Castrol oil

[VTSSDUDE]

I wouldn't use anything thinner than 50 grade.

[Ratsmow]

Steve is it true that a new oil say 10w60 loses some of its viscosity dropping it down to like a 10w50 after a short time in the motor. I don't mean as it heats up but after say 500k of use.
When you test a used oil sample can you tell the viscosity of this oil. I guess what I'm asking is as a rough guide in a daily driver what would a 10w60 drop in viscosity after 7500 ks. I realise every sample will be different but just curious as to what the 10w60 would finish up at after it's been used for 7500ks.

[markone2]

I run Castrol 10/60 on all of my LSX cars........never ever blown an engine yet.....7250 rpm limiter included, with one 5.7 SV8 clocking over 1000 1/4 passes

Gets my vote

.

[Ratsmow]

So would you use it in a stock ls1 with tune only that doesn't get driven that hard.

[Woodchukka]

So would you use it in a stock ls1 with tune only that doesn't get driven that hard.

Change the exhaust with the oil and you will not be able to help yourself thus justifying the 10w60 .

[markone2]

So would you use it in a stock ls1 with tune only that doesn't get driven that hard.

Do you eat porridge for breakfast ?...or bacon. eggs .tomatoes, with a side helping of mushrooms ?........Your engine also likes a good feed
There lies your answer
Cheap insurance for the life of your engine and its future welfare imho……..


.

[Ratsmow]

Yeh chukka it's got a 3inch di fillipo system, sounds friggin awesome.

[Ratsmow]

Great analogy there mark one, it's running 10w60 now but was considering changing it but I will leave it for now. Can get cool through the winter down hear in albury that was my only concern really.

[GR346]

Can get cool through the winter down hear in albury that was my only concern really.

Gets fresh here in Canberra too but the 10w60 is great in the R8
Wouldnt use anything else

When are you heading back up this way for a drive btw?

[Ratsmow]

Hey Gareth, how's the detailing going. I'm a gluten for punishment, just bought another black car. Sv6 for the wife, not a bad a rig. Not sure when I'll be up but if your into valiants chryslers on the Murray is on down here next weekend. Used to have a 6pack charger so I'll go and have a look, usually a real good event, think it's the biggest Chrysler show in the Southern Hemisphere.

[swingtan]

Oil, like many other consumables, needs to be chosen to suit what the car is being used for.

Personally, I don't like 10W60 as it doesn't lend its self well for how I generally use my car. Putting it simply, 10W60 is a thick oil (compared to ssay a 5W40). When cold, the oil flows less and pressures are higher until the oil has reached normal operating temps. If you only drive short distances, the oil may rarely reach optimal temps, so a thicker oil will always remain in its "thick" state. Obviously, if you're racing the engine, you've allowed the engine, all fluids and the whole drive train to come up to temp, so it's much less of an issue and the added protection from the thicker oil is warranted.

Continuing with the "thick oil" issues, the thicker the oil is, the worse it is at lubricating some components when cold. For example, the cylinder walls, piston skirts and even the lifter rollers all rely on oil splashed off the spinning crank shaft. If the oil is thick and sticky and the RPM is low, the amount of oil reaching the cylinder walls is significantly reduced. This is why I'm not a fan of leaving a car idling in the drive to "warm up" before driving. Oh, and don't forget that if you run a cooler thermostat, the oil takes longer to reach normal operating temp. To add to the confusion, cars up north that see higher average temps would be a better fit for a thicker oil. A quick test is to grab a cup of fresh oil and stick it in the fridge over night. Take it out in the morning and see how it flows at 4'C.

There's lots of other factors to consider, bearing clearances, peak oil pressures, driving style and durations, age of the engine and amounts of wear. No one answer fits all cases. I've tried a number of different viscosities over the years and am currently running a 10W40, which I think is a tad thin for my use. I normally run a 15W50 semi-synthetic and will be moving back to that as it is what seems to work best (doing my own debris checks at oil changes). I've run full synthetic 10W60 and while it was OK, I found it increased lifter noise and the cost difference over the 15W50 was quite high.

