Oil Advice And Recommendations Here

[oilman]

Dear Members,

My name is Simon Barnard and I own an oil distribution business in the South West.

I have been invited by the SXOC to run an “Oil Advice and Recommendations” service for your Club. The Club is a registered Member of our Clubs Oil Scheme for which this is a FREE service.

We deliver all oils by AMTRAK “overnight” service anywhere in mainland UK.

I'm here to answer questions, give advice and recommendations to the Members of this Club. I accept that everyone knows everything there is to know about oil, and the best oils to use in their cars, so it may fall on deaf ears, but most Clubs find my services and prices a benefit to their Members.

I do not like posting prices for my oils on open forums so you will need to email me for a price list.

sales@opieoils.co.uk

Hopefully I can at least expose some of the myths and give sound "technical" advice.

I would like to point out that, I sell Castrol, Mobil, Silkolene, Fuchs and Total Oils and have no particular loyalty to one brand (Customers buy what they are comfortable with) however, I normally recommend oils based on the following criteria:

1) Technical Specifications and suitability

2) Quality compared to others of the same performance

3) Price comparisons (VFM)

Naturally, I have my favorites, but this is based on quality and performance.

Many of the oils I sell are not available in the shops but are specialist oils only available through Authorised Distributors like myself (e.g. I don't sell Magnatec but I do to supply Castrol Performance 10w-40 semi-syn not available in the shops).

On a public forum there are drawbacks, especially if the product is made by a supplier of mine so I may "duck" some questions and reply to you personally by PM.

My opinions are frank but based on facts so I'll apologise in advance if I upset anyone. I will ALWAYS give you the "best advice", but you don't have to take it.

I look forward to being of service to SXOC Members and Forum users.

Email : sales@opieoils.co.uk

Tech Specs: http://www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm

Telephone: 01209 215164 Fax 01209 314019

Simon Barnard
Partner
Opie Oils

[oilman]

RECOMMENDATIONS

To help me, to help you I would be grateful if you could supply the following information when requesting a recommendation:

Make
Model
Year
Engine Size
Engine Type
Any Mods
Type of driving (track or just road etc)

The oil you currently use (make and grade)

Thanks for your cooperation

Cheers
Simon

[oilman]

Something to think about!

A word of caution – You get what you pay for!

Below is an article written by John Rowland, Silkolene/Fuchs Chief R & D Chemist for 40 years.

Quote:

Costs of synthetics vary considerably. The most expensive are the “Ester” types originally only used in jet engines. These cost 6 to 10 times more than high quality mineral oils. The cheapest synthetics are not really synthetic at all, from a chemists point of view. These are in fact specially refined light viscosity mineral oils known as “hydrocracked”. These have some advantages over equivalent mineral oils, particularly in lower viscosity motor oils such as 5w-30 or other oils with a low “W” rating such as 5w-50 etc and they cost about 1.5 times more than good quality mineral fractions. We use several different grades of this base oil, where appropriate. This is the “synthetic” which is always used in cheap oils that are labelled “synthetic”. Yes it’s a cruel world, you get what you pay for!

Now, you may ask, why are these special mineral oils called “synthetic”? Well, it was all sorted in a legal battle that took place in the USA about ten years ago. Sound reasons (including evidence from a Nobel Prize winning chemist) were disregarded and the final ruling was that certain mineral bases that had undergone extra chemical treatments could be called “synthetic”. Needless to say, the marketing executives wet their knickers with pure delight! They realised that this meant, and still does, that the critical buzz-word “synthetic” could be printed on a can of cheap oil provided that the contents included a few percent of “hydrocracked” mineral oil, at a cost of quite literally a few pence.

So, the chemistry of “synthetics” is complex and so is the politics!

The economics are very simple. If you like the look of a smart well-marketed can with “synthetic” printed on it, fair enough, it will not cost you a lot; and now you know why this is the case. But, if you drive a high performance car, and you intend to keep it for several years, and maybe do the odd “track day”, then you need a genuine Ester/PAO (Poly Alpha Olefin) synthetic oil, such as PRO S or PRO R. This oil costs more money to buy, because it costs us a lot of money to make, very simply, you always get what you pay for!

UNQUOTE:

This article is something that all car owners should read and understand before buying oil and I’ve posted this with Johns permission.

