TheBow

Hey,

The service interval on my AUII XR8 ute is 15000 km's or every 12 months.

I know this is the factory standard but should the old t least be changed befoer this interval - 15000km's is a long time for oil IMHO.

Am I just being old fashioned?

jaytyn

I refuse to change the oil every 15,000kms in my AU2...!!

I read this article on oils that says 10,000kms intervals should be treated as absoulte MAX.

With every 5000-7000kms being the best,

Here is a bit of the article:

"You thought you where doing the right thing. You remembered to change the oil and filter every 10,000 kms. Yet after your car ad covered 100,00 kms it started to blow smoke. Worse some expensive-sounding rattles became apparent.

In todays new car market, buyers expect to budget for the exact costs of ownership over a specified period. The car companies have responded with amoung other things, set maintenance schedules. And the pressures on them to make them even longer."

etc etc. anwyays its a long article but the gist of it says not to let oil changes go past 7,000kms, if you want your engine to last!

TheBow

Yes, this is what I am thinking - I have done close to 10K in my XR8 ute and I am beginning to get a little nervous. I might have to schedule a change of oil for it one afternoon this week.

Any oil suggestions?

Jesmol

Quick and easy answer. Mobil 1.

Not cheap, but bloody good.

Grunter

I do a oil change every 5000k's. Better safe than sorry.

__________________

the house of grunt
Click on the above link to go to a site about my cars, old and new.

TheBow

Thanks guys..I am now officially freaked out.

I might have to go down get some oil and change - have done just under 10K with the original oil.

Do I need to change the filter or can it wait until the 15K service.

Jesmol

Always pays to change the filter as well, for the sake of such a cheap component, it gives peace of mind.

anakha

Changing the filter with the oil is mandatory not optional!

After enough gunk is filtered out of the oil and trapped in the filter's fibers the filter will activate a bypass and the oil will no longer be filtered. Considering that oil is the lifeblood of an engine then the cost of 5 or so litres of good oil and a decent filter every 5,000 km isn't all that much. Anyone who has felt that sharp, stabbing pain in the hip pocket after hearing nasty noises from the engine will attest to that. (right Kelli? Oh wait, it was a dodgy timing cover on yours hehe)

I myself have been running Caltex Havoline and a Ford racing filters of late and am doing fine. Of course it helps that the previous owner had the car serviced every 5,000 km from new for the 5 years before I bought it.

TheBow

Just changed the oil on Both cars and it came out looking like dirty water.

The Forte on the service interval - very,very bad looking

The XR8 5K odd before the service - pretty bad, very thin and crappy looking.

Looks like its changes every 5-7 from now on.

Jesmol

anakha,
Where do you get these filters??? and how much??

I've been running my car at 10,000 intervals, mainly due to the fact that at 5000k I'd be changing the oil every 5 weeks!

With the drive I do 1 hour to work each way at 110Kmh, I was under the impression that the oil would have the chance to burn off alot of the impurities that blacken it at help keep it clean. Am I wrong in this thinking?