Discussion
I’m after a bit of wisdom regarding engine oil.
My car has covered around 4500 miles since it’s last oil change, the trouble is that was three years ago. The car has been unused for 19 months
I need to mot and tax the car before I drive it 50 miles to AAS for a proper service.
So the question is will the oil be safe to use? Or will I risk damage to the engine.
Before I get flamed…..I can’t change the oil myself due to a serious back injury so I’m a bit stuck.
I was thinking of getting a sample oil analysed first to see if it is still useable, has anyone done this and was it worth it?
Any thoughts guys
My car has covered around 4500 miles since it’s last oil change, the trouble is that was three years ago. The car has been unused for 19 months
I need to mot and tax the car before I drive it 50 miles to AAS for a proper service.
So the question is will the oil be safe to use? Or will I risk damage to the engine.
Before I get flamed…..I can’t change the oil myself due to a serious back injury so I’m a bit stuck.
I was thinking of getting a sample oil analysed first to see if it is still useable, has anyone done this and was it worth it?
Any thoughts guys
Your engine will be absolutely fine. And so will the oil.
The manufacturers recommendations of every 10k miles or yearly are very much based on a daily driver basis and not enthusiast based ownership like ours where many sit in a garage for weeks on end.
I think you're due a change now at 3 years, but I'm sure the oil is still very much doing its job and will have minimal if any deteroration.
I've actually just changed mine. It was 3 years old, but only had 1400 miles of use and that wasn't full of stop start journeys, just lots of time sat in a warm garage. Needless to say it looked perfectly clean and being a super duper brand I expect it to be able to cope with that.
The manufacturers recommendations of every 10k miles or yearly are very much based on a daily driver basis and not enthusiast based ownership like ours where many sit in a garage for weeks on end.
I think you're due a change now at 3 years, but I'm sure the oil is still very much doing its job and will have minimal if any deteroration.
I've actually just changed mine. It was 3 years old, but only had 1400 miles of use and that wasn't full of stop start journeys, just lots of time sat in a warm garage. Needless to say it looked perfectly clean and being a super duper brand I expect it to be able to cope with that.
A quick update….
I decided in my infinite wisdom not to drive my car with three year old engine oil still in the sump. I managed to change the oil myself…just….it took me two days…not easy with an injured back.
Anyway I took my car to AAS today and had the gearbox oil and brake fluid changed, and all is well despite the horrific down pour on the way home.
Stuart thought my old engine oil would have still been good enough to drive to his place, but I couldn’t do it……maybe I a bit neurotic after all?
AAS had a lovely silver Monaro in for some work as well as a nice red 1960’s Mustang, and yes they are still very busy as usual.
Happy days.
I decided in my infinite wisdom not to drive my car with three year old engine oil still in the sump. I managed to change the oil myself…just….it took me two days…not easy with an injured back.
Anyway I took my car to AAS today and had the gearbox oil and brake fluid changed, and all is well despite the horrific down pour on the way home.
Stuart thought my old engine oil would have still been good enough to drive to his place, but I couldn’t do it……maybe I a bit neurotic after all?
AAS had a lovely silver Monaro in for some work as well as a nice red 1960’s Mustang, and yes they are still very busy as usual.
Happy days.
Edited by mfp4073 on Saturday 5th August 14:05
^^^ Nice to hear you're still in the fold mate. I was wondering, as you're usually quite active on this otherwise quiet part of PH.
Sounds like you're still suffering? Any light at the end of the tunnel insight with the back?
Glad to hear AAS are still busy at it too, along with Stuart. I haven't been up there for a while.
Don't suppose you fancy seeing if we can get a discount on a cam and heads package by doubling up?
I'm getting the itch to mod it further and release a few more ponies!
Sounds like you're still suffering? Any light at the end of the tunnel insight with the back?
Glad to hear AAS are still busy at it too, along with Stuart. I haven't been up there for a while.
Don't suppose you fancy seeing if we can get a discount on a cam and heads package by doubling up?
I'm getting the itch to mod it further and release a few more ponies!
Well…..heads and a cam, believe me I would love that 
but my Mrs is quite unreasonable and will no doubt cause me further injury if I spend anymore $$$ on the car 
TBH, I took the car out last week for a gentle drive, the roads were dry and it was nice and warm, I had both windows down and well you can guess the rest…
I’ve actually owned this car for 16 years this month, I can’t believe it…..hopefully I’ll never have sell as that would be a really bad day.
I intend to put a few hundred miles on the clock this year if possible, however next year if I’m back to reasonable health I’ll try for a couple of thousand…..with a bit of luck.
I take it your car is complete now, (apart from the heads and cam) it certainly looks bloody good in the photos you posted, there can’t be many left that clean these days.
but my Mrs is quite unreasonable and will no doubt cause me further injury if I spend anymore $$$ on the car TBH, I took the car out last week for a gentle drive, the roads were dry and it was nice and warm, I had both windows down and well you can guess the rest…
I’ve actually owned this car for 16 years this month, I can’t believe it…..hopefully I’ll never have sell as that would be a really bad day.
I intend to put a few hundred miles on the clock this year if possible, however next year if I’m back to reasonable health I’ll try for a couple of thousand…..with a bit of luck.
I take it your car is complete now, (apart from the heads and cam) it certainly looks bloody good in the photos you posted, there can’t be many left that clean these days.
mfp4073 said:
I take it your car is complete now, (apart from the heads and cam) it certainly looks bloody good in the photos you posted, there can’t be many left that clean these days.
Thank you very much. It's a very different car to the one I bought now. It's now very tidy indeed 
Complete? Well I suppose so. It certainly doesn't need anything doing, but I fancy doing a cam and head package and also tidying up the seats a little too. Their not bad at all, but I like perfect! This may result in a re-trim one day.
