Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Engine oil

This is for the break-in period which is quite short and then the oil gets pitched out quickly. An expensive proposition. If the break-in is done properly then the oil never has a chance to break down. At this point the whole purpose is to get all the loose metal out, if any!

The American and European car oil markets are utterly different. Many Americans are still fixed on the idea of a 3000 mile 'lube service' whereas in Europe, a car that will do 20000 miles between oil changes is not unknown.

It is however quite normal to 'break in' an engine on mineral oil and then switch to synthetic.

For oil and plenty of other stuff, this is a very good read and will keep you off the streets!
Car bibles

Excellent Bible by the way.

As for the recommendations by S&S as well as all other sources in the states, we have to deal with temperature extremes, severe dryness and dust, all guaranteed to bring any self respecting motor to its knees. Those extremes eat oil, rubber and batteries in a very big way.

I live in Vermont, which during the drivable seasons, Spring, Summer and Fall, are very much like Great Britain. How do I know? I lived in Northern Germany, near Oldenburg in Niedersachsen for a year and we shared the same latitude and weather. It was all brought by the Gulf Stream.

That was my year of no summer but never mind...

Anyway, they are all writing for the worst case scenario. I'm repeating but our oil tank is 50% larger than any bike and it will have 50% more capacity to absorb contaminants before it gets dodgy. With the price of Mobil Synthetic 20-50 for V-Twins being what it is I have already gone 5,000 miles between changes and am considering increasing the mileage before changing. I am already out of any warranty offered by Morgan or S&S. I take my used oil to a service station in town, and instead of recycling it, they pour it into their tanks and burn it for heat during the winter. They look at me like I'm nuts as the oil looks almost new!

I will never accept the rubbish about oils being OK for 20,000 - that's just the manufacturers playing to the Which Car Running Costs comparison crowd as far as I am concerned! 6000 miles max or annually is the RINGA household rules and we've had sterling performance from all the cars for years. 265,000 on a 200TDi Discovery and when the cambelt last broke (at 30,000 miles, despite changing them at half the recommend LR intervals back then) there will still zero discernible lip at the top of the bores and it was performing very well. S2000 currently on 112,000 and all the better for regular changes.

Get it from my late father, who swore that oil change frequency was more important than brand/make-up/additives per se. My M3W gets a flush and fresh tank of H-D 20/50 Synthetic lube every 4-5000 miles and will continue to do so :-)