Can someone please tell me what grade oil is best for my 1994 Cavalier SRI (X20XEV Ecotec)?
I've had a price for an oil change from my local garage (actually a Ford Rapid Fit, but the manager there is a top bloke, does little things for me for free cos I'm a regular customer, AND HE DOES NOT RIP ME OFF!!!).
The price they are quoting me is £24.99 which I thought was quite good, as Magnatec oil is around the £20 mark anyway right?
What does concern me is the oil they will use. He says it's what they recommend for all modern 16 valve engines. It's their semi-synthetic oil. The grade is 5w 30. Is this too thin for my car? I was under the impression that I should really use 10w 40?
Should I give it a try and see how it goes, or is it too thin?
ahhh maybe thats what i did wrong, i did squeeze them with my fingers to get the oil out of them then i pumped fresh oil into the hole as best i could using a little oil pump can..
i shall see what an oil change does and if they're still bad then they'll have to come out!
The flusher will certainly help (warm car up - tip the flusher in - hold revs at 2500rpm for 15mins - let it idle for further 5mins - switch off and drain - change filter - refill with fresh oil) - Should hear and feel difference on the road.
Wynns Engine Flush is one of the best Ive come across available in Halfords.
If quitens down - keep flushing and changing the oil but if not much difference or tappets old then probably need replacing.
But like said if just since head gasket went - they probably just need compressing correctly - but flusher should sort it!!!
on the new engine I used old tappets out of a head which had led a checkered history - I cleaned the old oil out of them completely and checked every single one out by using a magnetic screwdriver to massage them in a fresh oil bath.
not a single tap when I started her up - and that's using 15w40 mineral oil for running in.
I also replace the two oil pump gears every time the engines apart - and on this one the relief valve is shimmed out a bit.
This thread started off as a queiry about oil and ends on an engine rebuild. getting back to the beginning. I too am a family man but as was said in the beginning apart from taking old oil out and putting new oil in, the only other thing to be done is a new oil filter and if you can do it then do it, if not and you do know a mechanic you can trust, then you are a lucky. I know plenty of mechanics, but not on a personel basis but I still wouldn't trust them. If you do then good luck.
Why does a thief always says its his first time he's ever stolen? - because he's never been caught before.
on the new engine I used old tappets out of a head which had led a checkered history - I cleaned the old oil out of them completely and checked every single one out by using a magnetic screwdriver to massage them in a fresh oil bath.
not a single tap when I started her up - and that's using 15w40 mineral oil for running in.
I also replace the two oil pump gears every time the engines apart - and on this one the relief valve is shimmed out a bit.
Yeah fair play - I have done this too.... but James is having problems so am giving him feasible answers as to what the problems are - also you were lucky ....as there is no way of checking tappets other than listening to them when the car is running - but like I said earlier sqeazing them in a vice and leaving in fresh oil overnight helps the tappets charge up on start up properly - also means you get all the old oil out.
I'd love to know exactly what the cause of ticky tappets is when it's blamed on the lifters - there's a lot of talk about them being 'worn out' or 'tired' - but no one seems able to be specific - so far I've found that a good clean is all they need - that's on two sets which both were noisey on startup, but after some tlc are fine..
there are moving mechanical parts which do wear I guess, maybe the only test you can do out the engine is test for play or looseness in the plunger ?
the other thing I noticed is that compressing a lifter fully does not get all the old oil out by a long shot - you've got to do it several times before they're empty - and then bathe them in an oil solvent - massaging ( ) them again to get the cleaner in.
repeat to drain them, and then again in the new oil, and finish up by flattening them off with fine wet and dry, and a lapping.
the real test will be when the wild cams go in I suppose though.
sheet of wet n dry on a flat surface - rub the faces on it - then get some find grinding paste and do them in pairs by rubbing them against each other.
note that this only really necessary if there are obvious imperfections on the finish of the lifter faces, or you're putting in new cams.
Thanks, mate. Somebody actually noticed the thread has gone off topic!!
It's all very interesting reading the other off topic posts, but it doesn't really help me does it?
So to get back to my original question.......
OK, 5w 30 is far too thin then from what I can gather.
