Choosing The Right Engine Oil


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My car is due for 20K service+oil change. However, the question that i'm asking is that Ford 1.4 TDCi manual mentions to use only 5W30 diesel oil meeting Ford's WSS-M2C-913-B/C specifications. I've found out very few oils available in India meet those specifications. Namely, Castrol Magnatec 5W30 A1 FS oil. However, that oil comes with its own disadvantages, i. e. , Castrol A1 is CF grade oil. This CF grade was used for pre 2000 engines and now the modern oils have reached CJ specs. So my questions are :

1. What are these Fords WSS-M2C-913-B/C specs and why should/shouldn't we stick to them ?
2. The recommended oil viscosity is 5W30. However, the OP has mentioned that it is fine to use 5W40 oil if we do more highway/spirited driving(which I of course do :) ). What exactly should I do ?
3. How's Mobil Devlac 1 ESP in terms of Performance & NVH? This oil is CJ-4 compliant but it fails on 2 points - 1stly it s a 5W40 oil(instead of 5W30) and 2ndly it does not meet Ford's WSS-****** specs. Should I use it or not in my ride's engine ?
Ford's WSS-M2C... specs are a reference to a specific kind of oil which is mainly for the purpose of easy reference for workshops and customers, but it is not something to be bound by. Many people use oil as per their own preferences in Ford Duratorq engines with no problems.

5W-40 is perfectly fine if you do long-distance high-speed driving, actually I would say it's better for a diesel engine.

The "A1/B1" is the ACEA rating for use in Petrol (A_) and Diesel (B_) engines. SN/CF is the API rating (S_ for Petrol and C_ for Diesel). A1 is roughly equivalent to SM and B1 to CF. Also, the Castrol Magnatec 5W30 mentioned is not available in India, the Magnatec 5W30 we have is only suitable for Petrol engines. We have Magnatec 10W40 and 15W40 for Diesels or Mobil1 0W40 all of which are CF rated.

I find it odd that all these manufacturers are using an obsolete standard, you might want to check the exact specs of the oil your nearest Ford dealer is using. If it is better than CF, go for it. Otherwise, I would recommend Castrol Edge 5W40, Mobil Super 3000 X2 5W-40 or Shell Helix HX7 ECT 5W-40.
 
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5W-40 is perfectly fine if you do long-distance high-speed driving, actually I would say it's better for a diesel engine.
Hi Viru,

I recently used 20W40 oil in my 150cc petrol bike which had manufacturer recommended 10W30 oil grade. The new oil, coupled with summer temperature of 48 degree Celsius should have been better for bike engine. However, the bike has begun to face issues. It acts normal while cold but now idling does not settle at 1400. It rather ranges from 1200 - 1800 rpm. Also, I did a 100 km trip on a hot day and the bike began to show issues when driven @100kmph for some 5 minutes continuously. I mean I could feel that engine is struggling to maintain the pace. I guess this has got to do something with higher viscosity which may be hindering the free operation of piston. Also, it sometimes misses a beat or two while driven hard.
 
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Hello Everyone,

This is time for my car engine oil change. I am using petrol head Hyundai i20. My car is around 3 years old and the odo ticks about 50000kms. Except for first 6 months of my car, I served it with Castrol Edge 5w-40 fully synth for around 1.5 year and later with Motul Hi-Tech Prime 5w-40 fully synth. The car performed very smooth and the FE was also very good [approx. 18kmpl on highway]. I drive my car most on highways for long trips.

Now I am interested in switching to Motul 300V Trophy 0W-40. Does anyone has idea about the oil performance.

Also let me know is 0w-40 fine for i20.
 
Thread Starter #34
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Hi Viru,

I recently used 20W40 oil in my 150cc petrol bike which had manufacturer recommended 10W30 oil grade. The new oil, coupled with summer temperature of 48 degree Celsius should have been better for bike engine. However, the bike has begun to face issues. It acts normal while cold but now idling does not settle at 1400. It rather ranges from 1200 - 1800 rpm. Also, I did a 100 km trip on a hot day and the bike began to show issues when driven @100kmph for some 5 minutes continuously. I mean I could feel that engine is struggling to maintain the pace. I guess this has got to do something with higher viscosity which may be hindering the free operation of piston. Also, it sometimes misses a beat or two while driven hard.
Hi! No need to worry. I would appreciate if you tell me exactly which oil was it using before and now? (Name, Friction rating, base oil type). Also, what other service tasks were carried out when you changed the oil?

