Start your ingines

[Christine]

 

My old 1.9td T4 van ,starts instantly first kick ,always has done ,from new.It has has done 145k, hasn't had an oil change for 60k..doesn't use any oil or water .. 15 year old fuel filter ,(air filter i changed about 10 years ago ), same brake fluid from new..Get the drift ? Neglected might be the right word..but still returns 30-35 mpg . I've fuel screwed it and wound the turbo up a bit too . It does have black oil stains on the turbo though ..

I was telling a mate this , and he said his Hilux mk8 was the same instant starter ..and it worried him that the oil didn't have time to flood the bearings as it would if it was cranked for a few seconds before it started . Never crossed my mind ,but makes sense .So the secret to engine life is ,Dont change oil , keep it thick and claggy !

[Asimo]

You are wrong.

 

Failure imminent.

[Christine]

Possibly , but a commercial at 15 years old is time expired anyway .

[dollywobbler]

Certainly, you should never rev a cold engine for exactly that reason, but modern oil pumps are very quick to get the oil circulating. I once drove an MG YT and it took several seconds for oil pressure to rise to a safe level.

[Christine]

Ah, it's never gone much over 3500 rpm in its life . I care for my engine, i'm mechanically sympathetic ..    and i'm on top of a hill ,so it always has an easy time DOWNHILL on a cold morning

[colino]

Depends which oil you use.  While all engine oils lubricate and cool, they are now emphasising the detergent qualities (that diesels have always majored on) to break down deposits and hold them in suspension (making the oil change colour so fast after a service).  For start up protection, every oil leaves a residue, but some, say Mobil, claim better protection because the, "thin" Mobil 1 gets round the engine so fast on start-up, while Castrol alternatively say they have improved film bond, so the oil is already doing its job on start-up with Magnatec, because it has, "bonded" better to the metal.

You pays your money and takes your chances, but if the oil is like water, its stopped doing any good, likewise if its like treacle, its past its best.

One other point you'll remember that when synths and semi-synths came out older cars reportedly started leaking like sieves.  True!  Their original formulation was far from friendly to gaskets and seals and often shrank them so much, their sealing days were over.  Nowadays that problem is fixed, but some of them are so advanced and effective that the scouring detergents are actually making the gaskets and seals appear to break down, because that thick layer of carbon and gunk was the only thing hiding a worn out seal.

I'd be tempted to leave well alone and play servicing roulette.

[Taff]

I tend to drive the F in a sympathetic manner until it's up to normal working temp.

 

I learnt the hard way with an elderly pinto Capri about ragging motors that aren't warm and may* be low on oil

[alf892]

Possibly , but a commercial at 15 years old is time expired anyway .

But why hasten it's failure? By your measure I should just stop servicing a couple of mine because they are time expired.

 

Seems fucking stupid......is there another point you are trying to make?

[warren t claim]

We've got an Avensizzzz diesel in work with 400,000 on the clock that's NEVER been serviced or had its oil changed, just topped up with whatever is cheapest in Wilkinsons. As it's still running can anyone beat that?

[Tamworthbay]

It will die this week, not because of the lack of maintenance but because you have publicly stated how reliable it is. Simple rule of nature.

[Lacquer Peel]

We've got an Avensizzzz diesel in work with 400,000 on the clock that's NEVER been serviced or had its oil changed, just topped up with whatever is cheapest in Wilkinsons. As it's still running can anyone beat that?

 

Is it the old TD engine? I thought the D4D was fairly fragile even when serviced.

[warren t claim]

Is it the old TD engine? I thought the D4D was fairly fragile even when serviced.

08 plate D4D.

[danthecapriman]

I do my oil and filter changes religiously on my old shitters, regardless. My Capri did about 300 miles last year and I've just changed the oil and filter (genuine Ford filter no less) the old stuff looked a tiny bit browner than the new stuff! Pointless doing it really but I look after my things.

[Station]

No oil in the cylinders?

Try telling that to my garage floor. It's difficult to remove all traces of oil, even a thin film will provide enough lubrication for a piston ring to slide on, or in fact, someone to collapse onto their arse in the dark.

[junkyarddog]

I couldn't let my modern go over it's oil service interval.

 

It would pain me to do so.

 

Genuine filters and good quaility oil.

 

To me it makes sense,a service is cheap compared to the potential problems that may occur otherwise.

[artdjones]

When engines stop oil stays in the bearings and on cylinder walls and it can carry on doing its job for a surprisingly long time. I'm sure one of the magazines did a test on a BL 1100 back in the early 80s where they drained all the oil out and then drove the car for many miles before it expired. Also my brother ran his 1800 Princess around for several months with the oil light on and the engine knocking - it never blew up and lasted until I found a scrap Princess to swap the power unit over.I'm not guaranteeing this will always work, however.

[Lacquer Peel]

,Dont change oil , keep it thick and claggy !

 

Tell that to my Volvo with a VAG diesel engine, its tappets clacking away.

[Christine]

That happened to my Cinq ..five years no oil change . Gave it a treat to 4 litres of Morrisons and a filter ,and tapperty tapperty tap ever after ..

[strangeangel]

Changing the oil in my 205 totally fixed a warning light, so I remain unconvinced by the veracity of the OP's argument.

[HH-R]

6k oil changes FTW.

[Jikovron]

I fitted a 1300 skoda engine complete with the oil it came out the scrap car with and subsequently put 45k on it in 2 years without changing the oil to no negative effect of any sort, maybe it would have been better to change it however

 

that engine was infact when stripped down for low comp pistons to be fitted was cleaner internally than when I fitted it in the first place which I put down to constant 4400rpm daily runs up the motorway for 40miles each way which I guess would gradually wash carbon deposits back into the oil maybe

 

These days I like fresh oil as it holds better pressure so I drain when hot and rinse petrol through to clear the dregs out of the sump

with 20w50 being so cheap I do this every 2 months ish which additionally keeps it well clean in the valley

[New POD]

I couldn't let my modern go over it's oil service interval.

 

It would pain me to do so.

 

Genuine filters and good quaility oil.

 

To me it makes sense,a service is cheap compared to the potential problems that may occur otherwise.

 

Yes, you might end up trying to flog the salvage on ebay, and that is to be avoided.

[Christine]

Changing the oil in my 205 totally fixed a warning light, so I remain unconvinced by the veracity of the OP's argument.

Ok ok ! when i eventually get a warning light , i'll try changing the oil 

[Rusty_Rocket]

You can get away with neglect on our old engines but a modern won't tolerate it. Another reason why cars of today are not as good- such small safety margins.

All my cars and bikes get serviced on the dot, year after year. That includes the £100 bangers to the new stuff.

It costs £20 if you DIY. I can't bare black goopy oil and rusty oil filters.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I bought a  306 td of a lady that had it for ten years and never changed the oil. The car ran fine but the oil was like jelly. I had to put diesel into the engine and run it just to get it liquid enough just to drain out.

 

My own cars though I keep well serviced, clean fluids are one of my `things` I change all the fluids on my own cars, including coolant, brake and clutch fluid. Also just changed the LHM on the Xantia, I`m sure its happier on the new fluid, as are the brakes on cars with ancient fluid.

 

These fluids are the lifeblood of our toys, seems daft not to bother unless its a throwaway banger