Proper routine maintenance is a critical part of British car ownership. An important aspect to this is regular oil changes. Over the years, we’ve been asked by a number of Bugeye owners about whether they actually need to change their oil because so much leaks out and burns up! The answer to that question is yes, it is important to change your oil at regular service intervals, and there is a very clear reason why, even if it burns a quart every week. You can see that reason here in these photos.
This is an oil filter canister from a 948 engine that perhaps has not had an oil change in 20 or 30 years. In that time, the filter has been collecting sludge and other particulates which are all accumulating in the bottom of the filter housing bowl. We removed this filter this week and was shocked to see more sludge than we’ve ever seen on any single engine.
It’s anybody’s guess as to when the last time this oil was changed. The big issue with the filter and filter housing looking like this is that the sludge that is in here is probably also throughout the rest of the engine once it reaches this level, and as a result, this engine’s health is in serious question. Even though we’ve cleaned out the bowl and replaced the filter, the likelihood is that the sludge will have plugged oil galleries and starved the bearings of the oil they need to survive. We won’t really be able to tell if that’s the case unless we tear the engine apart.
So the bottom line is, change your oil regularly! The general standard is 3 months or 3,000 miles. For most Bugeye owners who only drive their cars in the summer, this would mean a good time to change it would be right at the beginning of the driving season when you are getting ready to bring the car out of hibernation. For those who drive their car heavily, or who live in warmer climates, now is the time to do an oil change! We have new original style oil filters in our catalog. If you prefer a more modern, easier-to-change oil filter, we also offer spin-on oil filter conversion kits! Check out our catalog to learn more!
