The Importance of Servicing
Submitted: Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 12:13
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120scruiser
We have a heap of Hyundai Accent's coming through the workshop at the moment from a car yard. All ex rental ones and all have had around 43 000km on them so far. The last one last night had 58 000km on it and when one of my staff pulled the sump plug out to drain the oil nothing came out. We looked in and it was completely blocked with sludge. He prodded it with a screw driver and some oil came out and then it blocked up again.
We have had this trouble before with ex budget camrys so we pulled the sump off.
To our amazement the pick up section of the sump was full to the top with sludge. Only a small hole for the oil pick up tube to go in. We were dumb founded. We cleaned it out and have it and the pick up soaking over the weekend. We will pull the valve cover off on Monday morning and clean it as
well before putting it back together. It will come up OK but the engine life will be dramatically reduced.
We can't under stand how it was still running.
These vehciles have never been serviced. This one had a sticker on it for the next oil change due at 10 000 km.
It goes to show how important it is to give your vehicle no matter what brand a service and use good quality oil in it.
I have been a mechanic for 20 years and never seen anything like this before.
Cheers
120scruiser
Reply By: Member - George (WA) - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 12:45
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 12:45
Excellent reminder, I totally agree with you. Oil changes, and change the oil filter at the same time, will increase the life of the moter by a huge amount
Cheers
AnswerID:
161331
Reply By: Axle - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 14:52
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 14:52
Hi 120scruiser. Pulled a tappet cover off our 94 subaru
liberty to replace a gasket. The vechicle has been serviced every 5000 ks, using mobil 1 5w- 50 oil. The motor was as clean as, not a sign of sludge, looked brand new.!! Its done about 160,000 km, would recommend mobil I every time, expensive but a great oil.
Cheers Axle.
AnswerID:
161342
Follow Up By: Flash - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 22:42
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 22:42
You are totally spoiling it!
I would suggest you could surely go a lot further than 5,000 klms using Mobil1...
Our year 2000 model Astra 1.8 has recommended normal change intervals of 15,000 klms using mineral oil, have always run it on Mobil1 and still stuck to the 15,000 change intervals, so best of both worlds. Oil comes out looking good, engine is absolutely spotless under tappet cover, (camshaft looks like it was installed yesterday) and I believe the engine would be as new if stripped down.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Flash - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 15:01
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 15:01
I concur.
I believe ANY synthetic oil is cheap insurance! They are just so much better than conventional oils- there is no comparison.
I even run my generator and mower on synthetic these days, though sadly not my Diesel at this stage but probably next change as I use Bypass filtering and can extend oil changes which makes it more affordable.
BTW a slight diversion-, any good suggestions for a good synthetic for diesels anyone??
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: 120scruiser - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 19:06
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 19:06
I use a semi synthetic 10w/40 in my diesel prado. I have extended the oil changes just a little.
Beautiful oil though and still clean as a whistle after doing 7500km. Will change soon prior to our Fraser Island trip.
Flash
We don't use fully synthetic in the workshop unless requested. We just use the top of the range mineral oil and we have customers work utes that have done
well over 400 000 km, serviced every 10k. None have been touched and when we do valve clearances on them they are crystal clean inside the top of the engine. Thats only using SL/CI4 15w/40 in normal petrol engines. It pays to spend a little bit extra on good quality stuff.
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Follow Up By: Mr Fawlty - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 19:59
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 19:59
Try Castrol Softec, my jacks engine has no sludge or dirt build up, not cheap but very impressive performance...Around $150/20 litres from the local Castrol Depot..
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Flash - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 22:33
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 22:33
Thanks.
Next change will be at the very least semi synthetic or preferably full synthetic.
I have read a lot on this on various web sites and synthetics perform dramatically better EVEN WHEN oil change intervals are substantially extended. Obviously Diesels have a problem with soot build up, but my Bypass filter will help with this.
Cheers and thanks again all, any more suggestions appreciated.
FollowupID:
416157
Reply By: Footloose - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 15:10
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 15:10
My HJ60 cruiser went for 12 months without an oil change once. Similar symptoms, had to use screwdriver to de gunk with a tiny bit of oil coming out. Was advised to put some diesel mixed with kero in and run for a couple of weeks. Did that, then a decent oil change again and the engine went for another 120K (with oil changes:) before I sold it. Only probs in 350K of running was radiator and a rubber thing in the fuel pump. And a couple of new batteries. I guess they just don't make em like they used to :))))))))
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 17:55
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 17:55
So if you're buying second-hand, it sounds liek a good idea to avoid ex-rentals !
Mike
AnswerID:
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Reply By: eerfree - Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 22:55
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006 at 22:55
A Question!!! If Mineral Oil is made from Crude Oil what is Synthetic Oil made from and if it is made from Crude oil how can they call it Synthetic?
eerfree
AnswerID:
161422