Hello Everyone,

This is time for my car engine oil change. I am using petrol head Hyundai i20. My car is around 3 years old and the odo ticks about 50000kms. Except for first 6 months of my car, I served it with Castrol Edge 5w-40 fully synth for around 1.5 year and later with Motul Hi-Tech Prime 5w-40 fully synth. The car performed very smooth and the FE was also very good [approx. 18kmpl on highway]. I drive my car most on highways for long trips.

Now I am interested in switching to Motul 300V Trophy 0W-40. Does anyone has idea about the oil performance.

Also let me know is 0w-40 fine for i20.
I don't know much about Motul oils to be honest. But I think 0W is too low viscosity to use in India (Mountain ranges excluded), your engine will be vulnerable when cold.
 
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Hi! No need to worry. I would appreciate if you tell me exactly which oil was it using before and now? (Name, Friction rating, base oil type). Also, what other service tasks were carried out when you changed the oil?
Earlier bike was on OEM Hero Honda 10W30 mineral oil(same oil used in every HH bike ranging from splendor to karizma) and now it is on Valvoline Semi Synthetic 20W40 oil. I'm not sure but i think this is the link to that Valvoline oil : Valvoline Champ 4T 20W40

Also, regular service was carried by non-ASS mechanic like cleaning air filter, carburettor cleaning and tuning, chain lubrication etc. I have no time to go to HH service centre and sit there for 3 hours waiting in queue for bike to get serviced every 3/6 months.
 
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Thread Starter #37
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Earlier bike was on OEM Hero Honda 10W30 mineral oil(same oil used in every HH bike ranging from splendor to karizma) and now it is on Valvoline Semi Synthetic 20W40 oil. I'm not sure but i think this is the link to that Valvoline oil : Valvoline Champ 4T 20W40

Also, regular service was carried by non-ASS mechanic like cleaning air filter, carburettor cleaning and tuning, chain lubrication etc. I have no time to go to HH service centre and sit there for 3 hours waiting in queue for bike to get serviced every 3/6 months.
Are you sure it wasn't this oil?
Lubricants ::Valvoline Cummins::

Either way, it seems like your carburetor could be out of adjustment and running too lean/rich. Adjust it properly, followed by setting the idle rpm to the desired level.

For my bike i used almost round 22 different engine oils, the best performer was Castrol Power, For my New Swift ZDi Mobil Delvac 1400/1300 is the best perfomer
Castrol Power1 10W30 is a great oil! I use it in my scooty whenever I can't find Castrol Activ Xtra 10W30.
 
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Hi Viru,

I recently used 20W40 oil in my 150cc petrol bike which had manufacturer recommended 10W30 oil grade. The new oil, coupled with summer temperature of 48 degree Celsius should have been better for bike engine. However, the bike has begun to face issues. It acts normal while cold but now idling does not settle at 1400. It rather ranges from 1200 - 1800 rpm. Also, I did a 100 km trip on a hot day and the bike began to show issues when driven @100kmph for some 5 minutes continuously. I mean I could feel that engine is struggling to maintain the pace. I guess this has got to do something with higher viscosity which may be hindering the free operation of piston. Also, it sometimes misses a beat or two while driven hard.
the easy and best method i used to follow for my bike as well as car is mentioned below
if manufacturer recommended 10W30
then while buying i will go by this formula
first value should be either 10 or below
second value should be either 30 or above

example for 10w30 you can try grades like 10w 40 or 10w50 or 5w30 or 5w40

should not try 15w50 or 20w40
 
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the easy and best method i used to follow for my bike as well as car is mentioned below
if manufacturer recommended 10W30
then while buying i will go by this formula
first value should be either 10 or below
second value should be either 30 or above

example for 10w30 you can try grades like 10w 40 or 10w50 or 5w30 or 5w40

should not try 15w50 or 20w40
I agree with you bro and i do know that but i got carried away by summer heat and assumed 20W* to be OK for summer.

