hendrixswhitestrat Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Evening 😬 Okay okay...no more hendrix I promise.... Wonder if I could trouble the experienced bods on a couple of things: - Any Xflow members recommend a decent engine oil ? - Anyone had any joy in polishing blued/discoloured exhaust pipes - if so what did you use ? I've tried Brasso/Autoglym/Mer etc but no joy ! Thanks all HWS HWS _________________________ Guitars, cars and whisky in the jar..what else is there ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Ahh, the redoubtable Crossflow. Oh how I love thee! 🥰 Mobil oil for starters. Cleaning the blue exhaust manifold. Very fine steel wool and autosol polishing paste. It should be done with the manifold fully cold. ( Otherwise you will burn yourself!) Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrixswhitestrat Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 Cheers Greg - top man !!! 😬 HWS _________________________ Guitars, cars and whisky in the jar..what else is there ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon C Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Simon & Guy from Opie oil recommend to me 10w-40 or the 5w-40 for hard track use. Silkolene Pro S or the Motul 300v If you are not running excessive temps (130degC plus) use a good fully synthetic race 5w-40 or 10w-40 tops. You will get better bhp, mpg and overall protection. Ester based ones are the best types. Well since there suggestion i have been using the 10w-40 oil. Great oil pressure right through the operating range. No reason to change spec here. _________________________ Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I am lead to believe that engine oil temperatures in the range of 130 degrees will cause a catastrophic failure of the chemistry of the oil and its lubricating properties. I know that f1 side car engines running in the I.O.M TT run 5w oil to improve engine power. But and it is a big BUT, they control their oil temperature to between 92 and 98 degrees. If they go over 98, they stop. Greg. Edited by - guilleracing on 20 Oct 2009 21:42:00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon C Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Sure Simon and Guy wouldn't mind me copy some advice that was given on one of the other forums........ If you are modding your car and adding BHP or using it off road then consider your oil choice carefully as the stock manufacturers recommended oil will not give you the protection that your engine requires. A standard oil will not be thermally stable enough to cope with higher temperatures without "shearing" meaning that the oil will not give the same protection after a couple of thousand miles as it it when it was new. Let’s start with the fundamentals. An engine is a device for converting fuel into motive power. Car enthusiasts get so deep into the details they lose sight of this! To get more power, an engine must be modified such that it converts more fuel per minute into power than it did in standard form. To produce 6.6 million foot-pounds per minute of power (ie 200 BHP) a modern engine will burn about 0.5 litres of fuel per minute.(Equivalent to 18mpg at 120mph). So, to increase this output to 300BHP or 9.9 million foot-pounds per minute it must be modified to burn (in theory) 0.75 litres. However, fuel efficiency often goes out of the window when power is the only consideration, so the true fuel burn will be rather more than 0.75 litres/min. That’s the fundamental point, here’s the fundamental problem: Less than 30% of the fuel (assuming it’s petrol) is converted to all those foot-pounds. The rest is thrown away as waste heat. True, most of it goes down the exhaust, but over 10% has to be eliminated from the engine internals, and the first line of defence is the oil. More power means a bigger heat elimination problem. Every component runs hotter; For instance, piston crowns and rings will be running at 280-300C instead of a more normal 240-260C, so it is essential that the oil films on cylinder walls provide an efficient heat path to the block casting, and finally to the coolant. Any breakdown or carbonisation of the oil will restrict the heat transfer area, leading to serious overheating. A modern synthetic lubricant based on true temperature-resistant synthetics is essential for long-term reliability. At 250C+, a mineral or hydrocracked mineral oil, particularly a 5W/X or 10W/X grade, is surprisingly volatile, and an oil film around this temperature will be severely depleted by evaporation loss. Back in the 1970s the solution was to use a thick oil, typically 20W/50; in the late 1980s even 10W/60 grades were used. But in modern very high RPM engines with efficient high-delivery oil pumps thick oils waste power, and impede heat transfer in some situations. A light viscosity good synthetic formulated for severe competition use is the logical and intelligent choice for the 21st century. You must seriously consider a "true" synthetic for "shear stability" and the right level of protection. Petroleum oils tend to have low resistance to “shearing” because petroleum oils are made with light weight basestocks to begin with, they tend to burn off easily in high temperature conditions which causes deposit formation and oil consumption. As a result of excessive oil burning and susceptibility to shearing (as