Technical 5W/30 or 10W/40, that is the question...

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Technical 5W/30 or 10W/40, that is the question...

rpaterson

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As above folks. The Punto ('97 16V Sporting) is due a new sumpfull of oil. Halfords is doing Magnatec for £20 (10/40) or £22 (5/30). Either way, it'll be getting Magnatec as I like it so I'd just like to see of you had any preference?
 
10W40.

Magnatec is okay. Castrol have been around for a million years. What they don't know about oil can fit onto a postage stamp.

Oil has a grade (10W40) and an API rating.. this is a letter rating system where SA is like flat Coca Cola and SM or SN are the dog's nadgers. Your old beast probably only needs an SG or SH (handbook) which is more or less impossible to buy. Any Semi-Synthetic oil (e.g. Magnatec) will be SL or SM.

Halfords own semi-synthetic (10W40 in the green can) is actually a higher rating than Magnatec, though Castrol would probably argue theirs has more "other additives" that make the oil perform at that level more consistently or for longer.

Halfords oil is £5 cheaper and you get 5 ltrs vs 4 from Castrol.. but it's your choice. Change it regular and keep the level topped up to Max and your engine will last forever on either.

Ralf S.
 
Well According to the Fiat Service Book:-

For all 16v Engines you need 5w/40 for Cold conditions (i.e Winter time) and 10w/40 for warmer conditions (i.e Spring, Summer)

And of course it recommends selenia but as said you can get away with any decent fully synth oil of the right grade.

I've also had a bad experiance with magnetec thats what I used in my Alfa 156 2.0TS for 3 oil changes and each time the 'big end' knocking got progressivly worse until I used selenia then it eased it for about 8k then it came back :mad:. Shagged the engine basically.
 
so thats 3 engines castrol has killed in 1 thread, good enough reason not to use it IMO

and both the alfys have nitrided steel cranks so canot be ground and reshelled

althou my dad has a good mate at parts warington and got a new crank and shells for only 300 when should have been 950
of course he got an oil pump aswell so more like 400 to get it sorted it's now on 106k miles and gong strong
 
Weird, I've used Magnatec in my previous three cars with no signs of hassle. Not covered a great deal of miles though, so not very indicative of long-term problems.

In my 8v 318i I used 10/40
In my 24v 328i I used 5/30
In Rover 216 / Honda Concerto I used 10/40

Still, a change is as good as a rest :)

Thanks for the feedback folks.
 
and both the alfys have nitrided steel cranks so canot be ground and reshelled

althou my dad has a good mate at parts warington and got a new crank and shells for only 300 when should have been 950
of course he got an oil pump aswell so more like 400 to get it sorted it's now on 106k miles and gong strong

was there much sludge when he took engine to bits?
 
Its a play on words, there not saying its magnetic lol just it clings to engine components.

I've used it on all my cars, never had a problem plus I resealed the sump on my hgt last year, it was spotless.
 
was there much sludge when he took engine to bits?

no he changed it regular and normally gave it a right good thrashing

was very clean inside mag seems to be a very good oil for cleaning engines but it goes a bit runny when hot linkable to water well thats what it was like when we stopped as the knocking started

it kept running off the dip stick couldn't get a good reading had to wait till it cooled and turned out to be on the max so all good

in all honesty we cant be to sure of the cars 7 year life before we got it so may have had a bad time

all thou it was ex fleet car so should have been looked after they get money thrown at them from what i hear

the new crank was excellently balanced when we fit it first run out in it was silky smothe

we also put in a new clutch wile there and that was good too very light was a proper fiat one (actual make escapes me now) and not that ****ty German make
 
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yarp, have swapped, and run 10/40, I may try 5/40 but not too sure, still, a few thou before my next change, so got time to think about it :)

Kristian

i would use 5w30 anyway it's what fiat say to put in
after all you wouldnt want a blood transplant from a fat loser now would you

it's the bigger number that counts anyway when it comes to the oils viscosity when warm

but right now unless you really really want me to i'm not going to explain the ins an outs of multi grade oil and how it's made
 
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