Should ALL petrol engines be serviced every 5000?

[random]

The car is 10 now. I figure a 16yo corolla with 300+K on the clock should be fine. Unless it dies completely between now and then.

I'm not going to cough up a fortune for a newer car just for the kid, and the resale value of the car is really, really low with the mileage it has so why not just hang onto it for her?

Then if she stacks it, its less of an issue because its an older car and not worth much to start with.

The poor car is about to reach the end of its useful life anyway despite being mechanically perfectly sound, stupid government regulations mean I absolutely have to buy a new car within the next 6 months, which is a really huge issue as I have no money right now. So unless someone buys my house ASAP, by the end of the year I basically have two options - buy a clapped out old $1000 commodore or other gas guzzling large car from the 90s, or just don't drive anywhere that requires all 3 kids in the back seat. Or the illegal but extremely tempting option of taking a bandsaw to the baby seats so I can fit 3 kids in the back of a corolla.

I love it that buying an older, crappier, less economical cheap and nasty car is my best option because of some stupid Government rule about SAFETY.

Yeah spot on Re.
It's one thing to crap on about safety , Im sure we'd all like a new Merc , well actually , Land Drover for me but we can only buy what we can.

There is one thing though about new cars that contradicts everything they crap on about anyway - the power of cars now . I wouldn't want my kid in even some of the 2ltr numbers around now.
Putting of up the road in something at 1/2 the pace has a bloody lot to be said for it if something does hit the fan.
It's the grunt behind all that extra power now and the pace the car's going at getting to whatever speed it's going to sit on, that goes straight into any impact so in a way , like so many things they crap on about now , I reckon a lot of it's malarkey.
And that's if they sit on any limits , makes one hell of a difference if your only putting up the HWY at 80 or so and something goes wrong as compared to 120-30 no matter what your in. Or putting round the streets as compared to tearing a round the streets .

When we we kids , 7 of us use to get carted of up the coast at Christmas in an old panel van , arms and legs hanging out everywhere , but eh it was such a slow trip it wouldn't have even mattered .

Cheers

 

[Corey Batt]

My Mini has to be serviced around every 6,000km. Nothing too major, but that's if I want her running tiptop shape. There is a bit of oil burn off with the seals and valves deteriorating while in storage in a barn for 10 years, however I'll just rebuild the engine in the spring time when I respray the lot.

Talking of trannie oil/engine oil, while doing the rebuild I'll have to clean the transmission something schmick, because they both use the same oil, with the transmission being inside the sump.

 

[Rolf Latham]

Those A series BMCs might need even a shorter service interval, esp if you are running twin carbies

ta
rolf'

 

[random]

Say you did want to do oil changes every 5k , could you reuse or wash out the oil filter to get a couple of changes out of the one filter ? Some can get pretty pricey can't they .

Cheers

 

[Rolf Latham]

depends on why you are changing the oil

if its dark and gluggy, id go the new filter

if the oil is diluted and/or not towards blackish, then i let my filters go again.

but thats only on cheap petrol engines : )

wont save 40 bucks on an 8 k diesel motor

ta
rolf'

 

[Sunfish]

To expand on Rolf's reply, you never replace a filter once it has been unscrewed. "Washing" is a professional task on expensive air filters only (To the best of my knowledge) and I wouldn't get my hands dirty for the price of an oil filter.

 

[Corey Batt]

Those A series BMCs might need even a shorter service interval, esp if you are running twin carbies

ta
rolf'

Running on single SU, so you'd be surprised. Changed the old dizzy with electric, old donut filter for a after market etc. So it is all quite variable. With the oil burn off I'm paying more than the usual attention to that area, so I'll have to see after the rebuild when I end up doing the usual change. Ah, British engineering!

 

[Aaron Sice]

I'm pretty sure the torque converter is completely sealed, and uses different fluid to the auto trans.

sorry dude.

The torque convertor is open to the main gearbox oil, hover it acts like a reservoir.

That's why when you pull the box from the motor you have to leave the TC attached to the box, not the flywheel, because if it's not it dumps stinking auto tranny fluid all over your upper arm and garage floor.

If it were sealed it wouldn't do that.

