Oil Type

[edals]

hey Everyone.

I am currently Running Valvoline 10-40 Syngard in the VR.
Seems to Run good, Just asking should i be running 20-50 instead ?
I Chose 10-40 as The it is thiner and gives better protection at start up when most damage occurs.

Cheers

[hako]

The choice is yours....the book says 20-50 and with warmer weather coming up 20-50 may hold up better with the heat. But lots of people run 10-40 so if you are happy with that then stick to it especially if you live in one of the cooler states.

[Scooter79]

When the VS came out 20w-50 was recommended because it was the best grade available at the time. Oil technology has come a long way since then so basically you can get just as good, if not better protection from a modern 10w40 than an old 20w50.

[Vee-ard]

Scooter you're talking shit. If the grade is SAE, a 20w50 is not going to be any different to a 20w50 from 20 years ago apart from ash content and other impurities being slightly less as refining techniques improved, the viscosity is still the same. Cars are designed to run at a certain viscosity for optimum performance.

Even though there isnt such a big difference between 10w40 and 20w50, Running thin oil in a worn engine that is used to thicker oil is never a good idea.

I recommend a penrite HPR 15, which is 15w60.

[vxcalais_01]

Scooter you're talking shit. If the grade is SAE, a 20w50 is not going to be any different to a 20w50 from 20 years ago apart from ash content and other impurities being slightly less as refining techniques improved, the viscosity is still the same. Cars are designed to run at a certain viscosity for optimum performance.

Even though there isnt such a big difference between 10w40 and 20w50, Running thin oil in a worn engine that is used to thicker oil is never a good idea.

I recommend a penrite HPR 15, which is 15w60.

What scooter says is true. He wasnt referring to it in that way. New oils are way different to older oils, not only in base oils. Base oils have been the same for over 50 years, Ester and PAO group 4 and 5 oils are older, its the hydrocracked mineral oils which are relatively newer, but still been around for ages. Technology and additives have come a far way.......... A new fully mineral SM based oil is always going to be better than a SC,SD,SG rated Fully synthetic oil of the past. For example a SD rated oil may have only required a minimum of 2-300ppm of IRON wear, where a SM is around 100 or less. By design a new oil must protect better. Yes some additives are the same for the ages, Zinc, Phosphorous, Sodium etc, but there are plenty new ones in the last few years, and modified versions of Zinc etc. Valvoline use a new type of zinc that apparently does not burn or enter the combustion chamber so more Zinc can still be used in those engines that need low zinc or cars prone to damage to the cat converters. Theres heaps of additives that dont show up and no one knows about. Scooter is correct.

And so are you, Penrite 15w60 is an excellent oil. Not a bad oil for an older VX to be using. If engine still fresh, 10w40 for winter, 5w50, 10w50 or 15w40 CI-4/SL is good for summer.

[Scooter79]

^ Thank you.

As vxcalais_01 said I'm talking from a 'quality' point of view. People get this idea that because the handbook recommends a 20w50 they can throw in any oil as long as it's 20w50. Even if the handbook was printed 20 years earlier.

Well you could go to your local supermarket and buy a bottle of 20w50 'home brand' oil for $10 which has an API rating of SG or buy a bottle of 'brand X' 10w40 with an API rating of SM, which do you thing will be better for your engine over the course of 10,000km's?

[vxcalais_01]

Viscosity should more or less be gauged on other items such as cold start, minimizing oil loss through leaking or burning, pressure and sound etc. Generally thicker oils can be better, but why are they better ??? Traditionally people will tell you that the thicker oil provides better protection to the bottom end, bearing area etc. This is correct, and the reason why in the past people preferred it. But some new thinner oils can act just like, or close to a thicker oil in the high load bearing and piston area. Oils carry a HTHS (High Temp, High Shear) rating. More about this can easily be searched on the net. This is the oils rating of how it composes itself in the highest pressure, stress situations in the engine under high loads in the bearing and piston area etc. Most other areas of the engine i believe are splash lubricated and not as high load bearing as these areas. So some of the thinner oils can act like a thicker oil in the places it really needs to. They high quality ones to not break down and only thin out so much, giving you the added fuel economy or cold start properties a very thick oil cannot.

[admir87]

i have a vs v6 with 210000km on the clock, i bought it at 180k....

ever since i bought it been putting magnetec 10-40 in the motor, is this alright? or will it do more damage putting a thin oil like this, now that the engine has a few k's on it?

[Scooter79]

Admir, I don't see any problem with a 10w40 and this amount of kms. Provided there's no oil consumption issues or strange noises. But there are better 10w40 oils than magnatec.

I've even used Repco brand 10w40 semi synthetic which is actually rebottled Mobil and only $32 for 5L

[vxcalais_01]

As Scooter said is exactly right. You can always try a 5w40, 5w50, 15w40, play around if you like, and yes heaps better than Magantec. Scooters Repco 10w40 is Mobil 2000x2 10w40 Semi Synthetic, excellent choice. Shell Helix PLus 10w40 or Pennzoil GT 10w40 are excellent choices. Fuchs XTM 15w40, my favourite Repco Diesel 15w40(rebottled Mobil Delvac MX), Valvoline Synguard, Durablend, or Durablend are all excellent.

[acarmody]

Sorry to hijack a bit but I got a VX V6 with a recently rebuilt motor, any ideas as to what I should put in. I've found some prices around locally,
Penrite Sin 15-40 $70
Shell Helix Ultra 5-40 $62
Mobile1 Supersyn 5-50 $75
Valvoline Synpower 10-50 $67
I normally put Penrite everyday fully synthetic in but I'm open for suggestions.

