[8][8]...a new question has just risen from my restless mind[: what about your engines' oil requests?I ask this because after changing the old oil with a 10w40 and having covered 10,000km till now the level stays between the min&max so I guess my Fire's drunk only 0.5lt...fine, do you agree:I[?]
But here's the 2nd question: do you think a 5w40 full-synth lubricant could cause any damage to this engine?I found the Total oil in 4lt. tubs at a very low price here, so I'd like to buy it...after your advices.

Passion has neither brands nor models!

La passione non ha nè marche nè modelli!

ISTR we had a discussion about oil some months ago..

AFAIK the FIRE engines tolerances are built for 15W40
This is quite thick by the standards for newer engines.

In theory a 5W40 should be as viscous as a 15W40 at operating temperature, but my experiment with thinner oil on the CLX (which has an unknown history, and I suspect a really high mileage which isn't shown on the speedo - as the brake and clutch pedal rubbers are virtually worn through and the drivers seat was worn through too) resulted in unhappy noises,
They went away with boring old Castrol GTX 15W40.

YMMV.

Paul's right - in any case modern oils are generally more expensive than the old favourites aren't they?

Give me old Duckham's Hypergrade any day

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Am I a notional Paul now[?]

Or have you been drowning your sorrows, Steve.

Take it steady - life moves on...

The problem with mineral oils is their high tendency to form deposits inside the engine, and especially on the hottest parts, as piston rings and exhaust valvesB).So there's a choice to make, spend less money for the lubricant but engine full of sludge and s**t or invest more for a synth stuff which "should" keep it clean!Then a curiosity:here the Castrol oils are generally cheaper than the omologue ones of italian brands...for example the GTX 15w40 in 4lt tubes are sold at 16€.


Passion has neither brands nor models!

La passione non ha nè marche nè modelli!
(Quite happy dark met. blue Panda driver!)

If you're convinced the mineral oils are so bad - why ask our opinion

GTX is around 10UKP (for 5 litres) if you shop around - that's about the same as your Euro price, maybe less.

IMHO as long as you use a reputable brand oil, don't do short runs - so everything gets warmed up (and the oil hot enough to drive out moisture) - and change it and the filter regularly your FIRE engine will out last the average Panda body shell by a factor of 2.

The basic 999 FIRE is good for 200 to 300 K miles.

Any other experience[?]And what about the consumption[?]


Passion has neither brands nor models!

La passione non ha nè marche nè modelli!
(Quite happy dark met. blue Panda driver!)

IME it's not worth topping up, if you have a 6 month/6K mile (whichever is first) oil change schedule.

Obviously it is checked periodically, but if you have no serious leaks the litre between max and min allows for some use.

hi there,

Speaking of leaks, has anyone used a miracle product to cure them?

I have noticed a product that claims that if you add it to the oil and run the engine for a few minutes it will seal any gasket leakage.

Sounds like it will also gunge up the engine but it sounds like a real lazy option to stopping minor leakage. Hence I am interested as I am getting sick of cleaning my driveway.

Has anyone used such a product?

regards,

Martin

Fix It Again Tony!

Originally posted by John H
Am I a notional Paul now[?]

Or have you been drowning your sorrows, Steve.

Take it steady - life moves on...

Click to expand...

Oops, sorry John :I

No, I'm quite okay, thanks. Stone cold sober, even!

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

R.I.P. G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - 18-11-1989 to 08-03-2004
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

I'm not sure it's a good idea to mix a sealing product with the oil...I guess it makes lubricant thicker andB)!!Did you consider the opportunity to replace the bad/worn seals?Where did you notice the leaks?One of the oil's favourite points to go out of the engine is the camcover.
Has anyone used such a product?

regards,

Martin

Fix It Again Tony!
[/quote]


Passion has neither brands nor models!

La passione non ha nè marche nè modelli!
(Quite happy dark met. blue Panda driver!)

Originally posted by Martiny10
hi there,

Speaking of leaks, has anyone used a miracle product to cure them?

I have noticed a product that claims that if you add it to the oil and run the engine for a few minutes it will seal any gasket leakage.

Sounds like it will also gunge up the engine but it sounds like a real lazy option to stopping minor leakage. Hence I am interested as I am getting sick of cleaning my driveway.

Click to expand...

Hi there,

It is leaking from just below the distributor. I replaced the cam gover gasket a few months ago and cleaned up the distributor but the leak is below that, around the hose that connects to the radiator (FIRE 999CC engine)

It may be that the head gasket has gone a little but I am loathe to change it - not until there is a real break.

These days it hardly worth the bother spending big money or time on a car like this - I saw on Ebay a top-of-the-range 1300CC Y10 GTIe in reasonable nick go for just £280. My rusty 999cc car must be worth oooh, £75. I could spend £1200 and it would be worth, ooh, £75.

It seems easier to drive it till it drops and then spend £150 on a replacement. Maybe get that Punto Sporting I so deserve after all [8D]

Fix It Again Tony!

I thought changing the head gasket on a FIRE engine was pretty easy and can be done in half a day ... I've done it on my late Panda

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - 18-11-1989 to 09-03-2004 (may she rest in peace )
J154 FMX: Red Panda 750L - watch this space!

Originally posted by Martiny10
Hi there,

It is leaking from just below the distributor. I replaced the cam gover gasket a few months ago and cleaned up the distributor but the leak is below that, around the hose that connects to the radiator (FIRE 999CC engine)

Click to expand...

There is an "O" ring on the outside of the distributor which seals where it "plugs into" the end of the camshaft.

My CLX used to leak there quite a lot - it went everywhere you describe.

I will check that out this weekend if I get a chance,

Regards,

Martin

Fix It Again Tony!

Finally I've done this oil and filters (oil&air) change, it's taken around half an hour...not too bad for the 1st experience, do you agree:I[?]I also "cranked" the engine using the starter motor for 3-4 seconds, just to let oil inside the crankshaft go out.I used the 5w40 stuff as announced, early impressions didn't upset me, the noises are the same but the engine seems to start more easily.




Only a dream inside my head...take a look at the avatar! (Oh...no!!)

never never never never ever (!) crank the engine without oil!!!! it prematurly wears out the shell bearings. even for a second can damage the engine. it relies on a hydrodynamic film to protect the engine during starting. so to crank the engine over to evacuate the oil is a definate no no. you might have got away with it. but i wouldnt make it a habit. the amount in the shell bearings isnt worth worring about.

Thats my rant over

By the way, my blue 1000cl has now got no interior .

Going to strip the suspension down now.

I posted this on a previous, erm, post



Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

hmmm, im sorry to offened anyone but i totally disagree with that. i idea of engine oil is to seperate the crankshaft journals away from the journal shells. so to have that rotating at 600 rpm with out any oil there is dangerous. the metal to metal contact will produce premature wear. just my opinion.

No offence was meant - I scanned that page from the Panda handbook because I thought it was totally unbelieveable. The person who wrote it must have had too many glasses of Stolichnaya (my favourite tipple)

You are pefectly correct - running any engine without oil will destroy it pretty quickly [xx(]

sorry for the confusion

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak