5k on the jag ------------ 10k on the v-dub. the vw calls for 10k, once the free oil changes is over, it will also go to 5k.

i dont care about analysis of the oil and whether it is a waste or not. 5k is what i believe in, and have been doing since i started driving. even when it was customary to do 3k oil changes. i have always been at 5k.

 

Same experience on this forum and others. These oil debates just tend to get touchy and sometimes deteriorate into insults and name calling, not as much here due to good moderation thankfully. Usually a search will reveal that the same topic went through the grinder a few times a year. They are entertaining though. Seperating fact from fiction on the topic in the interwebs era is a challenge unto itself for many owners. That last statement was an opinion.

 

Thanks all. I think I will do the 5k interval, which for me will be more than 6 months of driving. And it's all stop and go which is supposedly harder on the car.

 

Stop and go isn't good but worse is mainly short trips. (What's needed is really HOT engine, cats, exhaust, etc.)

 

I'm not worried about the oil, syn, or conv. I'm worried about the filter. 3k miles for me on every vehical.

 

Each to their own but beats me why you think the filter needs changing so often.

 

All filters go eventually, 3k miles? Prob not unless something is very wrong with motor, but the way I look at it is piece of mind. Just in case filter goes, or fails at ANY level I don't want something floating around in my engine for another x amount of miles. I'm kinda weird when it comes to preventative maintenance. I'd rather have something and never need it then need it and not have it. Change good oil and filter, then change bad oil and filter. K&N recommends cleaning every 50k miles or something like that, I do it every month.

To each their own is so very true. But "knock on wood" I've never had a failure as a result from lack of maintenance. lol Hell, I check tire pressure and fluids every weekend like church. It only takes a few min, and gets me piece of mind. Plus it gets me out of the house and into the "Man-Zone". ;-)

 

I change mine at 5000. Thats about when it starts to get black on me. It will be clean brown till about 4000-4500 and then at 5000 it starts to darken so I just do a change then. I do mainly stop and go though and very rarely get to go on the highway. Its also hot as hell here so that may effect it some too. But I have stuck to that interval for the STR. My previous cars one was every 5000 and the other I'd do at 7500. If you keep an eye on the oil I'm sure you could get to 10000 with the right oil.

 

I do all of my cars at no more than 6-7K Km's. Even the M5, which costs me 140 an oil change (with the only approved 10W60 oil). Oil changes are cheaper than a new engine or repairing a severy gunked up engine.

 

I do mine every every 3000 miles with the jaguar filter mine runs great

 

You actually may be cleaning your K&N to a fault and accelerating wear on the filter material. They are designed to use some of the particles it picks up as part of the filtering process. I can see twice a year or maybe every 15k miles but monthly is perhaps detrimental IMHO.

I applaud your eagerness for maintenance though, I totally get the "Man-Zone" thing, also known by the spouse as "WTF are you always doing in the garage all night Zone"....and refers to my obsessive STR pampering as the equivalent of automotive....uh...self pleasuring if you know what I mean.

 

lol The Chris X, i hear you. I've got a fridge full of choice drinks, satilite T.V. heat and AC. Always something to do, hehehe.

As far as the K&N I did not know that. But so far I've not had to replace one. The one on my truck I've had for almost 11 years, it's got a few dings in it from dropping it, or stuff on it. But still the filter elament still looks new after cleaning. But what you said sounds like you could be very right, perhaps I'll switch to every 3 months.

 

Wow SchultzLD - your shop sounds like the ideal hangout! All I have is a radio! Man I feel pretty inadequate now...

Some facts from K&N's website for you to evaluate are below. I am a supporter of their products, use em on everything. I like the fact that I'm not throwing a filter in the garbage all the time. My Jeep has a 10 year old FIPK kit and it still cleans up nice.

About dirt buildup:
"The dirt particles collected on the surface of a K&N element have little effect on air flow during much of its service life because there are no small holes to clog. Particles are stopped by layers of crisscrossed cotton fibers and held in suspension by the oil. As the filter begins to collect debris, an additional form of filter action begins to take place because air must first pass through the dirt particles trapped on the surface. That means a K&N air filter continues to exhibit high air flow throughout the life of the filter while it is accumulating dirt. At the same time, the air flow for an average paper air filter can decrease dramatically as the paper element gets dirty. So as dirt accumulates, the performance advantages of a K&N air filter can increase!"

And for service interval:

A K&N Filtercharger is a high-performance air filter, both in terms of air flow and filtration. However, the service interval can vary widely depending on the severity of the driving conditions. The service interval can be from 100 miles in a desert-racing environment to 50,000 miles for normal street use. The proper way to determine when an air filter needs service is with an air restriction gauge. Such a device is commonly used on heavy duty trucks and construction equipment. A restriction gauge, measures the pressure differential inside and outside the filter and gives the information in different forms of measurement. As the filter collects more and more dirt, the restriction value increases. At a predetermined point or rate of restriction, the filter is serviced. The maximum allowable restriction for a K&N Filtercharger is 15" of vacuum (water). If the restriction is allowed to go higher, the filter media might become so restricted that the element could distort allowing dirty air to bypass the filter and enter the engine. Conversely, cleaning a filter too often will shorten its serviceable life expectancy. Installing a restriction gauge will optimize service intervals and take the guess work out of your maintenance schedule.

 

Outstanding info!!! I appreciate the research you've done.

This is why I'm still using forums, the benefit of the plethora of knowledge it contains far outweighs all the people who just like to poke people in the eye.

I only wish I knew this 10 years ago. lol

 

Glad I could help - and you are right this forum is second to none for good info and great members!

They did say they cleaned a filter over 100 times on a truck and it still was fine, so I think you are in good shape still!

 

Interesting topic in that it shows to me perhaps a tendency for Jaguar to specify longer periods between oil changes than do the others. Here in the mid east most manufacturers recommend 5k km between oil changes. Not Jaguar (for the S type, at least) who specify 8k km between changes, or in other words, 8k between each dealer service.

I have always been unhappy about this, especially during dusty weather when the sand in the air sometimes clogs the air filters way before the 8k service is due thereby promoting an argument that the service period should be lessened.

 

8k - just short of 5,000 miles. In your environment I would agree that could be a bit too long. In this case, apply your observation of your environment and experience with the maintenance interval's impact on the equipment and adjust accordingly.

I would be probably more concerned with changing the air filter more quickly than the oil, as a way to protect the engine and the oil itself.

 

I very much hope that the sand isn't getting in to the oil!!!

 

Do Jags have an oil level warning lamp that comes on if in fact the oil level becomes too low?

 

Nope. It is an oil pressure gauge. That is all. You could be VERY low on oil and get no warning if the pump is able to suck up enough oil to keep pressure up. I've seen this on another vehicle too, it ran hot so I shut her down and during trouble shooting discovered the oil level very low only 2qts,(oil rings went on #3, didn't notice the smoke for a few min)). Did some research and come to fine out, very few manufactures use a oil level gauge. Just Oil Pressure