Engine oil

[Redcrofter]

Hi could anyone tell me what the best flavour Spam for my 4.2 engine is ? THANKS

[Gfhug]

Welcome to the forum, do you have a name? It’s much more polite to answer to a name not just a call sign.
Searching on here for “oil” will get a response that it is a too frequently used word.
Many will recommend such as Millers Classic Oil, Morris Golden Film, Halfords Classic 20w50, you can’t really go wrong with them. Though others will swear by modern oils.
Just use the correct amount, 8.5 litres at a oil change and check where it comes to on the dipstick.

Please add your name and car type to the signature area.

Geoff

[dlgis]

I use Valvoline VR1 20w/50 in my 3.8.

[caveman]

Castrol Classic XL 20W/50 for me.

[malcolm]

I use any classic 20/50 that's available. Castrol, millers, valvoline, - all work! I don't use modern synthetic, just classic mineral oil.

[SESH]

Valvoline VR1 20W50 mineral oil for me.

Mike

[chrisfell]

I am frequently a lone voice arguing in favour of semi-synthetic. It is a better oil. And there are various suppliers making oils specifically formulated for our engines. The one I use is a 20W60. I buy in in bulk - 20litre barrels.

I do not understand why anyone would not use the best oil for a valuable cherished car.

[mgcjag]

Chris...why is it better.......whats wrong with with standard 20/50.....what supplier makes specialy formulated oil for xk engins.....is there a link somewhere that gives a compassion .......Steve

[markc555]

Here you go Steve

Of course no one does or ever has made oil specifically for XK engines

I really like Jason's video's, he manages to be just technical enough to convey some useful information to the non expert without dumbing it down too far

For the record I'm with Chris, I use sythetic oil in all my cars including the E Type which leaked oil before I switched to synthetic and still does

Cheers

Mark

[mgcjag]

Hi Mark...yes a very good video.....my question was...."why is it better oil"......this is what Chris was saying.....Steve

[chrisfell]

“ my question was...."why is it better oil"

The answer is simple. Synthetic oils are derived from mineral oils, but they are engineered to contain almost exclusively long chain polymers. Mineral oils have a lower concentration of the longer chains. The longer chains are resistant to breaking down, and consequently synthetic oils remain in good condition for far longer than mineral oils. That’s why they are often referred to as long life oils and why modern cars have service intervals of 20,000 miles.

One downside of synthetic oils, particularly having regard to the age of the engines in our cars, is that longer service intervals mean the oil carries contaminants for longer. I avoid this by sticking to the original E-Type service intervals, despite using a longer life oil.

A story, told to me by a neighbour who was a heating engineer. He was attending boilers in Fawley one of which was in a research unit. Sitting in a booth in the corner of one room was an engine on a test bed. It had been running for months, non stop, on what the developers had called ever lasting oil. It never got to market.

Synthetic oils are better than mineral oils just as radial tyres are better than cross plies, or electronic ignition is better than points and a condenser. The march of technological development should always (nearly) be embraced.

[mgcjag]

Yes synthetic oils have their place in modern cars with long service intervals....i dont see why they are better in E types with much shorter servicing.....iv yet to see an oil manufacturers spec that dosnt recommend useing oil as specified by the vehicle manufacturer......so i still question it being better for XK engins..........Steve

[Geoff Allam]

FWIW when we bought my wife's CTS a number of years ago the manufacturer specified synthetic mobil 1 and long oil change intervals. Being an old fa.. I did changes at my usual intervals and was happy that I did. At 2 years from new we received a service bulletin from GM advising that due to problems with timing chain stretching (wear) we needed to bring it in to have the oil change timer reprogrammed for shorter intervals. Long intervals are fine if you trade in vehicles frequently but if you plan to keep them a long time frequent changes might be advisable.

[chrisfell]

Manufacturers recommendations?

https://www.millersoils.co.uk/products/ ... t-20w60-4/


"Ideally suited to Aston Martin, Jaguar, Ferrari, Lotus and similar high specific output engines., yet suitable for all discerning owners who want the best possible oil for their classic engine. Meets API SJ."

That works for me. But then I did go.looking.

[Gfhug]

But from what era? They don’t specify on that webpage.
Speaking to Motul at Silverstone Classic, they too have a semi-synthetic but were adamant it wasn’t suitable for the XK engine, only for cars from the 80s which could still be termed classic. It is designed for engines of tighter tolerances than the XK which after all was designed back in the 1940s.

https://www.motul.com/gb/en/products/cl ... ies-10w-40

Interestingly our topic author doesn’t seem to have shown any interest in the responses.
Part of me (the cynical part ) could almost imagine OBL David signed in under an assumed name just for the fun of seeing what conversation ensues

Geoff

[bitsobrits]

An Oil Troll? Goes from forum to forum sending the unsuspecting down the rabbit hole of incessant oil babble? Evil personified.

[markc555]

An Oil Troll? Goes from forum to forum sending the unsuspecting down the rabbit hole of incessant oil babble? Evil personified.

Evil indeed His next questions will be...

I was thinking of fitting wider low profile tyres to my E Type, what do you guys think?
I want a longer or 5th gear for motorway cruising, what is the best way to achieve this?
My E is difficult to maneuver and park so I was thinking of fitting electric power steering, what are your thoughts?

[Heuer]

No, his next question will be "who changed my avatar!"