The T5 Oil Change....

[JamesT5]

So forgetting the injury to the head (see Banter bar), yesterday I decided to break with the garage tradition and complete my first ever oil change on any car I've ever owned. Actually, aside from smacking myself on the head it was a lot easier than I ever imagined and the results? Read on.....

Since owning the car for the last 18 months or so, the oil has only ever been changed once before which I know is a cardinal sin but with so many other issues the basic maintenance went a little thin on the ground, the good news is I'm going to try and make up for it now with more frequent oil and filter changes. The car has clocked up over 250,000 miles now so it's going to need it.

My original plan was just to keep taking in to National Tyres and have them do one of their cheap-o oil changes for around £45, but I wanted to take it a step further and give it a good 'once over' myself to make sure I was totally happy that the job had been done totally to my satisfaction and so that I could plonk some extra special fluids in to the crankcasing that I wanted to try out.....





The car has been running a little 'rough' lately and on cold it felt really lumpy and not well at all. I wanted to take off the PCV system and change it for new parts but that will have to wait until a later date when I have more funds. I went to the Main Stealers and ordered a genuine oil filter with new rubber 'O' ring, new sump plug in case the old one rounded off, and a new aluminium crush ring as recommended by Volvo. I also had to order a new Dipstick (got it online) as my old one snapped at the handle, a common problem I believe. Then I got myself a Volvo Oil Filter wrench (a very good investment I might add), and then the oil itself which I also ordered online.





The extras: I was reading a classic car magazine at work and noticed a product called Ametech Engine Restorer, it looked like good stuff and so I thought I'd give it a go as it claims to help restore compression and various other engine benefits. You need about 400ml for the 2.3 T5 engine and it came with a bottle of 'Friction Reducer', a bit odd seeing as though that's just what oil is but I thought, why not add it and see what happens! There will be various opinions on the use of this stuff from different members, I've heard the arguments before that they are useless, not worth it etc, etc, but I like to try them before I 'diss' them.



Before I started, I poured a bottle of Wynn's Engine Flush through the warmed engine and ran it for a good 20 minutes giving it the odd prod on the gas pedal which did actually produce a small quantity of blue smoke from the tail pipe. Either that's normal or bad but I think it may just be the Engine Flush dissolved some crap somewhere near the valve lifters as it seems fine now.



I thoroughly drained the crankcasing removed the old black oil filter, cleaned out the oil filter casing to remove some oil and gritty black stuff in there, cleaned the aperture for the oil filter and fitted the new filter. Then tightened to 18.5 ft LBS as instructed on the Volvo packaging.

At this point, I put the new sump plug on which was when I injured myself which stopped play for the day.

This morning however, I got straight back to it and filled the crankcasing with 6 litres of high grade low viscosity Fully Synthetic 0W-20 oil, 400ml of Amemtech Engine Restorer and 250ml of Ametech Friction Reducer. The engine seems so much happier now and is running more smoothly, I have better throttle response and the whole car just feels much happier during the cold start-up in general.

The Ametech stuff gets to work over a few hundred miles so I'll let you all know whether I think it has made a difference to the engine performance. Personally, I'm willing to give more things a try especially if the basic engine maintenance had been somewhat neglected over time.

By the way, out of the engine came only 3.5 litres of black treacle looking oil, that won't have helped the cold engine at all......

[T5frankie]

You're gonna put that oil in? Really? And drive it?

[graemewelch]

looks like theres water in that oil to me.

[JamesT5]

You're gonna put that oil in? Really? And drive it?

I have and I will - it's running nicely now and is better in the cold weather!

[merc85]

looks like theres water in that oil to me.

may be the engine flush....

[Harvey]

Ow20 way to thin......Ok to use as a flushing oil but I would never drive the car or put any load on the engine eg motorway speeds drive up hills in low gear.

The main crank bearing clearances are worked out to the weight of oil Volvo say you should put in the engine,if it's to thin the engine will run at a lower oil pressure which will cause more wear & with a high mileage motor that is a very bad idea.

0w40 at least

[t5 pete]

Engine flush and very thin oil even on a low mileage motor isn't great never mind a 250k motor I would recommend dropping the oil again and putting 10/40 in

[graemewelch]

Engine flush and very thin oil even on a low mileage motor isn't great never mind a 250k motor I would recommend dropping the oil again and putting 10/40 in

ill second that. might sound better when its cold but when that oil is up to temp it might as well be water in there. theres a lot of knolodge and good advise on here form guys who realy know there stuff. at he very least listen and take the advise on board. you dont get second chances one engines when it comes to oil.

[merc85]

Our guide says 5/40 fully or 10w40 at that mileage id certainly suggest a 10w40 buddy. regular oil changes are far better than a oil flush,

[AndysR]

Can never have enough oil changes and whilst I don't think much to the idea of engine flushes I am sure there would have been a little benefit on an engine which hasn't had an oil change in a while. New engine oil grade is a little thin but will be a slight benefit during the colder weather as it'll will be thinner than perhaps the 5w30/5w40 or 10w40 that I'd probably advise you to use. What made you opt for 0w20 anyway?

[t5 pete]

Our guide says 5/40 fully or 10w40 at that mileage id certainly suggest a 10w40 buddy. regular oil changes are far better than a oil flush,

Yup regular oil change is the key to good protection and engine life " as long as you put the correct stuff in"

[JamesT5]

Can never have enough oil changes and whilst I don't think much to the idea of engine flushes I am sure there would have been a little benefit on an engine which hasn't had an oil change in a while. New engine oil grade is a little thin but will be a slight benefit during the colder weather as it'll will be thinner than perhaps the 5w30/5w40 or 10w40 that I'd probably advise you to use. What made you opt for 0w20 anyway?

I wanted to try something that's a little better for colder weather, perhaps I can go for a thicker grade on the next oil change. Oddly the manufacturer of the oil has put a bit description on the back stating basically, that this oil is good stuff that helps engines during long motorway runs and urban driving. Perhaps if the engine blows up, I can sue them for false advertising.

[JamesT5]

By the way, the 'friction reducer' came out with the consistency of Marmalade, perhaps that acts as a thickening agent?

[oblark]

If you had used the right oil you wouldn`t a need fricition reducer.

Oil is a fricition reducer.

[Harvey]

0w20 oil is for only one thing to help the mpg numbers on brand new cars,who knows what those engines will be like in 10 years.

[t5 pete]

If you had used the right oil you wouldn`t a need fricition reducer.

Oil is a fricition reducer.

Yup

[merc85]

Yup

like KY lol

[AndysR]

I wanted to try something that's a little better for colder weather, perhaps I can go for a thicker grade on the next oil change. Oddly the manufacturer of the oil has put a bit description on the back stating basically, that this oil is good stuff that helps engines during long motorway runs and urban driving. Perhaps if the engine blows up, I can sue them for false advertising.

I think you'll struggle with that a little that's why manufacturers have their own recommendations, really only the latest engines should have that grade of oil tbh. Now you know how easy it is to change the engine oil and filter when you change it again opt for a decent 5w30 or 5w40 and change it frequently, I do mine no longer than every 3,000 miles and that's both the 850 and the 940, some would see that as too frequent but it does no harm at all and for the cost is the best preventative maintenance you can ever do.

By the way, the 'friction reducer' came out with the consistency of Marmalade, perhaps that acts as a thickening agent?

I doubt it tbh... Will probably thin right out with heat.

[Kingsford G]

I mean seriously how cold does it get here or you planning a holiday trip to Siberia?

[t5 pete]

like KY lol

Lol