A question on oil?

Castrol 20w50

 

+1

 

I think you'll find that most of us run Castrol 20W50 in the 308 engines. But please, there are a million threads on motor oil. In the tech section, there is a whole series of threads discussing motor oil, how its made, how it works and making recommendations. I think it's called "Motor Oil 101". The last thing we need here is yet another motor oil thread.

 

More about my first in a second...

My second oil change was with Castrol 20W50. I use a 20W50 because it's what several trusted mechanics in the area (independants) recommended I use when I asked them about doing my own oil changes. "These engines just weren't built with the tight clearances of todays engines," one said.

Instead, I chose to ignore their collective advice and go with Mobil-1 0W40 SuperSyn for my first oil change. Aside from the increased leakage, my oil pressure was just *too* low when fully warm, so I knew a thicker oil was needed. That means something in the 50-weight category, and since I know of no 10W50 oils, Castrol 20W50 it was - just like was suggested to me in the first place!

I just went about confirming their instructions poorly.

 

Nearly everyone here and Rifeldriver, recommended Castrol 20W50

Thats what I changed mine to, the oil pressure is up and I have less oil leaking into the drip pan on the garage floor.

 

"Kendall" When I had my 1971 Firebird Trans-Am I used to use Kendall Oil and they were great oil. Whatever happen to Kendall oil anybody knows?

 

I've been using 15W-50 synthetics in my 328 (the manual recommends 10W-50, which seems to be unavailable except in 55-gallon drums!). I started with Mobil1 and switched to NAPA (made by Ashland, the Valvoline people) which has done just fine.

My technician, though recommends using only Valvoline 20W-50 racing oil; he does not recommend Castrol as he claims they've seen too much foaming with Castrol. He said Pennzoil is just okay, while Quaker State should be avoided like the plague!

 

I buy the stuff directly from the US Agip supplier. I figured it's the stuff shown in the manual...

 

There's boatloads of Kendall on the shelf at my local parts place right now.

www.winchesterauto.com

I doubt it'd be worth it to have oil shipped to ya', but just so you know, the stuff is still around. Quite reasonably priced, too!

 

I have been using Castrol Syntec 5W-50 and like it. Doesn't seem to drip more than dino oil. You get the 50 on the high end for when the car is hot and the 5 on the low end to keep the wear at startup to a minimum. So better protection than 20W-50 for wear, and just as good for maintaining oil pressure when hot.

Now I'm going to run before Ali comes and tells me how stupid I am!!!



///Birdman\\\

 

If I didn't already have somewhat of a "loose" engine, I might be inclined to try just that every stuff. Perhaps after my 30k I will try the switch. For now, I think it's best that I stick with the 20W....

 

Aaron, it could be my imagination, but I swear the car seems to like the 5W-50 better. I tried 20W-50 and 10W-40 dino oils before I switched to this.

Or I'm completely projecting! But I like the fact that the car gets less wear and tear when I start it up cold.

///Birdman\\\

 

I use Agip SINT2000 in both of my current Ferraris and also used it in my old GT4 with no problems. Even my GTSi, with 81K on it, only leaks a little bit and it doesn't use anything between 3K oil and filter changes. The SINT2000 is a 10W-40 synthetic blend, which seems to be a good compromise between a dino and fully synthetic oil.

Cheers,
Aaron
'82 GTSi
'83 400iA

 

Aaron,
Where do you get it?

Birdman

 

Mark, you are in the UK - most of these guys are in the US - different blends, & brands of oil on the shelves.

Weapon of choice in the UK is Castrol Magnatec for advanced engines (10w40) which is just a good quality semi-synthetic. If its sold in the States its under another name.

Lots of people use it in 308/328s & Mondis. I've used it pretty much solidly for the last 5 years in my 328 without problems.

I.

 

This is not Ali speaking....."it is oil FLOW, not oil PRESSURE that counts!"

 

We all know what the oil is for, but, technically speaking, pressure is restricted volume....I want both, hot, cold at idle and at high RPM.

 

Agip can be purchased directly through American Agip www.americanagip.com or by calling . The website is in the process of being re done, and will have a uch better on line store soon, and the products listed are not up to date. Agip makes an excellent synthetic 5w-50 oil in addition to the Sint 2000 line.

Carl

 

I've liked Castrol 20-50 but since I just replace my seals I'm trying full synthetic.

The above post reminded me of when I was younger my father-in-law was a quality control chemist at one of the big oil companies and he told me to use Valvoline as it was the only oil he knew of that would not foam. He said when oil foams the foam burns and that's what causes sludge. Of course it was 20 years ago when he told me this.

 

I was talking to my machinist this morning and he brought up a very interesting issue with off the shelf API spec oil. he said that due to emissions that about a year ago they started removing some of the additives which increased the lubricating effect of the oils. this was due to the additives were distroying the cats. Most new cars run roller cams now and the requirments for the additives to reduce flat tappet wear for new vehicles is gone.

This is an issue because they are seeing a high spike (compcams reported from 1 in 40 to 1 in 10) increase in wiped cam lobes during the break-in period. Also, he said that they are reporting babbit cam bearing seizures. He stated that he is starting to see a higher amount of wear (cylinder, rod and main journals, etc) in the engines he is tearing down this year.

I understand that he was specifically talking to me about push rod type engines, but he was pointing out that the off the shelf oils are not designed with older higher friction engines in mind. He stated that I should highly consider running racing only oil. The race only oils will not be API certified, but have the additives. Also, Diesel engine oils are exempt from this reduction in additives. I do not plan to run diesel engine oil in my ferrari, but it is being recommended by the cam manufacturers for the brake-in period of flat tapet cams.

I have been running Valvoline 20W50 Racing oil in the Ferrari due to I have had Great results from it in my high performance 350, and I rev the 308 so high and so often. It has great oil pressure.

Granted the 308's don't have push rods, but their cam to valve puck design has more friction to it than a roller cam and they do need the friction reducing additives. Not to mention, cylinder and bearing wear.

Dan

 

How does Kendal oil stack up to Valvoline and Castrol?