I'm not against 10W60, if your engine requires that viscosity then it's the right one to use. Most cars probably don't need it and some should run a thinner grade, it's all "horses for courses". I've used Penzoil Racing 50 in one motor, but it was for a specific purpose and was given a good 30min of warm up before being really "driven".

[Ratsmow]

Alot of what you say swingtan makes logical sense to me. I think the key is like you say what conditions the motor is usually used under. My car might get out twice a month doing basically highway miles ( no traffic or lights ). I'll give it a squirt every now and then to feel the wave of torque through the twisties but other than that it gets treated pretty easy.

You hear some say that most wear is at start up, and others say at normal operating temp, both are probably correct but for me start up is probably the one. I don't Cain my car and it's stock except exhaust and tune so I think a 10w 50 quality oil would be the best of both worlds for my engine. ( hope Steve doesn't read this.)

[Drizt]

Oil, like many other consumables, needs to be chosen to suit what the car is being used for.

Personally, I don't like 10W60 as it doesn't lend its self well for how I generally use my car. Putting it simply, 10W60 is a thick oil (compared to ssay a 5W40). When cold, the oil flows less and pressures are higher until the oil has reached normal operating temps. If you only drive short distances, the oil may rarely reach optimal temps, so a thicker oil will always remain in its "thick" state. Obviously, if you're racing the engine, you've allowed the engine, all fluids and the whole drive train to come up to temp, so it's much less of an issue and the added protection from the thicker oil is warranted.

Continuing with the "thick oil" issues, the thicker the oil is, the worse it is at lubricating some components when cold. For example, the cylinder walls, piston skirts and even the lifter rollers all rely on oil splashed off the spinning crank shaft. If the oil is thick and sticky and the RPM is low, the amount of oil reaching the cylinder walls is significantly reduced. This is why I'm not a fan of leaving a car idling in the drive to "warm up" before driving. Oh, and don't forget that if you run a cooler thermostat, the oil takes longer to reach normal operating temp. To add to the confusion, cars up north that see higher average temps would be a better fit for a thicker oil. A quick test is to grab a cup of fresh oil and stick it in the fridge over night. Take it out in the morning and see how it flows at 4'C.

There's lots of other factors to consider, bearing clearances, peak oil pressures, driving style and durations, age of the engine and amounts of wear. No one answer fits all cases. I've tried a number of different viscosities over the years and am currently running a 10W40, which I think is a tad thin for my use. I normally run a 15W50 semi-synthetic and will be moving back to that as it is what seems to work best (doing my own debris checks at oil changes). I've run full synthetic 10W60 and while it was OK, I found it increased lifter noise and the cost difference over the 15W50 was quite high.

I'm not against 10W60, if your engine requires that viscosity then it's the right one to use. Most cars probably don't need it and some should run a thinner grade, it's all "horses for courses". I've used Penzoil Racing 50 in one motor, but it was for a specific purpose and was given a good 30min of warm up before being really "driven".

If you don't mind me asking, which brand and weight do you recommend?



I thought the 10w part was indicative of start up viscosity and the 60 the running temperature viscosity (I know Steve tried to explain it in a post above but it went over my head a little).

[swingtan]

Well.... yes, the 10W indicates it "flows like" a 10 weight oil and the 60 indicates it protects like a 60 weight oil.

However the overall oil makeup is different between a 10W60 full synthetic and say a 15W50 semi-synthetic. Personally I like the semi-synthetic due to cost and protection level for the driving I do. If you drive according to the oil you have, there can be no detriment to running something like 10W60, for me it just doesn't quite fit.

For the record, I normally run Martini Racing Grand Prix 50 (15W50) but currently have Nulon 10W40 in as I was trying the thinner oil to see how the lifters behaved. I'll be going back to the Martini next oil change.

[IJ.]

"W" winter temps, a 10W is different to a 10 being flowed/measured at 40c instead of 100c.