Turbo Volvo (S60R) oil rec, plus noob help!

[evilspoons]

Hi everyone, I'm sure this has been asked a billion times before, but I am interested in what oil I should be running in my S60R. It's a 2005 with 70,000 km (43,500 mi).

First, I live in Edmonton, which is a place that sees -30 degrees C in the winter as frequently as it sees +30 degrees C in the summer. Usually we're at -20 and +20 in winter and summer though.

At the moment, I'm not driving my car (

) due to medical reasons. It's being parked in the garage until April, and so me and my Dad did a hot oil change without replacing the filter just today. Put in some non-synthetic Castrol GTX 5W30. This is the same oil I am pretty sure the previous owner had in the car regularly. I haven't owned it long enough to do an oil change yet.

The owner's manual recommends 5W30 non-synthetic Castrol as a minimum, with the option to go to synthetic. They also tell you to switch to 10W30 if you frequently see over 30 degrees C, but I'm thinking that's more for Las Vegas than Edmonton.

Anyway, I'm wondering what I should put in it when I swap the "storage" oil back out in April. I've found a couple sources for what I've heard called "German Castrol" on these and other forums, obviously full synthetic. One place sells 0W30, and another sells 0W50 (I think? or am I misremembering?).

Is 0W better for winter like I believe it is? And is the 0W50 a better idea for this car than the 0W30 or the 5W30 "regular" (not-German) synthetic? I don't really understand oil numbers.

For what it's worth, I'm not really looking to change to a "summer" and a "winter" oil unless the synthetic really sucks in winter or summer.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[d00df00d]

, and congratulations on the new (to you) car!

The number before the W only refers to how well the oil flows when cold. A lower number here means the oil doesn't thicken up as much when cold, which is good.

The bigger number represents how thick the oil is when everything is up to operating temp. For street use, you want this number to be the same as specified in your owner's manual.

With non-synthetics, you always want to keep the difference between the two numbers as small as possible. This will minimize the chance that the oil will break down under stress. That's why Volvo says to use 10w-30 if you're always running in warm weather. With synthetics, however, you have a lot more leeway because they are far more resistant to that kind of breakdown. Some of the stoutest oils on the market are 0w-30 synthetics.

German Castrol is just 0w-30 (and only if it says "Made in Germany" on the back). It's an excellent oil that would be great for your purposes.

The only company I know of that makes a 0w-50 is Eneos, and I doubt you'd see it in a store on this side of the Pacific.

If you saw a Castrol xw-50, it was probably Castrol Syntec 5w-50. It's not a bad oil, but there's no need for anything that thick. You might lose fuel economy and the oil probably won't protect any better.

I'm pretty sure there's at least one member here with an S60R who is very happily running Mobil 1 0w-40. I usually don't like the idea of going thicker than the service manual recommends, but this oil might be an exception. Hopefully that member will chime in.

Any good synthetic will be a great option year-round. It will flow well when cold, and stand up to stress when hot.

 

[evilspoons]

d00df00d,

Thanks a bunch for the information, that makes a lot of sense.

I'm pretty sure I found "made in Germany" on the oils at both places, so the oil at the second place was almost definitely German 0W30. I took a picture of it to remind me but managed to cover up the numbers after the W with the wire rack shelf it was on at the store (duh).

One more question: what's the shelf life on these things? Should I be careful about the date code on them, and is it OK to buy a couple changes worth of oil and leave it sitting in the garage or should I go out and buy just what I need every time so it is fresh?

 

[addyguy]

German Castrol is an excellent oil for this application. Another one is Mobil 1 0W-40.

Does the S60R use a Turbo engine? If so, my advice would be to stay with a synthetic, hence my recs.

Sealed oil has an almost indefinite shelf life. Lots of folks on here have used 5+ year old oil without the slightest issue.

 

[evilspoons]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Does the S60R use a Turbo engine? If so, my advice would be to stay with a synthetic, hence my recs.


Yeah, the S60R is a 2.5L inline-5 with a KKK turbocharger, with something like 14 psi max boost IIRC. Good for 300 hp @ 5500 RPM and 295 lb-ft torque across most of the rev range. It's fun to drive too bad it's parked now

 

[LOLVO]

non synthetic for a 300hp twin turbo engine?

WOW

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: LOLVO
non synthetic for a 300hp twin turbo engine?

WOW


I run a non synthetic in my 700hp turbo engine with no problems.

 

[addyguy]

If I were you, I'd have a good, close look down the oil fill-hole. See if you see any gunk, deposits, build-up. Dino oil in a high-stress turbo engine can spell trouble - there's a thread on here about another Turbo Volvo owner that had major sludge/varnish build-up in his dino-fed car.

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Originally Posted By: LOLVO
non synthetic for a 300hp twin turbo engine?

WOW


I run a non synthetic in my 700hp turbo engine with no problems.


But you also dont' live in Edmonton AB, where the winter temps make almost any dino oil flow like molasses.

IMHO, the only oil a turbo car should see in Canadian temps, is synthetic.

 

[JOD]

I had that same motor, but in the wagon. On the recommendation of my local Volvo guy, I ran Mobil 1 0W40 and the motor seemed to really like it. No UOA's but it had full compression at 130K. I ran the oil to 7.5K or so.

