Thread: 1600 S1 - Whats the correct engine oil?

I use 20 50 valvoline designated for old engines

It is not expensive so I guess I can afford to change it more regularly.

These engines were designed to be robust and suffer poor fuels and long service intervals and use in the worst conditions.

I feel that as My S1 is older than me I will treat it with respect.

I am changing lubricants frequently in order to flush old residue as it has sat for an indefinite period prior to me running it.

The car seems to respond well to periodical use and some good runs including hill work and best speed. (trying to keep up with the traffc)

Good luck with it.

I would have reccomended a 15/40 wt oil.

The scroll shouldnt leak unless going up steep hills. And they shouldnt wear as they dont actually rub on anything. That said one of mine had a mod from a PO where they put stuffing box packing in there. That buggered the scroll.
Might be the rubber seal at the rear of the oil pan. Sometimes these are left off.
I am using 15/40 in the whole fleet and change the oil more often in the 1600 to avoid mucking with the filter can.
Keith

Hi
Penrite have a 20/50 SAE older engine oil suitable for 1950/60 engines
I fine it is OK
cheers
Ian

Thanks guys. Looks like the oil may need to be a bit heavier when hot.

Decisions, decisions!

Jon

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If a 1600 does not leak oil at the rear of the engine, there is no oil in it.
The academies screw and slinger are pretty good at keeping most oil in when running but when you shut off the motor a small amount will run out to stop underbody corrosion.
Dennis

Originally Posted by dennisS1

If a 1600 does not leak oil at the rear of the engine, there is no oil in it.
The academies screw and slinger are pretty good at keeping most oil in when running but when you shut off the motor a small amount will run out to stop underbody corrosion.
Dennis

Thanks Dennis,
When I set off the dipstick was right on the full mark... about 3 hours later it was half way between full and low - so plenty of underbody corrosion protection!

The first picture shows how much oil dripped out after about a minute or two of standing (with engine running) and after about 1hr of back road and then 1hr of freeway driving. Im assuming this is excessive even for a 1600 S1?

The second picture (close up) shows how much dripeed out after another hour of freeway driving, again stationary with engine running for a minute or two.

As you may expect, rear axle and inside edge of rear tyres had plenty of oil splatter on them from the oil that had been dripping out along the way!

As I said before, the pictures show 5w-30 oil running out, the oil the car had been using immediately prior to the oil change was Penrite HPR30 (20W-60) and was for older petrol engines; apparently that didnt leak out...

Jon

You can rest easy, the grade of oil has nothing to do with the leaks.

excess quantity is one possibility,
spirited driving another,
but most likely seals and so forth,

however old fashioned engines wern't really good at keeping oil in
so it may be that it wasn't driven much or the seller cleaned it before you drove it.