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[Christian]

Mixing oil for a top up?

Will be changing the Oil in the Mig along with the rest of the stuff end of month (well Loon-Knee is).

about a month ago i topped it up with some cheap esso 10/40 semi syn oil just because Oil is better than none!

I also cover very low milage apart from the many Hospital Journey's ive done over the last couple of days.

The Mayo in the Oil cap and stem is quite worrying but im proberly covering 2-3 miles a day and Engine does not reach operating Temp at all.

Also the Gaskets (rockers) are leaking too hence why shes having a sort out with Daz.

So im also thinking heavy breathing will also cause Mayo.

car not using any coolant at all but i can see why so many people get bargains here because of the "head gasket symtons"

Once Coolant  Oil and Gakets are done aswell as the brathing system i will take it out once a week for a good old thraping, i wont now because gaskets are leaking , im proberly not doing it no good with such low milage journeys .

Apart from unblocking the breathers is there any kind of Mod that can be done like the Vectra with the Oil seperating tank?

Im saying this because ile continue my short journey to work with a once a week blast but is there an easy way to maintain this breathing system?

I know the Car is fine and i also know its down to short runs and mixing with cheap oil aswell as the breathers blocked but its quite worrying how they clog up regular and that every omega in there life has to have this job done,Has anybody attempted making the hole in the breather box bigger at all?

[Kevin Wood]

If the breathers are cleared and the oil is changed regularly (especially important with lots of short journeys) there should be no need to start modifying things.

It's when oil changes have been neglected that the breathers start to block and the chain of events you mention starts..

Kevin

EDIT: No problem mixing different oils when topping up either.

[Christian]

Its had full Vauxhall service history but changing oil every 10k!

This has done way less that 10 in some years of its servicing so im putting it down to this  

Tho where does the blocked breathers stem from, is it just lack of Oil changes when using the motor for low milage? Vaux state 10k miles every service when we know they need it alot less!

I think its just a money making thing and Manufacturers know this in a few years later for money making .

Im gunna start changing mine every 4k when Daz fixes her up!

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, the 10K service interval (later extended to 20k ) is probably a bit marginal for a car that spends its' time pounding up and down the motorway network. For a car used on short journeys it will be very much too long. With short journeys and a low annual mileage I would be inclined to do it based on time - say every 3 or 4 months, and ignore mileage, TBH.

The two issues are condensation and debris. The oil will picjk up both of these in the crankcase as it ages. A regular long motorway run will drive off the condensation as vapour through the breather system, if working, because the oil gets hot enough. During short trips it will build up.

Debris such as tar and soot from the combustion process will build up as the oil ages whatever happens.

When particles of debris and water vapour get drawn into the breathers they can combine with the oil to cause either a mayo like substance or a tarry sludge that blocks the breathers. Without breathing properly, the crankcase will then fill more rapidly with these contaminants..

So, clean the breathers and keep the oil fresh, give it a good long drive every so often and you should have no problems.

Kevin

[immx]

Is there much diffrence between the V6s and the 4pots with reguard to time between oil changes etc?

Also How often should the ATF be changed?

[Christian]

Thats cleared up a few things up .

Thanks for that