What engine oil?

[RiCeY]

Going by manufacturer recommendations its too thin cold and too thick hot.

 

[TinSnips]

I can't see the sense in varying too much from the specified weight. It isn't just a random series of numbers they've pulled out of a hat! I'd be sticking to the 5w30 unless you've had some serious engine work done and the workshop specifies something different.

 

[lease1]

Any reason youre using twice the weight of the recommended oil?

After reseraching this topic for some time, reading the following information on another forum, posted by the owner of mainlube oil, swayed me in the direction of Castrol Edge 10w60

I appreciate the fact that you guys have spoken to many shops however, as an advanced trade automotive engineer my self I can tell you there is jack training about oils in an apprenticeship, you have to learn most of this **** yourself.

I have been fortunate enough to play in this field for 30 years. (apart from owning an oil company and advising how to run some of the largest and most powerful machinery in the world)

The key factor here is film strength, this is what keeps your load bearing surfaces from touching. The higher the viscosity the better the film strength the less the wear.

Now there is a extremely small trade off with resistance to flow however, its barley measurable, also a good high tech Synthetic will reduce any drag from a higher viscosity with a superior slippery additive package when combined with higher viscosity it isn't hard to double the machines life.

Now just to squash a few myths about oil like 10w60 being too thick, see the facts below.

And by the way, you asked what is the best, without a doubt, Mainlube is, its just bloody expensive. (funny that!)


10w60 MUST give better protection than 10w40 provided the additive packages and base oils are similar. Synthetics will give better protection as their base oils naturally have a higher V.I. (viscosity Index) additives can also be added to boost the V.I. The higher the V.I. the less the oil thins when heated the better film strength and hence less wear.

Everyone puts so much attention on the viscosity @ 40C (quoted on the packaging) have a look at viscosity @ 100C, (from the spec) this is the temperature your oil is at 99.5% of the time.

0w30 is around ISO 10 @ 100C (SAE 3) approx. (very much like penetrating oil)
15w40 is around ISO 14 @ 100C (SAE 4) approx.
20w50 is around ISO 18 @ 100C (SAE 6) approx.
10w60 is around ISO 22 @ 100C (SAE 8) approx.

Sowing machine oil is around SAE 7 @ 40C to give you some comparison on just how thin your engine oil is @ 100C.

So as you can see, there's not much difference @ 100C (running temp) between the oils.

The thicker the oil @ 100C the better film strength (layer of oil keeping the load bearing surfaces apart, reducing noise and wear)

And of course any kind of noise (other than combustion knock) has to and must be different stages of very slight metal to metal contact. (hence different stages of wear)

Within 30 seconds from a cold start up your engine oil would've warmed up at least 10 to 20C above it's starting temperature so the oil is not at the starting temp for very long.



So change your oil at 1000klms from new (don't forget to flush) then change straight to a Synthetic 10w60 and do the best for your engine.

To do better run 1 or even 2 FilterMags on your oil filter, 2 will ensure all oil going into your engine passes over a rare earth magnet, this will remove ferrous metal that can be small enough to fit through your paper element oil filter yet still be large enough to damage load bearing surfaces as they're forced through by the oil flow. This can cause even more damage if your engine is modified applying extra load.

 

[Joey24]

Thanks lease1 for your advice it is very helpful. I just don't understand why penrite recommend sin 0 0w/50w instead of 5w/30w. But i did notice they do not stock 5w/30w could it be that the penrite sin0 is an equivalent of the 5w/30w. The only reason i am asking is that I have a few bottles of this stuff and I am not if I should use it or go straight to the mobile1 5w/30w.

Do you guys seriously think the penrite sin 0 oil may damage the engine?

 

[WogBoyz]

wow thats some good info, not sure now weather to use the 5w30 or 10w40 now

 

[RiCeY]

Just use whats in the handbook, not what you read on public forums.

Cant go wrong then and if it does you can claim warranty.

 

[greenacc]

Joey24, the suitability of the oil depends on 2 things. The cold rating, which you said is 0W, will be fine. This means it is very thin when cold so will flow better than any oil with a 5W or higher rating. Even a 0W oil is still much thicker when cold than a thick oil is when hot, so that will be fine, and the 50 weight hot rating is OK according to Lease1's logic that thicker is better, so yes you shouldbe able to use that oil with no worries.

Lease1, If thick oil is the best why doesn't Holden just recommend that across the board ? The trend of all car companies in the last 10 years has been to use thinner oils, hence the rise of oile like 10W40 , 5W30 and so on. Why do they specify these oils if they are no good ? Is it just for fuel economy ?

 

[Joey24]

Ricey I noticed that your a holden technician. Can you tell me what oil brand holden would use from the full synthetic range or what do they use in the factory. I have heard it could be mobile 1 full synthetic 5w/30w.

 

[TinSnips]

I'm with Ricey - it's in the handbook - cover your arse and use it.

The dealer I go to uses either Castrol fully synthetic 5w30 or Havoline fully synthetic 5w30 on the VEs. I've had both run through my car at different times when they've done the service.

When I do an oil change, I get the Castrol.

 

[WogBoyz]

Hey tinsnips ya dont get any rattels or alot of engine noise with the 5w30? does it run smooth and quite?