[vxcalais_01]

Sorry to hijack a bit but I got a VX V6 with a recently rebuilt motor, any ideas as to what I should put in. I've found some prices around locally,
Penrite Sin 15-40 $70
Shell Helix Ultra 5-40 $62
Mobile1 Supersyn 5-50 $75
Valvoline Synpower 10-50 $67
I normally put Penrite everyday fully synthetic in but I'm open for suggestions.

I found the Helix Ultra excellent through the winter, the other 3 for hotter weather. They are all excellent oils. What ever is cheapest go for it. Christmas time so one of them bound to be down. Scan K-mart and Big W for Shell Ultra and Mobil 1, i seen Mobil 1 at Bigw for $56 regularly. My Helix Ultra i got on clearance and Kmart for $6 ! Valvoline Synpower regularly at Liberty Servos for $45.

[acarmody]

$6?? Bloody hell thats a good find. Helix Ultra was $95 at Repco, but I read what you said in the oil poll thread about K-mart so I headed over.

[Vee-ard]

Penrite sin is not 15W40.

In the sin range you have 15W50, 10W70, 5W60 and 0W50

[WogBoyz]

Penrite sin is not 15W40.

In the sin range you have 15W50, 10W70, 5W60 and 0W50

which of them do you think would suit and ecotec i wsa thinking maybe the 10w70 or 15w50

[VS_WPN]

I use royal purple. Very expensive/good stuff. I've been asking myself this question alot. Which grade of oil is best to use on an engine which specifies 20w-50. I have a VS V6 195,XXXkm. Engine runs perfectly. Things to be aware Thicker oil = more oil pressure, "better protection", Thinner oil = makes more power. I'm after a balance b/w the two so i might go for the 10w40 next time i service my car. Different mechanics also have different opinions on the matter. This makes it very difficult to choice b/w a thinner/thicker oil.

[acarmody]

Penrite sin is not 15W40.

In the sin range you have 15W50, 10W70, 5W60 and 0W50

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/pis_pdf...20Oil%2025.pdf

There is Sin 15W-40. I am under the impression that they have recently changed the Sin 15 to a 15W-50, but the figures I got where from a bottle on the store shelves, so maybe my local Repco haven't got around to getting new stock yet.

[Vee-ard]

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/pis_pdf...20Oil%2025.pdf

There is Sin 15W-40. I am under the impression that they have recently changed the Sin 15 to a 15W-50, but the figures I got where from a bottle on the store shelves, so maybe my local Repco haven't got around to getting new stock yet.

Probably, but if I was going to spend $65 a bottle on Sin it would be on the 10W70, not the 15W40.

[vxcalais_01]

$6?? Bloody hell thats a good find. Helix Ultra was $95 at Repco, but I read what you said in the oil poll thread about K-mart so I headed over.

Autobarn have Mobil 1 5w50 for $49 so i'd be getting that, i will get some for the winter.

[vxcalais_01]

Probably, but if I was going to spend $65 a bottle on Sin it would be on the 10W70, not the 15W40.

You will find that the Sin 15w40 is the best in their range, followed by the 5w60. The 10w70 is too farr apart, it will break down quite quicky to a 10w50, and so on. Even Penrite say they will shear down, the 15w40 and 25w60 Sin are their most robust shear free. The HTHS of the 15w40 puts it nearly in a 20w50 category in the high load areas, and it will not break down, it is the pick of the crop of the Sin Range. This is also the one they did the HSV testing with.

[vxcalais_01]

$6?? Bloody hell thats a good find. Helix Ultra was $95 at Repco, but I read what you said in the oil poll thread about K-mart so I headed over.

Helix $95 ? That must be the thinner 5w30 version. Yeah, i couldnt believe it was $6, 3 left i only got 2 and gave one away hehe. It was when they went from the older bottle to the newer bottle, same oil, they are changing bottles again now, so keep and eye out for it !

[Vee-ard]

You will find that the Sin 15w40 is the best in their range, followed by the 5w60. The 10w70 is too farr apart, it will break down quite quicky to a 10w50, and so on. Even Penrite say they will shear down, the 15w40 and 25w60 Sin are their most robust shear free. The HTHS of the 15w40 puts it nearly in a 20w50 category in the high load areas, and it will not break down, it is the pick of the crop of the Sin Range. This is also the one they did the HSV testing with.

I change my oil every 5,000 K's (sometimes less depending on if im bored :P) so breakdown and shear is not an issue if I can get that level of protection for however short a time it lasts.

[vxcalais_01]

I change my oil every 5,000 K's (sometimes less depending on if im bored :P) so breakdown and shear is not an issue if I can get that level of protection for however short a time it lasts.

Thats a good regime Vee-ard. You best sticking a SL/SM rated mineral oil (only oils around anyway). Even take it to 7000k;s on mineral. 10,000k's on a Semi or Synthetic oil. In the U.S their system is 5000miles mineral, 10000miles Synthetic, we here borrowed it from them, but used kilometres, so we changing our oils at a much shorter time than needed. Even i myself am trying to break this. I just changed my Delvac MX out at 6000k's when that oil even as a mineral was designed to go 15,000k's and more in a diesel engine that is much dirtier than ours ! But i had my reasons. The next oils i use i will be pushing up further.

Reagrdless of k's time is important as well and oil should be changed each year, regardless of k's in my opinion. IF the car is just sitting there could be alot of condensation, if its just heaps of short trips, this is classified as extreme use.