Castrol GTX????!?!?!?

[tim wragg]

Just had my C450 serviced by an "Indy" locally. I asked him what oil he used, so at least I could buy the same for topping up. He said "Castrol GTX". Looking at the other threads I see I should be using some synthetic oil. What's the best thing to do? Do an oil change or keep it in for a short while and go somewhere else for an oil change next time?

Advise please, sorry I know oil has been spoken about loads.....

thanks

Tim.

[pullingpower]

I use the same Indy in Sheffield. Over last 2 years have had no problems with the Castrol GTX. Runs well and gives good oil pressure when warm too. IIRC GTX is synthetic so don't worry.

[Big Brin]

Castrol GTX is the oil of choice for The Garage nr Guildford too. He argues that the engine is based around a 40 year old design and the weather and the driving conditions in UK suit the characteristics of castrol GTX 15-40 oil grade. I haven't had any problem so far...

Rgds, Brin

[tim wragg]

thanks for your help, just spoken to the garage and it is Castrol GTX magnatec, which should be better?!??

cheers

[pupp]

I've used magnatec 10w 40 semi-synth in the past in my Tiv and still use it in my bikes with no apparent lubrication problems evident (on the bike engines, stripped fairly regularly, hone marks were always still fully present on the bores after a season's hard use). I stopped using it in the Tiv (and replaced it with Silkolene 5w 40 fully synth) only after changing the motor for a new 4.6 and getting some initial noise on start-up that I think was just the followers pumping up. It doesn't do it on the Silkolene so either that stays put better or the Castrol took that bit longer to get round... I'm not sure which.

I've got no idea how true it is as I'm no chemist but I've seen advice being offered here where it was suggested that the Cstrol, despite it's claim for being a semi-synthetic, is not of the same base quality as an esther loaded fully synth such as the Silkolene but, given one of the properties of an esther based oil is the very 'clinginess' that Magnatec is sold on, I do wonder (and would be interested to know as I'm otherwise a fan of the stuff)

[Fire99]

I've heard the '40 year old engine design' argument quite alot but to be fair that doesnt mean you have to use 40 year old design oil too.

Modern synthetics IMO are far better oils and i would always recommend using a good synthetic oil over a non-synthetic.. (except running in a new engine but thats a different issue)
Grade,i feel, is important as IMO 0-40w is a touch thin..

However, saying that, changing the oil frequently is more important than the difference between some of these oils..
(but dont go using 4.99 for 5 litres 'glue' and change it every week )

[john57]

I used a 10W-40 Shell Helix semi synthetic in my Griff when it needed a top up and after a while doing that it began drinking the stuff !

Shell Helix semi or fully synthetic has always been OK in my other cars but the TVR is a bit different in the engine dept not being *quite* so modern as it were ....

Austec recommended and filled the car with their oil at it's service (can't remember what oil Paul uses!) Their oil was thicker and the car didn't use too much - only when filled with the Shell Helix ....

I imagine David Batty's recommendation of Catrol Magnatec is on a similar basis to Austec's choice of a slightly thicker oil and the car will probably use less as a result.

I personally went with Opie Oils recommendation of Silkolene 10W50 for my car as it is slightly modified ..... it has hardly used any oil since the change - or at least is no worse than when Austec put their oil in it.

David Batty wouldn't recommend something he didn't think was OK and he is, like Austec, well regarded in the area of TVR's

[JonRB]

I've been using 15W-40 Castrol GTX Magnatec in both my Chimaera 500 for the past 5 years and my Corrado VR6 for even longer.

However, Castrol seem to have discontinued it as it is getting very hard to find.

Considering the handbook in my Chimaera says I should be using Mobil 1 0W-40 I'm planning on switching to 10W-40 Castrol GTX Magnatec shortly as soon as my current bottle of 15W-40 runs out.