Use the A1 or A3/B4

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Hi, im doing my first ever oil change to save money from a mechanic .. My manual says "5W-30 A3/B4 OIL like Castrol Edge Brand" .. I ended up Buying "Mobil 1 5W-30 Newer Vehicle Formula Full Synthetic Engine Oil" A1 - ...Question is what will happen if i use the A1 vs the A3/B4 thats in my manual ??? will it damage my engine ?? i can take it back and exchange it if you guys think its not ok ..
 
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Take it back and buy an oil that meets the required spec. One does not need to know what it means if you don't want to, all you really need to know is how to read the container (and your manual). Easy.

So if you're familiar with the long answers here on Bitog does that mean you've been around before?

Also what vehicle and engine is this for?
 
Originally Posted by 1JZ_E46
I'll let another bitoger field this one. I'm eating dinner.



Yeah, there are some real dumb questions being asked here within the past 3 weeks. Simply amazing
 
First off
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If your manual tells you to use an A3 oil, that's a European spec for BMWs, VW, etc. Generally speaking Euro oils are higher in the viscosity range for a certain weight oil. HTHS figures are higher too. They're different than ILSAC or ACEA which are formulated more for mileage. If you need an A3 oil take your oil back and exchange it for some A3 oil in the correct weight. Out of curiosity, what car is this going in?
 
Take it back and follow your manual. Ignore everything else you read on this forum.

You can get the Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W-30 at Walmart for $22.68 per 5 qt and there is a $10 rebate that takes 5-minutes to fill out. Hard to get much cheaper than that and it meets your OE spec.
 
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Mobil 1 0-40 FS would meet your specs and is cheap at Walmart... rebates make it REAL affordable!

But isn't that a GM V8?....I would think any Dexos 1 gen 2 oil would also do.
 
Originally Posted by 1JZ_E46
I'll let another bitoger field this one. I'm eating dinner.


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A1 is an obsolete spec, it has been replaced by A5, both are specifications targeted towards fuel economy.

A3/B4 is the opposite, it's a spec designed for high performance engines, so i would use an A3/B4 oil if that is what is specified.
 
Use an A3/B4 oil. Engines that spec A1 or A5 oils can use A3 oils in most cases, but those that specify an A3 oil generally should not use an A1 or A5. A3/B4 oils are plentiful and often on offer, so just go for whatever brand name 5w30 A3/B4 is available cheaply, fill up and sleep soundly.
 
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