Cheers,
Simon .

[SM]

So given that this is the 200SX forum .. and most of the cars are modified can you not give a general advise for somebody with a modified 1.8/2.0L Turbo car that will stand up the the rigours of track and fast road use. This would cover most people here.

The current Fav oils are
Castrol RS 10w60
Mobil M-Sport 15w50

[Actual_Ben_Taylor]

Hello Simon welcome to the board

You might as well start with mine

Make - Nissan
Model - 200SX
Year - 1998
Engine Size - 2000
Engine Type - Turbo
Any Mods - Loads, over 400bhp
Type of driving (track or just road etc) - Used every day. Shortish trips to work and frequent high speed motorway stuff. Also occasional track days.
The oil you currently use (make and grade)

Usually use Castrol RS 10W60 and tend to change it very frequently

Cheers

[Dave_S]

Hi Simon

I've got an oil change due in 500 miles so would be great if you could steer me

Make: Nissan
Model: 200sx S14
Year: 1995
Engine Size: 1998cc
Engine Type: SR20DET 16v Turbo
Any Mods: List here
Type of driving (track or just road etc): Just road, frequent 15 mile A/B road journeys some shorter, hardly any motorway.

The oil you currently use (make and grade): Mobil 1 Motorsport 15w/50 changed ever 3k miles

Dave

[--lorien--]

And possibly mine, must reflect a similar spec to a few owners here.

Make - Nissan
Model - 200SX
Year - 1999
Engine Size - 2000
Engine Type - Turbo
Any Mods - Slight boost upgrade, exhaust, filter
Type of driving (track or just road etc) - Used every day. Shortish trips to work. Some fast road. No track day.
46k mileage.

Only recently had the car, no idea of current oil.

Cheers, need to buy some oil sharpish too.

[oilman]

Ok, to be frank with you.

The manufacturer seems to recommend a range of oils for your cars from 5w to 15w and sae 30 to 50.

Based on regular service intervals and "normal" driving however the best bet with regards to standard cars and UK weather is 10w-40 Semi or Fully Synthetic.

There are always options to consider with regards to "special requirements" if you would like to do this but you'll need further advice and.................I may have further questions for you.

Nissan 200sx (1989-93) API SF
Nissan 200sx (1995-97) API SG
Nissan 200sx (1997-99) API SH

Specs have moved on now so most oils sold today are API SJ/SL

As mentioned above, there are reasons for stepping out of the Manufacturers recommended grade but you should never go too far, 0w might not be good here nor would 60, it's just a step too far.

So, why would you want to do it?

Basically there are advantages here and they are as follows:


5w-40 instead of 10w-40

5w offers better cold start and short journey protection as it's thinner than 10w and remember this is when 70+ percent of the engine wear occurs.


10w-50 instead of 10w-40 - 15w-50 instead of 15w-40

50 offers better protection than 40 when the engine is running hot so if you're doing track days or hard driving you may want to consider this option.

A word of warning about 60 grade

Modern engines do not need a 60 grade, it's really too thick and, even hot-running engines do not need SAE 60 oil these days. (by ‘hot’ I mean 120-130C). SAE 60 is heavier than most SAE 90 gear oils. If an oil is too thick, it de-aerates slowly, leading to cavitation in the oil pump, or the bearings being fed slugs of air along with the oil.

The thickness of the oil will also have an effect on the cars performance.


Synthetic Oils instead of Mineral Oils.

It is a fact that Semi and Fully synthetic oils are better for your car, they flow better when cold and give a greater level of protection when the engine is hot.

It is a fact, not myth that complex engines such as DOHC, Turbocharged, and Supercharged when driven hard will always have a greater degree of protection from a synthetic oil.

A synthetic oil is more robust and will last longer (that's why they cost more) mineral oils need much more frequent oil changes but they are cheaper. Semi-synthetic is to some extent the "middle ground" for pennies more than a good mineral oil.


Ester Synthetic Oils against Normal Synthetic Oils

The oils that give true benefits are ester synthetics (pretty hard to come by as they are expensive to make although Silkolene still does). The reasons for their application in motorsport and the aviation sector are clear:

They assist the additive pack in a motor oil formulation because they are surface-active (electrostatically attracted to metal surfaces), so they help to reduce wear and friction.

