OIL ADVICE FOR 2004 TAMORA
Discussion
hi all
i would like some opinions/advice on engine oil for my standard tamora 20,000 miles
the car is due a service soon and my new tvr service garage is recommending that i use 10w 40 semi synthetic as specified by "tvr power"
the car from new and since i've owned her has used 5w 40 fully synthetic
i am told that fully synthetic is a far better quality oil as oil goes (opie oils) , so why use semi synthetic ?
does anyone know why tvr power have spected this oil and from there years of experience with the speed six what has made them go with this grade
so whats best for my car
cheers keith
i would like some opinions/advice on engine oil for my standard tamora 20,000 miles
the car is due a service soon and my new tvr service garage is recommending that i use 10w 40 semi synthetic as specified by "tvr power"
the car from new and since i've owned her has used 5w 40 fully synthetic
i am told that fully synthetic is a far better quality oil as oil goes (opie oils) , so why use semi synthetic ?
does anyone know why tvr power have spected this oil and from there years of experience with the speed six what has made them go with this grade
so whats best for my car
cheers keith
Synthetic oil is a superior oil and has less friction properties and longer degradation.
Semi synthetic is a cheaper variant and is almost as good as full synthetic.
Now the killer!!! A rebuilt engine/new engine should have a mineral oil!!!! (remember this will only be in the engine for a short time and you shouldn't be revving high). This is because in a new engine you actually require more friction to wear and bed the moving parts together. After running in the oil should then be fully synthetic for longer life.
If your engine has not bedded in after the running in period you could create "excessive wear" when you think you can now rev the b
ks of of it 
Also if you have high milage car the viscosity of the oil should be lower (thicker) than a low milage car.
If your car is starting to burn oil then you should be using a lower viscosity oil, you will not be burning as much once change and the compression will increase slightly along with oil pressure.
All garages are different and will usually only stock one type of oil to keep stock and cost down. If you would like a different oil to the one the garage uses then I suggest you take along the one you want when it goes for a service etc.
As long as your oil is changed regulary you will be fine whichever oil you use.
Semi synthetic is a cheaper variant and is almost as good as full synthetic.
Now the killer!!! A rebuilt engine/new engine should have a mineral oil!!!! (remember this will only be in the engine for a short time and you shouldn't be revving high). This is because in a new engine you actually require more friction to wear and bed the moving parts together. After running in the oil should then be fully synthetic for longer life.
If your engine has not bedded in after the running in period you could create "excessive wear" when you think you can now rev the b
ks of of it Also if you have high milage car the viscosity of the oil should be lower (thicker) than a low milage car.
If your car is starting to burn oil then you should be using a lower viscosity oil, you will not be burning as much once change and the compression will increase slightly along with oil pressure.
All garages are different and will usually only stock one type of oil to keep stock and cost down. If you would like a different oil to the one the garage uses then I suggest you take along the one you want when it goes for a service etc.
As long as your oil is changed regulary you will be fine whichever oil you use.
hi lensey
do you know why power prefer this grade ? instead of the 5w 40 syn
and did they have some tests done to prove that its better
whats the gains for running and the life of the engine ?
i'm thinking of using what power recommend because they should know !
but some engine rebuild spacialist are saying use 5w 40 its better from cold so it can travel to the top of the engine faster and the viscosity is better
cheers keith
do you know why power prefer this grade ? instead of the 5w 40 syn
and did they have some tests done to prove that its better
whats the gains for running and the life of the engine ?
i'm thinking of using what power recommend because they should know !
but some engine rebuild spacialist are saying use 5w 40 its better from cold so it can travel to the top of the engine faster and the viscosity is better
cheers keith
I use 10 40 semi in mine, because this is what Dom advises, and I have a 5 year warranty.
