metropolis2
Active Member
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i have heard so much about which oil to use but know one says anything about asda engine oil or halfords engine oil , i know there cheaper but is there anything wrong with ??
5w30 oil asda or halfords
- Thread starter metropolis2
- Start date
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Thor1950
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- Land of the midnight sun
people want cheap oil so there it is for you. Lots of the cheaper brands are made from recycled oils
2.0_hippo
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- Hertfordshire
you get what you pay for 
anorakmark
Active Member
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Avoid, and take hippos advice. You get what you pay for. Wether it's a v8 or a diesel your running think of the long term effects on your engine.
Thor1950
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- Land of the midnight sun
good oil is cheap, compared to a new motor
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- Preston Lancs.
As long as it meets the specs cheap oil is fine. With dearer oils 50% of the price is for the name.
Datatek
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Datatek
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- Near Poitiers SW France
What sort of issues?
StuckAgainSteve
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- London
For a very long time Halford's oil was relabelled Castrol (they use multiple suppliers now.) So the only difference between the two at the time was the dyes used!
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- Preston Lancs.
mutsnutz
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must admit i never knew there was a difference thought it was all the same from asda to magnatec
gfromleeds
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- leeds. westyorkshire, uk
I generaly use a branded old for changes then cheep oil for top ups cos it only uses about a liter a year
Datatek
Well-Known Member
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- Near Poitiers SW France
That's the one thing I never do, mix different oil/brands. I buy enough for the change plus a litre or so which lasts to the next change.
aerofabrique
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If i may poke my most humblest finger in the air here...
I always went to the local engineering or motorfactors and picked up 25 litres of Morris Lubricants.MXC A3 15-40 or whatever her tipple was, 2 oil filters and fuel filter for £60. 25 was enough for two changes, hence two filters, plus some spare for the (weekly!) top up. After two years of use and changes the 150000k engine was still clean inside with no leaks other than the usual cooler pipes.
However now I have to (and my old friends know why) buy the most ridiculously priced branded oil which is a VW spec 501001 which nobody but castrol does, in no more than 1 litre on the shelf for nothing less than £25 a go......Good old strong engine like the P38, with its channel tunnel piping, will run on whatever oil you keep it topped up with...newer engines are perhaps a little more sensitive - with these stupid tiny pin hole channels and oil cooled water exchangers etc etc blah blah blah
I always went to the local engineering or motorfactors and picked up 25 litres of Morris Lubricants.MXC A3 15-40 or whatever her tipple was, 2 oil filters and fuel filter for £60. 25 was enough for two changes, hence two filters, plus some spare for the (weekly!) top up. After two years of use and changes the 150000k engine was still clean inside with no leaks other than the usual cooler pipes.
However now I have to (and my old friends know why) buy the most ridiculously priced branded oil which is a VW spec 501001 which nobody but castrol does, in no more than 1 litre on the shelf for nothing less than £25 a go......Good old strong engine like the P38, with its channel tunnel piping, will run on whatever oil you keep it topped up with...newer engines are perhaps a little more sensitive - with these stupid tiny pin hole channels and oil cooled water exchangers etc etc blah blah blah
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Not affiliated, just some wise words IMO copied and pasted from another forum.
BUYING OIL, SOME BASIC ADVICE FROM OPIE OILS
This post may seem like going back to basics but we are constantly surprised by the amount of people who do not know or understand what is written on a bottle of oil and therefore have no idea of what they are looking for, buying or using.
This post should help as a basic guide, for more detailed information contact us and we will be happy to help.
So, to be blunt about the subject, if a bottle of oil does not contain the following basic information then DO NOT buy it look for something that does!
1) The purpose for which it is intended (i.e. Motor oil, Gear oil etc)
2) The viscosity (i.e. 10w-40, 5w-30 etc for Motor oils and 80w-90, 75w-90 etc for Gear oils)
3) The specifications that it meets (should contain both API and ACEA ratings)
4) The OEM Approvals that it carries and the codes (i.e. MB229.3, VW504.00, FORD 913a/b, BMW LL04 etc)
Ignore the marketing blurb on the label it is in many cases meaningless and we will explain later what statements you should treat with skepticism.
So, what does the above information mean and why is it important?
THE BASICS
All oils are intended for an application and in general are not interchangeable. You would not for example put an Automatic Transmission Oil or a Gear Oil in your engine! It is important to know what the oils intended purpose is.
VISCOSITY
Most oils on the shelves today are Multigrades, which simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades (i.e. 10w-40 etc)
Multigrades were first developed some 50 years ago to avoid the old routine of using a thin oil in winter and a thicker oil in the summer.
