Hello what is the current most recommended oil for our cars?? It seems the recommendations are always changing as checking my car records, even dealers have used 20w50 non syn 10w40 non syn 10w40 syn 10w50 syn (owners manual) 5w40 syn (ferrari bulletin) 15w50 syn (ferrari bulletin) Currently I am using 20W50 total non sync race fuel with high zinc (I do not have cats at all), that was recommended by my mechanic. I think that is not longer available but there’s a Valvoline VR1 that is also 20w50 non syn and it is a racing formula with high zinc. Motul has an “eighties formula” that is semi synthetic 10w40 and also a classic 20w50 classic formula that is non syn. what is the current best recommendation for our cars from the experts, for either a car with cats and without cats. thank you very much
Good to add I live in SoCal so extreme cold is not an issue and canyon driving during the summer can get above 100s easily. Thanks in advance
High zinc content is just not a concern. Cam wear has not been an issue with Ferrari since the Daytona/ 246. In more modern Ferrari engines ZZDP is a cure for a non existent problem. Because of my experiences running cars for years at the Bonneville Salt Flats I became a big proponent of synthetic oil. In all 4 valve and newer Ferrari engines serviced in my shop get Mobile One. In my Testarossa and 328 I use 0w40 European blend oil. Couldn't be happier. Cold weather or not a low cold number is a good thing. The hot number should be adjusted to climate and use. 40 is good for normal use and 100 degrees is common here. If I was tracking the car Id consider going up to 60. Viscosity breaks down so fast in non synthetic oils comparing viscosity between them is kind of apples and oranges. The oil suggested when the cars were new was not really a synthetic as we use the term now. The Valvoline you mention is still available and I use it in all older Ferrari engines with the old iron sleeves. They will burn synthetic oil like no tomorrow.
I don't track my TR, but I do drive quite fast, almost daily over 100 MPH and breaking 170 once in a blue moon. I use Mobil 1 15w50. I get the oil temp needle pretty high at times. Think I might should consider a 10w60?
I use and have been using Mobil 1 0w40 euro formula in my 512 TR ..and the oil reports look good That formula has a nice amount of zinc ..nothing crazy but nice
100 is not fast in a TR. What is it...4000 RPM or something? How high is high? That gauge was made for dinosaur oil. You can peg it and still be in normal operating range for synthetic. 5-40 or 0-40 is a better choice.
Yes I read somewhere that the AGIP “synthetic” recommended in the manual was not a true synthetic but a blend. Is it true that in older cars seals and gaskets may have shrunk or dried out and could not be leaking because there is a layer of varnish forming a false seal?? and using synthetic oil (due to the higher flow properties) could create or make an existing leak worse? I have read that argument in favor of non syn oils, of course the best would be to fix the gaskets and seals and use the better and advanced oil.
I believe it’s around 4k at 100 mph. Occasionally I’ll have the RPMs in the 5ks for extended periods of time. I assume that would not be considered extreme?
I have said all I have to say. Do you want me to give you permission to use something else? Go ahead. Your car.
I have had good results with Amsoil European car 10w60 synthetic. No cold weather in Dubai but I also don’t drive the car in the hot summer months. It gets changed on an annual basis, which probably means every 3500 km. My TR has now been permanently exported from Dubai to Italy, where Agip is easier to find and I should be able to buy it by the drum for a better price (I have a few other cars there which use the same oil as the TR). Did you know that a 92 Diablo and a 91 TR use the same oil and can use the same UFI filter? As I have told my wife, having both of them makes each of them more economical to run.
Slightly off topic, Im guessing the BBI is iron sleeve then. Mobil 1 did not work in that car. I use Valvoline Vr1, seems to work out. Even still if it spends a lot of time in the 4500-6500K+ range oil consumption seems to go up as does of course temp. Mostly this is 3 rd and some 4th gear working a mountain road prob the hardest conditions in terms of load and low airflow, never pegged the oil temp but it does go way up . Ive read that its possible the engine is pushing oil through the hose off the cam cover into the intake at high revs cause some vent is not operating properly? i dont see pcv valve
The BBs always had an oil consumption issue and for sure it gets much worse with synthetic oil. They also had an oil temp problem. No oil cooler and if run hard would just peg the gauge. BBLM had that extended nose to make room for a huge oil cooler.
A little bit off topic because the oil grades they tested in this video were 5W20 vs 20W50 (and the lower grade one is too thin for our cars) but I think it is a very interesting video worth watching. They tested power and wear between both grades. That guy “motor oil geek” has very interesting videos. Hope you like it
I just put Valvoline 10W-40 conventional in on my last change. I was recommended non-synthetic by my mechanic. I may bump to 50 for the Summer but I think I'll just hang with conventional and 3-4 month changes.
interesting video that is why I put in my competition a switch to shut ON-OFF only the ignition. so with OFF I start until the oil pressure gauge shows something and then I switch to on. I use in my BB and the competition only 15W 40, changing once a year. of course this is non synthetic oil
Great video. Stupid question, if one did use a 0w20 in our engines what would likely happen? I would have assumed not enough oil pressure could be built to prevent serious damage.
Don't try it. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/0w-20-m1-2003-ferrari-575-3k-on-oil-5k-total-on-car.17062/
according to this video (starting at the 18 minute mark and lasts 12 minute) Manufacturers are pushing for thinner oil grades to improve fuel consumption but the thinner the oil is (on the hot number) the less protection it provides, the wider the range is between the W number and the hot number the more viscosity modifiers and the more prone the oil to shear. https://www.youtube.com/live/mr07y1H3U7c?t=1077&si=NlT4rX1XGlRw55J2
who cares about the fuel consumption at a non daily driver? protection is much more important. and also a not leaking engine
