Oil Change

[Slimshady]

Hi chaps – this weekend I am going to perform my second oil change since owning the car last time I simply drained the sump and filled it back up using 10/40 oil and a standard Mitsi oil filter.

This time I am thinking of using a K & N filter and also semi synthetic oil (as recommended by Mitsi) I would also like to do an oil flush.

A couple of questions:
1) What oil filter would you recommend (not bothered by a couple of £ - just want the best)? ---- I am thinking K & N HP-1010
2) What oil / grade of oil would you recommend? ----- I am thinking Semi synthetic or if my wallet can stretch Mobil 1
3) How would you flush the engine? ----- now this I have never done before

I have read several reports some on the club site (http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13755&highlight=oil+filter)and some from other forums / reports

I have read somewhere that draining the sump then refitting the plug and filling with 4L of cheap sacrificial oil and 1L of white spirit (not sure if you start the engine at this point for a short period of time) then drain etc

I have also read reports of draining the sump and tipping white spirit through the engine to clean it

The two above options I think maybe a bit too extreme if not dangerous – I have also heard that engine flush is a waste of money

What would you recommend?

[amsoil]

For oil filters get either a Mitzi one or a premier brand; Fram doesn't make it IMHO or in any tests I've seen.
If you can find out exactly what a semi synthetic oil is I would be grateful to be enlightened. Being sceptical I suspect its mearly a means of charging near full synthetic oil price for something thats not. Mobile 1 would be a much better and safer choice. If you can afford Mobile 1 its quite possible that with the club discount Amsoil will be cheaper and certainly better, you also get 5 L instead of 4! Do check with the owners manual that 10w-40 is correct as many Mitzi's run thinner than that.
With regards to using a flush just follow the instructions on the tin. I can sell you a good one or just go to your local motor factors and buy what they have. It will certainly be cheaper to use a proper flush than waste 4L of even poor oil + white spirit or whatever.
To me the real question is why do you think that you need an engine flush? If its because you have seen the black sludge in your engine thats fair enough but it shows that whats been in the engine is breaking down and therefore is totally inadequate for the purpose; which should be food for thought.

[I-S]

Slim-

I did the same work on my car a couple of weeks ago...

1) Filter. Purflux make excellent filters. By happy chance, that is what mitsubishi use as the OEM, so a trip to your mitsi dealer will obtain you one for around £8. Don't forget to get your sump plug crush washer while you're there.

2) Mitsubishi dealers have used a variety of "semi-synthetic" oils in my car. The last one (Shell Helix) was black sludge by 7000 miles. Don't skimp. I used Amsoil AMO (10w40 - the standard recommendation for the "normal" mitsi engines for uk engines) fully synth and it's smooth as... I shall publicly flog don if it is anything less than pristine at 9000 miles. Based on the quality of their ATF, I feel this is unlikely...

3) I prefer to use "flushing oil", which is a very thin oil. Warm up (properly!), drain the old oil out, put the flushing oil in and run for 10 minutes or so, then drain that out and change filter. This should cost about £6 for a gallon. It carries an awful lot of **** out with it