How often do you service your AU engine?

[rowan194]

How often are you guys servicing your older engines, and are you using a different oil suited more for worn engines?

My I6 is just about to clock over 200k. It's been on semi synthetic Magnatec 10W-40 for most of its life, but the lifters have been getting a little noisy the past month or two, even after I put in some Nulon's worn engine treatment. This time I'm trying "synthetic technology" (fancy way of saying semi-synthetic?) Shell HX7-K 15W-50, which is specifically for high kilometre engines.

I've been doing ~10,000km oil change intervals but I don't think it will hurt to bring that down to 7500km, maybe even 5000km... the oil change today has really made a big difference, and since I do it myself it's pretty cheap (about $45 for oil + filter)

Thoughts?

[XRGhia]

AU XR6 VCT engine - Every 9-10,000km's with 10w-40... Usually I use Castrol...

[Day-mow]

Give you engine a liquid Molly detox. I do mine every 15,000 and change oil and filter every 5,000 with 10w3O semi synth nulon (orange bottle) when I fix an oil leak I have though I'll be chsnging to ULX110 and do it every 10.000
For a 200,000 km service. I'd change all cooling hoses fuel filter. Air filter diff and Trans if it's not been done recently. All that kinda gear.

[galaxy xr8]

I do mine every 7,500 klm's.
Flush 1'st with mainlube gear, then use Castrol edge 10w/60.

[XR_6falcon]

Im abit OCD when it comes too dirty oil i change it every 2,500-3,000 ks and use shell helix ultra 10w-60 in my s3 non vct xr6

[rowan194]

What kind of kms are you guys at? No one using a specific high kilometre oil?

I was concerned that a thicker oil might impact fuel efficiency, but because of the big difference once fresh oil is put in, it may work out the same or better to change it more frequently... (and obviously it's going to be better for the engine)

$45 worth of oil is about 30L of petrol, which is only 0.6L/100km difference in consumption over 5,000km. If replacing oil more regularly improves efficiency by at least that much it's paid for itself.

[Dave_Obsession]

Originally Posted by XR_6falcon

use shell helix ultra 10w-60 in my s3 non vct xr6

That's a bit thick isn't it?? How many kms has your engine done? What's your fuel economy like with that oil?

[Mr Hardware]

714k, original donk, 15w-40 GTX3, every 10k. Still comes out golden! what a beauty.

[rowan194]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

714k, original donk, 15w-40 GTX3, every 10k. Still comes out golden! what a beauty.

Taxi? I read something about LPG fouling up the oil less? And of course the engine staying warm for most of its running life can't hurt.

Mine (petrol) was black and stinky so it seems it was certainly due.

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by dave93761

That's a bit thick isn't it?? How many kms has your engine done? What's your fuel economy like with that oil?

Cars done an indicated 150, XXX and i find it runs well on it. I get 500 odd kays to about 60L

[Psi-Pop]

Every 1000ks with Sin20. Engines done about 5000km and I cant say it hasn't had a hard 5000km.

Used to use Edge 25-50w but moved to sin20 as it liked the heat better being a synthetic.

[GK]

Both AUs, every 6,000 kays. Filter every second oil change.

Used to use Helix 15w/50 but I'm about to switch back to a Helix 10W/40.

The SR has done 194,000 and the Futura around the 250,000 mark.

GK

[saber]

Old mans AUIII egas ute.

338XXX on the clock. Serviced every 15000km, using Penrite HPR Gas 10 engine oil. Not sure what filter is used (I think its AC Delco).

Leaks a tiny amount of oil from the front. I've only just replaced the oil pressure switch last week.

Hopefully the old man hasn't cooked his head gasket!!! I guess I'll find out tomorrow!

[SirHenry]

Every 5000kms Valvoline Engine Armour 10-30 Ryco filters.

233k No issues at all, IMHO I don't think 200k is high km for an I6 Engine.

[SSD-85]

Every 10,000ks with a Ryco Z9 & Nulon 10w-30 Dino oil.

