Oil advice and recommendations here

I get asked many questions about oil so I thought a thread here for all oil related questions would be a good idea and build into a FAQ or reference point for others.

So, put your oil questions here but please give the following information if you would like a recommendation:

Make
Model
Year
Engine size/type

Any mods

Type of use (road/track)

Additional info (max oil temps, current oil used)

What do you want a recommendation for? Engine, Gearbox etc?

I hope this will help and become a useful thread

Regards
Guy

I'll start. I'm looking for a full synthetic gearbox oil for my 1992 Alfa 155 2.0 8v. Not sure what's currently in there, but smells like something died as usual with gearbox oil.

This car will be mainly used on track, though will be driven there on public road, and tuning will also happen on the road, for the most part.

No modifications yet, though am seriously considering a Quaife ATB diff...

Regards,
Steven

hi,

whats the best kind of oil to use on a 147 1.6 ts lusso 02 reg? and where to buy from

ive only had the car 2weeks and im not sure what oil is in at the moment but it is due a change

many thanks

Hi I have a 156 2.0 JTS. The local Alfa dealer recommends Selnia Racing 10W60 fully synthetic oil(which I have topped up with since I bought the car five months ago) for the engine.
I spoke to my local independant Alfa specialist and he suggested that semi-synthetic 10W40 (as I used to use in my 146ti 2.0 twin spark) would be ok. He said that he would use this unless the fully synthetic oil was specifically reqested.

Which is correct? Also would using 10W40, which is considerably cheaper, cause damage to thre engine?

Is Selenia synthetic 10w-60 Racing oil (specified for 2.0 JTS) derived from a hydrocracked mineral oil (similar to Castrol 10w-60) rather than being an ester based pure synthetic oil (any info to confirm ??) and due to the viscosity improvers required to give the 10w-60 spread will this oil be more likely to break down more quickly and subsequently perform more as a 10w-40 ??

Would 2.0 JTS owners (engine which apparently runs hotter due to higher compression ratio of 11.3:1, is it much hotter than TS engine ??) be better off paying extra for a pure (ester) synthetic oil say, eg Silkolene pro 10w-50, to help control oil consumption & protect engine internals ??

Hi Guy,

I'm looking for some advise before my next oil change, I am wondering if it is worth getting Selena 20K 10W40 or even Selenia Racing 10W60 ( this is recommended in the service manual for "Sporty Driving" )
I will be changing the oil every 10,000kms or 6,000miles

Thanks in advance


Make: Alfa of course
Model : 147
Year : 2008
Engine size/type : 1.6

Any mods : No

Type of use (road/track) : Road, but I drive it like a track

Additional info (max oil temps, current oil used) : Maxol 10W40 Full Synthetic

What do you want a recommendation for? : Engine Oil

Dave,

What oil did you settle on for the service, I thought the Maxol above was semi-synthetic being 10w40????

Originally Posted by techie

Dave,

What oil did you settle on for the service, I thought the Maxol above was semi-synthetic being 10w40????

You can get 10/40 fully synth as well as semi I think

Hi Guy,

a) What would you recommend for gearbox oil for a heavily modified supercharged 156 GTA running > 50% extra torque over standard that does a lot of track days for half the year, but fewer the rest of the year?

156 GTA
Year 2002
Mileage 53000 miles
(Gearbox only 100 miles)


It has a clutch type LSD installed as well, currently using redline friction modifier to keep it silent.

There is some Redline super heavy shockproof stuff that somebody on here recommended - any drawbacks?

b) Same car for engine oil, currently using Selenia Racing, and will hit max oil temp warning near the end of a track session (on a slow track, so not a lot of air cooling effect) so it really gets a hard time - would use 400ml on a trackday.
Is there any better oil for extreme use, even just for the trackday season?
I'll probably get a larger oil cooler off a 147 GTA long term, but am interested if there is anything better than Selenia Racing for temperature resistance.

Cheers,
TB

wouldn't it be helpful in your case to look at cooling the gearbox oil?

Originally Posted by techie

Dave,

What oil did you settle on for the service, I thought the Maxol above was semi-synthetic being 10w40????

I think it is fully synthetic

Originally Posted by oilman

Put your oil questions here but please give the following information if you would like a recommendation:

*cough*

Yes there was no point starting a thread like this if he isn't going to follow up and answer any replies.

It only serves as advertising for his company.

What means do you have in mind?

How expensive/easy would it be to do?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Cuore_Sportivo_155

wouldn't it be helpful in your case to look at cooling the gearbox oil?

Cooling the gearbox oil is complicated for several reasons.
1) there is no in/out routes for the oil pipes on the std gearbox casing.
2) you need an external pump for the cooling circuit.

Unless you are getting into endurance racing, it probably doesn't need it though.

Originally Posted by David C

Yes there was no point starting a thread like this if he isn't going to follow up and answer any replies.

It only serves as advertising for his company.

Oilman isn't on frequently, but he will be back and answer the questions. He's on pretty much every other car forum as well.

Originally Posted by Pud237

Oilman isn't on frequently, but he will be back and answer the questions.

According to his AO profile, he was active on the forum a 6:21pm today...


But my point is, when people are asking about oil they usually want a quick reply to their question, not days or weeks later.

Yeh i say a moderator should close this thread, as the customer service is very poor...

Originally Posted by David C

But my point is, when people are asking about oil they usually want a quick reply to their question, not days or weeks later.

Everyone knows thousands of miles / months in advance that they will be changing the oil, it's not like it's a sudden decision to get an oil change

Originally Posted by Stevie28

Yeh i say a moderator should close this thread, as the customer service is very poor...

Why the hurry to close the thread
Give oilman a chance, it's not like he's charging us for his advice

In fairness he has given some interesting technical info in the past..

Originally Posted by David P

Everyone knows thousands of miles / months in advance that they will be changing the oil, it's not like it's a sudden decision to get an oil change




Why the hurry to close the thread
Give oilman a chance, it's not like he's charging us for his advice

Valve will have snapped off by the time he gets around to answering a question