Thread: Oil for 2L engine

Use Penrite Classic Penrite Oil - A Better Class Of Oil

Cheers Charlie

Originally Posted by chazza

Use Penrite Classic Penrite Oil - A Better Class Of Oil

Cheers Charlie

Cheers,

Does the Penrite classic come in various grades?

The Penrite site says:
Classic Engine Oils are a range of premium mineral, SAE 30 / 20W-60 (Classic Light), SAE 40 / 25W-70 (Classic Medium) & SAE 50 / 40-70 (Classic Heavy), full zinc, low detergent engine oils designed specifically for petrol and diesel fueled cars, trucks & motorcycles manufactured between 1950 and 1989.

Originally Posted by vnx205

The Penrite site says:
Classic Engine Oils are a range of premium mineral, SAE 30 / 20W-60 (Classic Light), SAE 40 / 25W-70 (Classic Medium) & SAE 50 / 40-70 (Classic Heavy), full zinc, low detergent engine oils designed specifically for petrol and diesel fueled cars, trucks & motorcycles manufactured between 1950 and 1989.

Is it a bad idea to put a detergent oil in an older engine? I like the idea of slowely cleaning out some of the buildup, but not if it clogs up the oil pickup or attacks the old oil seals?

Any oil you can buy today will be superior in all respects to the oil the engine was designed to use. Provided that you do not try lengthening the oil change intervals it is unlikely to make any difference which oil you use.

One word of caution - if the engine has been out of use since the 1960s, it is quite possible that it has an accumulation of sludge that may be mobilised by the higher level of detergent in any oil you can get today. This may block oilways and cause serious damage. Of course, if the engine has been completely overhauled, this is not an issue, provided cleaning while apart has been thorough.

John

The old monogrades stuck the dirt to the inside of the motor and you used a flushing oil to clean it out before the oil change. Modern oils (mono & multi-grade) use detergents and carry the dirt in suspension.

If the engine is an unknown quantity either use a flushing oil or buy some cheap 20W50 oil and run it for a while and then drain and then refill with the oil of your choice.

A 20W50 oil designed for older engines should be OK. As JDNSW mentioned, any modern oil, even something from the supermarket, will probably be better than what was available at the time the vehicle was built.

I buy in bulk from a blender (no-name, no-marketing, so reasonable cost) and I asked for the correct grade for my Series 1. The owner of the company explained that they could blend it for me but using a slightly more modern spec (available off the shelf) would not harm the engine. At the time it was about $75 for 20litres although their prices have increased recently.


Colin

I have read quite a few articles on the web that advocate the use of zinc in oil for older engines, here is one;

"My opinions come from several decades as an oil company rep. the thing you need to keep in mind on the new engine is to use ZDDP. this is the anti wear additive that is no longer in engine oils. if you don't use it in an engine with flat tappets the cam and associated parts will be the first thing to self destruct. you need at least 1200 PPM of ZDDP..." from a member of the Sunbeam Alpine Owners Club of America.

For that reason, and because Penrite appear to agree, I won't be a using a "modern oil" in my Alpine, or in my Series 1. For the small difference in cost, compared to the expense of a new camshaft and followers, I will stick with a formulation that is designed to protect those components,

Cheers Charlie

Originally Posted by chazza

...... use ZDDP. this is the anti wear additive that is no longer in engine oils......

Cheers Charlie

And was not in the oils that were available when your Series 1 motor was designed and built. Perhaps one of the reasons why Series 2 engines have roller cam followers?

John