My BB512i came with synthetic blend Agip SINT 10w-50 too and I have been using full synthetic Castrol TWS 10W60 for years with no leaks or problems whatsoever...that synthetic causes leaks claim was made decades ago when Mobile1 first came out...
Bumped into a site that compared Amsoil with most other major brands (but Agip, Redline, or Sweepco weren't included) in 7 different areas on... www.oil-tech.com/motor oil-comparison.htm
OK. Enough is enough. I'm going to flush the engine with Amsoil Engine Flush AEF. I'll then fill it with 20W50 Amsoil Synthetic Premium Protection Motor Oil ARO. If it explodes, I'll post the pictures.
Heinekin F@#% that Sh*@......Pabst Blue Ribbon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After all of my research I am going to run Rotella 15/40 and change on regular intervals in everything except my corvair which I will finish up some Redline and then run Rotella and continue to change on regular intervals. Oil selection will make you crazy.
Fair question with the acid. I don't know however I would not extend service intervals because I was using a synthetic. I don't think commercial synthetics were available at the time my car was manufactured 1974. Would be curious to see what later 400I 's and 412's oil recomendation Ferrari made. My book says Shell Super Motor Oil no weights, then gives Temps and weights of Shell 100 40wt,30wt, and for really cold 10/30. The only thing I found on Shell Super Motor Oil was this ad off E-Bay. Don,t know if it is remarkable by todays standards. One thing that I can assure you is is that whom ever you talk to their product will be the best and they all have data. My advice is to select a recomended weight from a reputable motor oil company and change frequently. Oil selection will make you crazy. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Ferrari recommended AGIP Sint 2000 SAE 10W40 for the 1988 Ferrari 412, which is a blended synthetic. Picking the best oil is impossible, but selecting a very good oil is not that difficult. Few of us are hammering down a racing circuit at 200 mph +. Stay with a blended synthetic, the more the engine wears, the less important it will be to have a fully synthetic oil. Some garages in the homeland of SAAB and Volvo, Sweden, recommend high mileage cars to revert from fully synthetic to blended in order to minimize leakage, even for very new cars, taxi, fleet operation etc. Pick the viscosity Ferrari proposed and most important of all, - warm up before revving up, - change filters and oil regularly, the cheapest way to keep the engine in good condition.
I've often read in publications on Ferrari to change oil often, but don't change filters every time--as the filter traps particles it filters to a finer degree. Any thoughts out there on this?
I've often read in publications on Ferrari to change oil often, but don't change filters every time--as the filter traps particles, it filters to a finer degree. Any thoughts out there on this?
Gotta say that I've never heard THAT reason for not changing a filter!!!! Please cite the article and source for that comment. Look, the filter performs best when it is new. It does not screen out more gunk as it gets clogged up. A Ferrari engine rebuild costs $20K plus. A pair of UFIs for the 400i is $50 and 19 quarts of Mobil 1 is about $120 on sale. Maybe a lot compared to 4 quarts of Costco oil on sale for $2/quart and a $5 filter for your Toyota, but really, why would you even think of skimping on frequent oil changes every 3,000 miles, especially when that is 18 months of driving for a lot of Ferrari owners? There is no cheaper means for ensuring the longevity of your engine than making sure that it is full of clean and fresh oil. John
I've been using a partial synthetic in my 81 400i on recommendation of my mechanic since my last oil change, and it's been working well: Castrol Syntec 20w50.
Good deal! Sounds like Castrol Syntech is a good substitute to the partial synthetic Agip 10W/50. For the life of me, I can't locate the discussion of filter change freq.--it's going to require a total reread to find, but haven't given up! I've run into the 3k mi. freq. a # of times, and its been coupled w/3 mo. interval--unless you're driving 12k mi/yr, still supposed to dump it @3mo.(I admit , I didn't qualify my filter freq. in regards to this). To be more specific, it was suggested that the filter be changed every other oil change(& not for the reasons of economy---economy has no place in the exotic world). In Allen Bishop's 'Ferrari-Guide to Performance', he states "Never consider any printed material as infallible, this book included. Just because a book is a factory publication does not preclude error. I believe several well-entrenched misconceptions were initially rooted in factory errors! Always recheck your references, especially if a fact or figure arouses your suspicions." For that reason alone, I search out info. regarding Ferrari. I find that publ. of earlier models to the 400 very useful, laying out the foundation from which they evolved from, gaining a better understanding of their development. Bruce
Its not uncommon to see recommendations for daily driver cars about changing the oil filter every other oil change, but I believe that is solely for reasons of economy and not because the effectiveness of the filter increases with age and use. In general, the trend these days with oil monitoring systems is to go for longer oil change intervals. The ability to continuously monitor the performance of motor oil should help make sure that the oil is used to its maximum effective life and not changed too early, which creates an environmental and disposal problem. Absent that capability and given the high cost of Ferrari engine rebuilds, I think that it makes sense to err on the side of changing the oil and filters too early rather than too late. John
Hello everyone, I just bought a Ferrari 400i automatic and I know that the oil has just been changed but I know nothing about the oil filters. So my question is, can I change the oil filters on a Ferrari 400i without emptying out the oil tank? if so, what would you guys recommend? Sorry to interrupt Mic Del Garda
Yes, you can remove and change the oil filters without draining the oil tank (although you might need to add a liter, or so, of oil). Would probably be best to not run the engine for a while (like overnight) before removing them (and even then they may hold some oil so be preprepared with some rags for a possible mess since they are inverted). For parts recommendations/sourcing, it's important to know where you are located so you should add your location to your FChat Profile. I would guess that you are not in the US, but, if you were in the US, I would recommend: Baldwin B253 or UFI 23-162-02 as these have the proper internal standpipe and anti-drainback valve for an inverted application. If you are in Europe, I have a vague recollection(s) of someone mention a MANN, or maybe a HASTINGS brand, oil filters that also have these proper features so maybe they can comment.
MANN-FILTER W940/1 , just as good as the baldwin: easy to source, heavy, strong case, and does hold oil very well. Baldwin are my favourite (look better). Unfortunately I cannot source these anymore.
Thank you guys, I'm actually from Italy and here I found the UFI and the Mann filters. Regarding the process of replacing the filters, do you have any suggestions? Do I need to cover something to avoid the oil to go everywhere? I'm a rookie at this stuff so any advice is appreciated.
Put some rag in the valley. If the previous mechanic used the proper filter, there will be minimal oil loss (less than a espresso coffee cup, more than a ristretto...). Do not buy any alternative to the filters, even if the guy at the counter tells you they are compatible. The three references that were provided to you do have an inner pipe that does retain oil the filter which prevents oil starvation when you crank the engine. Also these filters can endure high oil pressure. Other filters do have the proper dimension but are totally wrong for our cars.
I found Baldwin filters drained back and it took longer to pump up oil pressure when starting after a few days. So I used UFI's.
I always prefilled the filters with oil. It takes a little patience as the oil settles into the media. Before moving them to the motor, I flipped them over the oil bottle with a funnel in it as a bit of the oil in the center will drain out.
I just disconnect the ignition and crank the engine until the pressure light shuts down. (A modern starter does help).
