Oil Questions.... (Long Winded...)

[autoguru22]

Hi fellow bitogers,

I require a fully synthetic german motor oil with a high ester content that is reasonably priced,as all my power equipment likes synthetic oil,as i find the head temp is much cooler when i read it with my infared gun, right now i am running 1/2 quart of valvoline 15w40 semi-synthetic oil in my lawnmower and it has dropped my head temp from 300 degrees plus in temp by at least 30 - 40 degrees, and it seems to get better fuel economy and it starts easier with valvoline 15w40 semi-synthetic but i would like to run a 0w30,0w40,5w20 or 5w30 oil in the crankcase.

I also am interested in what everyone's opinion on lubro-moly oils are. I am going to be ordering some fuel power fuel additive an lube control oil additive in the future when i have some funds,for now i add chevron techron to my gas every lawnmower tank fillup (approx 1-2oz)


I also have a customer with a 1993 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon with the b230ft engine,and i feel it could usee is heesitant a auto-rx treatment but he is nervous it will ruin the motor or spin a bearing. His car has 150,000 miles on it, i run mobil 1 0w40 full synthetic and a mann w917 oil filter on it at 5k ntervals and it burns a quart every 1500 - 2000 miles. If i auto-rx the engine even though i see no sludge on the valves through the fill cap do you think it would help improve the fuel economy and the oil consumption at all?.

Sorry for being so long winded!


Thanks Alot!, Your Fellow Bitoger,
Peter

 

[Mike242GT]

Peter:

Hard to say whether Auto RX will do much for the consumption issues with your customer's Volvo. It certainly won't hurt anything. I have two '94 940 turbos and a '91 740 turbo in my "stable" (all with the B230ft engine). The 740 has over 215K on it and exhibits consumption about the same as you describe. This oil is almost without a doubt simply getting through the seals in the turbo and into the intake through the intercooler (bet if you drain the intercooler a good bit will come out). I Auto RX'd this car twice with little or no change in the consumption.

The Mann filter is the way to go. Probably nothing wrong with your oil choice either, but these cars seem to like GC 0W-30, you might try some of that. I have also run Shell Rotella T syn 5W-40 with good results. Whenever I've run Mobil 1 in these engines (it was the old super syn 10w30 formula from several years ago) I got a lot of valve train noise.

As far as fuel economy, these cars are pretty heavy; they are definitely not econo boxes! With automatic transmission and running the a/c full time here in Florida, my 940s get around 18-19 mpg around town. All highway driving might boost this to 25 or so. The 740 has an M-46 (4 speed with overdrive) transmission and does about 22-23 in town, 25-27 on road trips.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I never seen a Valvoline 15w40 advertised as syn-blend.

 

[autoguru22]

Mike242GT - No valvetrain noise whatsoever with mobil 1 0w40 in the crankcase and a mann w917 oil filter, i am happy with this combination,and it gets 21 - 22 mpg city driving with this combination,and he is happy with the fuel economy,btw no motor oil in the air filter compartment,no oil in the turbo intercooler or lines,so i think it is just carbon/slight sludge or varnish on the piston rings causing them not to fully seat,notbtw there is no blue smoke whatsoever from the exhaust.

My customer cannot afford a uoa,but i feel it is safe to run a 5k oil change as that is what's reccommended in the manual. I topped the oil in the crankcase up with 1 quart of 0w30 castrol syntec.I think i will try to get 4 quarts of amsoil for the next oil change and use a mann w917 filter.

 

[autoguru22]

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