Oil Advice and Recommendations Here
Discussion
chimper said:
is it ok to mix different brands of oil?.ie fully synthetic Castrol 10-40 with fully synthetic Halfords 10-40.
We generally do not recomend to mix oils. The addative packs within the oils are finally ballanced and are different in each brand of oil. You can top up ok but anything more than that and you risk upsetting the addative packs.
Cheers
Guy.
crankedup said:
Hi Opieoilman,
Thank you for helping us all out by sharing all your oil knowledge.
I am going back to basic's with a R/R 3.6 straight 6. The car is of 1932 vintage with original engine in good condition married to the standard gearbox. The car is model 20/25. Can you recommend oils for this please. Also I have been led to understand that I should change oil every 500 miles?
Thank you for any guidence.
My knowledge of vintage cars is not exceptional, so I consulted a firend who is an expert on vintage cars, he is also the Chief R&D Chemist for Silkolene, so he does mention his oils, but it will give you an Idea of what to look for.
This is what he said;
Quote
Go for Chatsworth 30 for the engine. After a ‘flush out’ run of say, 200mls., this oil will be OK for 3000ml. oil changes, or once per year, whichever comes first. (500mls was unusual even for ’32! The old ‘straight’ non-detergent oils were OK for 1000mls, or more in a large sump/low stress engine.) Rear diff. is hypoid, so use Boa 80W/90 or Geartran 90. I think the gearboxes used to run on the same oil as the engine, but Hardwick 50 may be more suitable than Chats. 30. (V.good anti-wear, less noise, less leaks!)
The early 20/25s with the red RR badge are much less stodgy, and better looking than the later 30s models. In the 60s-70s a local taxi firm had a ’32 RR ‘sports hearse’. When driven unofficially (minus cargo) it went like a rocket!
EndQuote
I hope this helps.
Cheers
Guy.
powerlord said:
so.. it's getting that in it (assuming they can find it somewhere... apparently it's more expensive than mobil 1!!! christ I though that was the most expensive) as it's in for it's 24K service at the moment.
I'll let you know how it goes.
stu
Drop me an email.
Cheers
Guy
Avalanche said:
I'm using 5W-50 Mobil 1 Rally Formula Fully Synthetic Motor Oil. (~GBP7/litre here)
Think it's new - says new on the bottle anyway: "New SuperSyn Technology" Suits the following sir?:
Tuscan 4.0L Speed Six 00 14k miles.
Typical mix of cold starts, sitting around in traffic, motorway speed and the occasional "rally"
Due an oil change and was thinking of going back to Mobil 1 0W-40 for winter (like S2ART was saying earlier) Can be -20 here. But like this new oil as the Tuscan seems to drink less of it. Why's that..?
Given that I'm using this oil vs. your comments above - could you expand on your point re stability, or lack of it please....
- Should I phase out as well or be stocking up?!
Thanks for your advice!
With the Speed Six you do not need to go as thin as a 0w. A 5w is still good for -35.
The 5w-50 is a good oil, when I meant unstable it is because the VI Improver which is the addative that keeps the oil in viscosity has to work so hard to keep it in grade due to the large gap in viscosity 5w all the way to 50, VI Improvers just like addatives are used up. Lots of VI Improver lots of using up to be done. The result is the oil will begin to shear down quite early for synthetic.
The Tuscan is eating less of it because it is thicker than a 0w-40. Oils this thin are renowned for going through TVR,s this is because lovely as they are they are not the most refined engine in the world and are more suited to a slightly thicker oil, where you are I would suggest 5w-40 for winter and 10w-50 for summer. But by all means stock up on the 5w-50 just keep your eye on it and change on a regular basis.
Hope this makes sense.
Cheers
Guy.
fatboy chim said:
Your gearbox calls for a automatic transmission fluid. Meeting the spec of DexronII, something like the Fuchs ATF3000. For the diff I would suggest the Silkolene Syn 5 75w-90, this is a competition oil used in many diffs.
E-mail me and I will forward some prices on to you.
Cheers
Guy.
Guy,
Mole Valley TVR fitted SHC80W-140ID in my GKN diff (95 Chimaera), so would your recommendation of 75W-90 be as good or better
Andy
Andy,
The 80w-140 is usually a mineral oil hence it has to be that thick so it can cope with the loads generated in the diff. This is generally known as the GL5 rating. The 75w-90 I suggested is a clever oil as in its a full synthetic, that contains ester but it has both the GL4 properties needed for a gearbox and the GL5 load carrying propeties needed for a diff. Because it is a full synthetic that contains ester it does not have to be as thick as a mineral to hold greater loads.
