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Well. I took the plunge. 2006 spur with 34k miles. Drove her around 250 miles home. Ran like a champ. Only thing I noticed off the highway was a rattle in the suspension over potholes/speedbumps. I'll dig into that to sort it out. I left the car in the garage overnight parked in the high suspension setting. This morning she was still high all around, so thinking all is well there. She is also due for an oil service. I'm not mechanically inclined, but I'm tempted to attempt the oil service myself. Thoughts?
Welcome to the club ,nice spec moonbeam the cars made for it .
Yes oil change is doable you need to remove the under tray and ideally need a ramp or pit to do it with the car level .
You also need a socket that fits the oil canister housing .
Front suspension noise with potholes will be a control arm usually a front lower .
Again so big sockets and in the U.K. a £100 part form Euro Car Parts. I paid a guy 1 hrs labour to change one .
Consider them consumable parts , I think there are 4 ? It’s the weight of the W12 up front .
Text book Bentley work shop would be along the lines of replacing all ( even if one the lower pit hole side hammered ) is knackered and then do a complete geometry set up .
You pays your money .
Welcome to the club. Wow they could have atleast changed the oil before you bought it. If you haven’t already, take it to a good Indy or maybe the dealer to have it all around checked out. Get an idea on what you might be getting into early on.
If you can’t do it, find a good Indy in your area, I know they can for a fraction of what the dealer will cost. Go to the DYI section and download the pdf I posted in my Dropbox. Will come in handy one day.
If you take your vehicle too any oil change chain or a non Bentley specialized Indy, I know of 4 engines that were destroyed because said persons doing the oil changes did not bother the educate themselves as to the oil capacity of the W12, in some instances the person only put 6 or 7 quarts in the engine causing engine seizing, and or spun rod bearing or bearings.
Engine lubricant oil capacity:
13.5 liter / 14.3 U.S. qt
This is in no way to put a damper on your thread, just a heads up.
As to the front end clunking, check the sway bar links as pictured.
If you take your vehicle too any oil change chain or a non Bentley specialized Indy, I know of 4 engines that were destroyed because said persons doing the oil changes did not bother the educate themselves as to the oil capacity of the W12, in some instances the person only put 6 or 7 quarts in the engine causing engine seizing, and or spun rod bearing or bearings.
Engine lubricant oil capacity:
13.5 liter / 14.3 U.S. qt
This is in no way to put a damper on your thread, just a heads up.
As to the front end clunking, check the sway bar links as pictured.
Johnny J J
.....
Hello Johnny,
13.5L is overfilled on this W12. Even 13.5 Qt is going to be on the high side. Bentley spec is 12.5L or 13.2 qt. I've hit the full mark on my dipstick right at 13.25qts. with a filter change. 13.5L would be 14.2 qts, a full qt overfilled. Wet sump engines are not good overfilled.
Thank you BWings for pointing that out, it appears that the info I posted is for a 2012 W12 TT, I know it is 13.2 Q or 12.5 L in my 05 Audi W12, so I was thinking the extra had to do with turbos and coolers, but now see I am wrong, the info I copy and pasted was for 2012 model Bentley.
13.5L is overfilled on this W12. Even 13.5 Qt is going to be on the high side. Bentley spec is 12.5L or 13.2 qt. I've hit the full mark on my dipstick right at 13.25qts. with a filter change. 13.5L would be 14.2 qts, a full qt overfilled. Wet sump engines are not good overfilled.
Last edited by Johnny Hotspur GT; Oct 26, 2019 at 11:17 AM.
All is good. Will be taking the SL55 to Hilton Head for the Concours this coming weekend. Hope the weather is good as the SL has never been in the rain. Fifteen years old now with 9400 miles and never in bad weather. Can’t believe I have had it so long. It is still my all time favorite car and I’m now on number 76.
