With lubrication being such a critical component of combustion engines, I find it hard to comprehend why many people will buy any oil, as long as its cheap, and go for the $30 filter (thats if it gets changed at all), yet see great value in (investing) $3000 on a set of sick mags.
The majority of engine wear/damage occurs between startup and warmup thus a oil with a low startup viscosity or (flow rate of oil at atmospheric temperature), (thats the number that precedes the W) will maximise engine life.
You can either buy a mineral based oil or opt for the synthetic variety, synthetic oil wasn't very good when it first started to be produced but most of that has now changed.
Mineral based oil helps reduce engine temperature but breaks down quicker then synthetic, it also has a higher cold viscosity.
Synthetic oil will last longer between changes and has better flow propertys, engine heat can be higher though now with many of the new preimum blends this is not the case, there is also the (magnetic) oils which stick to metal surfaces that see friction and always have a film around engine components rather then seep to the sump.
Last time I changed my oil on the XR8 I used castrol magnatec.
|