Is synthetic oil recommended for the 328?
Been using it for 5/6 years without issue. I use the 0W40 stuff. There are those that claim that there is a risk of springing oil leaks but then that may be down to bad seals /gaskets that are there in the first place.
My 1989 328 owners manual specifies AGIP Sint 2000 10W40 (which is synthetic oil) for the engine. So the answer is, yes, it was recommended…at least by Ferrari. Like Iain, I also use Mobil 1 0W40 in my 328.
me too Shell Helix Ultra 5W40, 100% synthetic. Mobli 1 or a 0W-40 100% synthetic oil is just an upgrade and not a problem of course. ciao
Mobil 1 0 W 40. Read this as a primer: FerrariChat.com - FAQ: Motor Oil Articles by Dr. Ali E. Haas (AEHaas) Lester
The oil primer thing was interesting… In the late 70's we started using synthetic oil on all high-performance and competition engines that we built (99% US v8 motors). Many of them were drag-race engines and we found that there was free HP to be gained by determining oil viscosity for the engine by running it and checking pressure, reducing the viscosity to whatever point would still provide acceptable pressure (10PSi per 1k rpm) at full throttle/max RPM. Some engines ran straight SAE 20; I can't recall any needing more than SAE 30. Hemi Mopars, for example, were turning 7500 RPM (nowadays they spin 'em to 9000) on 20 wt and picking up 15-20 HP over heavier oil. Also, using synthetic oil over the same weight dino oil was worth 5-10 HP. So it was interesting to read a "current" edition of the same sort of thing.
Synthetic oil WILL find it's way through smaller openings than dino oil, as will any thinner oil vis thicker oil. It has always been customary to increase oil viscosity as an engine wears to the point where clearances become excessive to reduce/stop smoking and it works fine, often for quite a long time. Just like leaks occur because the sealing surface is faulty, if there is oil smoke, it is because clearances are excessive, not because there is a problem with the oil. Oil smoke on startup indicates that valve guides/seals are no longer doing their job. And yes, dino oil (or heavier oil) will reduce the symptoms compared to Syn oil.
