Oil Change Interval

bluethunder

How often do people change their engine oil? My service history showed the previous owner got a garage to change oil approx every 3,000 miles, this seems overly protective to me. I have a 2.5d Fiat Ducato (1996) and am off to France in May. Have done approx 3,500 miles since the last oil change so wondering if I should change it before heading away?

niloc1951

bluethunder wrote: »

How often do people change their engine oil? My service history showed the previous owner got a garage to change oil approx every 3,000 miles, this seems overly protective to me. I have a 2.5d Fiat Ducato (1996) and am off to France in May. Have done approx 3,500 miles since the last oil change so wondering if I should change it before heading away?

I get mine changed every twelve months even if the mileage in the meantime is less than the recommended distance. The cost of an oil change is only a small fraction of the cost of an engine rebuild.

An annual service is also a good opportunity to have other serviceable items checked, like the quality of the coolant and brake fluid both of which deteriorate over time and the condition of which is not part of the Roadworthiness Test.

bluethunder

niloc1951 wrote: »

I get mine changed every twelve months even if the mileage in the meantime is less than the recommended distance. The cost of an oil change is only a small fraction of the cost of an engine rebuild.

An annual service is also a good opportunity to have other serviceable items checked, like the quality of the coolant and brake fluid both of which deteriorate over time and the condition of which is not part of the Roadworthiness Test.

Must check the recommended mileage in the manual. Thanks.

Aidan_M_M

I tell all the customers , once a year or 6 thousand miles for the older ones , on semi synthetic oil , or 10k for the newer ones on fully synthetic . That;s still well inside the Fiat service intervals . It's not just the oil losing lubricating properties , I'd be concerned with the moisture absorbtion from the atmosphere too . I always change the filter with the oil , and pay a little more for oil than some , but I'm happier doing that and having a higher spec .

bluethunder

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

I tell all the customers , once a year or 6 thousand miles for the older ones , on semi synthetic oil , or 10k for the newer ones on fully synthetic . That;s still well inside the Fiat service intervals . It's not just the oil losing lubricating properties , I'd be concerned with the moisture absorbtion from the atmosphere too . I always change the filter with the oil , and pay a little more for oil than some , but I'm happier doing that and having a higher spec .

Thanks for this. My service manual says every 7,500 km which is well below 6,000 miles. However, it's been 18 months since the last change so think I will take the plunge.

Just read the other timing belt thread, bit scary! Mine has only done about 15,000 miles which is well below the interval but must check when it was done! I'd been warned before that they can perish faster if not used regularly.

Aidan_M_M

yup . and quite scarily too . more of an issue on Transits than Ducatos , but still not worth the risk.