In a 10w-40 for example the 10w bit (W = winter, not weight or watt or anything else for that matter) simply means that the oil must have a certain maximum viscosity/flow at low temperature.
The lower the W number the better the oils cold temperature/cold start performance. I.E. 5w is better than 10w etc
The 40 in a 10w-40 simply means that the oil must fall within certain viscosity limits at 100 degC. This is a fixed limit and all oils that end in 40 must achieve these limits.
Once again the lower the number the thinner the oil, a 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100 degC etc. Your handbook will specify whether a 30, 40 or 50 etc is required.
SPECIFICATIONS
Specifications are important as these indicate the performance of an oil and whether it has met or passed the latest tests or whether the formulation is effectively obsolete or out of date.
There are two specifications that you should look for on any oil bottle and these are API (American Petroleum Institute) and ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Europeens dAutomobiles) all good oils should contain both of these and an understanding of what they mean is important.
API
This is the more basic of the two specs as it is split (for passenger cars) into two catagories.
S = Petrol and C = Diesel, most oils carry both petrol (S) and diesel (C) specifications.
The following table shows how up to date the specifications the oil are:
PETROL
SG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge.
SH - Introduced 1993 has same engine tests as SG, but includes phosphorus limit 0.12%, together with control of foam, volatility and shear stability.
SJ - Introduced 1996 has the same engine tests as SG/SH, but phosphorus limit 0.10% together with variation on volatility limits
SL - Introduced 2001, all new engine tests reflective of modern engine designs meeting current emissions standards
SM - Introduced November 2004, improved oxidation resistance, deposit protection and wear protection, also better low temperature performance over the life of the oil compared to previous categories.
Note:
All specifications prior to SL are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date SL and SM specifications.
DIESEL
CD - Introduced 1955, international standard for turbo diesel engine oils for many years, uses single cylinder test engine only
CE - Introduced 1984, improved control of oil consumption, oil thickening, piston deposits and wear, uses additional multi cylinder test engines
CF4 - Introduced 1990, further improvements in control of oil consumption and piston deposits, uses low emission test engine
CF - Introduced 1994, modernised version of CD, reverts to single cylinder low emission test engine. Intended for certain indirect injection engines
CF2 - Introduced 1994, defines effective control of cylinder deposits and ring face scuffing, intended for 2 stroke diesel engines
CG4 - Introduced 1994, development of CF4 giving improved control of piston deposits, wear, oxidation stability and soot entrainment. Uses low sulphur diesel fuel in engine tests
CH4 - Introduced 1998, development of CG4, giving further improvements in control of soot related wear and piston deposits, uses more comprehensive engine test program to include low and high sulphur fuels
CI4 Introduced 2002, developed to meet 2004 emission standards, may be used where EGR ( exhaust gas recirculation ) systems are fitted and with fuel containing up to 0.5 % sulphur. May be used where API CD, CE, CF4, CG4 and CH4 oils are specified.
Note:
All specifications prior to CH4 are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date CH4 & CI4 specifications.
If you want a better more up to date oil specification then look for SL, SM, CH4, CI4
ACEA
This is the European equivalent of API (US) and is more specific in what the performance of the oil actually is. A = Petrol, B = Diesel and C = Catalyst compatible or low SAPS (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur).
Unlike API the ACEA specs are split into performance/application catagories as follows:
A1 Fuel economy petrol
A2 Standard performance level (now obsolete)
A3 High performance and/or extended drain
A4 Reserved for future use in certain direct injection engines
A5 Combines A1 fuel economy with A3 performance
B1 Fuel economy diesel
B2 Standard performance level (now obsolete)
B3 High performance and/or extended drain
B4 For direct injection car diesel engines
B5 Combines B1 fuel economy with B3/B4 performance
C1-04 Petrol and Light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 low SAPS, two way catalyst compatible.
C2-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible.
C3-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible, Higher performance levels due to higher HTHS.
Note: SAPS = Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur.
Put simply, A3/B3, A5/B5 and C3 oils are the better quality, stay in grade performance oils.
APPROVALS
Many oils mention various Car Manufacturers on the bottle, the most common in the UK being VW, MB, BMW, Ford or Vauxhall but do not be misled into thinking that you are buying top quality oil because of this.
Oil Companies send their oils to OEMs for approval however some older specs are easily achieved and can be done so with the cheapest of mineral oils. Newer specifications are always more up to date and better quality/performance than the older ones.
Some of the older OEM specifications are listed here and depending on the performance level of your car are best ignored if you are looking for a quality high performance oil:
VW 500.00, 501.00 and 505.00
Later specs like 503, 504, 506 and 507 are better performing more up to date oils
MB 229.1
Later specs like 229.3 and 229.5 are better performing more up to date oils.
