Engine oil for an SV

[ADL]

I know nothing/very little about engine oil... I have a Caterham SV 1.8 K series brand spanking.... the manual reckons I should put 0w/50 engine oil in it - this is very expensive - can I get away with putting 5w/50 in it instead? Or is this not such a good idea - I'm asking now because it's done 500 miles and I'm going to change the oil.

[New Barbie]

You can use 15w50 - Mobil 1 MotorSport and know it'll be fine. 0w50 means the oil will be easier when cold and 5w50 is absolutley fine.

 

The 1.8K is a fairly standard engine at the end of the day, unless you are going to extremes, normal oil is not going to harm it.

 

 

[CHRIS CLARK]

Good quality 5W 50 is fine.

Can't help thinking though you've got the wrong car if you're worried about the 'little' expense of an oil change though!!!!

[ADL]

Thanks to both of you for your reply - I'll do it this weekend.

[Rob Walker]

15W50 Mobil 1 Motor Sport is not the correct oil for your engine. This oil is the oil of choice for the R500 that runs with a steel crank and has greater clearances on both the main and big end shells. It also runs with solid cam followers. Why not run with Comma Syner-G or Halfords fully synth thats what Caterham recomend.

[Peter Carmichael]

A better grade is a 0W40 or 5W40 synthetic.

 

The 40 grade is appropriate for the hydraulic followers, as Rob says.

 

15W50 is not a good oil for this engine, picking up all the disadvantages of a racing oil that expects to be nursed up to temperature.

 

*thumbup*253 bhp, up and running

[CHRIS CLARK]

As an aside, I use the Halfords 5 W 40 sythetic in my 1800 with hydraulic followers. It can be had at a 'reasonable' price and they often have offers as per "buy 5ltrs and get 1ltr free" etc

[EFA]

15/50 is good for any engine where there is a risk of cavitation. Cavitiation wioll only occur in an engine running at extreme RPM - 8000rpm plus, which has an oil pump/system inappropiate to thse speeds.

 

It is a compromise situation building an engine which can maintain adequate oil pressure at idle, and not overly pump (be aware I do not use the word pressurise) and hence cavitate the oil at high engine speeds.

 

Thicker oils resist cavitation better.

 

 

Nothing the low side of an R500 really risks cavitation as it does not really rev high enough.

 

 

I do not however believe that bearing clearences etc have any relavence to the oil used in the kind of engines which will find thier way into Caterhams, the bearing material and its filming and absorbancy properties being of far greater importance.

 

Additionally I am not aware of any requirement to "nurse up to temperature" Mobil 1 15/50. The thing which might need nursing up to temperature is the mechanically and thermally unstable design of certain wet linered engines when excessively tuned.

 

 

 

As a side note, a 5/40 is the ideal oil as it will allow the engine to maintain higher pressure at low pump speeds when the oil is hot. A 0/40 is IMHO too thin under these circumstances and 1 bar hot idle pressure on a modern 16V engine which runs 4.5 bar at normal operating temp/high revs is a risk.

 

Vauxhall dealers sell 25 litre drums of 5/40 fully synthetic for around £25/ drum. Use this or Comma SynerG

 

 

Fat Arn

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[mav]

Pop down to your local Comma agent for the cheapest deal. Halford own brand, whilst is produced by comma is still more expensive than the original branded item!!!!

[puremalt]

Comma has been recommended to me, although in my early niaivetie (that doesn't look right) I have put in Valvoline mineral oil 5 W 40 (x Flow of course) and found it fine once you carefully warm up. Besides I always spin it within the first few miles due to excitement/impatience so it gives me a chance to get bedded in.

[New Barbie]

I am using 5w15 M1 MotorSport and I do find I have to ease the oil up to temperature. My oil pressure goes too high for my liking if the car is pushed hard when the oil is cold. I monitor the oil temp and pressure and I don't push the engine hard until the oil has warmed up and the pressure reached when working the engine hard is not as excessive.

 

I know some older, design engines will take a thrashing from three seconds after the starter button has been pushed but I prefer to treat my car with a bit more respect - and I don't want the weight penalty either.

 

The discipline of having to hold back for a while is good for overall longevity I figure and despite what others think, I'm pretty convinced I'm not doing the engine any harm with the 15w50 choice I've gone with.

 

 

[CHRIS CLARK]

All temp and pressures on my car seem to be steady after about three miles 'normal' warm-up driving. Used to take a lot, lot longer. Think this is solely due to fitting the 'Laminova' heat exchanger & it doing a grand job!!!!