Cheers

 

[Aaron Sice]

Running on single SU, so you'd be surprised. Changed the old dizzy with electric, old donut filter for a after market etc. So it is all quite variable. With the oil burn off I'm paying more than the usual attention to that area, so I'll have to see after the rebuild when I end up doing the usual change. Ah, British engineering!

yes.....Lucas electrics, prince of darkness.....

 

[Aaron Sice]

Say you did want to do oil changes every 5k , could you reuse or wash out the oil filter to get a couple of changes out of the one filter ? Some can get pretty pricey can't they .

Cheers

If you want to do that, you can get/make kits that use a toilet roll as your filter.

Not good for modern engines with high flow and +60psi pressure at cruise, but older engines they work fine.

Just don't forget to pull the cardboard core out!

 

[locko24]

sorry dude.

The torque convertor is open to the main gearbox oil, hover it acts like a reservoir.

That's why when you pull the box from the motor you have to leave the TC attached to the box, not the flywheel, because if it's not it dumps stinking auto tranny fluid all over your upper arm and garage floor.

If it were sealed it wouldn't do that.

Cheers

To completely change the oil in the tranny (including the TC), the oil needs to be flushed through the system. Oil is pumped through one of the pipes that attach to the radiator in a circuit, through the tranny, until clean oil comes out the other pipe. Simple to do if you have the tools. (i don't)

 

[investor2009]

Depends what type of transmission you have. Foe my 80, it's as simple as replacing the trans filter, removing the old gasket, creating a new and changing the trans oil. No special flushing or anything required. A good teardown manual will tell you all the info you require for this procedure for your particular model, $30.

To completely change the oil in the tranny (including the TC), the oil needs to be flushed through the system. Oil is pumped through one of the pipes that attach to the radiator in a circuit, through the tranny, until clean oil comes out the other pipe. Simple to do if you have the tools. (i don't)

 

[investor2009]

If were talking filters then do you mean 'you ALWAYS replace a filter once it's been unscrewed'?

I couldn't imagine using the old one.

To expand on Rolf's reply, you never replace a filter once it has been unscrewed. "Washing" is a professional task on expensive air filters only (To the best of my knowledge) and I wouldn't get my hands dirty for the price of an oil filter.

 

[AlmostBob]

replace, as - return to place; replace the remote in the remote holder so you can find it = for oil filter: bad

 

[random]

If you want to do that, you can get/make kits that use a toilet roll as your filter.

Not good for modern engines with high flow and +60psi pressure at cruise, but older engines they work fine.

Just don't forget to pull the cardboard core out!

Thanks guys , but that's a classic Aaron. Loo roll eh , hey loo roll in a fruit tin

 

[Rolf Latham]

yes.....Lucas electrics, prince of darkness.....

hence for those of that era, twas known as........... Luckless, especially if it even looked remotely like rain

ta
rolf

 

[RumpledElf]

When we we kids , 7 of us use to get carted of up the coast at Christmas in an old panel van , arms and legs hanging out everywhere , but eh it was such a slow trip it wouldn't have even mattered .

Lol if this was a few years ago I could just toss the kids in the back of the car (can fit a lot of stuff in the back of a hatchback without that back shelf thing in) and we could go anywhere. I used to sit in this makeshift seat in the front of my grandparent's veedub campervan and I survived - and you don't wanna know how badly they drove.

But nooo its nanny state and they gotta stay in car seats till they're 7

 

[locko24]

Depends what type of transmission you have. Foe my 80, it's as simple as replacing the trans filter, removing the old gasket, creating a new and changing the trans oil. No special flushing or anything required. A good teardown manual will tell you all the info you require for this procedure for your particular model, $30.

Good point. My example was specifically for a Falcon. I'm guessing Commodores would be similar.

 

[Aaron Sice]

hence for those of that era, twas known as........... Luckless, especially if it even looked remotely like rain

ta
rolf

It's when your headlights went a dull shade of nicotine yellow you knew you were in trouble if you had to put your wipers on.

 

[VYBerlinaV8]

sorry dude.

The torque convertor is open to the main gearbox oil, hover it acts like a reservoir.

That's why when you pull the box from the motor you have to leave the TC attached to the box, not the flywheel, because if it's not it dumps stinking auto tranny fluid all over your upper arm and garage floor.

If it were sealed it wouldn't do that.

Cheers

Thanks for that - you learn something new every day.