well as other factors) petroleum oils must be changed more frequently than synthetics. True synthetic oils (PAO’s and Esters) contain basically no waxy contamination to cause crystallization and oil thickening at cold temperatures. In addition, synthetic basestocks do not thin out very much as temperatures increase. So, pour point depressants are unnecessary and higher viscosity basestock fluids can be used which will still meet the "W" requirements for pumpability. Hence, little or no VI improver additive would need to be used to meet the sae 30, 40 or 50 classification while still meeting 0W or 5W requirements. The end result is that very little shearing occurs within true synthetic oils because they are not "propped up" with viscosity index improvers. There simply is no place to shear back to. In fact, this is easy to prove by just comparing synthetic and petroleum oils of the same grade. Of course, the obvious result is that your oil remains "in grade" for a much longer period of time for better engine protection and longer oil life. If you would like advice then please feel free to ask. Cheers Guy Basic Oil advice from Opie Oils When it comes to choosing oil for your car, this post may seem like going back to basics but we at OPIE OILS are constantly surprised by the amount of people who do not understand what is written on a bottle of oil and therefore have no idea of what they are buying or using. This article should help most car owners as a basic guide, for more detailed information you can always contact us at www.opieoils.co.uk and we will be more than happy to help you. So, to be blunt about the subject, if a bottle of oil does not contain the following basic information then DO NOT buy it look for something that does! 1) The purpose for which it is intended (i.e. Motor oil, Gear oil, ATF etc) 2) The viscosity (i.e. 10w-40, 5w-30 etc for Motor oils and 80w-90, 75w-90 etc for Gear oils) 3) The specifications that it meets (should contain API and/or ACEA ratings) 4) The OEM Approvals that it carries and the codes (i.e. MB229.5, VW504.00, FORD 913A, BMW LL04 etc) Ignore the marketing blurb on the label it is in many cases meaningless and we will explain later what statements you should treat with some skepticism. So, what does the above information mean and why is it important? THE BASICS All oils are intended for an application and in general are not interchangeable. You would not for example put an Automatic Transmission Oil or a Gear Oil in your engine! It is important to know what the oils intended purpose is. VISCOSITY Most oils on the shelves today are “Multigrades”, which simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades (i.e. 10w-40 etc) Multigrades were first developed some 50 years ago to avoid the old routine of using a thin oil in winter and a thicker oil in the summer. In a 10w-40 for example the 10w bit (W = winter, not weight or watt or anything else for that matter) simply means that the oil must have a certain maximum viscosity/flow at low temperature. The lower the “W” number the better the oils cold temperature/cold start performance. I.E. 5w is better than 10w etc The 40 in a 10w-40 simply means that the oil must fall within certain viscosity limits at 100 degC. This is a fixed limit and all oils that end in 40 must achieve these limits. Once again the lower the number the thinner the oil, a 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100 degC etc. Your handbook will specify whether a 30, 40 or 50 etc is required. SPECIFICATIONS Specifications are important as these indicate the performance of an oil and whether it has met or passed the latest tests or whether the formulation is effectively obsolete or out of date. There are two specifications that you should look for on any oil bottle and these are API (American Petroleum Institute) and ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Europeens d’Automobiles) all good oils should contain both of these and an understanding of what they mean is important. API This is the more basic of the two specs as it is split (for passenger cars) into two catagories. S = Petrol and C = Diesel, most oils carry both petrol (S) and diesel © specifications. The following table shows how up to date the specifications the oil are: PETROL SG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge. SH - Introduced 1993 has same engine tests as SG, but includes phosphorus limit 0.12%, together with control of foam, volatility and shear stability. SJ - Introduced 1996 has the same engine tests as SG/SH, but phosphorus limit 0.10% together with variation on volatility limits SL - Introduced 2001, all new engine tests reflective of modern engine designs meeting current emissions standards SM - Introduced November 2004, improved oxidation resistance, deposit protection and wear protection, also better low temperature performance over the life of the oil compared to previous categories. Note: All specifications prior to SL are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date SL and SM specifications, so if you’ve a recent model, don’t bother. DIESEL CD - Introduced 1955, international standard for turbo diesel engine oils for many years, uses single cylinder test engine only CE - Introduced 1984, improved control of oil consumption, oil thickening, piston deposits and wear, uses additional multi cylinder