Thread: First Service

Interesting question about filter change intervals, and also interesting answers.
I have often wondered about the most suitable interval to replace filters and just how much efficiency they loose after say 10 or 20,000km's.

With this in mind, when I bought my Td5 back in 2003 and first service wasn't scheduled until 20,000km's, however I decided to change the engine oil and both filters at 10,000km's. Once completed, I opened the centrifuge filter for a closer inspection and found about 2mm of paste like deposit around the walls, with plenty of room to collect further deposits if required.

I now wonder if these efficient little filters could in fact be left longer without any loss of efficiency and resultant damage to engine.
I would be interested to hear if anyone else has opened their centrifuge filter and what condition it was in.

At present I am still servicing and replacing filters at 10,00km's but am wondering if I am wasting some of the hardearned on filters and should just be replacing the oil.

The intervals will vary depending on your main use as other have said about my post.
My rig is doing mostly long highway runs thats and hour each way commute and 100kmh. This sort of travel would be mild work and minimum wear and tear as its warmed and cooled and not stop/start all the way for short runs. The harder you work the engine and the worse the environment it works in then increase the servicing.
It is Like the cars people buy of the little old lady who only drove to the shops and back. It blows up after a month because its all gummed up and has worn in so when the young guy gives it a bit the rings hit that lip and bang. The oil that comes out of mine after 20,000 is surprisingly clean for a diesel. I vary it the servicing down to 10,000 sometimes if its had a hard time.