Oils advice - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

NA Thunder · 02-26-2004, 06:04

Hope this is the right area.

Hi all. I'm wondering if any of you Blue Oval Freaks have used MOTUL oil?

Currently I'm using Castrol Formula R 0W40 but have heard great things on MOTUL. Have approached a MOTUL rep and his advice would be to go for the: 8100 X-cess 5w40 synthetic. Now not being made of money, I'm looking out for a good product at the best price. $55.00 sounds healthier than $80.00. Especially when the Barra 182/240T take 6.5 litres of oil?

My car is a 2003 BA XR6 N/A (10w30 is the recommendation...pfffft).
Mods just involve a 2.5" exhaust system, Pacemaker headers and it has been chipped. No head, valve or cam work. Doing approx. 225kw@fw so far. 24000 kms on the clock. She's a "keeper" so I want what's best.

Friends of mine are more into the Japanese imports. Skyline R33, 300-ZX, WRX, they sware by it. Seriously thinking of changing to MOTUL. What do some of you experts think? Would really appreciate your opinion.

TIKFD6 · 02-26-2004, 18:00

I honestly couldnt see a problem with it, unless your in the hotter areas of Queensland, then i would look at a 5w or 10w.
I used to live in Darwian and rand Caltex Havoline 5w30 i think it was, and i never had any problems with it. Motul is a very good product, just sort of new to Australia, like Fuch's, people are not to keen to try new things.

Good luck.

Soxx · 02-26-2004, 18:53

You really don't need to spend so much money on oil.
Penrite (and others) make some of the best oils around for 1/2 the money you are considering paying.
The Ford I6 simply doesn't need such an exotic oil which may or may not be giving you any advantage at all, you are throwing money away.
Something like Penrite HPR10 is better than your engine needs.

Rick.

NA Thunder · 02-26-2004, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soxx

You really don't need to spend so much money on oil.
Penrite (and others) make some of the best oils around for 1/2 the money you are considering paying.
The Ford I6 simply doesn't need such an exotic oil which may or may not be giving you any advantage at all, you are throwing money away.
Something like Penrite HPR10 is better than your engine needs.

Rick.

Cheers Rick,

Really? Hmmm. Interesting. <gears in head turn once again> Penrite is an oil I haven't considered. I used to have a `78 Monza Red XC GS Coupe. Penrite, tried it once, motor ate it for breakfast. Castrol (GP50 at the time, now a Formula R series) was perfect. Even Valvoline XLD worked well in the hardtop.

Probably why I haven't considered it but engines now days are a little different as well as oils....Hmmm, who do you trust.

I'm just looking for the best option within a reasonable price. I do tend to punish it once it's up to temp and has been running for 5-10 minutes. Nothing too crazy but I'll push it, reving it to 5400+ rpm now and then.

Been running Castrol Magnatec until the last oil change when I changed to synthetic. It's mainly used as a weekend car, no short trips to the shop and back.

STROKEXD · 02-26-2004, 20:19

Big ozzie 6's are a different story than the hi-tech jap rockets. Personally I wouldn't use either your current Castrol 0W40 or the MOTUL 5W40 - too light. Ford's 6 has big journals and a heavier oil than both these would be a better proposition.

After a bit of time in the engine the components that give an oil it's multi-grade ability start to break down, way before your scheduled oil change. So bascically a 40 weight oil starting out at a low end 0W and 5W equivalent will thin out quite a bit. ie A 0W/40 will stop behaving like a 40 weight oil much quicker than a 15W/40 would as the oil gets older.

For our climate a 15/20W 40/50 will give better cylinder side wall and bearing protection as the oil gets a bit older but before it is due for a change. I like the Castrol Oils - GP50 and their synthetic race formulae are great.

Nothing bad to say about Penrites Oils either.

NA Thunder · 02-26-2004, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by STROKEXD

Big ozzie 6's are a different story than the hi-tech jap rockets. Personally I wouldn't use either your current Castrol 0W40 or the MOTUL 5W40 - too light. Ford's 6 has big journals and a heavier oil than both these would be a better proposition.

After a bit of time in the engine the components that give an oil it's multi-grade ability start to break down, way before your scheduled oil change. So bascically a 40 weight oil starting out at a low end 0W and 5W equivalent will thin out quite a bit. ie A 0W/40 will stop behaving like a 40 weight oil much quicker than a 15W/40 would as the oil gets older.

For our climate a 15/20W 40/50 will give better cylinder side wall and bearing protection as the oil gets a bit older but before it is due for a change. I like the Castrol Oils - GP50 and their synthetic race formulae are great.

Nothing bad to say about Penrites Oils either.

Cheers for that,

Well let it be known....OK, It's time to admit I'm a goose.

Ford say to use 10W30. To me, that sounds way too thin.

Here's a tale for ya...I'll admit, Oils? Me knows nothin!

I was actually recommended by a XR6 T driver who has modded his T and also works in a high up position for Castrol. He said the perfect oil to use was the Formula R 10W60, he swares by it and said it's perfect for the N/A and the T. Also, only to use the 0W40 if I could not find the other. (Thought that was a little weird but hmm, seemed to know his stuff)...

Now fuel economy doesn't seem to be suffering with the higher viscosity. I'm not using a drop but I've got somewhat a unique mixture. The Barra 182 takes 6.5 litres of oil so I bought a bottle of the 0W40 grade after hearing someone from the Castrol support centre basically say: "You put what into what"? when I was enquiring to see if you could buy 1 litre bottles (As buying 2 x 5 litres for one oil change is a damn expensive escercise). Panic mode set in, he said the two grades will mix without a problem so I drained some of the 10W60 so now it's more like a 5w50 Castrol Formula R mix.

The car's running perfectly fine but buggered if I'm going to go through this excercise every time for an oil change.

Soxx · 02-27-2004, 03:49

I don't agree with 'STROKEXD' about the viscosity of the oil for the newer I6's.
Ford recommend thin oil for a reason, sure they have big journals, however they also have very tight bearing clearances. They also run a quite tight piston to bore clearance and have teflon coated pistons.
They are not like the big sixes of old and are getting closer (in some ways) to the smaller and lighter Japanese engines.

A 10W30 oil will be just fine and dandy even in hot weather, particularly something decent like HPR10.
The thickest I'd use is HPR15.
Don't forget Penrite is an OZ company, there's nothing like product being made for our conditions, in our country.

Rick.

taximan · 02-27-2004, 04:18

Well I have been using Valvoline Lo-Vis 10w-30 for 530,000ks.Uses about 1/2 litre in 10,000ks,quite acceptable,car still goes hard with no noise or rattles.Cost is about $23.I have known other people who have used heavier grade oil in AU 6s and have stuffed the motor,so I am a firm believer in the thin as piss oils.

Casper · 02-27-2004, 04:21

I would never use anything heavier than 10w-30/40/50 etc in my XR6. It's recommended for a reason! Currently I'm using Castrol R 5w-30 and its been a good oil, but is ready for a change after only 4000kms. I guess thats the price you pay.

ebxr8240 · 02-27-2004, 05:14

For the exact REASON the bearing jounals are BIGGER is exactly WHY lighter oils should be used.
Those who have built TUFF 351 W would know of the oiling problems with their mains..Being such a big dia the surface area is too great at high speed for the oil to protect bearing at high rpm/loads..Pluss synthetic doesn't break down the same as mineral oils..Its not that the oil gets thinner with age either.More the case of contaminants and carbon building up in crankcase/ oil..We are talking newer efi engines.. Not high milage carb engines...