They are fluid at very low temperatures and at high temperatures they are very chemically stable and have low volatility (don’t evaporate away).

They also help to prevent hardening and cracking of oil seals at high temperatures.

It should be said that there are three types of synthetic oils on the market and they vary in quality and price the lowest being MC/HC (Molecularly Converted/Hydrocracked) mineral oil, POA's Poly Alpha Olefins and Esters.

So, there you have it, some advantages and disadvantages to consider, I'm here to give advice so please feel free to ask, I'll do my best to answer you.

As many of you will be aware, I sell the likes of Mobil 1 15w-50 Motorsport, Castrol RS 10w-60 and the Silkolene PRO S and PRO R Ester Range so I have plenty of oils to choose from. At the end of the day, I will tell you truthfully what I think are the best but you must use what you are comfortable with.

Hopefully I can save you some money at least! For a price list, you need to email me:

sales@opieoils.co.uk

Tech Data: http://www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm

Cheers
Simon

[Jonny]

Hi, and welcome to the board!

Most people on here will be using Mobil 1 15w50 or Castrol RS 10w60...

My spec is fairly standard, so will be covered by someone elses post

I'd like to know your thoughts on extending oil change intervals when using synthetic... The official Nissan oil change interval is about 6000 miles for the S14, but most people seem to change theirs at about 3-5K miles...

I understand some manufacturers state that you can extend the service interval if you go to fully synthetic - what are your thoughts on this?

(A friend of my Dad's used to be an auto-electrician for VW. They were told that if you used the VW synth oil (Quantum?) you could extend the changes - he was running 15-20K between oil swaps on a mark2 golf gti, but changing the filter at the normal intervals)

I'm sure someone will ask you for your professional opinion on oil additives, don't answer as it's sure to get heated!!! (search for the prolong thread for full details)...

Jon

[MarkH]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the diff oil Simon, received it today!

If you want to know what oils you guys should be using give simon a ring/pm/email, he is a very interesting guy to converse with and will give you some insider knowledge

[SM]

It seems then for me 5w50 Full Synth would be ideal.

most journeys are 55miles (distance to work)
I take the car on the track.
I have an oil cooler - runs @ 75/80oC on road (oil cooler covered in tin foil) and .... well we'll see on the track but not over 120 for sure :thumbs

Would mixing equal amounts of Castrol RS 0w40 with 10w60 give the best results then ?
Presumably in winter, with no trackdays and colder ambient, a different grade would be better.

[oilman]

I'd like to know your thoughts on extending oil change intervals when using synthetic... The official Nissan oil change interval is about 6000 miles for the S14, but most people seem to change theirs at about 3-5K miles...

I understand some manufacturers state that you can extend the service interval if you go to fully synthetic - what are your thoughts on this?

(A friend of my Dad's used to be an auto-electrician for VW. They were told that if you used the VW synth oil (Quantum?) you could extend the changes - he was running 15-20K between oil swaps on a mark2 golf gti, but changing the filter at the normal intervals)

In general, yes synthetics will last longer, ester being the best, here's a rule of thumb. (It does depend on the quality of the oil though!) The more expensive oils with "high grade" VI improvers will last longer as the oil will last longer before "shearing" thinning down.

MC synthetic - 3000-5000 miles
POA's - 6000-8000 miles
Esters - 10000-120000 miles

You need to equate cost/quality.

Most "long drain" oils as specified by manufacturers such as Audi/VW and BMW are in fact either 0w-30 or 0w-40 (VW 503.01 and BMW LL01) but I wouldn't say these were good for your cars especially if your tracking it, besides they are specified for variable service intervals. The car tells you when type scenario.

I'm sure someone will ask you for your professional opinion on oil additives, don't answer as it's sure to get heated!!! (search for the prolong thread for full details)...

Hmmm I think many will already have seen the views that I have posted on other forums, do we need to go there?

Cheers
Simon

[oilman]

Would mixing equal amounts of Castrol RS 0w40 with 10w60 give the best results then ?
Presumably in winter, with no trackdays and colder ambient, a different grade would be better.

OMG, please don't mix oils. They are formulated with very fine tolerances.

Don't mix as the oil companies do this for you.

