Hello all.
It's that time of year for my 03 TD4 service. Do between 5 and 6 and half thousand miles a year on average, depending on if i do a trip to France or not. I do the full filter change and use 5/40 fully synthetic oil (not cheap) for the service. Is this over kill? could i use say, Part Synthetic instead.
Have always looked after my motors so do not want to cut corners.
Welcome any comments on the subject.

Cheers all.

I'd carry on as you are mate - proper maintenance is never a waste of money.

Mr S1 said:

I'd carry on as you are mate - proper maintenance is never a waste of money.

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Agreed. I don't do the fuel filter every year, but oil, air and crankcase filters are a must. Oil should be fully synthetic and 5w 40 is perfect

Don't worry, mine does 3000 miles a year if that and it has a full oil change and filter every 6 months.
Look after that timing chain and engine, fresh oil is a diesels best friend.
And I always use full synthetic.
Mike

Nodge68 said:

Agreed. I don't do the fuel filter every year, but oil, air and crankcase filters are a must. Oil should be fully synthetic and 5w 40 is perfect

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Don't you advocate cleaning out the inlet manifold every year or so as well?

I have a very strict procedure for choosing my engine oil. First of all, being a London lad I disregard all the "foreign" oils cos I know nufing about them - the Valvolines, Penrites etc. This leaves me with good old Castrol - can't beat a bottle of Castrol. I then look at the shelves and see which of the types (viscositys?) has the most bottles - that must be the one for engines cos that's what most oil is used for. I then pick up a 4L bottle of Castrol in that viscosity knowing the L Series is a pain in the arse cos it needs just over 4L and Castrol don't to 5L. I'm to tight to buy another 1L bottle and hope that I have the remnants or another bottle in the garage.

My procedure does have a couple of flaws and problems...

1) I usually end up with oil that's probably for a petrol engine. I think I'm running 10W-40 which I just checked on the website from where I got it and its listed as for petrol engines! Still its oil and it lubricates, better than nothing! Why I don't check on here or even on the website I just looked at first, I don't know - but that would imply some form of "organisation".

2) I have a ritual of tipping out a bit of oil from all the oil cans in my garage until I come across one that isn't thick black. This is a messy process where old engine oil gets spilt everywhere, but I usually eventually come to a bottle that has new stuff in it which I can 'top up' the 4L with.

I think everyone should have access to this in-depth guide to oil selection and it should be made a sticky.

BP visco 5000, 10W40, semi-sintetic is my choice, fuel and air filter every year. IRD, dif, gearbox oils and fuel filter every 2 years. I am doing around 10k km every year.

I change the engine oil twice a year, diff fluids twice a year, and top up the transfer 'box due to leaks which by default means that's being changed twice a year as well.

Thanks for all your replies.
You've convinced me, I'll carry on as Is. Iv'e done an EGR bypass and De-Gunk and thought I would not have to De-Gunk again, Is this correct?
Off to France and Belgium this summer Battlefield touring, Ypres, Messines Ridge and the Somme. So don't want any problems on route. Covering my Dads, Dad through WWI.
Any other advice on service items I should think of would be welcome Pals.

Thanks for your time on this.
Gary..

MULDERKE said:

Thanks for all your replies.
You've convinced me, I'll carry on as Is. Iv'e done an EGR bypass and De-Gunk and thought I would not have to De-Gunk again, Is this correct?
Off to France and Belgium this summer Battlefield touring, Ypres, Messines Ridge and the Somme. So don't want any problems on route. Covering my Dads, Dad through WWI.
Any other advice on service items I should think of would be welcome Pals.

Thanks for your time on this.
Gary..

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Once the EGR is blanked, there's no need to clean the inlet manifold again