MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Oil change intervals

Does anyone have technical reasons why oil and filter should be changed every year even if the car has traveled less than 5000 miles?

No problem with my MGBGT 5000 miles occurs every 6 months or less but my diesel motor home 22 quarts and 2 filters only about 3000 miles per year and my Jaguar XJS 12 quarts plus filter only about 2000 miles per year.
LEE
LS Sheldon

Even with low mileage, oil gets contaminated with unburned fuel, that gets past the rings and is held in suspension in the oil itself. If it is left in for too long, the acids that form can start eating away at your main and rod bearings. My truck and motorcycle are due for an oil change, based solely on time. When I changed the oil, in the bike last year, I couldn't believe that I had put only 300 miles on it, according to my records. I hate to change oil that has so little mileage on it, but in the end, it's cheap insurance. RAY
rjm RAY

Lee-
In addition to what Ray said, I'd like to point out that today's oils have some rather sophisticated additives that are somewhat volatile. They evaporate out of the oil over time.
Stephen Strange

MGB at least should be 6 months or 6000 miles, ZS is 6 months or 7500. Haynes recommends changing twice per year, FWTW. However I reckon the 6 months thing assumes that you are doing a low mileage on a daily or weekly basis, so it would never run long enough and get hot enough to burn off moisture. I only do about 3k per year in each of my cars, but when I do use them I usually do a minimum of 30-40 miles and often several hundred over a long weekend. I change mine annually regardless, it's much easier to remember they have to be done each Spring rather than work out when each 6k comes round, the additional cost is negligible.

You then get the conundrum of, if you lay your car up for the winter, should you change the oil before you do so, when you wake it up, or for the anal both! Mine are ready for use all year round and go out if the roads are dry and salt free, but if a month goes by and I can't then I usually run the engine at a fast-idle (throttle wedged, not choke out) for 20 mins or so just to keep the engine and battery at least in working condition. Not as good as driving (on both levels) granted, but better than nowt.
PaulH Solihull

This thread was discussed between 01/06/2011 and 02/06/2011

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.