I, like you, asked Why not fully synthetic, and from memory I was told that oil consumption is lower with semi, fully synthetics are really at there best in Turbo’s etc [ higher temps ], and not really necessary for the Sp6, and semi is more likely to be found in garages etc if your stuck for oil. All makes sense to me, and,,,,,,,,, semi is cheaper
I, like you, asked Why not fully synthetic, and from memory I was told that oil consumption is lower with semi, fully synthetics are really at there best in Turbo’s etc [ higher temps ], and not really necessary for the Sp6, and semi is more likely to be found in garages etc if your stuck for oil. All makes sense to me, and,,,,,,,,, semi is cheaper
i'm thinking of using a 5w 40 oil
either a mobil 1 5w 40 synthetic very good
or as opie oils advise a silkolene pro s 5w 40 full synthetic ester based
being a true ester base it should be better for engine wear
any thoughts on this
cheers keith
ps has anyone found out why power prefer a semi synthetic
either a mobil 1 5w 40 synthetic very good
or as opie oils advise a silkolene pro s 5w 40 full synthetic ester based
being a true ester base it should be better for engine wear
any thoughts on this
cheers keith
ps has anyone found out why power prefer a semi synthetic
not at all
it think I was originally recommended it quite a few years back by Opieoils for my track car - an Elise with a Honda K20 engine, and seeing as I always had gallons of it in stock ran everything on it
the Sagaris has done 31000 trouble free miles, makes good power, passed its emissions with flying collurs etc
...oh and both cars were used all year around, so cold starts on winters mornings
the Tuscan had a rebuild shortly after we got it at 9K miles, it then went on to over 30K miles and is still fine now AFAIK
Im not an expert and of course unless you ran dozens of these engines on the bench for tens of thousands of miles it would be hard to do any scientific testing
the thing with viscosity, is that I think we take things a bit literal over here ...its not like our winters are -25degrees overnight (where 10/40 is going to have a problem flowing) so basically 0/40 or 10/40 or 15/40 is all the same oil at 100deg ...its just thinner at lower temps, the 0/40 being thinnest
I just found running a SP6 on 0/40 Mobil 1 as TVR recommended 5 years ago, it would drink it like 1L per 1000 miles, but a change onto 15/50 and it was more like 1L every 2-3K miles so stuck with that
having "thicker" oil at low temps just means that you should let the oil warm up more on a cold winters morning before really putting the engine under load ....well...errr...I do that with any car, regardless of temperature and oil
it think I was originally recommended it quite a few years back by Opieoils for my track car - an Elise with a Honda K20 engine, and seeing as I always had gallons of it in stock ran everything on it
the Sagaris has done 31000 trouble free miles, makes good power, passed its emissions with flying collurs etc
...oh and both cars were used all year around, so cold starts on winters mornings
the Tuscan had a rebuild shortly after we got it at 9K miles, it then went on to over 30K miles and is still fine now AFAIK
Im not an expert and of course unless you ran dozens of these engines on the bench for tens of thousands of miles it would be hard to do any scientific testing
the thing with viscosity, is that I think we take things a bit literal over here ...its not like our winters are -25degrees overnight (where 10/40 is going to have a problem flowing) so basically 0/40 or 10/40 or 15/40 is all the same oil at 100deg ...its just thinner at lower temps, the 0/40 being thinnest
I just found running a SP6 on 0/40 Mobil 1 as TVR recommended 5 years ago, it would drink it like 1L per 1000 miles, but a change onto 15/50 and it was more like 1L every 2-3K miles so stuck with that
having "thicker" oil at low temps just means that you should let the oil warm up more on a cold winters morning before really putting the engine under load ....well...errr...I do that with any car, regardless of temperature and oil
theres loads of good tech info here:
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/technicalinfo.aspx
knowing what I do know, I would think a top quality 10/40 fully synth is as good as anything for an everyday car...just the right balance at the cold end and still performing at 100deg
/I think the 15/50 is really recommended for heavily tracked engines where you will be seeing 120+ deg on the oil regularly, so you dont want something that turns to water at high temps ...
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/technicalinfo.aspx
knowing what I do know, I would think a top quality 10/40 fully synth is as good as anything for an everyday car...just the right balance at the cold end and still performing at 100deg
/I think the 15/50 is really recommended for heavily tracked engines where you will be seeing 120+ deg on the oil regularly, so you dont want something that turns to water at high temps ...
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