chrishelen
N/A
Is 15/40 multigrade ok to use in my Volvo 2001?
What Oil?
- Thread starter chrishelen
- Start date
Sans Bateau
Well-Known Member
Maybe not. I know its a pain, but do a search, much has been writen on the forum recently, search Vyv_cox posts, he knows what he's talking about..
VicS
Well-Known Member
Yes the Owners manual on the VP website says 15W/40 but an older manual says 20W/30. 15/40 is between those two.
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
Criteria for oil choice are:
1. API specification
2. Viscosity - which you've quoted.
The API spec covers whether it's deisgned for a diesel (a C for Compression ignition appears) for petrol (an S, for spark ignition occurs) and there may be a suffix to define 2 stroke or 4 stroke. If an oil does not have an API spec on its container, don't buy it.
Brand names are not relevant, except as a short cut to identifying a particular spec.
Your handbook should tell you the typical API spec required. A very common spec for older engines is 'CD'. This has been superceded by 'CF' and later grades.
A good bible on this matter is: API Specs.
JimB
1. API specification
2. Viscosity - which you've quoted.
The API spec covers whether it's deisgned for a diesel (a C for Compression ignition appears) for petrol (an S, for spark ignition occurs) and there may be a suffix to define 2 stroke or 4 stroke. If an oil does not have an API spec on its container, don't buy it.
Brand names are not relevant, except as a short cut to identifying a particular spec.
Your handbook should tell you the typical API spec required. A very common spec for older engines is 'CD'. This has been superceded by 'CF' and later grades.
A good bible on this matter is: API Specs.
JimB
VicS
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Your handbook should tell you the typical API spec required
[/ QUOTE ] CD it says in the manual. But youll end up buying one of the current ones as CD is obsolete
Your handbook should tell you the typical API spec required
[/ QUOTE ] CD it says in the manual. But youll end up buying one of the current ones as CD is obsolete
Jonny_H
Well-Known Member
We have had various issues with oil leaks recently and as such have had to buy 3 new containers of oil - all are CF / B3 (which is what the engine wants per the manual) - but this grade is obtainable in 10W/40 and 15W/40? Whats the difference please (manual just says CF / B3)?
Jonny
Jonny
chrishelen
N/A
Thanks everone,15/40 it is then.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Temp range
VicS
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
but this grade is obtainable in 10W/40 and 15W/40? Whats the difference please
[/ QUOTE ] Without going into great depth the 10W/40 will be less viscous at lower temperatures than the 20W/40 but both will be the same at higher temperatures.
I ought to know this without saying "I think" but I think the two temperatures at which the viscosity measurements are made are 40C and 100C. but that's academic .
All these viscosity figures reflect the fact that over the years oils have progressively been made with wider and wider multigrade bands.
At one time oils were not multi grade at all. I can remember when Castrol made Castrolite which was a straight SAE 20, XL which was SAE 30 and XXL which was SAE 40. Slowly these have been replaced by multigrade oils with ever widening viscosity bands . The last oil I bought was Castrol GTX with viscosity range of 10W/40
I am surprised though that your manual does not give a viscosity recommenadtion.
but this grade is obtainable in 10W/40 and 15W/40? Whats the difference please
[/ QUOTE ] Without going into great depth the 10W/40 will be less viscous at lower temperatures than the 20W/40 but both will be the same at higher temperatures.
I ought to know this without saying "I think" but I think the two temperatures at which the viscosity measurements are made are 40C and 100C. but that's academic .
All these viscosity figures reflect the fact that over the years oils have progressively been made with wider and wider multigrade bands.
At one time oils were not multi grade at all. I can remember when Castrol made Castrolite which was a straight SAE 20, XL which was SAE 30 and XXL which was SAE 40. Slowly these have been replaced by multigrade oils with ever widening viscosity bands . The last oil I bought was Castrol GTX with viscosity range of 10W/40
I am surprised though that your manual does not give a viscosity recommenadtion.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
<< But youll end up buying one of the current ones as CD is obsolete >>
The spec is obsolete but Shell and Total both produce oils of API CD grade in UK. In France there seems to be a far wider choice of majors producing it. If you don't buy majors, but buy from car parts shops and other outlets, there seems to be quite a wide choice.
Yanmar's own oil is still to API CD but Volvo's seems to be to API CF or maybe CF-4.
The spec is obsolete but Shell and Total both produce oils of API CD grade in UK. In France there seems to be a far wider choice of majors producing it. If you don't buy majors, but buy from car parts shops and other outlets, there seems to be quite a wide choice.
Yanmar's own oil is still to API CD but Volvo's seems to be to API CF or maybe CF-4.
