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Novice_27

Novice_27

Member
Posts
32
Location
Wales
I’ve been a bit lazy over the last couple of years and left it to the garage to change the oil and bits.

Loving my 2006 Adventurer with genuine 32000 miles from new I thought I would start doing the oily bit myself.
  1. Engine flush
  2. Drained for an hour
  3. 3-4 litres of cheap oil and ran it for a couple of minutes
  4. Changed filter
  5. Drained
  6. 5 litres of good stuff and new filter
The car feels like it is riding on a silk scarf It is so smooth.

or am I just being melodramatic. It took me all day but hey, it’s been done my way

Hi to everyone!!!!
 
I think that is the best thing a car can get.

What I don't get is why would you change the filter in steps 4 and then again in step 6?
 
Good stuff. Don't forget to check the level and top up once it has settled after running.

A TD4 takes 6.8 L after a filter change. The difference between min and max on the dipstick is about 1 L.
 
andyfreelandy said:
Good stuff. Don't forget to check the level and top up once it has settled after running.

A TD4 takes 6.8 L after a filter change. The difference between min and max on the dipstick is about 1 L.
Click to expand...
Oh wow I did not know! I thought it should have taken more. Thank you for that
 
I must admit that I don't bother with flushing oils these days.
Modern oils are designed to keep any contaminants in suspension, so are either filtered out by the filter, or are removed with the dirty oil.

You'll likely find that simply changing the oil and filter is enough to make the engine feel better, without messing about doing an oil flush.
 
I think I might go back to doing my own oil changes. Recently I had my local, trusted garage to service my everyday runnabout. They invoiced for a flush, new filter and new oil. But when I checked the dipstick the next day, 20 miles since oil change, the oil was black. I know its a diesel with 133k on the clock but Im now sceptical about the engine flush and the new filter.

Col
 
Colthebrummie said:
But when I checked the dipstick the next day, 20 miles since oil change, the oil was black. I know its a diesel with 133k on the clock but Im now sceptical about the engine flush and the new filter.
Click to expand...

That's perfectly normal, as oil keeps contaminants in suspension, so even a few minutes running will blacken new oil, although you'd think that a flush would keep the engine cleaner than would normally be the case with a simple change. However I've found myself that a flush doesn't seem to increase the time it takes for new oil to become black, which is why I now don't bother. I just use a good quality synthetic oil at oil change time.
 
See if you can find a vehicle make who recommends using flushing oil/additive.

If you service a vehicle and you think it drives better etc, then you left it to long between services.
 
Stance said:
i thought so too But good job anyways.
Click to expand...
Colthebrummie said:
I think I might go back to doing my own oil changes. Recently I had my local, trusted garage to service my everyday runnabout. They invoiced for a flush, new filter and new oil. But when I checked the dipstick the next day, 20 miles since oil change, the oil was black. I know its a diesel with 133k on the clock but Im now sceptical about the engine flush and the new filter.

Col
Click to expand...
Hi Col
My FL1 TD4 has gone black after 50 miles. Not sure why it does goes black instead of a petrol engine staying cleaner
 
Last edited:
Novice_27 said:
Hi Col
My FL1 TD4 has gone black after 50 miles. Not sure why it does goes black instead of a petrol engine staying cleaner
Click to expand...
A diesel engine is very sooty, and a lot of this soot gets cleaned off the combustion chamber and ends up in the oil.
Petrol fuel isn't nearly as sooty as it burns as a vapour, so is pretty clean burning. Diesel fuel burns as an atomised liquid, making it slower burning, and very sooty, hence the oil goes black quickly.
 
Last edited:
Nodge68 said:
A diesel engine is very sooty, and a lot of this soot gets cleaned off the combustion chamber and ends up in the oil.
Petrol fuel isn't nearly as sooty as it burns as a vapour, so is pretty clean burning. Diesel fuel burns as an atomised liquid, making it slower burning, and very sooty, hence the oil goes black quickly.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that Nodge. Our last diesel car was a rover 75 and the new oil in that still looked newish after a 100 or so miles and it would gradually darken. Using a flushing oil is supposed to clear out the crap so I would have thought the new oil would look clean for at least a few days of low mileage use. The only way to be sure all is as it should is to do the next flush and oil change myself and.see how long it takes the new oil to go black.

Col
 
Just to watch, some garages suck oil out of the dipstick tube. This saves taking the bottom engine cover off.

Doing it that way must leave several litres of old oil in the engine as the tube does not reach the base of the sump.
 
andyfreelandy said:
Just to watch, some garages suck oil out of the dipstick tube. This saves taking the bottom engine cover off.

Doing it that way must leave several litres of old oil in the engine as the tube does not reach the base of the sump.
Click to expand...
Yes, this my fear. Ive used my local garage for all sorts including mots. The owner is a.good bloke but he.cant be watching all of his mechanics all of the time, some of them dont seem to last long.

Col
 
Nodge68 said:
A diesel engine is very sooty, and a lot of this soot gets cleaned off the combustion chamber and ends up in the oil.
Petrol fuel isn't nearly as sooty as it burns as a vapour, so is pretty clean burning. Diesel fuel burns as an atomised liquid, making it slower burning, and very sooty, hence the oil goes black quickly.
Click to expand...
That makes sense to change more frequently
 
andyfreelandy said:
Just to watch, some garages suck oil out of the dipstick tube. This saves taking the bottom engine cover off.

Doing it that way must leave several litres of old oil in the engine as the tube does not reach the base of the sump.
Click to expand...
Well to cut down on oil spouting out underneath I pumped all I could from the dipstick. Then pulled the sump plug and another litre came out.

Some kind mechanic or previous owner had cut a hole in the bottom engine cover to allow access to sump plug. I was crossing my fingers that it wasn’t going to be transmission fluid
 
andyfreelandy said:
Just to watch, some garages suck oil out of the dipstick tube. This saves taking the bottom engine cover off.

Doing it that way must leave several litres of old oil in the engine as the tube does not reach the base of the sump.
Click to expand...


That is bit of an old wives tale, most cars in the last 20 years or so are designed to have the oil vacced out.
 
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