out of my cars, you could complete an oil change in 15 mins in your best suit if you needed to

I bought an oil vacuum pump after i saw Mercedes use that method, it really is much easier.

Howard · 27 Jul 2016 at 09:58

Jez said:
I just pump the oil out of my cars, you could complete an oil change in 15 mins in your best suit if you needed to

I bought an oil vacuum pump after i saw Mercedes use that method, it really is much easier.

But you still have to get under it to change the filter (unless it's a cartridge type)

and I believe you can usually get more of the old oil out by draining it the old fashioned way.

Depends how many oil changes you do I guess! It's not a job I do that often, so I usually use it as an opportunity to check things over underneath etc.

Jez · 27 Jul 2016 at 11:46

Ah right, i am yet to change the oil on a car with anything other than a cartridge type paper filter which you just drop in the top

I thought the "can" type was an old car thing tbh.

Howard · 27 Jul 2016 at 12:15

I believe cartridge filters were around before the spin-on ones were invented if anything

Jez · 27 Jul 2016 at 12:56

I dont think the germans got the memo about that then

Armageus · 27 Jul 2016 at 19:42

Went to collect my "fixed" car, but got half way home, still running like a dog and fault codes. Will give one more chance and if not will be trying to get my money back

[TW]Fox · 27 Jul 2016 at 20:03

Jez said:
I wouldn't read into it, that higher final figure is over a single day period. Its very easy to get fluctuations of that magnitude with inconsistent usage and refuelling periods such as that.

Exactly, he did 208 miles in a single day with therefore only a single cold start etc. No wonder it's higher.