Break your car in properly and change those fluids

[Policy Limits]

So if a car is driven less than 1,000 miles per year and only gets one oil change per year is that acceptable as a real life practice notwithstanding what the manual says? Asking for a friend.

[flyboy1of1]

Are there any grease zerks to lub.? Thanks Bob

[dirtyboot]

So if a car is driven less than 1,000 miles per year and only gets one oil change per year is that acceptable as a real life practice notwithstanding what the manual says? Asking for a friend.

I have a motorcycle I put less than 1000mi/year on. When I plan on taking it out at the start of the season I change the oil, then at the end of the season I change the oil as part of my winterizing process. Reason being it stagnates for ~4-6 months without any use. If I put 100mi/month on it, and drove it year round(so it sits only a couple weeks at any time without use), I'd likely limit to 1 change a year myself. *So long as the sample looks clean when checking/topping off, I don't see a reason to do it more often in the latter case.

edit begins at *

[ViperDC]

Follow the manuel is best imo.

Better than following the Juan

[Viper Granny]

Just hit 504 miles on my 2017 GTC after taking an impromptu, late night 6 hours drive up the coast of California from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo and back. I'm driving up to Monterey for Car Week tomorrow and I wanted the car to be broken in for the drive up, instead of breaking it in on the way up and then having to wait to change the fluids after I returned home, which would have put me passed the 500 mile mark by about 200 miles. Followed the manuals break in instructions to the T and brought her in to change all fluids.

FIRST - I got a check engine light at 298 miles, 330 seconds after start up, at about 65.27 MPH, oil temperature at 183 degrees. The self diagnostics did showed that it was an "unrecognized code". Didn't notice anything wrong with the car so I continued to drive it home. No irregularities happened on the drive home or to the dealer this morning. My friend who is the SRT Tech brought me to his station to show me some things. Here is a picture of the code and the possible symptoms. My buddy doesn't think it's anything too serious but he checked up on each possible cause just to make sure I would have some sanity on my way to Monterey.



SECOND -Fluids. My buddy showed me the engine oil first. Very minimal contaminants in the engine oil and he stated it is one of the cleaner looking Gen V engines he's seen at 500 miles. However, he suggests another oil change at 1,000 miles and to send it off to Blackstone for analysis at that point just to be sure.

Then he showed me the transmission. The transmission had a surprising amount of contaminants. He was surprised at this. Suggested another flush at 1,000 miles as well.




He then showed me the rear diff fluid, and boy was that scary. You could see the contaminants in this fluid without even shining a light onto it. He suspects that the ring and pinion are set too tight from factory on these diffs which results in excessive wear and the whine / failures we've seen all too common on the Gen V. He definitely suggests flushing this again at 1,000 miles.




All in all, he applauded me for having all the fluids done and not just the engine oil. I will be back at about 1,000 miles after my trip to Monterey and will keep an eye out for that code again. I hope you guys find this information useful and remember to change those fluids!

The drive up the coast was the best idea I've had in a long time. It felt so good to be back in a Viper. Being the first owner and it being my own dream spec just made it that much more satisfying. I also noticed a few things:

1. The suspension feels more comfortable in street mode than on my old 2013. Maybe this is just in my head, or a result of the heavy abuse my old car had gone through from the previous owner.
2. The drone is almost gone at cruising speed! I noticed almost a 1,000 RPM difference cruising at 65 MPH in this car vs. my 2017. That revised gearing makes so much sense.
3. I averaged 22 MPGs, nearly 4 more than my best average in my 2013 GTS.


EXCITED TO FINALLY PROPERLY DRIVE THIS CAR! MONTEREY CAR WEEK IS GOING TO BE A BLAST!

Hey enjoy car week! My son Matt and his wife Danielle are there with their cars. Look for the gorgeous Aventador with the color changing paint, from purple to bronze to pink. He has a few Porsches too. I would have gone but I didn't want to miss CAAP ceremony. I did the same by-the-book break in on my 2017 and have had no issues. I'm just over 7000 miles.

[bluesrt]

So if a car is driven less than 1,000 miles per year and only gets one oil change per year is that acceptable as a real life practice notwithstanding what the manual says? Asking for a friend.

I have allways changed my oil once a year in the spring,been doing it for years

[timberwolf]

I've personally changed my oil every 1000 miles. Just the paranoid person I am.

[darbgnik]

Are there any grease zerks to lub.? Thanks Bob

Yup. 2 at each corner, on the upper and lower A-arms.

BTW, I changed my diff fluid at around 10,000 miles, with a ton of track days on it, and it was dark, not black. It would have survived another 5000 I was guessing. I also don't follow the 6 months oil change schedule, as it gets changed frequently during tracking season, however, it can be on the lift in hibernation for 6 months, with the last oil change 2 months before that. No need to drive my car to the dealer in a foot of snow to have proof of the 6 month window....

[kuishe]

Yup. 2 at each corner, on the upper and lower A-arms.

BTW, I changed my diff fluid at around 10,000 miles, with a ton of track days on it, and it was dark, not black. It would have survived another 5000 I was guessing. I also don't follow the 6 months oil change schedule, as it gets changed frequently during tracking season, however, it can be on the lift in hibernation for 6 months, with the last oil change 2 months before that. No need to drive my car to the dealer in a foot of snow to have proof of the 6 month window....

Oh boy 1st time I hear about the zerks thanks! How often to do them & with what grease exactly?