test engines CF4 - Introduced 1990, further improvements in control of oil consumption and piston deposits, uses low emission test engine CF - Introduced 1994, modernised version of CD, reverts to single cylinder low emission test engine. Intended for certain indirect injection engines CF2 - Introduced 1994, defines effective control of cylinder deposits and ring face scuffing, intended for 2 stroke diesel engines CG4 - Introduced 1994, development of CF4 giving improved control of piston deposits, wear, oxidation stability and soot entrainment. Uses low sulphur diesel fuel in engine tests CH4 - Introduced 1998, development of CG4, giving further improvements in control of soot related wear and piston deposits, uses more comprehensive engine test program to include low and high sulphur fuels CI4 Introduced 2002, developed to meet 2004 emission standards, may be used where EGR ( exhaust gas recirculation ) systems are fitted and with fuel containing up to 0.5 % sulphur. May be used where API CD, CE, CF4, CG4 and CH4 oils are specified. Note: All specifications prior to CH4 are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date CH4 & CI4 specifications. If you want a better more up to date oil specification then look for SL, SM, CH4, CI4 ACEA This is the European equivalent of API (US) and is more specific in what the performance of the oil actually is. A = Petrol, B = Diesel and C = Catalyst compatible or low SAPS (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur). These specs are more commonly found on European oils and in many respects are more important than API for European Manufactured cars. Unlike API the ACEA specs are split into performance/application catagories as follows: A1 Fuel economy petrol A2 Standard performance level (now obsolete) A3 High performance and/or extended drain A4 Reserved for future use in certain direct injection engines A5 Combines A1 fuel economy with A3 performance B1 Fuel economy diesel B2 Standard performance level (now obsolete) B3 High performance and/or extended drain B4 For direct injection car diesel engines B5 Combines B1 fuel economy with B3/B4 performance C1-04 Petrol and Light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 low SAPS, two way catalyst compatible. C2-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible. C3-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible, higher performance levels due to higher HTHS. Note: SAPS = Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur. Put simply, A3/B3, A5/B5 and C3 oils are the better quality, stay in grade performance oils. APPROVALS Many oils mention various Car Manufacturers on the bottle, the most common in the UK being VW, MB, BMW, Ford or Vauxhall but do not be misled into thinking that you are buying top quality oil because of this. Oil Companies send their oils to OEM’s for approval however some older specs are easily achieved and can be done so with the cheapest of mineral oils. Newer specifications are always more up to date and better quality/performance than the older ones. Some of the older OEM specifications are listed here and depending on the performance level of your car are best ignored if you are looking for a quality high performance oil: VW – 500.00, 501.00 and 505.00 Later specs like 503.00, 503.01, 506.00 are better performing more up to date oils but as far as VW is concerned even these have now been superseded by the latest VW504.00 and VW507.00 specifications. MB – 229.1, 229.30 Later specs like 229.31, 229.5, and 229.51 are better performing more up to date oils. BMW – LL98 Later specs like LL01 and the latest LL04 oils are better performing more up to date. FINALLY Above is the most accurate guidance we can give without going into too much depth however there is one final piece of advice regarding labelling. Certain statements are made on labels that are meaningless and just marketing hype; here are a few to avoid! Recommended for use where…………… May be used where the following specifications apply…………… Approved by………………………..(but with no qualification or specification) Recommended/Approved by (some famous person, these endorsements are paid for) Racing/Track formula (but with no supporting evidence) Also be wary of statements like “synthetic blend” if you are looking for a fully synthetic oil as this will merely be a semi-synthetic. Like everything in life, you get what you pay for. The cheaper the oil the cheaper the ingredients, lower the performance levels and older the specs it meets so beware! Cheers Guy and the www.opieoils.co.uk Team A lot to take in. I have asked for advice from both Simon and Guy in the past and they couldn't have been more helpful. Greg re your oil break down failure comment if you can't find the answer in that little lot do give chaps a shout. Like i said, most helpful. _________________________ Gordon. Edited by - Whoosh on 20 Oct 2009 22:12:50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrixswhitestrat Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 So...erm....