And courtesy of e10, its the same colour it was when I put it in.

[2002au]

every 10,000kms with castrol magnatec 10w40 and ford motorcraft filter. car has about 131,000 on it

[b2tf]

every 5000 with new oil and filter every time.

[Sox]

The 5.6L P250 with 70,000k gets done at 10,000k, using Penrite HPR5.
The 5L 220 with 130,000k gets done at 10,000k, using Penrite HPR10.
The 4L XL ute with 200,000k gets done at 10,000k, using HPR10.

I use the cheapest Ryco filter for all 3, each change.

I don't see any reason to change any more frequent with these engines as they're very low revving, almost diesel like in nature.
Particularly with todays quality oils.

[AU Mont]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

714k, original donk, 15w-40 GTX3, every 10k. Still comes out golden! what a beauty.

for an oil to have good cleaning properties, you want the oil to come out filthy

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by AU Mont

for an oil to have good cleaning properties, you want the oil to come out filthy

Unless there's nothing to clean, a clean engine will have clean oil coming out of it.

[FreddyDUZ747]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Unless there's nothing to clean, a clean engine will have clean oil coming out of it.

What

[Dave_Obsession]

Originally Posted by FreddyDUZ747

What

Yeah me too

Originally Posted by b2tf

Unless there's something to clean, a clean engine will have clean oil coming out of it.

Fixed??

[Sox]

When he says

Originally Posted by b2tf

Unless there's nothing to clean, a clean engine will have clean oil coming out of it.

He means - if there is nothing in the engine which needs cleaning, then clean oil will come out if it......

Which I suspect he's talking about an engine on LPG.

That's how I understood it anyhow.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by dave93761

Yeah me too

Fixed??

Er, yeah. That. Thanks.

What I meant to say was that if the engine is nice and clean inside then any oil coming out of it would theoretically be clean also.

[macman]

AU2 5.0 with 270,000k's I use Penrite HPR15 (15w60) every 8,000k's.

AU1 5.0 with 260,000k's, I do the exact same.

[Maka]

Au 1 Futura 296,000kms, oil and filter change every 5,000kms or 6 months Valvoline Engine Armour 15w40 and new ryco filter. Uses no oil, stock original motor getting around 9.6L/100kms combined fuel economy.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by rowan194

Taxi? I read something about LPG fouling up the oil less? And of course the engine staying warm for most of its running life can't hurt.

Correct. Oil comes out black because petrol is a filthy fuel, where as LPG is a clean fuel.

Yes I suppose the vast bulk of the kays were done whilst almost constantly warm, but that was only 3 years of its currently 12 year life.

[rowan194]

Started it up today after a couple of days sitting idle and the lifters clattered like hell for a second or two. :-\ Usually it's a lighter ticking after driving for some time. I don't think I've ever heard a noisy clatter at startup with this car.

The thicker oil is more to lessen leaks in old engines, right? I thought that my engine was burning a bit of oil, but I checked just before I changed it and the level hasn't dropped. So should I stick with something thinner to be a bit more friendly to the lifters and the engine overall? I was looking at Magnatec Fuel Saver 5W-30, is that too thin for a series 3 I6?

[Barnaby]

AUII, I6, 250000 odd Ks, Oil & filter every 7000km, Mobil 10W30 semi synth.

[13101093]

Originally Posted by AU Mont

for an oil to have good cleaning properties, you want the oil to come out filthy

i now have my first petrol car after having all gas cars and was wondering about why the oil was so black and found the answer here.

[/QUOTE]In the days before additives, it was normal practice to remove the sump of the engine at regular intervals to clean out all the accumulated sludge and other contamination. Today's engine oils contain detergents which clean engine surfaces and neutralise the harmful acid products of combustion. They also contain dispersants which prevent the solid contaminants from forming into lumps - instead they are held in suspension until the oil is drained. This is why engine oil goes black so quickly - it is a good sign that the dispersant in the oil is working. any oversize particles are simply removed from the oil in circulation by the oil filter.[/QUOTE]