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MG TD TF 1500 - Oil Change Intervals

Gentlemen
I was wondering how many owners change their engine oil every six months regardless of the mileage covered. And how about the TF oil filter? I inderstand it is advisable to renew this annually.
John
John James

John,
Here in New England, modst of us don't have the pleasure of driving our TD's or TF's year 'round,,, too much snow and salt on the roads,,, therefor the oil and filter is changed either at 3,000 or before it gets put up for the winter, which ever comes first.. after changing, it gets driven for a few miles to circulate the new oil through the engine and bearings.. I read some where that the old oil gets acidic (??) and it isn't good for the bearings to leave it in while in storage,,

SPW
Steve Wincze

Same as Steve for the winter storage. I also change once during the driving season...fresh oil = cheap insurance.
Robert Dougherty

Nothing wrong with these comments, I just wanted to add some information.
I worked for Amoco Oil company in the research lab for 30 years. The product research guys there had test cars and engines for gasoline and lube oil. They maintained that lube oil was well over-designed (by the SAE and API)and to prove it, ran a test on an American car (I forget which) where they did not change the oil for 25 thousand miles, just kept the level correct. They then dismantled the engine and measured all the relevant things like sludge, varnish, wear etc, and sure enough there was no noticeable effect.
oil changes are cheap insurance, but how much insurance do you need? Not an easy question to answer. I change oil in my TF once every year even though I only drive it for six months in the summer, but the above is very reassuring.
Ron Coates

Heaps of these "tests" over the years... but I notice they're all always done on COMPANY cars. Why not use the CEO's own exotic pride-n-joy that he bought with his own after-tax dollars instead... haha, nuff said. :P


I have a phobia about oil going black. Methinks if the oil has gone black, the filter has clagged up and some oil is probably going bypass.

On the TF, oil was changed about 500mi 6m
ago and its still quite yellow, just about
starting to get some grey. Probably will
be 1000mi annual intervals for the
oilchange paranoid. Oil's (still) affordably cheap.

(Family hack does 5000km between sump dumps.
The oil stays yellow for 3000-3500 usually.)


Besides, I find lying on the floor beneath
a jackedup car very therapeutic. Heaps more
interesting than floating in one of those
new-fangled "sensory deprivation" tanks!!
I'd rather be on cold concrete, watching
oil driplets slowly form.
Will

This thread was discussed between 26/03/2004 and 29/03/2004

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