Technical Oils: Same Grade, Different Brand

[koalar]

My 1.1 Active Eco gets Magnatec 5w40 also.

Ignore the octane rating and the fuels are the same. It's just different companies use different additives. Admittedly a lot of it is probably placebo.

Saw two back to back tests on a dyno of unleaded and super unleaded

First car made no difference at all (can't remember the model)
Second car made slightly more power (subaru impreza)

Conclusion was most car couldn't detect the higher octane and run just as before and some performance cars could and adjusted the timings.

Wonder where the Panda falls.

 

[DaveMcT]

My previous bike was a Yamaha 900 inline four. It had twin cams four carbs, 8 valves and made 90bhp out of the box. Probably 95 with better flowing exhaust cans.

I ran it on diesel car engine semi synthetic oil changed every 6000 miles.

At 75,000 I checked the valve clears shims. Just one was a touch below minimum, but I moved them all around so clearances would be near the wider end and all close to the same.

The cam bearing shells still had machining marks and the only polishing was on the cam lobe tips. Cylinder compression was the same as it had ever been and oil pressure was unchanged.

It would probably go and do another 75,000 miles without problem.

Why did I use diesel grade engine oil?
Japanese bikes use a multi plate wet clutch (it runs in engine oil) and the same oil also lubes the gearbox.

My clutch lasted 65,000 miles, cost £55 for a set of new plates and took an hour to fit them. Material wearing from the clutch gets into the oil system to be trapped by the oil filter. I felt the diesel grade oil would better handle the microscopic wear particles. Probably overkill but it cost the same s "normal" oils and the engine certainly seems to like the stuff.

 

[DaveMcT]

I couldn't say about top end power but my 2005 2.0 Turbo Renault Espace was nicer to use on posh petrol. The engine felt sluggish on ordinary 95 RON. It also cost a little less per mile on posh fuel so it was the no brain option.

The BMW bike also runs better on posh petrol. It feels like the brakes are binding when filled with 95 RON.

The Punto HGT 130 had a knock sensor and was just the same. Much more peppy on posh fuel.

The 1999 Seicento 900 didn't care so probably had no knock sensor. The 1997 Yamaha 900 bike performed the same on either fuel and that certainly had no knock sensor.

 

[bluejohn125]

IMO don't skimp on oil with supermarket value own-brand cheapo discount stuff unless you just want basic protection and are happy to change it more frequently.

I feel that Castrol oils are a bit overrated, overpromoted and overpriced, but if you can find some on a deal then why not stick with that.

Personally Ilike this stuff for my older engines...

http://www.valvolineeurope.com/english/products/engine_oils/maxlife/cid(7546)/maxlife_5w-40

Not available everywhere easily but good value and a good product.

 

[jrkitching]

IMO don't skimp on oil with supermarket value own-brand cheapo discount stuff unless you just want basic protection and are happy to change it more frequently.

I feel that Castrol oils are a bit overrated, overpromoted and overpriced, but if you can find some on a deal then why not stick with that.

Personally Ilike this stuff for my older engines...

http://www.valvolineeurope.com/english/products/engine_oils/maxlife/cid(7546)/maxlife_5w-40

Not available everywhere easily but good value and a good product.

Petrol versions of the 169 Panda should have a low SAPS C3 oil to protect the lambda sensors and catalytic converter. Later DPF equipped diesels need a C3 oil to protect the DPF, though I don't think any of the 169 multijets have a DPF fitted.

You can get maxlife C3, but only in a 5W30; which tbh would likely be fine in a 1.2.

 

[DaveMcT]

I used Mobile 1 in a >100K VW diesel. It just blew the stuff down the exhaust. Back to semi synthetic 10-40 and all was well again.