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General What Oil Do You Use In Your Abarth?

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General What Oil Do You Use In Your Abarth?

Greggers

Greggers

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Hi all,

As the title says, I was just wondering what oil everyone uses in their Abarths and why? :worship:

I'm not sure what oil mine's got in it but I've just topped up with 1/2 litre of Halfords 5W40 fully synthetic ad I've ordered some Selenia 20k. Speaking of topping up, how useless is the Abarth dipstick! The markings are bizarre and the two sides of the dipstick give different readings... not ideal when you really don't want to overfill...

Anyway, I've had the car for about 1,000 miles and the oil was changed just before I got it. The only issue is, I don't know what with... I'm worried that as the dealer I got it from did the oil change, that they used something not befitting the car.
I'm thinking, should I get the oil flushed, the filter changed and fill up on Selenia 20k so I know that there's something good in there doing what it should. What do you think?

Cheers all! (y)
 
'Flushing' and engine is never really a good idea, good chance it'll end up noisier than before. If you're worried best thing to do is just let the car warm up normally and then remove sump plug (after turning engin offe, obviously!!) and let the oil drain, change the filter and then add the Selenia.
 
Dogspods said:
'Flushing' and engine is never really a good idea, good chance it'll end up noisier than before. If you're worried best thing to do is just let the car warm up normally and then remove sump plug (after turning engin offe, obviously!!) and let the oil drain, change the filter and then add the Selenia.
Click to expand...

Noisier? Really? Why would that be? Serious question as I assumed a good flush would clear out the channels to help keep the hydaulic tappets at pressure? I'm sure I read that somewhere on here but I could be wrong, Dogspods. (y)

By the way, how's your car after the carpark knock? I was gutted for you seeing those pics :eek: made worse by the bastard driving off... now that's low :mad:
 
Out of interest, what grade oil do people recommend for the Abarth to keep good lubrication when cold and hot and to reduce the tappet noise? As a reference, Selenia 20k is a 10W40 oil and the Selenia Racing (as recommended on Selenia's website, cheers PNL!) is a 10W60...

(y)
 
Last edited:
Im no expert but what harm can flushing the engine through actually do :confused: if you wanna do it just do it.
If you are getting a taping sound is it just on start up or is it all the time. If just on start up then could your car possibly be sitting on a hill when parked? If so try parking the other way.
If the above is not true then there is a possibility of the Variator being in its way out especially if the oil was only done 1000 miles ago.
 
I agree with Dogspods on this (y)

If you're already using a good fully synthetic then the engine should be clean anyway. It's the quality of the oil you use which is important and obviously making sure you don't run out of the stuff ;)
 
Well, I don't think the engine is making any noises it shouldn't. I'm just going through a period of doing little jobs that I feel either need doing or would be worth doing to help prevent problems at a later date. (y)

I lubed that suspension bushes and spring mounts etc the other day with silicone spray, not because it was making any noises but just because I thought it would be a good idea and now I want to make sure that the engine is looked after as best I can while I own it.
As part of that, I don't know what oil was put in the car when I had it serviced before I bought it. I've just topped up with 1/2 litre of Halfords 5W40 to make up for what's it's used but I figure I'd feel more comfortable knowing exactly what's in there in the first place, hence me asking what oil people use in their Abarths.
I'm thinking I'm going to go for a decent 10W50, something in between the Selenia 20k and the Selenia Racing, but before I go and do that, I figure it would be a good idea to make sure that I give the oil channels a good flush as I don't know what's been used in the engine before I got it and I don't know what state they're in. Is the flush a good idea or a waste of time in people's opinion?

Out of interest, if the variator was going and I was getting tapping, how noticable would it be? Would it be louder than any other noise coming from the engine bay? Should you hear any tapping at all anyway?
 
at the moment i use selenia K 5w-40.....£23.00 for 2L(y)looking at my service records from day one it either says selenia 20k or selenia wr 5/40....i thought wr was for jtd's so if anyone knows what the wr stands for i would appreciate it...anyway it seems to be getting harder to get selenia from fiat and i need a top up,so if i went to halfords which manufacture of oil should i use....ive got 5/40 in at the mo....(y)
 
Greggers said:
Hi all,

As the title says, I was just wondering what oil everyone uses in their Abarths and why? :worship:

I'm not sure what oil mine's got in it but I've just topped up with 1/2 litre of Halfords 5W40 fully synthetic ad I've ordered some Selenia 20k. Speaking of topping up, how useless is the Abarth dipstick! The markings are bizarre and the two sides of the dipstick give different readings... not ideal when you really don't want to overfill...