BMW LL98
Later specs like LL01 and LL04 are better performing more up to date oils.
FINALLY
Above is the most accurate guidance we can give without going into too much depth however there is one final piece of advice regarding labelling.
Certain statements are made on labels that are meaningless and just marketing hype, here are a few to avoid!
Recommended for use where
May be used where the following specifications apply
Approved by ..(but with no qualification or specification)
Recommended/Approved by (some famous person, these endorsements are paid for)
Racing/Track formula (but with no supporting evidence)
Also be wary of statements like synthetic blend if you are looking for a fully synthetic oil as this will merely be a semi-synthetic.
Like everything in life, you get what you pay for. The cheaper the oil the cheaper the ingredients, lower the performance levels and older the specs it meets so beware!
If you would like further advice then please feel free to contact us via our website or email.
Simon & Guy
Opie Oils
BUYING OIL, SOME BASIC ADVICE FROM OPIE OILS
This post may seem like going back to basics but we are constantly surprised by the amount of people who do not know or understand what is written on a bottle of oil and therefore have no idea of what they are looking for, buying or using.
This post should help as a basic guide, for more detailed information contact us and we will be happy to help.
So, to be blunt about the subject, if a bottle of oil does not contain the following basic information then DO NOT buy it look for something that does!
1) The purpose for which it is intended (i.e. Motor oil, Gear oil etc)
2) The viscosity (i.e. 10w-40, 5w-30 etc for Motor oils and 80w-90, 75w-90 etc for Gear oils)
3) The specifications that it meets (should contain both API and ACEA ratings)
4) The OEM Approvals that it carries and the codes (i.e. MB229.3, VW504.00, FORD 913a/b, BMW LL04 etc)
Ignore the marketing blurb on the label it is in many cases meaningless and we will explain later what statements you should treat with skepticism.
So, what does the above information mean and why is it important?
THE BASICS
All oils are intended for an application and in general are not interchangeable. You would not for example put an Automatic Transmission Oil or a Gear Oil in your engine! It is important to know what the oils intended purpose is.
VISCOSITY
Most oils on the shelves today are Multigrades, which simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades (i.e. 10w-40 etc)
Multigrades were first developed some 50 years ago to avoid the old routine of using a thin oil in winter and a thicker oil in the summer.
In a 10w-40 for example the 10w bit (W = winter, not weight or watt or anything else for that matter) simply means that the oil must have a certain maximum viscosity/flow at low temperature.
The lower the W number the better the oils cold temperature/cold start performance. I.E. 5w is better than 10w etc
The 40 in a 10w-40 simply means that the oil must fall within certain viscosity limits at 100 degC. This is a fixed limit and all oils that end in 40 must achieve these limits.
Once again the lower the number the thinner the oil, a 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100 degC etc. Your handbook will specify whether a 30, 40 or 50 etc is required.
SPECIFICATIONS
Specifications are important as these indicate the performance of an oil and whether it has met or passed the latest tests or whether the formulation is effectively obsolete or out of date.
There are two specifications that you should look for on any oil bottle and these are API (American Petroleum Institute) and ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Europeens dAutomobiles) all good oils should contain both of these and an understanding of what they mean is important.
API
This is the more basic of the two specs as it is split (for passenger cars) into two catagories.
S = Petrol and C = Diesel, most oils carry both petrol (S) and diesel (C) specifications.
The following table shows how up to date the specifications the oil are:
PETROL
SG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge.
SH - Introduced 1993 has same engine tests as SG, but includes phosphorus limit 0.12%, together with control of foam, volatility and shear stability.
SJ - Introduced 1996 has the same engine tests as SG/SH, but phosphorus limit 0.10% together with variation on volatility limits
SL - Introduced 2001, all new engine tests reflective of modern engine designs meeting current emissions standards
SM - Introduced November 2004, improved oxidation resistance, deposit protection and wear protection, also better low temperature performance over the life of the oil compared to previous categories.
Note:
All specifications prior to SL are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date SL and SM specifications.
