whats the best oil formula

[toomanytoys]

Martin, you made an error???....

Actually theory is a 10w40 or 5w50 oil should be ok.. but it just doesnt seem to work for most wbx's.. Theory and reality dont always meet...

[peasant]

Well, for a diesel it's deffo 10W40 (or 15W40 at a stretch if you're only driving in the summer)

[StuM]

Hi All,

Well, I errored. I looked in the Wiki and saw 'Quantum' back in January.. legged it over to Brickwerks and searched for 'Quantum' and the first result was:

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... rd=quantum

Opened the can the other week to pinch a small amount when rebuilding my dizzy and read the back of the can -it didn't sound like this was right for me, so searched on here and found that 10W40 blended is not the right oil for my van at all

Mine is a bit tappety when cold, so (and I think that I already know the answer to this) I guess I am right to bin the 10W40 (well, put it in the shed anyway) and get myself a mineral 20W50?

At least I found out before sticking the wrong stuff in!

[Edited to add:] Just checked the spec of my wife's Arosa, which I'm about to service, and it needs.... 10W40 semi-synthetic! Hurrah

Cheers,
Stu

[eatcustard]

I have 10W40 in my van and it never has a tappet sound problem.
Even after 2 weeks sitting still and no oil leaks

So maybe the tappets need adjusting, if they rattle, or am i talking dim?

[AdrianC]

There always seems to be a lot of confusion between viscosity, synth/semi/dino and detergents.

Oils of the same viscosity are the same "thickness" regardless of whether they're synth, semi-synth or dino - there's two figures, one cold, one hot - all "20w50" means is that it's as thin as a 20 weight oil is when they're both cold, and as thick as a 50 weight oil is when they're both hot. A cold 20 is a lot thicker than a hot 50.

All oils contain detergents, good oils contain more - again, regardless of base type - and I dunno about you, but I don't want dirt to be the only thing holding my engine together. I'd rather the oil took it back to the sump where the filter could trap it and get shot of it.

The only difference between synth, semi-synth and dino - assuming the same detergents and viscosity - is how well they withstand use, so how long they're "good" for. When synth is available for as little as three or four quid a litre (look at people like Opie Oils, especially if you're happy to buy it 20l at a time), there's really no reason not to.

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/pdfs/tech-art ... -Myths.pdf

[moggymorgan]

pardon me for highjacking but ............. i have a 1980 2ltr ac. what would you gents reckon is best for it please. it has done 140k. thanks.

[California Dreamin]

Good old 20W50....tends to be the cheap supermarket option, I think Tesco's and wilkco's both do one for under £9.00. Halfrauds also do a 20W50 classic.
Also 15W50 if you can find it....

Martin

[moggymorgan]

thanks for that. at the moment i am using SAE 30. maybe change it in the spring.

[kevtherev]

If you're air cooled I'd stick to the recommended oil

[Ian Hulley]

So maybe the tappets need adjusting, if they rattle, or am i talking dim ?

The amount of pre-load between the rocker arm and the valve stem can be adjusted on hydraulic tappets (i.e. 1 and 1/2 turns from initial contact or whatever you prefer) but not the tappet itself. Some early models and 'upgrades' have solid tappets installed (it should say this on a sticker somewhere on the rocker boxes) these are adustable but obviously if installed in a wbxer the pushrod & tube would have to be removed and replaced to gain access to adjust the tappet.

Ian

[horns]

I just changed my oil, and put in some Valvoline 15w50. My rattly old engine sounds much happier on it, and a few hundred miles later the level is exactly the same, whereas before I was topping up regularly. So far, so good...

[jamesc76]

Everything I have gets 10w40 semi syn, and I mean everything, works fine and I get 25ltr drums at a time and come's out at about £2 ish a litre. Unless you have owt special or you inform your garage what oil to bung it it your bound to get the same as I buy!

[kevtherev]

you have a subaru engine I would use the same

[jamesc76]

you have a subaru engine I would use the same

yes but nearly all garages use 10w40 as standard tho! Thats what I was mainly getting at!