Benefits of using 20/50 oil?

[maxstu]

Since blowing up my DJ2.1 engine just after Xmas lve been running my camper using an early 1.9 with Digijet. It's running really nicely. Yet l am noticing the difference in torque and power. Especially with auto transmission.

The broken 2.1 will sit in my garage for a while as l want to put some mileage on the 1.9. l replaced it's piston rings, associated sleeve seals and waterjackets in late 2020.

Here's my question; l tow a lightweight Rapido caravan when we go camping. The old 2.1 pulled this with ease. Im sure the 1.9 is up to the task, too. But was wondering if changing to 20/50 mineral might be beneficial, especially when driving long distances during summer months? Or adding an oil additive such as STP?
Your views please.

Regards
Stuart

[Oren Kipnis]

I believe that you consider switching from 15W40 to 20W50.
With a cold start, the 20W50 will need more time to reach all hard to lubricate points. 
As 20W50 is produced normally to older standards, it will be fortified with less cleaning agents, or cleaning agent which are less efficient.
The fuel consumption will be 2-3% higher.

When adding any additive to the fuel, oil or any other fluid, you can guess what will the outcomes be, unless you forward an appropriate volume of the fortified fluid to a specialist laboratory. This can be quite expensive.
When using a good quality and oil and the appropriate filter, the engine will stay healthy as long as the oil and filter replacements are done to specs.

To summarize, the answer is NO for both questions.

[ajsimmo]

You don't mention what benefits you hope to achieve by the swap. The only real benefit of a thicker oil is to help increase oil pressure in a well-worn engine, or to compensate if travelling to a much warmer climate (where oil would run hotter and therefore thinner).
Do you have a working DOPS (buzzer o' doom) fitted? If so, does it ever buzz/light flash after a fast run, at just above 2k rpm? Which high pressure switch is fitted in the front of your engine? (0.9bar, 1.35 or 1.. If it's 1.8 with no buzzer trub, yer all good!
Do you have the oil cooler warmer off the 2.1 fitted? Even better.
If you have determined that you need to upgrade your oil, try a 15W50. Thicker when hot, but no thicker when cold. Best of both worlds. But as the old adage states, if it ain't broke...

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[maxstu]

Thanks to both for your replies and informative answers.

Cutting a long (will try!) story short. This 1.9 was initially a donkey engine keeping me on the road while l replaced the leaking jackets on my 2.1. The DJ was running rather well.

Then one very stormy night the waterpump bearing failed and water distributor tower blew out too. I deliberately ragged the 2.1 to get us to safety away from a very dangerous unlit dual carriageway; we had four dogs on board and towing a small yet heavy trailer. At the point of safety the oil light came on so l cut the engine and rolled on to a grass verge That's the bottom end gone too, l should imagine?

So now running (500 miles on) an early DG1.9 with Digijet (GW?) and oil pancake cooler/warmer. And no longer a donkey engine. The 2.1 may not be repairable if no bearings available. I havent investigated yet. Been told to get on with the decorating anyway!

Only a single oil switch. Blue. So no DOP's. First long run had one occasion when the oil light flickered at idle after a 30 miles motorway run. Nothing since. Oil light goes off instantly on start up.
Bottom end condition unknown. Starts on the button and doesnt burn oil or smoke. Accelerates very well. Running E10 and 5 degrees on timing.

But being an automatic and towing a 750kg caravan in warmer conditions add heat stresses and the temp gauge tends to read slightly higher. And prolonged gradients can often see the temp gauge pushing well to the right hand side. l know that is still classed as normal. But one ends up constantly eyeballing the gauge!

At these higher temps l thought the 20/50 may be beneficial. Especially during summer? Just trying to do what is best for this engine under the conditions l put it through.

Kind regards
Stuart

[ajsimmo]

Then I'd say 15W50 is ideal for the job.
Bearings are back! So now you can get that DJ sorted

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[maxstu]

Then I'd say 15W50 is ideal for the job.
Bearings are back! So now you can get that DJ sorted

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Cheers AJ,
15/50 it is then



From whom do l buy the new bearings?

Regards
Stuart

[bigherb]

I use 15W50 mineral oil, in the Aircooled motors, quicker to pump the hydraulic tappets, I use Fuchs Titan Superma which meets VW spec 505.00

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284622307780 ... Sw3J1h7n5Z

[maxstu]

Thanks, Mike.

Exactly what l ordered last night.

[Mocki]

I was always told that using 20/50 was a last resort for a worn engine

[maxstu]

I was always told that using 20/50 was a last resort for a worn engine

Depends where you are on this wonderful spinning orb.
When racing motorcycles in Arizona/New Mexico 20w50 was the norm in most healthy four stroke engines.

[ajsimmo]

Then I'd say 15W50 is ideal for the job.
Bearings are back! So now you can get that DJ sorted

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Cheers AJ,
15/50 it is then



From whom do l buy the new bearings?

Regards
Stuart

https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/uk/ ... hrust.html

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[maxstu]

Thanks for the link. Should l buy before checking? I understand these are standard size. But lve not even looked at the engine since pulling out in Jan. The engine's serial number has a rebuild stamp.

[Stesaw]

I'd check to make sure they are standard, wouldn't want to order them if you need different ones

[maxstu]

Hi Steve,
Dont have time to rip it open at present. Besides it needs a real clean up first. Yet worried mains will go out of stock rather quickly.

[ajsimmo]

Get the mains now - there aren't many sets left.
It might be months or years before the next production run, if ever!
If it's a different size, well they aren't available anyway (unless you're rich and get them from GW), so you might be looking at a new crank from BW, or a good used STD one if you can find one.
Or you can always sell on the STD set of mains once they're out of stock.

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