DIESEL
CD - Introduced 1955, international standard for turbo diesel engine oils for many years, uses single cylinder test engine only
CE - Introduced 1984, improved control of oil consumption, oil thickening, piston deposits and wear, uses additional multi cylinder test engines
CF4 - Introduced 1990, further improvements in control of oil consumption and piston deposits, uses low emission test engine
CF - Introduced 1994, modernised version of CD, reverts to single cylinder low emission test engine. Intended for certain indirect injection engines
CF2 - Introduced 1994, defines effective control of cylinder deposits and ring face scuffing, intended for 2 stroke diesel engines
CG4 - Introduced 1994, development of CF4 giving improved control of piston deposits, wear, oxidation stability and soot entrainment. Uses low sulphur diesel fuel in engine tests
CH4 - Introduced 1998, development of CG4, giving further improvements in control of soot related wear and piston deposits, uses more comprehensive engine test program to include low and high sulphur fuels
CI4 Introduced 2002, developed to meet 2004 emission standards, may be used where EGR ( exhaust gas recirculation ) systems are fitted and with fuel containing up to 0.5 % sulphur. May be used where API CD, CE, CF4, CG4 and CH4 oils are specified.
Note:
All specifications prior to CH4 are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date CH4 & CI4 specifications.
If you want a better more up to date oil specification then look for SL, SM, CH4, CI4
ACEA
This is the European equivalent of API (US) and is more specific in what the performance of the oil actually is. A = Petrol, B = Diesel and C = Catalyst compatible or low SAPS (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur).
Unlike API the ACEA specs are split into performance/application catagories as follows:
A1 Fuel economy petrol
A2 Standard performance level (now obsolete)
A3 High performance and/or extended drain
A4 Reserved for future use in certain direct injection engines
A5 Combines A1 fuel economy with A3 performance
B1 Fuel economy diesel
B2 Standard performance level (now obsolete)
B3 High performance and/or extended drain
B4 For direct injection car diesel engines
B5 Combines B1 fuel economy with B3/B4 performance
C1-04 Petrol and Light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 low SAPS, two way catalyst compatible.
C2-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible.
C3-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible, Higher performance levels due to higher HTHS.
Note: SAPS = Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur.
Put simply, A3/B3, A5/B5 and C3 oils are the better quality, stay in grade performance oils.
APPROVALS
Many oils mention various Car Manufacturers on the bottle, the most common in the UK being VW, MB, BMW, Ford or Vauxhall but do not be misled into thinking that you are buying top quality oil because of this.
Oil Companies send their oils to OEMs for approval however some older specs are easily achieved and can be done so with the cheapest of mineral oils. Newer specifications are always more up to date and better quality/performance than the older ones.
Some of the older OEM specifications are listed here and depending on the performance level of your car are best ignored if you are looking for a quality high performance oil:
VW 500.00, 501.00 and 505.00
Later specs like 503, 504, 506 and 507 are better performing more up to date oils
MB 229.1
Later specs like 229.3 and 229.5 are better performing more up to date oils.
BMW LL98
Later specs like LL01 and LL04 are better performing more up to date oils.
FINALLY
Above is the most accurate guidance we can give without going into too much depth however there is one final piece of advice regarding labelling.
Certain statements are made on labels that are meaningless and just marketing hype, here are a few to avoid!
Recommended for use where
May be used where the following specifications apply
Approved by ..(but with no qualification or specification)
Recommended/Approved by (some famous person, these endorsements are paid for)
Racing/Track formula (but with no supporting evidence)
Also be wary of statements like synthetic blend if you are looking for a fully synthetic oil as this will merely be a semi-synthetic.
Like everything in life, you get what you pay for. The cheaper the oil the cheaper the ingredients, lower the performance levels and older the specs it meets so beware!
If you would like further advice then please feel free to contact us via our website or email.
Simon & Guy
Opie Oils
StuckAgainSteve
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 2,276
- Location
- London
If i may poke my most humblest finger in the air here...
I always went to the local engineering or motorfactors and picked up 25 litres of Morris Lubricants.MXC A3 15-40 or whatever her tipple was, 2 oil filters and fuel filter for £60. 25 was enough for two changes, hence two filters, plus some spare for the (weekly!) top up. After two years of use and changes the 150000k engine was still clean inside with no leaks other than the usual cooler pipes.
However now I have to (and my old friends know why) buy the most ridiculously priced branded oil which is a VW spec 501001 which nobody but castrol does, in no more than 1 litre on the shelf for nothing less than £25 a go......Good old strong engine like the P38, with its channel tunnel piping, will run on whatever oil you keep it topped up with...newer engines are perhaps a little more sensitive - with these stupid tiny pin hole channels and oil cooled water exchangers etc etc blah blah blah
I thought Morris do a VW longlife spec oil.
StuckAgainSteve
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 2,276
- Location
- London
All these right through the price range are VW 505.00 spec which is identical to 501.00.
Multilife C-THREE 5W-30 Mid-SAPS
Multivis 10W-40 Semi-Synthetic
Multivis G-TEC 5W-30 Synthetic
Multilife C-THREE 5W-40 Mid-SAPS
