Thread: Time based maintenance: basis?

If you serviced your last cars then you are more than capable of servicing the D4.

Big question you need to decide is whether to suck out the engine oil from the tube provided at LHF of engine or go the 'hard' way by removing bash plate and sump plug.
I do the latter but curse it when the oil flows onto the chassis and goes everywhere except to the drain tin!
Keep saying I'll buy a vac pump but need someone to tell me what to buy (hint).

More learned guys here say you get more out thru the vac method.

Definitely change every 10,000 k max and use correct full synthetic oil. I use Penrite Enviro Plus C1.

Remove oil filter first because another 1/2 litre or so will drain into sump upon removal.

REPCO sell the identical (to Genuine OEM) MANN oil filter at very sharp price particularly if you can get "trade" price, about $14 from memory.

Enjoy!

Originally Posted by Eevo

back in the day, when oils were less advanced, they turned acidic over time, hence the every 12 months part regardless of km.
modern oils don't seem do this if you believe the literature.

They still do, but it now takes a bit longer. Combination of improved fuels, engines and oil additives can be the reason - its not just the oil on its own being the sole reason

Originally Posted by Discodicky

.....

Big question you need to decide is whether to suck out the engine oil from the tube provided at LHF of engine or go the 'hard' way by removing bash plate and sump plug.
I do the latter but curse it when the oil flows onto the chassis and goes everywhere except to the drain tin!
.....

LOL!
Get yourself a 'clickdrain' sump plug and draining attachment for it.
It will seem like a lot of money, but it may end up being the best waste of money you will have ever spent.

D1 300 Tdi is similar in it's sump draining, even tho it looks like a ton of room.
The initial surge of draining oil lands perfectly on the front sway bar where it duly splashes sideways ... everywhere except the pan. I reckon 5 of the first 6 lt ends up on the floor.

The Femco clickdrain is a brass fitting that replaces the sump plug, and you never need to remove it. Just unscrew the 'dust' cap by hand.
The other bit you will have purchased is the 'click on' attachment where you will have fitted a small length of some hose, and the hose will be directed into a container of your choosing so no draining oil into a pan which then needs decanting into a container to get it to the local oil recycling place.

In my D1, a Penrite 10lt drum fits perfectly under the car without the need to lift it. I get under the car, engine can be as hot or cold as you like coz you never touch anything hot(like oil), and unscrew the dust cap by hand.
Drag in the 10lt drum. hose end needs to be inserted into the 10lt drum first(only because it's not very flexible) still holding the click end, then drag and line up the 10lt drum(easy as it's empty) and click the clicky end into the clickdrain fitting. Slide myself out and have a nice long smoko(I always give myself enough time for long smokos )

Zero mess! The 10lt drum is then ready to take to the recycle centre.
If it weren't for the annoyance of the 300 tdi oil filter location, it would be the cleanest part of maintaining a diesel engine by far now.

I thought about the cheaper screw on version(as opposed to the click on one I got) but I thought that by the time you screw in the attachment it may drip a drop or two here or there.
Clickdrain type is by far a lot more exxy than the screw type but unless you make a mistake in some way is completely drip free. Think of it like your garden hose clicking system .. same thing, just for oil services.

There are other brands that do the same thing, just can't remember the names of them right now.

THIS is the femco one I have.

Originally Posted by AK83

LOL!
Get yourself a 'clickdrain' sump plug and draining attachment for it.