This is a competitoin oil and we supply it to drifiting teams with great results as their diffs really get used hard.
Cheers
Guy.
cosmoschick said:
They used to recommend Castrol Magnatech 10w-40 for the Speed 6's...
That's what I've been using for my Chim - am I to assume that this is now a "no no" and in future I should use the recommended 10w-50?
The Castrol is not a "no no" but you can just do a lot better if you wish, with these lovely TVR's it would be a shame not to do the best for them.
The 10w-40 Castrol is mineral multigrade oil, it is of the right viscosity, however if the car is pushed hard than the SAE40 of a mineral oil will not last that long meaning it will begin to "shear" down quite rapidly and your looking at 3000 miles oil changes to keep the oil in good condition and at dealer prices as well.
Remember dealers will only put in what oil they have signed an agreement for, not necessarily what is best for the car.
The V8 due to its old design does like a thicker oil so a good 10w-50 PAO or Ester/PAO (true synthetic) is ideal for our UK climate. A well looked after engine will always benfit from a good synthetic and your oil change intervals can be around 9000 miles+ depending on use and brand.
Cheers
Guy.
Our website has been updated with new data sheets and it now includes the MOTUL range which incorporates the popular 300V Double Ester range.
Happy browsing!
www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm
Cheers
Guy
Happy browsing!
www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm
Cheers
Guy
oldred said:
Guy
What's your recommendation for:
Car: TVR V8S
Year: 1992 - 35000 miles
Engine: 4.0 litre Rover V8
Current Oil: N/K
Mods: None
Cheers Guy...
Paul.
Paul,
I recomend a full synthetic, a lot of people assume a fully synthetic is too thin for the V8, but this is not true. Synthetics come in the same viscosities as mineral and semi so I would look at a 10w-50 grade made from PAO or Ester/PAO base stocks, ie not petroleum used.
My personaly suggestion would be silkolene, however, Mobil, Motul and Redline all do top quality synthetics around this grade.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Guy.
A word of caution – You get what you pay for!
Below is an article written by John Rowland, Silkolene/Fuchs Chief R & D Chemist for 40 years.
Quote:
Costs of synthetics vary considerably. The most expensive are the “Ester” types originally only used in jet engines. These cost 6 to 10 times more than high quality mineral oils. The cheapest synthetics are not really synthetic at all, from a chemists point of view. These are in fact specially refined light viscosity mineral oils known as “hydrocracked”. These have some advantages over equivalent mineral oils, particularly in lower viscosity motor oils such as 5w-30 or other oils with a low “W” rating such as 5w-50 etc and they cost about 1.5 times more than good quality mineral fractions. We use several different grades of this base oil, where appropriate. This is the “synthetic” which is always used in cheap oils that are labelled “synthetic”. Yes it’s a cruel world, you get what you pay for!
Now, you may ask, why are these special mineral oils called “synthetic”? Well, it was all sorted in a legal battle that took place in the USA about ten years ago. Sound reasons (including evidence from a Nobel Prize winning chemist) were disregarded and the final ruling was that certain mineral bases that had undergone extra chemical treatments could be called “synthetic”. Needless to say, the marketing executives wet their knickers with pure delight! They realised that this meant, and still does, that the critical buzz-word “synthetic” could be printed on a can of cheap oil provided that the contents included a few percent of “hydrocracked” mineral oil, at a cost of quite literally a few pence.
So, the chemistry of “synthetics” is complex and so is the politics!
The economics are very simple. If you like the look of a smart well-marketed can with “synthetic” printed on it, fair enough, it will not cost you a lot; and now you know why this is the case. But, if you drive a high performance car, and you intend to keep it for several years, and maybe do the odd “track day”, then you need a genuine Ester/PAO (Poly Alpha Olefin) synthetic oil, such as PRO S or PRO R. This oil costs more money to buy, because it costs us a lot of money to make, very simply, you always get what you pay for!
UNQUOTE:
This article is something that all car owners should read and understand before buying oil and I’ve posted this with Johns permission.
The 5w-50 will be fine for the daily hack, but I would not put it in the tiv.
Cheers
Guy.
Below is an article written by John Rowland, Silkolene/Fuchs Chief R & D Chemist for 40 years.
