Substitute for Volvo 15w/40 oil?

[Richard_Peevor]

Quick question to the people that know: My old MD5A engine runs on 15W/40 oil. I have paid the inflated volvo price previously but I was looking in Halfords and the same grade oil is at least half price.

Are any of you using other brands of oil? Even Halfords own? £12.99 for 5L. The only thing I wasnt sure about was within 15W/40 there seems a variety of oils: mineralised, non mineralised etc..

Which is the right one??

Any advice much appreciated.

Richard

 

[andy_wilson]

The lowest spec. will be best for the engine. Use basic mineral oil, not any of the sythetic derivatives.

 

[lw395]

15w/40 is a non-demanding spec for oil nowadays.
Go for a reasonable semi-synthetic that exceeds these numbers, say 10w/40. Then look for the 'cx' rating e.g. cd, cf, these are specific properties for compression ign (diesel) engines. Compare with the volvo stuff. A higher letter is generally better, but there are some thin oils with high letters to avoid as too specialised.
Probably worth getting a 'diesel' flavour of oil, as the additives are optimised, but most car oils have both cx and sx (for spark ign) ratings.
And change it before it gets really black and 'orrid.
That's my opinion.
I use known brands like castrol, mobil, total, depending on what my local motor factor is selling at a good price.
The semi synth seems to stick to the metal, which has to be good in an engine that gets 5 days to drain between weekend use.
If you really view the motor as precious metal, a fully synth is wothwhile, but its 3x the price. Still cheaper than engine parts, so I use it in my motorbike. Its still important to change it regularly tho. Hope that helps,

 

[Steve_N]

Even Halfords own? £12.99 for 5L

Extortionate!
My 23 year old Volvo is currently purring on Tesco Supergrade Diesel 15w/40 at £7.47 for 4 litres..

 

[Remmington]

20 litres from Volvo Truck spares counter £47.00

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
15w/40 is a non-demanding spec for oil nowadays.
Go for a reasonable semi-synthetic that exceeds these numbers, say 10w/40. Then look for the 'cx' rating e.g. cd, cf, these are specific properties for compression ign (diesel) engines. Compare with the volvo stuff. A higher letter is generally better, but there are some thin oils with high letters to avoid as too specialised.
Probably worth getting a 'diesel' flavour of oil, as the additives are optimised, but most car oils have both cx and sx (for spark ign) ratings.
And change it before it gets really black and 'orrid.
That's my opinion.
I use known brands like castrol, mobil, total, depending on what my local motor factor is selling at a good price.
The semi synth seems to stick to the metal, which has to be good in an engine that gets 5 days to drain between weekend use.
If you really view the motor as precious metal, a fully synth is wothwhile, but its 3x the price. Still cheaper than engine parts, so I use it in my motorbike. Its still important to change it regularly tho. Hope that helps,

[/ QUOTE ]

Only bit I agree with is the rating for diesel. Sorry but the rest ? I don't.

Tip : Beware of cheap supermarket oils - they are often reconstituted oils ... filtered, cleaned and then Viscosity improvers added to "patch" em up to spec. They should not be used past service intervals - that being said by me - Mr. Never service an engine bloke !! The life of reconstituted oil is strictly limited.
It is better to use a general mid-range price multi-grade than the real cheap stuff.

If you change oil as a lot do - which often is at less hours than needed ... then by all means go for cheapo. If you change at correct interval - do it a favour and run a reasonable brand......... you don't have to go expensive and IMHO - synthetic is wasted on a boat engine .. similarly semi-synthetic. IMHO - a straight mineral based.

If engine wants 15-40 ......... then that's what it gets. Going for a 10 is not IMHO a good suggestion. If you said 20-40 - then I might agree. BUt then cold properties will be heavier.

At the end of the day - marine engines don't batter their oils as much as industrial / car / trucks do ... so you have a bit more leeway with it.

Buy Volvo Oil ?? Only if warranty specifies !! No warranty ? then certainly not...... why buy re-labeled oil ?

 

[VicS]

I don't know what Nigel will make of this but I have always prefered Castrol oil and always will. For conventional engines needing a 15W-40 thats GTX for petrol engines and GTD for diesel engines

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know what Nigel will make of this but I have always prefered Castrol oil and always will. For conventional engines needing a 15W-40 thats GTX for petrol engines and GTD for diesel engines

[/ QUOTE ]

I prefer straight Petrol Company Oils or Duckhams. But it's a personal preference - not based on my lab etc.

As to Castrol - I used to use Castrol in my race car at first - but found the valve area and camshafts covered in foam - where the Castrol literally frothed ... so changed to Duckhams and never had the problem again. But that was extreme use ...

All I would say is "cheaper the oil - more frequent the change" ... maybe ?

I do test sae10 ... 20 .... 30 and 50 in what are called Base Oils. These are refinery stock before addition of improvers etc. for market. The thousands of tons I test are often sold into the transport companys suppliers ... such as for London Transport - not now ! - and large Fleet Truck outfits. I believe that one large "Cheap" Oil seller receives some of this product for blending into his reconstituted stocks .... So it's a difficult world to play and advise on ... and I'm in the "game" !!

 

[gandy]

I think our Volvo MD7A has Comma "Eurodiesel" in it, because that's what I already had. 15/40 CF. The manual tells me to use straight-grade 20 or 30, but that's not so easy to get nowadays. As noted even Volvo's own brand is a multigrade.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
I think our Volvo MD7A has Comma "Eurodiesel" in it, because that's what I already had. 15/40 CF. The manual tells me to use straight-grade 20 or 30, but that's not so easy to get nowadays. As noted even Volvo's own brand is a multigrade.

[/ QUOTE ]

Volvo's "Own brand" ?? Re-labelled !

Comma ............ now where have I heard that name from ??

 

[dickh]

I agree to use Castrol GTD - but it's often difficult to get hold of. My local car place has stopped selling it.....

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I use whatever LSUK have as 15W40 and cheap. Reminds me, 25l in the containers plus two oil filters is not the same as actually doing the oil change

Nigel/anyone, do you have any views on flushing additives for oil change purposes? Jedi's oil is badly in need of changing and, I suspect, very old indeed.

 

[Aja]

I'm the same. Comma 15/40. Have used it in Yanmars and Thorneycrofts.

Not expensive, but not cheap either about £15/ 5l if I remember.

Donald

 

[Sans Bateau]

I was told, and listen to, a man who repairs marine engines for a living. He recommends a straight mineral multigrade, Shell Relix (?). He said not to use a semi or synthetic oil as it is to high tech for what are marinised cement mixer engines!

He said he sees more engines with glazed bores from over kindness than engines with broken bits from neglect.

 

[Guest]

Flushing oils ...

Many moons ago - all services / diy used to use light-flushing oils and I still regard them as useful today ... but literally no-one uses them anymore !
I would have thought with tighter tolerance engines etc. ... but no.

Me - I don't use them as I'm lazy ! It's a surprise when I remember to change the oil !

 

[Guest]

True ... IMHO.

Many marine engines are based on industrial engines ... such as Genny / compressor jobs. Built to work hard and constant rev / load. What do we do with them ? Kid gloves and killed with kindness.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Thanks Nigel.

Jedi's oil, both sides, is such an unknown provenance and as thick and black as the simile of choice that I'd wondered about one of those additives you stick in, run for 30 minutes and then drain with the old oil, but looks like I can save the dosh.

 

[Richard_Peevor]

thanks all... no more volvo oil for me!

Appreciate all of your knowledge and advice.

Best Wishes

Richard