I've spoken to the mechanic, and he says for the same price he will put in 10w 40. However this oil is not synthetic. Will this still be OK, bearing in mind that I have decided to have the oil changed every 5000 miles instead of the Vauxhall recommended 9000??
I've never used a synthetic or semi-synthetic oil in any of my other cars, okay this is the first 16 valve car I've had, but I've never had any problems with "plain normal" oil..
Thanks, mate. Somebody actually noticed the thread has gone off topic!!
It's all very interesting reading the other off topic posts, but it doesn't really help me does it?
So to get back to my original question.......
OK, 5w 30 is far too thin then from what I can gather.
I've spoken to the mechanic, and he says for the same price he will put in 10w 40. However this oil is not synthetic. Will this still be OK, bearing in mind that I have decided to have the oil changed every 5000 miles instead of the Vauxhall recommended 9000??
I've never used a synthetic or semi-synthetic oil in any of my other cars, okay this is the first 16 valve car I've had, but I've never had any problems with "plain normal" oil..
10W 40 is usually SEMI- Synthetic....and will be fine in your 16V engine....if changing every 5k then even better especially if you get them to flush the oil at same time as oil and filter change.
Ordinary Oil is ok in general - Semi and synthetics are just better blends that offer more properties.
I can't ever say just yes or no it makes my brain hurt just trying.. lmao - I'd so be a brilliant politian..
so, imho, after seasonal adjustment and accounting for sunspot factors yadda yadda blah, I'd put in a good semi sythentic 10w40 - is the middle of the road, sitting on the fence, noncomittal type answer I would consider giving if threatened with the comfy chair - this should be fine no matter what the history of the engine - however if it's always had fully synth then there's no reason not to continue...
was that a yes or a no ? - I can't decide - what was the question again ?
I'll use the normal 10w 40 then, and see how it goes!!
It (supposedly) had an oil change and service by the garage I bought it from before I bought it in August. Not sure if it really did though!
So I thought I'd do the change every 5000, it's not expensive and I just assumed that as long as the oil is changed regularly it should be fine on 10w 40, and it seems that you agree, Engine_Swap?
I'll use the normal 10w 40 then, and see how it goes!!
It (supposedly) had an oil change and service by the garage I bought it from before I bought it in August. Not sure if it really did though!
So I thought I'd do the change every 5000, it's not expensive and I just assumed that as long as the oil is changed regularly it should be fine on 10w 40, and it seems that you agree, Engine_Swap?
Thanks again
Steve.
PS. you can carry on yer other topic now!!!
Yep - Agreed - as long as its a good brand 10W 40....something like Magnetec....ok?
Oh....make sure they use a original equipment filter too....
If like me you change your oil every 5000 or 6000 miles then even castrol gtx would do. after such a short mileage between each oil change, the oil would only just being used to its full potential, it wouldn't even begun to wear. I hope you can understand what I'm saying.
If like me you change your oil every 5000 or 6000 miles then even castrol gtx would do. after such a short mileage between each oil change, the oil would only just being used to its full potential, it wouldn't even begun to wear. I hope you can understand what I'm saying.
I've got a No Fear T-Shirt that says "Drive it like you Stole it" on the back!!lmao
But , no , I don't drive particularly fast to be honest. I'm pretty careful. Love the odd blast, but more often than not I'm only 10 or so MPH over the national limit at most. Need my car to get to work, can't afford to lose license or I'd lose me job cos public transport is non existant around here!!
I've got a No Fear T-Shirt that says "Drive it like you Stole it" on the back!!lmao
But , no , I don't drive particularly fast to be honest. I'm pretty careful. Love the odd blast, but more often than not I'm only 10 or so MPH over the national limit at most. Need my car to get to work, can't afford to lose license or I'd lose me job cos public transport is non existant around here!!
Sounds like me - I drive the Corrado pretty sensibly cos costs me alot to run and maintain plus its my daily driver - but I enjoy embarrasing alot of machinery in it - but if I smash it Im f***ed! - Do you know how much body panels cost for these things? A front bumper? £800 + VAT....Front Wings £370 + VAT OUCH!!!!
But the MK1 I drive like a loon....off public roads officer....
Going to get the engine chucked in then take it up the three sisters track in Wigan...
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