One thing about my particlar engine is that it ate oil, 1.5 qt over the 7.5K. When I asked my Volvo mech about it, he mentioned that most of the R motors he'd seen burn more than that...so keep an eye on how much oil you have in there.

 

[Blurry]

Hello fellow S60 R owner....my 04 manual states 10w30. I've changed to AMSOIL 0w30 and I think in your neck of the woods where it is colder then here in Maine. A good synthetic 0w30 would work great. I use AMSOIL because I've been happy with all their product over the past 30 plus years.

 

[typ901]

Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Originally Posted By: LOLVO
non synthetic for a 300hp twin turbo engine?

WOW


I run a non synthetic in my 700hp turbo engine with no problems.


True, but you run a top tier synthetic a stock TL though....

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: typ901
Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Originally Posted By: LOLVO
non synthetic for a 300hp twin turbo engine?

WOW


I run a non synthetic in my 700hp turbo engine with no problems.


True, but you run a top tier synthetic a stock TL though....


I have no doubt a synthetic would do better in both a turbo application and a cold climate. I made the statement because people act like a mild 300hp turbo car requires a synthetic which it doesn't as long as proper shutdown procedures are used.

I recommend a synthetic in his application too, just had to point out turbo doesn't necessarily mean synthetic.

 

[typ901]

I was just bustin' balls. I run synthetic in my '00 Accord with a J30A1. It does not need it, but I do a lot of mid range trips with stop and go, and 80 mph bursts. OP is much further North, and sounds like vehicle will be sitting for awhile at times...that and I did not recall seeing anything about turbo timer or anything about cool down for turbo.

 

[bdcardinal]

i only use GC anymore in mine with a OEM Volvo filter. change it at 7500 miles when the light comes on.

 

[evilspoons]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
If I were you, I'd have a good, close look down the oil fill-hole. See if you see any gunk, deposits, build-up. Dino oil in a high-stress turbo engine can spell trouble - there's a thread on here about another Turbo Volvo owner that had major sludge/varnish build-up in his dino-fed car.


I'd love to, but when I take the oil cap off this is all I see

That's a fixed "keep junk out of the engine" plate with slots for new oil to flow in. Not much to see!

Car is being parked for a few months with [censored] oil in it for storage, that should get me out of winter this year but I fully intend on driving it through the cold months NEXT winter.

I don't have a turbo timer (car is completely stock except for an iPod adapter). Usually I turn the car off by pulling up to my parking spot, waiting 20 or so seconds (more if a good song is on!) then turning it off. I know not to rev the engine before turning it off, anyway. I've got no idea what the previous owner did (65,000 of the 70,000 km).

By the way, thanks for all the help, everyone.

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Honestly after owning several Volvo's in my family, as well as a few other euro cars, the engine and turbo are the last things you should be worrying about.

Sure a couple of decades ago a turbo would last maybe 60-70 k miles AT MOST. But the sad thing about those cars, were that most weren't designed as well as the later ones. Most relied on the oil to cool them, when the oils being run back then were far more crude than even the cheapest dino being produced today. As a result seized turbines blown turbos weren't uncommon.

IMHO, just get whatever grade the owners manual suggests in synthetic (i.e. pennzoil, castrol etc.) and change it when the dash light indicates it should be changed. I'm sure during that time several other items on the car will require your attention between OCI's.

 

[hostile]

Originally Posted By: BuickGN

I have no doubt a synthetic would do better in both a turbo application and a cold climate. I made the statement because people act like a mild 300hp turbo car requires a synthetic which it doesn't as long as proper shutdown procedures are used.

I recommend a synthetic in his application too, just had to point out turbo doesn't necessarily mean synthetic.


Sorry to dredge up and old post like this, but since I just bought a 2006 XC70 wagon (5 cyl turbo), I'm curious to know what this means?

I thought you could just park the car normally. Is there something else I should be doing?

I have never owned a turbo before, so pardon my ignorance...

Thanks!

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: hostile
Originally Posted By: BuickGN

I have no doubt a synthetic would do better in both a turbo application and a cold climate. I made the statement because people act like a mild 300hp turbo car requires a synthetic which it doesn't as long as proper shutdown procedures are used.

I recommend a synthetic in his application too, just had to point out turbo doesn't necessarily mean synthetic.


Sorry to dredge up and old post like this, but since I just bought a 2006 XC70 wagon (5 cyl turbo), I'm curious to know what this means?

I thought you could just park the car normally. Is there something else I should be doing?

I have never owned a turbo before, so pardon my ignorance...

Thanks!


What he means by "proper shutdown" he means a lot of people will drive and when they get to their destination they shut off the engine whilst in a turbo you should let the engine idle after reaching destination to cool it down. One of an engine oils job is to dissipate heat. If turning it off right after reaching your destination, the turbo will actually "cook the oil" because it is no longer in circulation due to the car being shut off.

 

[hostile]

Originally Posted By: deven

What he means by "proper shutdown" he means a lot of people will drive and when they get to their destination they shut off the engine whilst in a turbo you should let the engine idle after reaching destination to cool it down. One of an engine oils job is to dissipate heat. If turning it off right after reaching your destination, the turbo will actually "cook the oil" because it is no longer in circulation due to the car being shut off.


So how long should one let the car idle? I thought that idling was actually quite hard on a car, and also consumes the most gas?