Technical Oil help

[Panda92]

Hi guys,

So I have 2004 1.2 Petrol (60HP) Fiat Panda

Its time to change the oil. However, I lost my user manual! I have no idea what oil is required for this car.

What "Fiat standard" the oil needs to meet?

Also since some oil manufacturers suggest 3 different viscosities 5W-30, 5w-40 and 0W-40. Is this right?

I live next to Italian coast where its almost always warm and rarely drops below -10c. (we are allowed to use summer tires all year). Which viscosity would be best with this in mind?

Thanks

 

[koalar]

fiat change backwards and forwards

I wouldn't put anything with 0W in an old car. Tends to leak too much

officially at some point in it life is was recommended

Synthetic SAE 10W-40, that pass ACEA A3 and API SL

I normally put semi synth 10W-40 or something closer. Think its 5W-30 at the moment. Doesn't seem to make much difference as long as its change when old.

 

[Panda92]

fiat change backwards and forwards

I wouldn't put anything with 0W in an old car. Tends to leak too much

officially at some point in it life is was recommended

Synthetic SAE 10W-40, that pass ACEA A3 and API SL

I normally put semi synth 10W-40 or something closer. Think its 5W-30 at the moment. Doesn't seem to make much difference as long as its change when old.

Yeah so I forgot to mention. The car has been sitting in the storage and has done less than 30.000km.
Its brand new for all intents and purposes when it comes to engine.

I just took a look at Petronas "find your oil" function. Suggested me 5W-40. But maybe since the car is very low mileage i may try my luck with 5W-30 since it will help with the economy.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Yeah so I forgot to mention. The car has been sitting in the storage and has done less than 30.000km.
Its brand new for all intents and purposes when it comes to engine.

I just took a look at Petronas "find your oil" function. Suggested me 5W-40. But maybe since the car is very low mileage i may try my luck with 5W-30 since it will help with the economy.

I would avoid Petronas oil. I am far from convinced they are much good. Semi synthetic or fully synthetic. I have recently drained one Panda of Petronas and will not leave the other much longer its only done 2000 miles and the oil is very tired. It seems to drain into the sup after no more than 48 hours. This is not something I have experienced for 40years!

 

[GeorgeDamper]

I use 10/40 semi my 53 reg 1.2 panda. I am over 160k

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I've been running both our 2010 1.2 60hp panda and my boy's 2012 1.4 Punto (both FIRE engines) on this stuff: https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-60166-fuchs-titan-gt1-5w-40-synthetic-engine-oil.aspx Been using it for years and never had any problems. I run most of our other cars on Fuchs too. If you have a search around on ebay there are often discounted offers on it.

 

[DaveMcT]

I ran a mid 1990s Yamaha bike (air-cooled 900 Diversion) on diesel spec semi synthetic 10w40 for 50,000 miles. I bought it showing 30,000. When I checked the valve clearances at 80,000, there was zero wear on any of the cams. That oil lubricated the engine and gearbox and the clutch runs in the oil. It has a huge amount to do.

I use diesel spec semi synth 10w40 in both Pandas and expect to see similar results - as long as the oil is changed at least at the official service interval and more often if it's doing short journeys and more cold starts.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Using a diesel spec'd oil might have advantages in terms of keeping the internals clean as diesel oils commonly have more detergent than petrol oils. Interestingly I see my Fuchs complies with VW 505,01 which makes it suitable for use in their PD diesels - an engine well known for being notoriously "picky" about it's oil.

 

[DaveMcT]

I used diesel spec in the bike, because the clutch runs in the oil and will inevitably lose some friction material. I believe it's a cork based so not necessarily harmful but i wasn't about to start testing by using cheaper oils.
It was 900cc 8 valve that made 90bhp at 8250rpm. Fast spinning but not especially highly stressed.

 

[A3jeroen]

When I used car oil in my motorbike I had the clutch slipping. After I changed it to motorbike spec this was allright again.

Oh and I always used cheap 5W40 full synt in my 100Hp without any problem.

gr J

 

[koalar]

the benefits of semi and full over mineral is mainly the extended service intervals

there isn't any point in spending more on full then changing it before recommended.

There could be a small benefit from changing early, although I doubt it . But you would be chucking away the extra cost of full synth

Similar to some diesels have twice the service interval, by using twice the oil. There's no point in changing early as you are chucking money away.

As with most of the oil threads (engine/gerbox) they tend to run. Because everyone say their car round fine on there oil. I think its more of the case the car runs fine on any clean, good oil, close to the correct grade.

 

[DaveMcT]

When I used car oil in my motorbike I had the clutch slipping. After I changed it to motorbike spec this was allright again.

I was warned this would happen but clutch slips only happened at 70,000 miles when it was worn out. £50 for new friction plates and all was fine again.

 

[A3jeroen]

But the oil weights we have nowadays (5W40 for instance) can only be reached by full synths. IIRC 10W40 is the only thing that can be semi synth.
If cold and warm specs are further apart it simply always synthetic.
I prefer the cold spec as low as possible in order to get the oil quicker to the hydraulic tappets and bearings.
Exactly why I will use Valvoline 5W50 in my Abarth.

gr J

 

[portland_bill]

Handbook for mine (2006) says 10/40. Been using cheap 10/40 semi synth in it for 12 years now, seems to be fine.

 

[koalar]

But the oil weights we have nowadays (5W40 for instance) can only be reached by full synths. IIRC 10W40 is the only thing that can be semi synth.
If cold and warm specs are further apart it simply always synthetic.
I prefer the cold spec as low as possible in order to get the oil quicker to the hydraulic tappets and bearings.
Exactly why I will use Valvoline 5W50 in my Abarth.

gr J

​

SHELL HELIX HX7 5W-40​

Semi Synthetic​

home and bargains type stores here in the UK often have 5W-40 or 10W-40 semi synth in 5L use to be under £10 I think its around £17 now.

not sure why its not in the Netherlands. Might well be demand and supply and if there is no demand the range get dropped

Fiat specify full at the moment, When I looked into mineral vs semi vs full I was quite happy to use semi synth but can't recommend it as its not what Fiat specify presently

 

[jrkitching]

I think its more of the case the car runs fine on any clean, good oil, close to the correct grade.

I'd agree; the 1.2 FIRE isn't an oil-sensitive design. If you use any reasonable quality oil and change it at a sensible interval, the engine will likely outlast the car.

Just don't ever let it run low on coolant; that's the achilles heel of the FIRE.

The move to lower viscosity oil during the production run is likely about fuel economy and emissions under test conditions; at the time, the fiscal benefits (in the UK at least) were significant and on my own 1.2, have saved me over a quarter of the initial purchase price of the car in the 11 years I've had it.

In the real world, I suspect the differences are quite small, but the RFL savings are substantial, which goes some way to explaining the current prices being asked for the £30pa cars.

Somehow I have a feeling these distorted fiscal advantages of older models won't be around for much longer.

 

[DaveMcT]

Somehow I have a feeling these distorted fiscal advantages of older models won't be around for much longer.

I'd agree but these cars are getting scrapped every year and Government will recover their VED costs by adding ever more fuel duty.