Hi, I recently bought a Smart ForTwo with the Mitsubishi engine and Smart requires that oil changes be performed every 10k miles with an approved motor oil. Do you think this interval is too long? I just changed out the factory fill at 5k miles. I am currently using Mobil 1 0W40 (which is one of the Smart approved oils) and do not want to waste money and oil if it can go 10k miles with no problem.
Oil Change Interval in Smart ForTwo
- Thread starter parimento1
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How do you drive it and what exactly the manual says?
IE: any OR 12 months whichever comes first?
IE: any OR 12 months whichever comes first?
Living in Brooklyn, you're most likely driving according to the severe service schedule, if there is one.
I'd go 5,000 miles if it was my car.
I'd go 5,000 miles if it was my car.
I agree with 5k--even though the oil isn't cheap!
Originally Posted By: parimento1
I agree with 5k--even though the oil isn't cheap!
How much oil does it take? 5qt of M1 0w-40 costs $25 at Walmart. Not really that expensive, IMO.
I agree with 5k--even though the oil isn't cheap!
How much oil does it take? 5qt of M1 0w-40 costs $25 at Walmart. Not really that expensive, IMO.
What is the oil capacity for this vehicle and what do they consider "approved" oils? My experience is that European engines with larger oil sumps and using long life Euro oil probably can safely go 10k. There are many thousands of VW's running around with mileage into the hundreds of thousands which have survived on 10k oil changes using synthetic 502 approved motor oils. If you use quality synthetic oil I believe you can probably go that long. I would strongly hesitate to go that long with non-synthetic oil. Also, if the oil sump here is less than 4 quarts, I would also entertain some doubt about going that long as well.
Looks like it holds 3.5 quarts.
Yes, it holds 3.7 Qt, but it is only a 3 cylinder engine
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You still haven't told us what your driving patterns are like. That will determine OCI to some extent. Any short tripping? Any heavy traffic?
I would say an equal amount of city and highway driving about 15,000 miles per year.
Reads like a 7500oci winter/spring OCI. I'm on that in the Honda @ 13Kmi/year and that's an easy 6K with VSP.
What oil does the Smart use, the same engine as the new Mirage 3 cyl(mitsu 3A92 or 90)? I bet that's spec'd for a 30 or 20 grade in the U.S. Not saying Id use a 30 but ... ...
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Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
What oil does the Smart use, the same engine as the new Mirage 3 cyl(mitsu 3A92 or 90)? I bet that's spec'd for a 30 or 20 grade in the U.S. Not saying Id use a 30 but ... ...
it calls for an oil meeting MB 229.5 spec. That's why the OP is running M1 0w-40 in it.
What oil does the Smart use, the same engine as the new Mirage 3 cyl(mitsu 3A92 or 90)? I bet that's spec'd for a 30 or 20 grade in the U.S. Not saying Id use a 30 but ... ...
it calls for an oil meeting MB 229.5 spec. That's why the OP is running M1 0w-40 in it.
The reason why I am worried about doing 10k miles oil change intervals is because I was doing 10k mile oil changes on my Mini Cooper previously, as per the owners manual, and the engine ended up failing at 69k miles due to what the mechanic felt was a bad exhaust valve. My previous car had 200,000 miles on it when I sold it to a friend and it is still running strong with 211k miles on the original engine. I used to change the oil in that car at 3k mile intervals with conventional and 5k with syn.
Originally Posted By: parimento1
and the engine ended up failing at 69k miles due to what the mechanic felt was a bad exhaust valve.
Are you saying that oil changed at 10K miles resulted in a bad exhaust valve? How? What about all the other exhaust valves?
Also, the mechanic felt? So he didn't actually determine it? He just felt?
and the engine ended up failing at 69k miles due to what the mechanic felt was a bad exhaust valve.
Are you saying that oil changed at 10K miles resulted in a bad exhaust valve? How? What about all the other exhaust valves?
Also, the mechanic felt? So he didn't actually determine it? He just felt?
Originally Posted By: parimento1
The reason why I am worried about doing 10k miles oil change intervals is because I was doing 10k mile oil changes on my Mini Cooper previously, as per the owners manual, and the engine ended up failing at 69k miles due to what the mechanic felt was a bad exhaust valve.
Please explain how the crankcase oil has anything to do with an exhaust valve failure... I don't see the correlation.
The reason why I am worried about doing 10k miles oil change intervals is because I was doing 10k mile oil changes on my Mini Cooper previously, as per the owners manual, and the engine ended up failing at 69k miles due to what the mechanic felt was a bad exhaust valve.
Please explain how the crankcase oil has anything to do with an exhaust valve failure... I don't see the correlation.
The mechanic performed all the necessary tests (leakdown etc) to narrow it down to one of the exhaust valves. That being said I told him not to tear it down and waste time and $. It could have either been a stuck valve (which may have burnt it) or something else causing it to either hang open or otherwise fail. I am pretty sure the Mini uses hydraulic lifters, which could get plugged up with thickened oil. OR it could have nothing to do with the oil and just be bad luck.
Doesn't the vehicle have an oil life monitor?
Is the 10k mentioned a recommended interval or a maximum, do not exceed interval?
Is the 10k mentioned a recommended interval or a maximum, do not exceed interval?
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