(gulp) Mobil 1 10w-40 it is then ? (no track use at all...light weekend use only) HWS _________________________ Guitars, cars and whisky in the jar..what else is there ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz Hemsley Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I beleive---20/50 Comma is fine for a Crossflow. They generally burn a bit of oil, full syn is not nec. and I was told it is not designed for an old lump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz Hemsley Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Anyway that's what I use and I thrash the nuts of it whenever possible. The lump ref. was th *smokin*e engine not me. --I think--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Normuss Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Cleaning the blue exhaust manifold. Very fine steel wool and autosol polishing paste. That's how I do it and it works a treat but I take the system off to do it VX HPC - Loud and proud here Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millsn Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I used to use castrol magnatec (i.e semi synth), i think it was 10/40, a little harder to find than the 10/30 which is ubiquitous. The mobil 1s are generaly too thin and you wind up putting in as much as you burn because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JampJ Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 If the exhaust stains are really bad, you can use welders stainless steel pickling paste! It's a very strong acid (read safety blurb!!) and will shift anything off the pipes. But they will need polishing afterwards as it leaves a clean but dull finish, ideal for polishing. Green scouring pads and metal polish are a good start, before the final polish, Best of all take them off and get them mirror finished at a decent polishing shop. It's really a matter of keeping on top of them, as no matter what you do, they will discolour. Maybe get them ceramic coated!! Cheers John JFDI (Just F*****g Do It) Edited by - johnjulie on 21 Oct 2009 09:18:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumster Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Polishing exhaust. As above . Works for me. Oil. Ever since my engine was rebuilt in 2000 I've used Mobil 1 motorsport 15w/50. So far I've managed 50,000 miles of blattinf, touring, trackdays and sprinting without any issues. Oil (and filter) is regularly changed ever 3-4,000 miles. Chris Alston C7CAT 1800 Supersprint R248 ....and then I jumped in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alextangent Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I use Halfords 10w40 in the green bottles; rumour has it that it's actually a Comma oil. Alex McDonald Loud, louder, loudest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalongbloke Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Halfords manager tells me it is Castrol oil... but who knows? My Xflow is now on 11.5K, on 10-40 Mobil 1, does not use a drop between 2500 mile changes. It does chuck some out in the overflow though!! Check out Hal... http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/dalongbloke Edited by - dalongbloke on 23 Oct 2009 08:12:54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randybugger Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Mobile 1 15w/50 I think Roger King recomended it for my engine (155 BHP) Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 You didn't expect a single agreement on one type of oil did you 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millsn Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Trying to summarise; If you have a rebuilt engine that someone's spent some time on machining right then I would say go for the thin stuff. If you've a basically standard bottom end stick with the thicker variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 happy with Motul 300V 15W50 Synthetic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezky Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 James Whiting will not let you drive a xflow with synthetic oil in it. I have run with synthetic oil, but the engine rattled. It needs someting a bit thicker (she said with a shy smile). He recommends Valvoline VR1 racing oil, used in Formula Ford when they had proper engines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative dikko Posted October 22, 2009 Area Representative Share Posted October 22, 2009 Er wassthissabout proper FF engines? We have been using Millers Oils in the Historic Formula Ford series and F Junior series. They went into studies of Kent engine needs and came up with something and we've never looked back since (for 18 years...). Look up their web site. I can recommend. Get yourself a cast steel crank from Sky Ford at Hemel Hempstead too. Only £600, worth every penny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guilleracing Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I ran a Zagk formula ford ZETEC in 2003, oil pressure in tickover 12 psi @ 950 rpm. This engine ran competively for over 800 miles with no DNFs Greg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrixswhitestrat Posted October 23, 2009 Author Share Posted October 23, 2009 Cheers all.....decided to go with Mazola 25w 90 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz Hemsley Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 What the bl 😳 😳dy hell is that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve C Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Corn oil, smells nice! 'Wet the Webers, light them and blat!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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