Coming out of hibernation - change oil?

[Martin Baker]

I'll probably need to duck from all the screams of horror but here goes:

My Speedy had a new engine just before lock down with just 40 miles under its belt. Since then it has probably done around 400 miles. Question is, do I drain the oil and put in new? Or can I be a scrooge and get away with the year old oil?
Same applies to my Pearl.
I've just ordered 10 litres of Morris 20W50 Golden Film Classic Engine oil just in case.

[Bill Dixon]

Martin to be on the safe side I would replace the oil.

[andrew34ruby]

I don't think oil will change at all during one year of standing, but 400 miles after a rebuild it might be a good idea to change the oil soon.

[DaveT]

Oil is cheap and easy to replace. Engines are expensive and difficult to replace. 

To me it's a no brainer and if the storage of the cars has had temperature and humidity changes over the winter there may be a small amount of condensation inside the engine.

[Bob Culver]

It is difficult for the amateur to get the full story on many issues. With the Internet authouratative books have vanished. The few oil company engineers/scientists who know are not going to dispense info counter to sales.
Modern handbooks commonly recommend change on a mileage and time basis. I suspect the latter is based on the assumption that a low mileage vehicle likely clocks a lot of short trips and hence accumualtes a lot of condensation (esp in old over cooled vehicles).i have never seen explained the exact revival effect of one hot run, although with other makes with water leaks 30 miles has driven off a pint or two! I suppose heating the oil on a stovetop would have same effect! Then reuse!
Ditching 400 mile oil seems very extravagant; not in the Seven spirit of yesteryear!
I question the worth of boutique oils compared with a cheap not too thin supermarket oil. Assuming only SB or so seem to pay a lot for the non detergent effect. Oils in the 1960 s were only API rating SD or so and from then engine lives very extended. Cheapest oils are now far beyond and superior to SD.

[Steve Jones]

My engine 'Guru' was the late Geoff Bland who some on here will remember. He started re-building engines with RR Merlins in the early 1950s when doing National Service and built and re-built engines for the rest of his life. His Son, Neil, still does. One of Geoff's mantras was that 'oil's cheaper than engines'. 

A new engine with around 440 miles on it? If no full flow oil filter I'd be heading to have changed the oil 3 times by now!! First, after its first run up and down the village. Probably 3 miles; just enough to get it warm. However well it's been cleaned out it's amazing what remains and gets flushed out at this point. I normally use the cheapest oil I can find for this run. Second change after around another 150 miles as the engine beds down. Again at about 500 miles. After that, depends on its use. My competition engines get a change at the start of every season and a second half way through. Road engines, once a year around now. However, if I was going to use my road car for a good run over a few days (like one of Malcolm's) I'd change the oil before setting off as a matter of course. If my engines had full flow oil filters (which none of them do) perhaps a change once a year; certainly if they'd been standing unused over the winter. 

Anybody want any used oil?

Steve

[David Stepney]

Martin, change the oil.

[Reckless Rat]

The engine in my RP was rebuilt in 2019, before I did the run to Santiago. The oil was changed at 50 miles, 150 miles, 350 miles, 650 miles, then at 1000 miles, 2000 miles and 3000 miles. The next change is due at 4000 miles and every 1000 miles thereafter. Standard engine. Supermarket 20W50 every time. Oil consumption now negligible.

[Bob Culver]

My comments were not aimed at a running in situation. Even with a filter, ring manufacturers recommend very early change.
If the engine has stood for a year most metal in the oil would have settled out so draining without running might not achieve much as a film remains in the pan.
Can rock car violently, perhaps with jack under diff, to stir sump.

[David Stepney]

I’m not so assiduous as you, Bruce. When I overhauled my engine last year, it wasn’t a full rebuild just fitted new pistons and ground in the valves. I changed the oil at 100 miles, 500, miles and at 1250miles. I change the oil in the normal course of running every 2500 miles, using a good quality 10w/40 motor oil. Over 5000 miles now done since the work was done and the engine sounds very contented.