All year round consider Silkolene PRO S 10w-50 or 5w-40 ester Fully Syn.

Don't be afraid of going to 5w as long as it's an ester (this transcript will open a few eyes - Names witheld but available on request)

From: xxxxx
Sent: 07 May 2004 16:16
To: Rowland, John
Cc: xxxxx
Subject: Peugeot Cosworth - result!

John

Just a note to let you know I've heard from xxxxx - the rally driver with
the 300+bhp Peugeot-ice-racer-bodied hybrid with the normally asthmatic
Cosworth in the back.

Prior to you taking over, he used to have to strip the engine after every event (normally 45 miles, he couldn't get it to last for a National event of 70-80 miles) and change the big end bearings every time. He'd been everywhere and tried everything (including Halfords!), and couldn't solve his problem.

First off, he was really surprised when you asked to look at the bearings, as
no-one had ever asked! He was equally surprised by your recommendation to go thinner, and also, I have to say, worried. He equated 'thickness' with 'better protection'. I eventually persuaded him to try Pro S 5w/40, as you suggested.

He called me to say he'd stripped the engine this week, after it's FOURTH event (approx 200 competitive miles!), and there isn't a mark on it. He is utterly delighted, and asked me to pass on his thanks for all your help and expertise.

I'd also like to add my thanks to you. He is extremely influential in
competition circles, and is now going to tell the world and his wife what, and
who, sorted this problem.

Once again, many thanks

Regards
xxxx

Hope this is of interest.

Cheers
Simon

[B.L]

Wow you guys even get your own oil specialist

Some nice info here
I changed my oil 2 months ago and was looking for silkolene or mobil1 but they are just too hard to find in my country so went with castrol rs10w60.

[Petrol]

All year round consider Silkolene PRO S 10w-50 or 5w-40 ester Fully Syn.

Don't be afraid of going to 5w as long as it's an ester

Cheers
Simon

Hello Simon and thanks for your input into this board
Very interesting reading to say the least.
I have always been a great believer of “it’s not what oil you use it’s how often you change it” I have used Valvoline sae 5-40 synthetic in every car I have owned and always changed the oil at 3K miles. I have never had any engine component wear out and that includes a Cavalier that had covered 185,000 miles. I assume that the Valvoline oil is not an ester because it’s relatively cheap but do you think it’s too thin? Also why would a 5w ester offer better protection than a 5w MC/HC oil?

Like many others on the board I have a mildly tuned 200 and realise with a turbo charged car the oil is working in a more extreme environment. My consideration now is should I use the Silkolene PRO S ester oil and increases the mileage between changes or is it better to change it more frequently and use a lower quality synth oil? Is suppose it’s a £ / performance trade off but I would think a few of the board members are thinking the same. I have emailed a request for a price list.


Thanks

Pete R

[Jon]

Mr Oilman sir,

I have used Halfords semi-synth 10w40 during winter (lots of 1 mile journeys from cold) and have changed to 15w50 Mobil1 for the summer (more 1 mile journeys and a couple of trackdays).
And intend to change back to the cheaper Halfords oil at next change in the autumn.

Rumour has it that mixing the two oils is unwise. Is there any truth in this ?

1995 200SX SR20 engine 1998cc. Standard at 10psi boost. 104k miles now , oil change pattern since 80k over 2years.

Cheers for any advice,
Jon

[Mark]

Simon,

I work for Ford so use their own brand 5w40 synthetic (which i believe is Havoline) I have the 2.0 DOHC Turbo (with roller bearing turbo running around 15psi, estimated 270 bhp) and do about 20k a year (mixed main roads and round town) is this suitable?

Cheers

[Jezz_S13]

Hi Simon,

What do you make of this...
http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=93665

[crackdownuk]

LOL how did i know it what gonna be that thread

[Jonny]

In general, yes synthetics will last longer, ester being the best, here's a rule of thumb. (It does depend on the quality of the oil though!) The more expensive oils with "high grade" VI improvers will last longer as the oil will last longer before "shearing" thinning down.

MC synthetic - 3000-5000 miles
POA's - 6000-8000 miles
Esters - 10000-120000 miles

You need to equate cost/quality.

Thanks for the info. You've already stated that the top Silkolene oil is Ester, what are Mobil1 / Castrol RS?

Cheers,

Jon