Frequency of oil changes (C30 1.6D)?

[Tk5678]

Hi guys,

Considering how best to balance servicing with cost...

Understand this can be a dirty lump and will want to be serviced on the dot, if not more often.

Sure I read somewhere that suction oil changes are not recommended, is this the case?

Have changed oil halfway between services with past motors but often not filters (leaving these for garage services) - how easily would filter be doable from above on this? (Basically, don't like getting underneath)
Would there be any point doing (suction) changes between services (at 5-6k miles with indy specialist services at 10-12k with filter done only on these)?

Thanks in advance 👍

[Jerry1975]

Hi there,

A mate of mine who is a very experienced and very good vehicle technician/mechanic and has done a lot of work on this PSA engine has told me that they are extremely prone to oil sludging up, blocked pick up pipes and the resultant oil starvation damage etc.

He strongly recommended that oil changes are carried out between every normal service and that each time you flush the engine after dropping the oil to minimise the possibility of sludge build-up.

So I'd service the car every 10k miles or 12 months, whichever was the sooner but then carry out an interim oil flush and change every 5k miles or 6 months.

I've not serviced one of these engines myself yet and so I'm not entirely sure where the oil filter is located (is it on top of the engine or underneath?) but either way I think you want to be changing the oil filter each time you change the oil.

Hope this is of use.

J

[hoks]

This is controversial topic.

From one point, car manufacturers have designed engine specific way, and done testing regarding the maintanance.

From other point - are they really interested in keeping your engine as good as possible for as long as possible ? Debatable...

Try to use good quality oil, correct viscosity and with correct certification!

My personal opinion:
First of all take in consideration what driving you do, city or highway. City driving will be much more demanding.

With age, engine oil should be changed more often, because more particles from combustion chamber goes in contact with oil, and as a result, additives in the oil degrade more quickly.

I also think that oil filter should be changed every time you change the oil.

If I recall correctly, then this engine is the same as in MK2 Focus, therefore filter can be removed from the top by removing a rubber hose. Maybe somethig additionally (working on 1.6 was quite a long time ago ..)

I change my engine oil around 10k kilometers, it is twice as often as recommended, but where I live we have cold winter, hot summer, lots of humidity all year long, and engine is not new...

In the end, im sure you can stick with manufacturer recommendations, and be fine, but if you want to take better care, do analisys of your situation and adjust the service interval accordingly. Newer cars calculate oil life not only by distance driven (as my 2007 V50 2.0d) but also by taking in condsideration working hours and working conditions. So they basically do situation analisys automatically.

[AndyV7o]

Psa regime is 10k, must be drained as thoroughly as possible (i.e, let it drip) on a perfectly level plane, then only a high quality psa b71 2290 spec oil is to be used. That is what the engine manufacturer stipulates.
The best b71 2290 oils are Total quartz ineo ecs 5w30 and Mobil esp 5w30.
Of course you can use what Volvo list, this is what psa require, but for me, the engine manufacturer would be the best to advise, and psa B71 2290 is a much more stringent spec.

Psa originally specced a different service regime but revised it once the sh1t started hitting the fan, in order to combat oil oxidisation and sludge.

[Tk5678]

Thanks guys, more opinions always welcome also 👍

Should've mentioned mileage - about 20-25k miles a year, mostly motorway (30 mile each way commute, almost entirely motorway).


Would like to think manufacturers try to split the difference between reputation (who'd want a reputation for engines that don't last?) and on the other hand not wanting to put customers off with service intervals much shorter than competitors?


I don't mind doing extra changes (between garage services) myself, but don't want to waste time/money if it's not worth doing - if changing oil without filter is pointless then I wouldn't do it (would just have to get serviced a bit more often for peace of mind), if filter can be done from above then I'm up for doing that with suction oil changes (again, if it's actually worth doing).

Just trying to get my head around what the most sensible plan is.

Basically, would suction changes every 5k with garage changes 5k later be worth doing?

[emy]

Personally in regard with the oil change I am a bit paranoid. Usually I do every 5-6k, oil filter, oil, air and pollen filter, but after 2-3k I remove some of the oil and add the remaining oil from 5 liter bottle. There is no oil consumption at all.
There are cheap enough nowadays. The suction pump is very handy too.
I use Halfords cheap oil to "flush" the engine (I use it for 2-300km) I empty it out and use Liqui Moly or Motul oil 5W30 as a default engine oil for next 5-6k.
When comes up the quality of the oil and diesel I do not hesitate to get the best. I am not saying that the only two oil brands mentioned are the best, but I use them both and I like the sound of the engine.

[AndyV7o]

Just make sure it is changed, thoroughly, every 8-10k and only filled with high quality oil. (Cheaper oils are much more prone to oxidisation which is one of the major problems with this engine)
No point wasting oil, just dont exceed 8-10k to keep things clean.

[Welton]

Originally Posted by Tk5678

Thanks guys, more opinions always welcome also 👍

Should've mentioned mileage - about 20-25k miles a year, mostly motorway (30 mile each way commute, almost entirely motorway).

That sort of use is 'good' use for as diesel engine.

I also run a 1.6HDi Citroen it does about 10/12K per year and I change the oil myself every 6 months (5K) it's very easy to do, I just needed to buy a set of Oil Filter removal sockets (Amazon) to access the oil filter cartridge housing.

With your use, if you want to keep the car up to high mileages I would try to squeeze 3 oil changes per year (8K) otherwise just one extra oil change in between 20K 'services'.