3K oil change intervals for our LR4s?
- Thread starter jlach993
- Start date
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Aye caramba. *deep breath*
1) USA factory spec for oil change interval is 15kmi for normal service, and 7.5kmi for severe service (towing, city driving, etc). This has generally been considered to be pushing the limits. And it's very interesting JLR only published these numbers for USA.
2) Outside USA, factory OCI spec was 7,500 miles for normal service and 3,750 miles for severe service. This, IMO, is far more reasonable. And it jives with the forum wisdom of changing around 5-7kmi under most circumstances; changing at less than 5kmi with severe service would be smart.
3) Dino vs synthetic should be a non-issue. I don't believe you can get either 0W-20 or 5W-20 in anything except synthetic. If you want to use thicker viscosity not recommended by the factory, you're on your own. I don't see any advantage there.
4) There's almost zero downside to changing "too often" except the cost. If you want to change more often, go for it, but at some point it's just emptying your wallet. Find a happy medium. I personally have settled on 5kmi intervals with Red Line oil, so I can look at the odo and know when it's due, no window sticker or math required: 100k, 105km, 110k, etc.
5) The mechanic claim that the oil filter is inadequate is BS. Ditto for being "prone to sludge". And for even mentioning a THREE MONTH interval regardless of miles. That reeks of trying to fleece you... I'd find a new mechanic. Or buy a vacuum oil sucker and change it yourself at home.
6) If you lose sleep over this stuff, get oil analysis including TBN with your preferred oil and change interval. After a few analyses, you'll know if your choices are acceptable, or need tweaking.
1) USA factory spec for oil change interval is 15kmi for normal service, and 7.5kmi for severe service (towing, city driving, etc). This has generally been considered to be pushing the limits. And it's very interesting JLR only published these numbers for USA.
2) Outside USA, factory OCI spec was 7,500 miles for normal service and 3,750 miles for severe service. This, IMO, is far more reasonable. And it jives with the forum wisdom of changing around 5-7kmi under most circumstances; changing at less than 5kmi with severe service would be smart.
3) Dino vs synthetic should be a non-issue. I don't believe you can get either 0W-20 or 5W-20 in anything except synthetic. If you want to use thicker viscosity not recommended by the factory, you're on your own. I don't see any advantage there.
4) There's almost zero downside to changing "too often" except the cost. If you want to change more often, go for it, but at some point it's just emptying your wallet. Find a happy medium. I personally have settled on 5kmi intervals with Red Line oil, so I can look at the odo and know when it's due, no window sticker or math required: 100k, 105km, 110k, etc.
5) The mechanic claim that the oil filter is inadequate is BS. Ditto for being "prone to sludge". And for even mentioning a THREE MONTH interval regardless of miles. That reeks of trying to fleece you... I'd find a new mechanic. Or buy a vacuum oil sucker and change it yourself at home.
6) If you lose sleep over this stuff, get oil analysis including TBN with your preferred oil and change interval. After a few analyses, you'll know if your choices are acceptable, or need tweaking.
Umm...Alabama ring a bell
Unless my sarcasm meter is miscalibrated.
My apologies for my modern Southern US ignorance. The only reference I had for it was from some history I read and at that time it was in the Mississippi Territory. lol
Yeah and it took a Canuck to straighten out the U.S.A. resident LR owner.
Aye caramba. *deep breath*
1 I don't believe you can get either 0W-20 or 5W-20 in anything except synthetic. If you want to use thicker viscosity not recommended by the factory, you're on your own. I don't see any advantage there.
I'd find a new mechanic. Or buy a vacuum oil sucker and change it yourself at home.
Modern day engines having tighter tollerances, manufactures pinching every tenth of a mpg out of their vehicles do recommend rather thin low viscosity oils. Say as example OW 5-20 wt oil, by 60 or 80K miles rods and mains plus cam journals have worn increasing internal clearances. Maintaining running that same low viscosity oil your oil pressure at idle and low rpm's is now lower than the day one new engine. Increasing to a higher or thicker oil viscosity now filling these increased clearances of a worn engine is now adding a better cushion of oil protection as well increasing oil pressure a little. For the loss of mpg due to thicker viscosity of oil used, who you trying to fool given your not driving a 58 mpg Land Rover in the first place.
Best part about the D1's pushrod engines being an easy job dropping the pan and replacing the rod bearings that all had the babbitt missing and into the copper backing of the bearing inserts. Tigher clearances, higher oil pressure restored and lifters not clacking. Rocker shafts and rockers being worn also an area bleeding off low viscosity oils used. Add the long morning dry starts before installing a Pre-Oiler on the new engine.
I have seen several friends engines of 150K to 275K miles still working hard even when worn and loose maintaining near normal oil pressures, installing lower viscosity the oil pressures dropped to the 10-15 psi at idle and in the low rpm's range, lifters starting to clack. Not going to live longer that way unless a one step up in thicker viscosity were added. A couple steps increased to nurse an engine past the summer season logging. Best part they are still not consuming oil or smoker engines being worked hard hauling lumber.
Use whatever makes you happy......~~=o&o>.....
umbertob
Full Access Member
IIRC, that was the factory recommended oil service interval for diesel powered Discovery 4s, which were a much more popular option (in many European countries, the only option) outside of North America. For petrol V8 and SCV6 engines, I believe the same interval recommended in the US - 15K mi /12 mo regularly, 7.5K mi / 6 mo for arduous or severe conditions - applied abroad as well.
catman
Full Access Member
As someone said, ask 3 mechanics and get 3 answers. Previous owner told me his friend worked for some oil company and he told him that modern oils would easily last 20k of highway driving (which the previous owner mostly did) no problem. Who knows.
My 08 LR3 has had oil changes at: 11K, 22k, 30K, 50K, 72K, 96K, 106k, 119k, 130k, 139k, 149k, 157k, and 165k. First 5 were all dino oil from previous owner and the rest synthetic. I'm at 170k and it feels like its running strong - I am not sure how I would know if the infrequent oil changes caused a problem or not...for me, my indy shop is 40 min away and I generally plan to leave it there for a M-F stretch, so it's once a year regardless of mileage unless I have an issue mid-year that needs immediate attention.
My 08 LR3 has had oil changes at: 11K, 22k, 30K, 50K, 72K, 96K, 106k, 119k, 130k, 139k, 149k, 157k, and 165k. First 5 were all dino oil from previous owner and the rest synthetic. I'm at 170k and it feels like its running strong - I am not sure how I would know if the infrequent oil changes caused a problem or not...for me, my indy shop is 40 min away and I generally plan to leave it there for a M-F stretch, so it's once a year regardless of mileage unless I have an issue mid-year that needs immediate attention.
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Factory manual shows the 5.0L V8 engine as 7500/3750 intervals "Not UK and Europe"... anyone across the pond have a manual which shows the UK/Europe spec?
