What oil to use?

chrisc4290 said:
Any 15W-60 viscosity is ok. If you are using synthetic oil, its ok to top up with regular oil
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:wtf: Please don't take this as good advice!! It's absolute bollocks!!

Different viscosities for different engines and running conditions - a w 60 would destroy most engines!!
 
Fazda said:
Do you really want us to get into the pros and cons of synthetic, v/s semi-synthetic, v/s mineral? ;)
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Should I start another thread? :p

Fazda said:
:wtf: Please don't take this as good advice!! It's absolute bollocks!!

Different viscosities for different engines and running conditions - a w 60 would destroy most engines!!
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Once again, considering cars is your business, I will take your advice ;)
 
Grimspoon said:
Should I start another thread? :p



Once again, considering cars is your business, I will take your advice ;)
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No!!! Please!! :p

BTW I've just been trying to work out who would use a viscosity as high as 60 in SA, and I cannot.... If I recall Mobil 1 is 0W30
 
Naks said:
IIRC some older cars from the 70s need a w60.

Mobil 1 also has a 0w40 which is used by high performance turbo cars, e.g., Porsche, Saab, etc.
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No, your older cars are usually quite happy with a W50. My 1968 Wolseley has run on 20W50 all its life.
 
Naks said:
jislaaik, I haven't seen one of these since my teenage years in Mauritius!
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She's actually with my brother not too far from you at the moment - stays near Paarl - rust story doesn't become a problem that way.
 
Nobody seems to have asked the question WHY is your car using oil regularly???? This only says bad things about an engine, especially for an Audi.

@OP How much oil is the car using and how regularly do you top up??
 
Edduck said:
Nobody seems to have asked the question WHY is your car using oil regularly???? This only says bad things about an engine, especially for an Audi.

@OP How much oil is the car using and how regularly do you top up??
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They use oil it is perfectly normal for a high performance turbo engine. I have confirmed this through research and the dealers. It also concerned me at first. However it doesn't use a lot of oil. I have topped up the oil twice since I have had the car and that is a year and roughly 12000 kms. And the oil was not on min. About half way on the dip stick.
 
Grimspoon said:
I am curious what oil one should use? I drive an A4, and if I ever need oil I let the garage attendant top it up with whatever they use, I never query what type of oil they use, but I assume it is decent?

I heard from someone that owns a Merc that Merc said you should only put in their special oil that they use, whatever that may be. Is this hogwash?

Is the garage oil ok, or should I buy a 5l of something better and do it myself?
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Merc has a contract with Caltex to use their oil, so they recommend using that. Nothing about "use that or die". I use a multi-grade (Shell) in the Merc and the expensive synthetic one (also Shell) in the BMW.
 
froot said:
Merc has a contract with Caltex to use their oil, so they recommend using that. Nothing about "use that or die". I use a multi-grade (Shell) in the Merc and the expensive synthetic one (also Shell) in the BMW.
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Caltex Havoline is actually damned good - that's all we would use on our track cars.
 
Fazda said:
No!!! Please!! :p

BTW I've just been trying to work out who would use a viscosity as high as 60 in SA, and I cannot.... If I recall Mobil 1 is 0W30
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My Range Rover uses 5W50. (4.6HSE)

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Don't mix your oils, even if they are the same viscosity. Stay with one brand/viscosity. So if you need to top up your oil, use the left over oil in the can for that.
 
spiderz said:
Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Don't mix your oils, even if they are the same viscosity. Stay with one brand/viscosity.
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Surely if it's the same spec it's not that big a deal?

Last week the landy went in for an oil change. Turns out the oil I used (Castrol Magnatec A1) is discontinued, and I only had 5L. So I got 2L of Ford Motorcraft oil of the same spec.
 
Naks said:
Surely if it's the same spec it's not that big a deal?

Last week the landy went in for an oil change. Turns out the oil I used (Castrol Magnatec A1) is discontinued, and I only had 5L. So I got 2L of Ford Motorcraft oil of the same spec.
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Yes, it's not a big deal if you need to top up and can only get a specific brand, provided the viscosity is the same.
It's not recommended, but it's also not a train smash.
 
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