...Is It Easy to Do?...Should it Be Done Every Time?...THANX, In Advance!...AL.

I can beleive it would benefit draining the oil cooler. If you use a good synthetic change by 5000 miles. All you are giong to do is cause a leak at the oil cooler, strip aline etc. Have you guys every look at the performance of say an AMSOIL 2000 0-30W oil. Jeese, it can go 25,000k easily in a hot turbo before problems would exsist. Can you say anal retenative behavior?

I think it's not necessary to change out the oil in the turbo intercooler. With frequent oil changes like every 5000 miles with a good synthetic the amount of oil to be mixed with the new engine oil(about 6 quarts) is very small and should do no harm. Do you think the dealers drain the intercooler when they change oil? I don't think so! It's just another area to introduce an oil leak. BUT, if you feel comfortable doing it ,by all means, do it.

Oil capacity for a turbo is 7 quarts, with .9 being in the cooler. This means that theoretically, you should be able to drain about 6.1 quarts from the drain plug and the filter nozzle. But have you ever actually measured just how much comes out? At best, 5 quarts and a little, 5 quarts being the typical amount you actually get out. If you do not open the system, because of vacuum, you only get about 5-5.5 quarts out. And because most dealerships are setup to pump 6 quarts, many often get overfilled. They do this because almost ever turbo 5 cylinder leaks some oil from the turbo return line, and rear engine main seals are all too common. So they try to compensate for oil loss and consumption.

Yes dealerships do not empty the OIL cooler (NOT the intercooler). But then again, if the dealership were to be used as the proper measure, we'd all be improperly torquing our lugs and warping rotors.

Yes it isn't necessary, but you make it sound like no big deal. 1.5 quarts of old oil out of 7 quarts isn't all that small, and won't do harm, but will make it easier for the engine to do harm to itself. With only 5.5 quarts of new oil, you still have over 21% of old oil in the system. I don't know about you, but I care that about 20% of the oil in my system will always be old, unless I empty the cooler.

Once again, you are entirely correct, I just wanted to stress the importance of draining the oil cooler.

Sin,

I don't think it is a big deal. Sometimes I think we OVERMAINTAIN our cars. The quality of oil has increased tremendously in the last 20+ years to the point that oil changes aren't needed every 3000 miles. I wouldn't say we should go 10000 miles (like in Europe) but 3000 miles? Come on! If a little "old oil" is mixed in with the new, so what? The old oil probably isn't ready to be changed at that time anyway. I don't disagree with you completely. A 'full oil change' is better. Only not necessary. I respectfully agree to disagree.

Regards,

Eddie W. in FL

I just wanted to point out the fact that you went from a recommended 5000 miles, to a significantly lower 3000 mile interval, in lieu of my comments. I guess I did have an effect on your disagreement.

It is really to do, and about the only draw back is you'll have to get an extra quart of oil.

Get the front of your car off the ground. I like using jack stands. Drain the oil from the drain plug and the filter as you normally would. While it is draining, use, I believe it is an 8mm wrench or socket to remove the two bolts that hold the splash guard in place, one on each side. Then, you'll see a coupling, exactly like the tranny cooler coupling. Using some pliers, detach the line to the cooler. At this time, oil will pour out of the cooler, and the line. And because you have opened up the system, a tonne of oil will splash out of the filter nozzle. So when you don't empty the oil cooler, you actually hold the .9 quarts in the cooler, and about another half quart that comes right out of the filter nozzle.

Give the oil time to drain. I like to wait atleast one hour. The best way to get oil out is to warm it up. And you warm it by running the engine. Due to the design of the engine, with oil going to the heads as well as the turbo and the oil cooler, there is a TONNE of oil in the car, and a tonne of places for it to sit. So give it time to drain.

When reinstalling the line to the oil cooler, there is a special aluminum clip. This is recommended to be changed after each removal. I think this is excessive as long as you make sure you don't stretch it too much. But once every 2-3 times is reasonable in my opinion.

Should it be done each and everytime? Depends on who you ask. As long as you keep a good low interval oil change, with low stress driving conditions, and ALWAYS use a good synthetic, I see no real problem with never changing it. However, I never settle for good enough on my car. I will empty mine every three oil changes. Mind you, I run AMSOIL, and change my oil every 5000 miles, while I have tested it on my car for 20,000 miles with flying colours. The only reason why I have been changing it at 5000 miles and not longer, even though I have tested it to be good even after 20,000 miles, is because up till recently, I have been having two small leaks. One at the turbo oil return line, and the dipstick. Both have been fixed now, so I feel much more comfortable with running it for longer.

So back to the original question, it depends on the driving conditions your car faces, and the quality of the oil you use.

Sin, i would just like to thank you for your posts. Always intelligent well informed instructions to performing tasks that seem to get shrugs from the dealer and the Joe Schmoe mechanic. I am going home tonight to drain my Oil and Intercooler.

draining your oil cooler will insure that you did a complete oil change (unless you dont mind have ing about 1 qt of used oil mixed with the new one. just drin it from the bottom of the intercooler (passenger side). you have to remove the plastic bottom cover of the intercooler. it is not difficult. it'll probably add another 10 minutes to your oil change time.

regards

francis-falls church-va