DonovanB This is very off the topic of this forum but I feel I need to share this. I have been working for a co that makes Shell, BP and Castol lubricants for 9 years. I like to think I know a little about oil now and there is one basic principal you all need to know if you own a car/motorbike/tractor/wheelbarrow. Your manual will tell you what oil to use. Don't let anyone tell you to use anything else. If your manual says 20W50, use only that. Unless you know the person is very proficient in OIL, not engines cos they may not know the properties of a certain oil. I'll tell you why.... An old Beetle engine has the filter at the bottom of the engine. If you use a multigrade oil, the dirt, including abrasive materials like metal shavings etc, will be suspended in the oil and accelarate the wear on your engine. The opposite can be said, if you use monograde oil in a multigrade engine the dirt will settle and not be filtered out. further, someone tried to sell me a 15W40 when my engine needs 20W50. This particular oil has an additive that will help a new engine wear in faster, in an older engine like mine, it would have worn my rings and I would have had to replace them (which isn't easy or cheap on most cars) Different brand won't matter, as long as you use the correct grade. don't compromise or you'll end up selling your prize guitar for what is a silly error. To put it into guitarist terms, you wouldn't put an electric guitar in an acoustic guitar case, although it may fit, its won't do much for you.
AlanRatcliffe A question arises from the murky depths of my brain and strikes me about the prefrontal cortex - What about all the old Beetles that were built and run for years before oils were formulated specifically for their special needs? A surprising number of which are still on the roads today?
DonovanB That was also before oil got rather complicated into multi grade 5/10/12/20W20/30/40/50/60 then special ones for petrol and diesel engines. Nowadays the engine designers work with an oil company to formulate specials oils. There is a unique oil that goes into Toyotas as an Initial Fill Oil (IFO) one for Volvo, VW, Merc BMW. Castrol have a specific grade especially for BMW as well. I made grease for 5 years as well. you have no idea the depth something so simple may go into. They even have a biodegradeable grease for the mines. in all this being said, there are cars that will go no matter what. Like the Daihatsu Charade and an old Fiat Uno. Those ooollld engines will run on just about anything, but putting a new fancy oil in them is likely to lead to their demise.
aubs1 Please don't laugh........but I once (heaven knows why) put Multi-grade into my car, (just to top it up...... did'nt need it, but I did) then left for Polokwane, the car freaked out!!!!!! Pulled into a Merc dealership there and asked the guys to help......they k_ked on me, (in a nice way).......had to pump out all the oil, and refill with some "specific" synthetic oil, and was nicely asked by Mercedes NEVER to do that again........!!!! OK Donovan, you can laugh......... ? ?
TomCat My A4 also uses special synthetic oil........Very expensive.....around R50 to R90 per pint.....eish......
DonovanB xcpointx wrote How about using 25W/60 (high mileage) oil in an engine with 300,000 km on it? What does the manual say? Aubs1 thats exactly why I thought to post this. Most of us dont care about oil. We think an action movie is a documentary.