Are you sure it wasn't this oil?[\QUOTE]
The oil was probably champ in silver can. Champion uses white can i guess.
Also, will get carburettor checked, the next time i take my bike out, that would probably take at least a month :P
 
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I agree with you bro and i do know that but i got carried away by summer heat and assumed 20W* to be OK for summer.

Are you sure it wasn't this oil?[\QUOTE]
The oil was probably champ in silver can. Champion uses white can i guess.
Also, will get carburettor checked, the next time i take my bike out, that would probably take at least a month :P

Then try 10w 40 or 10w 40
To manage summer go for higher value which comes after "W"

Try remembering this way 10 w 30
Cold W hot

if the temperature is low go for 5w 30 and not 5w 20
 
Thread Starter #41
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I agree with you bro and i do know that but i got carried away by summer heat and assumed 20W* to be OK for summer.

The oil was probably champ in silver can. Champion uses white can i guess.
Also, will get carburettor checked, the next time i take my bike out, that would probably take at least a month :P
20W is OK for summer. This is the viscosity when the engine is cold, you are only facing problems when the engine is warm, which has nothing to do with it being 20W.

Get the mixture adjusted properly, because most of the symptoms you mentioned are rarely affected by the oil.

Even Hero Honda bikes have 10W30 recommended and I have seen them running perfectly fine on 20W40, even when the oil being used is Servo (Which is rubbish). Carbureted engines need to be manually adjusted to run well with the new oil, Fuel Injected engines (Which do not have a carburetor) adjust themselves automatically.

Then try 10w 40 or 10w 40
To manage summer go for higher value which comes after "W"

Try remembering this way 10 w 30
Cold W hot

if the temperature is low go for 5w 30 and not 5w 20
I would not recommend exceeding hot viscous 40 for city bikes that rarely (if ever) see speeds above 140kph, because that film thickness is simply not required.

Also, the value after the W (Hot viscosity) has nothing to do with winter or summer, because it is not measured at ambient temperature, but actually at engine operating temperature of 98.9 Celsius.

For easier starting in cold weather a lower cold viscosity would help but going below 5W is pointless in India since it never gets cold enough to freeze 15W.
 
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for Bikes Castrol power one is ultimate oil, i touched 162 kms/hr on a TVS Victor 100 CC, with other oils it struggles at 120 and does not go beyond 130 kms, actually you can see the perfomance of this oil after engine is sufficiently hot
 
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for Bikes Castrol power one is ultimate oil, i touched 162 kms/hr on a TVS Victor 100 CC, with other oils it struggles at 120 and does not go beyond 130 kms, actually you can see the perfomance of this oil after engine is sufficiently hot
I agree castrol power one is a good oil; their are best oil's like motul and petronas

By the way am hearing for the first time that a 100 cc reached 160 kmph speed, i believe its a speedo error

Even on 150 cc 160 kmph is not reachable

For a bike 80 is a great speed on indian roads so dont go overspeed remember "speed thrills but it kills"
 
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for Bikes Castrol power one is ultimate oil, i touched 162 kms/hr on a TVS Victor 100 CC, with other oils it struggles at 120 and does not go beyond 130 kms, actually you can see the perfomance of this oil after engine is sufficiently hot
If the Castrol power one oil helped to get you 162 kM/hr in a TVS Victor then it is surely a great engine oil. I am not sure you can call it Engine oil or something else. You should report it to TVS and they may relaunch Victor with castrol engine oil.

BTW
I dont have a TVS victor right now but cousin brother owned one earlier and i ride it a lot earlier.

As far as i remember,

1. TVS victor meter has only 140Km/hr marked as top speed. I guess you tested it using some other speedo meter.
2. TVS Victor was a 110 cc bike and later a 125 CC model came in the name of Victor GLX. They also plonked this engine in the Victor and sold with a front disc brake.
3. My friend owned a first batch victor which was given 70-80 Km/ltr milage constantly and the max speed we could achive in it was almost 100km/hr.
4. I had taken my cousin's Victor for a trip to ooty from cochin when it was less than one month old in 2004 Feb.It was second edition one with ride switch shock absorber came with it. It was almost a nonstop trip and around 15 to 20 mintes i ride it on full acclerator to catch up with a crux and i done the max i know to acheive a better speed than 85 km/hr. we were 2 in the bike and Crux easily overtaken us and gone in seconds. This made me buy one crux on 2014 September and it was with us till 2012.
 
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