I've recently just had the dreaded front brake shake, and I've fitted Range Rover discs instead of new AP discs. They are working out very well actually. I'll get my original AP discs skimmed at some point and they can go back on when a change is required.
I’m surprised you’ve had steering wheel shake from your AP’s.
I take it you were running the DS 2500 pads?, if so that may have been your problem. I think they suffered from pad material transfer ?
Apart from the initial problem I had with the new AP kit ( fixed under warranty ) mine have been fine so far although I did change the pads early on to “Pedders low dust ceramic” which I believe do not suffer from this issue.
I take it you were running the DS 2500 pads?, if so that may have been your problem. I think they suffered from pad material transfer ?
Apart from the initial problem I had with the new AP kit ( fixed under warranty ) mine have been fine so far although I did change the pads early on to “Pedders low dust ceramic” which I believe do not suffer from this issue.
Yeah, I'm running the DS2500's and I suspect that it is probably pad material transfer rather than genuine warpage.
That said after lots of trawling through forum history, its said that the AP discs are prone to going 'bumpy'.
I am somewhat miffed as I really don't abuse the car, and the kit has barely had 3k miles of use.
I'll get them skimmed and when I need a disc change, I might pop them back on again with a set of those pads you suggested. That should be years though with my low usage.
The Range Rover disc 'mod' is actually pretty sound though, so I'm glad I've now done it so I have the cheap disc option.
AP discs are running at £400 each! Whereas these RR discs cost £115 for pair - delivered. So far, so good.
That said after lots of trawling through forum history, its said that the AP discs are prone to going 'bumpy'.
I am somewhat miffed as I really don't abuse the car, and the kit has barely had 3k miles of use.
I'll get them skimmed and when I need a disc change, I might pop them back on again with a set of those pads you suggested. That should be years though with my low usage.
The Range Rover disc 'mod' is actually pretty sound though, so I'm glad I've now done it so I have the cheap disc option.
AP discs are running at £400 each! Whereas these RR discs cost £115 for pair - delivered. So far, so good.
You’ve got me thinking now so I’ve just checked the service history regarding my AP’s.
They were fitted in 2018 and I’ve covered around 7000 miles since. Touch wood I’ve had no issues with any vibrations.
From memory I believe it’s critical to clean the wheel hub and rear of the disc when fitting. I smeared a small amount of oil on the hub to prevent future corrosion, I carried out the bedding in procedure as recommended and made sure the wheel nuts were torqued up correctly.
As your car is garaged and I doubt you drive it like you’ve just stolen it the only thing I can think of is brake pad transfer ( I believe the resin that bonds the pad materials together causes the issue when hot? )
My brother had standard factory brake disc’s and pads on his late model low mileage Dodge Challenger and that had the same issues, so it’s probably not a problem specific to AP’s.
I would certainly give the Pedders ceramic pads a go, but they have now gone up in price…oh what a surprise
I think the Range Rover disc conversion sounds pretty good, that or get some discs from Reylands motorsport which are the same size as AP’s but cheaper. Quite how AP can justify the cost is beyond me.
Keep us posted on how you get on
so I’ve just checked the service history regarding my AP’s. They were fitted in 2018 and I’ve covered around 7000 miles since. Touch wood I’ve had no issues with any vibrations.
From memory I believe it’s critical to clean the wheel hub and rear of the disc when fitting. I smeared a small amount of oil on the hub to prevent future corrosion, I carried out the bedding in procedure as recommended and made sure the wheel nuts were torqued up correctly.
As your car is garaged and I doubt you drive it like you’ve just stolen it the only thing I can think of is brake pad transfer ( I believe the resin that bonds the pad materials together causes the issue when hot? )
My brother had standard factory brake disc’s and pads on his late model low mileage Dodge Challenger and that had the same issues, so it’s probably not a problem specific to AP’s.
I would certainly give the Pedders ceramic pads a go, but they have now gone up in price…oh what a surprise
I think the Range Rover disc conversion sounds pretty good, that or get some discs from Reylands motorsport which are the same size as AP’s but cheaper. Quite how AP can justify the cost is beyond me.
Keep us posted on how you get on
If you've got a bad back, the easy way to change the oil is with an electric pump down the dip stick tube.
Assuming one fits.
I got a pump last year from Lidl, and it took all of a few minutes to change the oil on my wife's 1.6 astra, but can't do it on my 1.4T astra. Some sort of restriction in the dipstick tube.
Assuming one fits.
I got a pump last year from Lidl, and it took all of a few minutes to change the oil on my wife's 1.6 astra, but can't do it on my 1.4T astra. Some sort of restriction in the dipstick tube.
Pit Pony said:
If you've got a bad back, the easy way to change the oil is with an electric pump down the dip stick tube.
Assuming one fits.
I got a pump last year from Lidl, and it took all of a few minutes to change the oil on my wife's 1.6 astra, but can't do it on my 1.4T astra. Some sort of restriction in the dipstick tube.
TBH I never thought about that. A good shout, I’ll have a look for one Assuming one fits.
I got a pump last year from Lidl, and it took all of a few minutes to change the oil on my wife's 1.6 astra, but can't do it on my 1.4T astra. Some sort of restriction in the dipstick tube.
It's not an ideal way to change oil, but it more common these days
If you have a compressor, you can get air powered oil extractors for the job.
It's probably not as effective as draining the sump, but it is a hell of a lot handier. I've done it last couple of times on my daily.....too many undertrays lol
If you have a compressor, you can get air powered oil extractors for the job.
It's probably not as effective as draining the sump, but it is a hell of a lot handier. I've done it last couple of times on my daily.....too many undertrays lol
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