Frequency of oil changing

Hi All

Could anyone tell my what the optimum frequency for changing the engine oil is on a 850 T5? Currently I have changed mine on a 10,000 basis (Volvo service) I've only had it for 12000 miles. Should I be changing more frequently? Bearing in mind that more frequent lubrication replacements carried out without stringent regard for cleanliness can be more detrimental due to the frequent unwanted addition of particulates (muck) etc. I guess I am saying that be sure that whoever is replacing your oil understands this.

Cheers

[Simon Linton]

10K sounds good to me - just keep an eye on the levels in between changes.

Frequent short journeys will hammer oil more than longer runs, but if you use fully synthetic, there should be no trouble from this area.

Agree with the above: use a good oil for ordinary driving and a 10K interval should be fine.

Another option is to approach someone like National or Kwik-Fit: National do oil&filter changes on cars up to 2.3 litre with Duckhams QXR (a very highly specified semi-synthetic, which exceeds all Volvo specified standards) for £15. At this price you could change the oil almost whenever you felt like it ....

Craig,

I wouldn't bee tooooo confident in putting semi synth in a fire breathing turbo monster...... and a T5 is over 2.3 litres (just)but they may not realise it.

So lets start the oil debate again shall we ??

Come on guys...... semi synth every 5000 or fully every 10 ?
:)
Jim,
'96 855-R (The Flying Wardrobe)

[sheerwater]

OK lets debate!!!! Oil does at least two things. It lubricates and it suspends acids, unburnt petrol, carbon dust, water etc. The filter is permanently immersed in oil and therefore acids, unburnt petrol etc keep circulating. The filter may remove the larger particles and the positive ventilation some of the other nasties. Removing larger lumps, of crud (I know they are really tiny) is one thing but this still leaves finer bits kicking around in suspension. I dont know how good filters really are but taking it from a grinding point of view its very similar to cleaning a kitchen sink. The old Ajax powder was harsh but the new cream cleaners ar even finer. Take this onto Brasso and the particles are finer still butthey still polish away metal. Its not only the metal but components such as oil seals,gaskets etc which start to get attacked. Some of us may remember the olden days when engines were filthy inside and rings gummed up with varnish. Oilways became blocked and engines such as the OHV cortinas had oilways block resulting in blown cams. Ok so things have changed but the nasties in your engine have not. PVS still block and cause back pressures even with modern oils. Oil plus filter at say £15 to £20 is cheap compared with even the most basic engine repair. See other article on cost of a rear oil seal at £800 !!!!!!!! I change my oil at the 5-6000 mark and with 60,000 on the clock its as clean as a whistle inside. Total extra cost over 60k miles about £70 or putting it another way about a pound per 1000 miles. Cheap or what !!!!Cheers Nigel

The oil debate is always fun ;-)

What would interest me is this. Take a car like the T5 that is fully run-in. Give it a full service using Volvo-specified fluids and lubricants, then run it for 30,000 miles WITHOUT changing the oil or filter (but doing all the other service items).

Then strip the motor and see how much it's worn, and analyse the oil for wear metals and compositional breakdown. Anyone want to volunteer a car??? ;-)

I know in the US, there's a brand called AMSOIL which claims "extended use" of over 20,000 miles between changes, and I once saw some analysis figures for the oil that showed key parameters like viscosity, film strength etc were still within 80% of new, after 20,000 rolling-road miles.

Also, Mobil did a supposed "million mile" test on a BMW 325i, but it was on a rolling road and they changed the oil at the BMW-spec'd intervals, which doesn't really prove anything.

As it's been said, synthetic or not, it will still hold the same amount of particles in it..

Cheap insurance to change it I would say, although if she spends most of her time cruising along the motorway I would say 10k is sufficient as you are basically making no gear changes or change in engine revs for the most part of the time.

Volvo say 10k or 5k under bad conditions.

[GorgeousGeorge]

"5k under bad conditions"

it's pi$$ing down in birmingham, does that count as bad conditions, and if so do i have to change my oil more often :P

sorry, bored outta me skull

scott

I think just living in Birmingham counts as bad conditions...


hehe just kidding :7

[sheerwater]

Thats why they built the M6. You can go through without going into Birmingham. Mind you thats why they built most motorways so you vcan miss the bad bits. Friend of mine had a Chrysler Voyager diesel from new. Never changed the oil for 28k miles and the turbo blew and he wondered why the warranty didnt cover it. I think he may have been born in Birmingham!!!! Cheers Nigel