Currently got 15w/30 in my engine but not entirely sure what that means.
Its a C20XE.
The oil pressure gauge shows 4.5bar of pressure when cold but during IVA yesterday once up to temperature it was reluctant to show any pressure at
idle. Once some revs were on the pressure rose to 1-2bar.
Whats the craic? Sticking release valve, wrong oil or are the numbers okay?
Are you sure its 15/30? Thats an unusual spec'; 5/30 would be more likely. If thats what you've gt it's a failrly thin oil. how many
miles are on the engine? 15/40 or 10/40 might be better.
adrian
loads of miles on the engine, not been rebuilt - straight from the donor.
I'm tempted to drop the oil now its been for a run out anyway.
is 10/40 thicker? so itll give me higher readings?
Cheers adrian, you've helped me out a lot this last fortnight or so!
10/40 will be better yes.
10/40 is the correct oil for these engines
ace, is it cheaper to buy oil online these days or from halfords with my trade card?
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
ace, is it cheaper to buy oil online these days or from halfords with my trade card?
Tescos is only 20p a litre cheaper, i need some oil and some screwdrivers so it's off to Halfords for me.
10/40 is the correct oil to use, but if it's got high miles then I'd go with a 15/40 - I ran it in my Mk2 Astra GTE that had almost been to the moon and back, and it never missed a beat.
Symptoms are consistent with a bit of big end bearing wear.
Although it could go on long enough like this it would be worthwhile dropping the sump and sticking a set of big end shells in and remove and the
suction filter and wash it in celluose gunwash thinners.
My dad's 4AGE runs at 2.5 bar when warm too, on 10W40. Never thought it to be on the low side, should I be worried?
For information so that you know what the numbers are...
Oil used to be of a single grade (ie, 30 or 40 or 50 etc) The higher the number the thicker the oil (gear oil is 90's). So a 50's oil had
lots of protection but was so thick that in winter you couldn't turn the engine over. So you put in a thin oil for winter (say 20's) then
had to change back to 50's in spring because 20's was too thin when hot in summer. Lot's of hasstle but the oil only lasted 1500miles
anyway.
Along came Shell (I think) with "multigrade" 20/50. That (simplistically) behaved like a 20 when cold and a 50 when hot, or at least that
was the theory. As oils have improved they are able to protect better for any given viscocity and now new cars are running on what would have been
rediculously thin grades 40 years ago. So modern engines are on 5w/30 from new.
adrian
quote:
Originally posted by rost
My dad's 4AGE runs at 2.5 bar when warm too, on 10W40. Never thought it to be on the low side, should I be worried?
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
For information so that you know what the numbers are...
Oil used to be of a single grade (ie, 30 or 40 or 50 etc) The higher the number the thicker the oil (gear oil is 90's). So a 50's oil had lots of protection but was so thick that in winter you couldn't turn the engine over. So you put in a thin oil for winter (say 20's) then had to change back to 50's in spring because 20's was too thin when hot in summer. Lot's of hasstle but the oil only lasted 1500miles anyway.
Along came Shell (I think) with "multigrade" 20/50. That (simplistically) behaved like a 20 when cold and a 50 when hot, or at least that was the theory. As oils have improved they are able to protect better for any given viscocity and now new cars are running on what would have been rediculously thin grades 40 years ago. So modern engines are on 5w/30 from new.
adrian
sounds like sticking relief valve to me
Even with knackered big ends they usually show a bar at hot idle.
Pull the valve out, give it a clean out and reassemble and see what happens then.
thanks for all the replies everyone