Quote:
Costs of synthetics vary considerably. The most expensive are the “Ester” types originally only used in jet engines. These cost 6 to 10 times more than high quality mineral oils. The cheapest synthetics are not really synthetic at all, from a chemists point of view. These are in fact specially refined light viscosity mineral oils known as “hydrocracked”. These have some advantages over equivalent mineral oils, particularly in lower viscosity motor oils such as 5w-30 or other oils with a low “W” rating such as 5w-50 etc and they cost about 1.5 times more than good quality mineral fractions. We use several different grades of this base oil, where appropriate. This is the “synthetic” which is always used in cheap oils that are labelled “synthetic”. Yes it’s a cruel world, you get what you pay for!
Now, you may ask, why are these special mineral oils called “synthetic”? Well, it was all sorted in a legal battle that took place in the USA about ten years ago. Sound reasons (including evidence from a Nobel Prize winning chemist) were disregarded and the final ruling was that certain mineral bases that had undergone extra chemical treatments could be called “synthetic”. Needless to say, the marketing executives wet their knickers with pure delight! They realised that this meant, and still does, that the critical buzz-word “synthetic” could be printed on a can of cheap oil provided that the contents included a few percent of “hydrocracked” mineral oil, at a cost of quite literally a few pence.
So, the chemistry of “synthetics” is complex and so is the politics!
The economics are very simple. If you like the look of a smart well-marketed can with “synthetic” printed on it, fair enough, it will not cost you a lot; and now you know why this is the case. But, if you drive a high performance car, and you intend to keep it for several years, and maybe do the odd “track day”, then you need a genuine Ester/PAO (Poly Alpha Olefin) synthetic oil, such as PRO S or PRO R. This oil costs more money to buy, because it costs us a lot of money to make, very simply, you always get what you pay for!
UNQUOTE:
This article is something that all car owners should read and understand before buying oil and I’ve posted this with Johns permission.
The 5w-50 will be fine for the daily hack, but I would not put it in the tiv.
Cheers
Guy.
HarryW said:
IC............... what does this mean for the API/ACEA grading then, if a cracked mineral is SL/CF & A3/B3 then it meets their highest standards . Is there a higher recognised standard to judge these oils from reading the label
.
Harry
Harry,
I agree. The API specs are there to be met for use in engines, it is easy to pass these specs but exceeding them is a diffrent matter.
Very similar to super market coke cola, passes the test for human consupmtion, using cheap ingredients, but traditional branded coca cola passes the same tests, but go beyond it making it a nicer drink, a loose comparason I know but hopefully explains the difference.
Most true synthetics pao or pao/ester manufacturers are proud of there product and will put it on the can Silkolene, Motul, Redline, Fuchs to name a few, but many wont and these are the cons.
High street shops will not stock these oils as they are expensive to buy, once they have put their mark up on it no-one would buy, hence the shelves are full of snake oils claiming to be something they are not for an attractive price.
Top quality synthetics are only really available through distributors like myself.
Heres some explanations.
PI = American Petroleum Institute
S = Service - Petrol Engine Performance
C = Commercisl - Diesel Engine Performance
PETROL
SG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge.
SH - Introduced 1993 has same engine tests as SG, but includes phosphorus limit 0.12%, together with control of foam, volatility and shear stability.
SJ - Introduced 1996 has the same engine tests as SG/SH, but phosphorus limit 0.10% together with variation on volatility limits
SL - Introduced 2001, all new engine tests reflective of modern engine designs meeting current emmissions standards
DIESEL
CD - Introduced 1955, international standard for turbo diesel engine oils for many years, uses single cylinder test engine only
CE - Introduced 1984, improved control of oil consumption, oil thickening, piston deposits an wear, uses additional multi cylinder test engines
CF4 - Introduced 1990, further improvements in control of oil consumption and piston deposits, uses low emmission test engine
CF - Introduced 1994, modernised version of CD, reverts to single cylinder low emission test engine. Intended for certain indirect injection engines
CF2 - Introduced 1994, defines effective control of cylinder deposits and ring face scuffing, intended for 2 stroke diesel engines
CG4 - Introduced 1994, development of CF4 giving improved control of piston deposits, wear, oxidation stability and soot entrainment. Uses low sulphur diesel fuel in engine tests
CH4 - Introduced 1998, development of CG4, giving further improvements in control of soot related wear and piston deposits, uses more comprehensive engine test program to include low and high sulphur fuelsSG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge.
ACEA Specifications
(Association des Constructeurs Europeens d’Automobiles)
ACEA ratings are prefixed with “A” for petrol, “B” for light or passenger car diesel and “E” for heavy duty diesel.