Not needed for the D4. The vacuum tube works brilliantly and makes the oil and filter change a drip free pleasant experience. You could wear a tuxedo whilst doing it (think James Bond). You just need a common garden variety oil vacuum pump of over 6 litres. Mine is similar to this, but I'm sure you can get them cheaper.
Pela Vacuum Oil Extractor 6.5L, $149.95 | Whitworths Marine

Originally Posted by DieselLSE

Not needed for the D4. The vacuum tube works brilliantly and makes the oil and filter change a drip free pleasant experience. You could wear a tuxedo whilst doing it (think James Bond). You just need a common garden variety oil vacuum pump of over 6 litres. Mine is similar to this, but I'm sure you can get them cheaper.
Pela Vacuum Oil Extractor 6.5L, $149.95 | Whitworths Marine

This one works a treat for me: 9L Waste Oil Fluid Extractor Pump Manual Suction Vacuum Fuel Car Boat Transfer | eBay

Note the vac tube connection into the sump sits about 20mm lower that the sump plug (dont know why), so you will get more oil out by the suction method. I have tried and tested both, you get 200-300ml more out via the suction tube. Run an engine flush beforehand and take the filter off before suctioning, allows oil from filter housing to fully drain back to sump. I then also use the suction tube to clean out the oil filter recess.

Originally Posted by Cyclist

I have recently purchased a D4, MY12, SDV6 HSE.
Its predecessors were a 98 D1 and an 84 RR, both of which I maintained myself.
The D4 will be my first car where this will not be the case: quite beyond my knowledge and facilities.

I believe I have identified a suitable service outfit, but I need to understand what they're doing.
I have had a look at the maintenance check sheet - which was actually for UK and EU to 11MY - and I see services for a 3.0 diesel, alternating 'A' and 'B', every 26,000 kms or 12 months.

The car is now 9 years old and has done 174,000 kms.
Timing belt was supposed to have been done at 163,000.
I believe it was serviced just prior to purchase, but don't know what was done at this point.
The repair shop put a sticker on it saying next service due at 184,000/6 months, ie 27/11/21.
This equates to 20k per year, whereas I'm likely to rack up only 8k, per year!
So by November, just another 4,000 kms most change oil filter every 10000km, this IMO is bloody


That's all preamble. I'm not aiming to scrimp here. On the contrary, I intend to service it to the max.
I know that timed services is a well established approach, but I have never seen any justification for it.
If a car travel 10k per year, why not service it every two years?

Thoughts?

bonkers, 20 000 is probs too soon too, you can see the big name diesel makers of engines in road transport stretching out lube oil swaps, is a road train changed every 10000 that be less than 2 weeks, my advice, examine your oil, when you swap the eng lube filter, cut the old one and spread out the filtrate, read what it says, bright silver is piston material, gold is bearing material
in the 70,s before i started my own bizz building steel and alu yachts, i was a diesel fitter at Cummins Newcastle, NSW, these were our methods to read oil
now light duty change on line haul is every 64000km
heavy duty. like road train stuff 32000km, normal duty 48000km
from now on it is 30000 for me d4, i just changed today at 215000km, no oil usage since last change 200000km
https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...e+Interval.pdf

Originally Posted by shanegtr

They still do, but it now takes a bit longer. Combination of improved fuels, engines and oil additives can be the reason - its not just the oil on its own being the sole reason

The acid comes from the soot the most. Pre combustion diesels were really bad for it. Like Shane said, engine design along with oil quality has helped..

Originally Posted by stuarth44

bonkers, 20 000 is probs too soon too, you can see the big name diesel makers of engines in road transport stretching out lube oil swaps, is a road train changed every 10000 that be less than 2 weeks, my advice, examine your oil, when you swap the eng lube filter, cut the old one and spread out the filtrate, read what it says, bright silver is piston material, gold is bearing material
in the 70,s before i started my own bizz building steel and alu yachts, i was a diesel fitter at Cummins Newcastle, NSW, these were our methods to read oil
now light duty change on line haul is every 64000km
heavy duty. like road train stuff 32000km, normal duty 48000km
from now on it is 30000 for me d4, i just changed today at 215000km, no oil usage since last change 200000km
https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...e+Interval.pdf

I see your point Stuart, however in my experience these engines are dirty. I've had my oil tested before and it was ready to change.. If you want to push that far I would definately be getting the oil tested. But at $30 a test your money will be better spent on oil.
The comparison to those engines doesn't work that well. They have much different design parameters I'm about to hook a gauge up to mine and work out what oil I can safely change to as I'm at 270ks