Anyway, I've had the car for about 1,000 miles and the oil was changed just before I got it. The only issue is, I don't know what with... I'm worried that as the dealer I got it from did the oil change, that they used something not befitting the car.
I'm thinking, should I get the oil flushed, the filter changed and fill up on Selenia 20k so I know that there's something good in there doing what it should. What do you think?

Cheers all! (y)
Click to expand...

This is what SELENIA web site recommend, and is what I put in mine. However, it's about £45.00 a gallon!

SELENIA RACING

DESCRIPTION
This lubricant has been developed from experience, accumulated over the years, of the Selenia racing team on important international circuits. SELENIA RACING is the product thought to be especially suitable for sports use in Turismo cars on the track or the road (Rally).

CHARACTERISTICS
The use of SELENIA RACING in competitions has demonstrated its resistance to thermal stress, which is an advanced technical requirement of the Turismo cars. The product has allowed:


Maximum power distribution; Maximum constancy of the pressure in the lubricating circuit in all working conditions; Excellent viscosity at highest temperatures.

As it meets and exceeds the quality requirements of the major Manufacturers, SELENIA RACING can be used in all naturally aspirated, turbo-charged or multi-valve engines of any make and capacity.

ADVICE ON USE
5,000 km for competition use.
Up to 20,000 km on aspirated cars (also JTS)and up to 10,000 km on cars with turbo-charged engines.

RECOMMENDED BY
Alfa Romeo and Maserati. SELENIA RACING has won in the following circuits: Monza, Imola, Vallelunga, Zolder, Nürburgring, Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Jarama, Jerez, Barcelona.

Technical Data
SAE 10W-60, FIAT 9.55535-H3 CONTRACTUAL TECHNICAL REFERENCE N°F007.A00
 
Greggers said:
Noisier? Really? Why would that be? Serious question as I assumed a good flush would clear out the channels to help keep the hydaulic tappets at pressure? I'm sure I read that somewhere on here but I could be wrong, Dogspods. (y)

By the way, how's your car after the carpark knock? I was gutted for you seeing those pics :eek: made worse by the bastard driving off... now that's low :mad:
Click to expand...


On an older engine a flush can clean the engine to the point that some of the 'gunk' that has built up over the years gets cleaned out and internal stuff that now moving freely may not sound as tight as they did before (not a very technical description I know, but was warned against flushing an engine out years ago by a top notch local mechanic, his reasons were that above but a little more technical:eek:)

Car has gone into bodyshop today to get the damage sorted - having it valeted and detailed before I pick it up so should finally be able to post updated photos by end of the week:D.
 
Dogspods said:
On an older engine a flush can clean the engine to the point that some of the 'gunk' that has built up over the years gets cleaned out and internal stuff that now moving freely may not sound as tight as they did before (not a very technical description I know, but was warned against flushing an engine out years ago by a top notch local mechanic, his reasons were that above but a little more technical:eek:)

Car has gone into bodyshop today to get the damage sorted - having it valeted and detailed before I pick it up so should finally be able to post updated photos by end of the week:D.
Click to expand...

Hi Dogspods, thanks for that. What do you think he would consider an older engine? Mine's done 45k now and was wondering if that made it middle aged or an OAP :D
 
Camelot Knights said:
at the moment i use selenia K 5w-40.....£23.00 for 2L(y)looking at my service records from day one it either says selenia 20k or selenia wr 5/40....i thought wr was for jtd's so if anyone knows what the wr stands for i would appreciate it...anyway it seems to be getting harder to get selenia from fiat and i need a top up,so if i went to halfords which manufacture of oil should i use....ive got 5/40 in at the mo....(y)
Click to expand...
well i topped up with
400-252098
ow/40 on top of 5/40 hope it dosent do any harm
 
I don't see any point in flushing at all if the engine has been well maintained with a good fully synthetic oil (which will tend to keep it clean anyway). In fact flushing, if anything, will very slightly degrade the expensive oil you're just about to put it :(

If the engine has unknown history then that might be another matter :chin:
 
Argonought said:
I don't see any point in flushing at all if the engine has been well maintained with a good fully synthetic oil (which will tend to keep it clean anyway). In fact flushing, if anything, will very slightly degrade the expensive oil you're just about to put it :(

If the engine has unknown history then that might be another matter :chin:
Click to expand...
i think your right in what your saying i was just thinking along those same lines so im gonna leave the flushing,if at least just change oil and filter regulary untill main service is due,well in my case anyhow for the amount of miles i do
 
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