The current specifications are:
A1 Fuel economy petrol
A2 Standard performance level
A3 High performance and/or extended drain
A4 Reserved for future use in certain direct injection engines
A5 Combines A1 fuel economy with A3 performance
B1 Fuel economy diesel
B2 Standard performance level
B3 High performance and/or extended drain
B4 For direct injection car diesel engines
B5 Combines B1 fuel economy with B3/B4 performance
E1 Non-turbocharged light duty diesel engines
E2 Standard performance level
E3 High performance and extended drain
E4 Higher performance and longer extended drain
E5 High performance and long drain plus API performances
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Guy.
Pheonix,
I had a look at your profile and webiste, all I can say is holy sh#t!!! is that thing for real???
The oil I would suggest is the Silkolene Pro R 15w-50 ester/pao syntheitc.
Tech data here www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm
With an engine like this, I have also contacted the technical team and chemists at Silkolene to see if they can add any other recomendations for you.
Cheers
Guy.
I had a look at your profile and webiste, all I can say is holy sh#t!!! is that thing for real???
The oil I would suggest is the Silkolene Pro R 15w-50 ester/pao syntheitc.
Tech data here www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm
With an engine like this, I have also contacted the technical team and chemists at Silkolene to see if they can add any other recomendations for you.
Cheers
Guy.
I just looked up the figures and I can't find the Carlube 0w-40 but it will be a typical 0w-40 from a viscosity point of view so here are the differences.
Castrol RS 0w-40
@40degC = 73.5cst
@100degC = 12.90cst
Castrol RS 10w-60
@40degC = 159cst
@100degC = 22.70cst
These would account for the oil pressure differences unless I'm mistaken!
Cheers
Guy
Castrol RS 0w-40
@40degC = 73.5cst
@100degC = 12.90cst
Castrol RS 10w-60
@40degC = 159cst
@100degC = 22.70cst
These would account for the oil pressure differences unless I'm mistaken!
Cheers
Guy
nickfb1 said:
Just been told by the lady on the service desk that they use 10W - 60 Castrol formula rs on all tvr servicing. Can you give me technical info for back up for when i phone them tomorrow please, ie pros and cons and what i should change too.
Many thanks
Not sure why a dealer would use 10w-60 when tvr recommend 0w-40
I can't understand what posessed them to do this.
If the handbook says 0w-40 then use a 0w-40 (Castrol RS 0w-40 or M1 0w-40 are readily available) and stick with it.
The difference is at both ends of the scale.
10w is poorer cold start than 0w and the sae 60 is just too thick which will cause excess friction and heat in the engine. Both factors cause more wear long term.
Cheers
Guy
My thoughts are that its apples and pears here, they're completely different.
I personally wouldn't use thicker than a 10w-50 and would look at a 5w-40 in preference. They should be decent synthetic ones of course.
Remember RS 10w-60 is not a true synthetic, it's petroleum based.
Cheers
Guy
I personally wouldn't use thicker than a 10w-50 and would look at a 5w-40 in preference. They should be decent synthetic ones of course.
Remember RS 10w-60 is not a true synthetic, it's petroleum based.
Cheers
Guy
5w-40 is fine as long as you're getting good oil pressure and not excessive usage.
The benefits of low viscosity oils far outweigh the benefits of using a thick oil everytime.
Better cold start = less engine wear
More BHP at the wheels
Better fuel consumption
Low viscosity oils dissapate heat better
Cheers
Guy
The benefits of low viscosity oils far outweigh the benefits of using a thick oil everytime.
Better cold start = less engine wear
More BHP at the wheels
Better fuel consumption
Low viscosity oils dissapate heat better
Cheers
Guy
bills1 said:
TVR S1 1988
Engine Cologne 2.8 V6
Full rebuild 7000 miles ago with alloy timing gear,polished ports, new cam and unleaded heads
Now starting to loosen up and easily revs up to 5500rpm after lengthy running in for first 5000miles
First oil change at 500 then every 5000
Oil used
Valvoline Durablend
Synthetic blend
SAE 10W-40 API:SL/CF ACEA:A3/B3 MB:229.1,
VW 505.00/505.00(1/97)
It uses about 1pt every 2000miles and runs at 55lb and tickover at 25lb.
Is this oil and the change period OK
All seems fine to me.
The Valvoline is a semi syntheitc and is ideal to finnish of the running in process, you could use a good quality full syntheitc if you wished to improve on quality and increase your drain intervals, also a good idea if the car is driven hard, if not then you will be fine as is.
Cheers
Guy.
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