Service Intervals for new common rail vehicles

Mate, even with the 5,000km service intervals on the older cars, many people who got there oil tested where able to get many more kilometres out of the oil then just 5,000.

I reckon its a safe bet that with the oil that is needed in common rails and the far more efficient burn cycle that it would be safe to go 15,000kms.

I will only go 10,000kms with mine but i still make sure i use Penrite oil.
Its safe to go 10,000kms easily mate.

we do oil an filter changes on our MBenz ambulances at 20k intervals
but you have to use the correct oil stick to the manufactures recomendations
specially with the new diesel particlate filter models ,as they use a low ash oil .
very expensive but thats life .
mechpete

Gooday,
Have a Jeep CRD and they recommended is 10,000Km , which annoys me as in other countries it is 20,000. I won't buy Toyota as they gouge buyers with their 5,00Km services.
Cheers,
Boroma 604.

I may be wrong but I think these long service intervals are a con. Services used to be 5000k's or 12 months what ever accurs first.
Now some manufactures are saying how much cheaper thier vehicles are to maintain due to the longer service intevals of 10,000 or 15,000km, but what they don't mention is that they have dropped the time to 6 months.
So unless you are doing more than 10 or 15k km's in 6 months, their service cost have increased greatly.
Chris

If you check with your owners handbook you may find that long distances between oil changes only apply if the vehicle is running under ideal conditions.
Depending on what your book says this may be described as;
No journeys under 15-20km, Ambient Temp range 5-25 deg C, No dirt roads, No maximum loads or somethind similar.

That's pretty restrictive, especially in Australia outback.
Is it worth the risk.

Even at $15 per litre for the oil, (full Synthetic), an intermediate oil and air and oil filter change is a fairly cheap way of ensuring that your pride and joy lasts as long as possible.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

Disco.

Land Rovers in Europe are 12mths 24,000 kms but they halve it for Australia due to "harsh" conditions. I would have thought driving around Sydney or Melbourne isn't that harsh. At least it isn't 20 below zero. Dealers getting away with murder more like it. Mike

Geoff,
AFAIK, there's nothing special about common rail when it comes to oil change intervals. Most "direct injection" motors like yours have 10k intervals because, like you've observed, the oil stays cleaner and is not prone to oil thickening.

The old 5k oil and 10k filter changes was common with "indirect injection" motors like the 2H, 1Hz, 1KZ-TE and TD42.

Your concern is regarding the fuel tolerances to support correct fuel atomisation for a common rail system.

Most are not aware nor understand that Australia's ability to accept the really good quality common rail systems remains compromised due to our relatively poor fuel quality compared to Europe.

That aside Australia has legislated a lowering of the sulphur ppm to such a level that currently we have diesel fuel that is actually performing very close to petrol when it comes to burn efficiency. Apart from the normal fuel contamination risks associated with outback travel you will find that city and regional fuel outlets have a legal obligation to provide the high quality diesel we presently enjoy.

So your only real risk of contamination is from a dodgy jerry can or poorly maintained refuelling rig.

As sulphur is the major contaminant in diesel you have a very low risk needing to go to the expense of increasing your filter and oil changes. About the only time this is now relevant is when your vehicle's duty cycle is mainly CBD and short runs. If that is the case then moving to a 5k cycle is not a bad idea

Regards

RobA

Thanks everyone for your replies - I reckon I will stick to 10,000km intervals for oil changes, other than the mandatory oil change before starting an outback trip whatever the km's are.

Cheers, Geoff

Please see link below. http://www.ultimatesyntheticoil.com/Scamsoil_Skeptics.htm

I am interested to know if anyone has used this product and if so, what do they think of the company's claims about oil change intervals of 25,000 miles? Do you believe this oil will cope with the rigours of towing?

Cheers,
Paul