Idea Engine Oil ...

[isthisagoodidea]

Ok we have been running about in this Idea for a few weeks now , and it looks like a keeper ...done a few jobs repaired the the air filter box , fitted new wiper blades ..worked how to change the language settings on the computer...all good ..But if I look up engine oil in the manual it tells me the car needs synthetic base 10w-40 ACEA C3 grade...I have looked around my local garage and two other large diy style supermarkets and I can only find Semi synthetic 10w 40 ACEA grade A2 or B2 ... the local garage owner tells me using this is fine.......The oil in the car just now is fine it looks clean and reads full on the dipstick but I would like to have a gallon of the correct stuff in the workshop ...I will have another look next week when I'm in another big town and try to track some down...Me Dad used to say "The wrong oil is better than no oil"...what do you all think

 

[Iggy64]

I use Selenia 20k available from Shop4Parts at a very reasonable price. Have always been very happy with this oil and it is obviously made to full Fiat spec.

 

[isthisagoodidea]

Thanks iggy64 ... if only I could find it here ...

 

[DaveMcT]

I had a mid 1990s Yamaha 900 motorbike which was specced to use JASO MA oils. I always stuck with that grade. At 70,000 miles I took a look at the cams and valve clearances. Everything inside was almost like new - the cam bearings still had visible machining marks.

My point? Use the oil spec and especially the viscosity grade the engine was designed for and it will reward you with a long life.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Totally echo DaveMcT about keeping to spec. I often order my service stuff and repair items from Shop4parts too. I find them very good. They sell the Fiat recommended Selenia oils and I do buy that brand gear oil. They also sell Petronas branded engine oil a bit cheaper than the Selenia and I've been putting that in our Panda (I understand it's actually Petronas who make the Selenia brand for Fiat) I also like Fuchs and have that in my boys Punto just now. For the 8 valve engines the Fuchs is Titan GT1 5w-40 XTL and the Petronas is Syntium 3000 AV 5w-40 both to ACEA C3 spec. These older Fiat engines are quite robust and simple so any good quality oil to the correct 5w-40 spec will probably be more than OK. Not so for the Multi or twin air engines. I dont know a lot about them but have picked up that oil is "super critical" for them

 

[isthisagoodidea]

Yes DaveMcT and Jock That is my feeling as well ...It's just I can't find the right oil around here in the mountains of Eastern Crete...but I'm still looking next week I'm off into another town..with at least two other motor factors to check out ....I can't find a synthetic base 10w40 (I think 10w 40 will be better in this climate it's very hot here) with the C3 ACEA spec ...I can get 5w40 and 10w 40 with a semisynthetic...but from what I read I need the C3 spec to protect the catalytic convertor ... is this the case or have I misunderstood ?....

 

[DaveMcT]

The important number is the larger one so to all intents a hot climate 5w40 wont behave any differently to 10w40. The 5 weight is there to improve oil flow at cold temperatures.

I would avoid anything that's too thin (low viscosity) and keep to the spec recommended by Fiat. But I don't believe its necessary to use the brands they recommend but it is very important to not go to a lower spec. If you do have any doubt, just change the oil more often. Cheap oils are likely to go off spec quicker than the more costly oils.

My BMW bike (twin cylinder boxer engine) made 100 bhp and with two big slugs banging away it hammered the oil. Service intervals was 6000 miles with 10w40 semi synth oil. It would also work fine on ordinary mineral 20w50 so perhaps its all to easy to be over concerned about oil specs.

 

[isthisagoodidea]

Oh Thanks DaveMcT ...I was looking at this from the Manual ( in Italian )and I thought it was saying 10w 40 kept it viscosity at higher temperatures.I really don't have to worry about cold mornings it very rarely gets below freezing ...


I can get 10w 40 or 5w 40 in semi synthetic ....but I can't find it with ACEA C3.and that as far as I understand is important for the long life of the catalytic converter ...is that right ?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Oh Thanks DaveMcT ...I was looking at this from the Manual ( in Italian )and I thought it was saying 10w 40 kept it viscosity at higher temperatures.I really don't have to worry about cold mornings it very rarely gets below freezing ...


I can get 10w 40 or 5w 40 in semi synthetic ....but I can't find it with ACEA C3.and that as far as I understand is important for the long life of the catalytic converter ...is that right ?

Hope this might be a useful help. https://www.opieoils.co.uk/t-acea-car-engine-oils-specification-explained.aspx I find the people at Opie to be very helpful with all this sort of stuff and have rung them in the past for advice.

Kindest regards
Jock
Ps. had a great holiday in Crete many years ago when the kids were just wee. got food poisoning which wiped me out for a couple of days though - I blamed the stuffed tomatoes, but boy were they tastey!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Hope this might be a useful help. https://www.opieoils.co.uk/t-acea-car-engine-oils-specification-explained.aspx I find the people at Opie to be very helpful with all this sort of stuff and have rung them in the past for advice.

Kindest regards
Jock
Ps. had a great holiday in Crete many years ago when the kids were just wee. got food poisoning which wiped me out for a couple of days though - I blamed the stuffed tomatoes, but boy were they tastey!

Forgot to say Dave's absolutely right about the viscosity figures. 5w-40 and 10w-40 will be of the same "thickness" when up to operating temperature. The 5w will be a little more "runny" than the 10w when cold so will find it's way through galleries and restrictor jets slightly more quickly. Suzuki, I believe, has an oil in use right now which is 0W-18? must be like pouring water out of a bottle!

 

[isthisagoodidea]

Thanks Jock , looking at the opieoil link you sent ,it seems that any of the C grade 10w 40 or 5w40 semi synthetics will fit the bill ...so I'm in town tomorrow to continue my search ..I'll start with 10w40 C3 ...and see where it goes ...compromise compromise ....sad you had a bad do with Cretan food ...Mostly the food here is very high quality ...and locally produced plentiful and cheap Oil ,wine, cheese, fruit ,veg ...it's other stuff like Engine oil that's hard to get .....but that is the price you pay for living out in the sticks ....

 

[DaveMcT]

I use no name brand grade 10w30 semi synthetic in the 100HP. It's passed the MOT (annual test) just fine so the exhaust catalyst must be ok.

 

[isthisagoodidea]

Thanks for all your supportif words on the engine oil quest ...I'm off into town in the morning and see what I can find ....Ta