Tricky visco problem?

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Hi all,

I have a Peugeot 206 1.6 16V (TU5JP4) 2004 model. Now when it’s wintertime the temperature mostly lays around 0 degrees celsius (ca 32F). In November I switched from 10W-40 to 5W-30 for the upcoming winter.

Problem now is the oil still doesn’t seem to be thin enough. When driving normally oil temp sticks just below 90C (194F). If you start pushing the car it will raise to ~120C (248F). Why is this a problem? Well, after this oil change the lifters have started ticking and I’m worried I can’t go any thinner.

So how do I get the operating temp up and at the same time avoid more ticking? (The ticking is light but it’s there)

Castrol Edge FST LL 5W-30
 
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Dont worry about ticking, it doesnt mean your engine is getting damaged. 5w30 is easily fine in 0 celsius. We get down to -28 celsius tonight, im using 0w20.
 
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Originally Posted By: puguser
Problem now is the oil still doesn’t seem to be thin enough. When driving normally oil temp sticks just below 90C (194F). If you start pushing the car it will raise to ~120C (248F). Why is this a problem? Well, after this oil change the lifters have started ticking and I’m worried I can’t go any thinner.


How do you figure that the oil isn't "thin enough" ?
 
No problem here at all. TU engines have been around since the mid 80's and really prefer a *w40 oil.
The Castrol Edge 5w30 LL is a bit thin at operating temperature. It's also a mid saps oil so it lacks some basic anti wear additives that TU engines like.

Why not a 5w40 or 0w40 A3/B4 oil? There's loads to choose from and they will offer the same cold temperature flow and protection you're getting from your 5w30. Castrol and Mobil1 both do quality 0w40 oils or a cheaper alternative would be Shell Helix Ultra 5w40.
 
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You don't need to go any thinner, if i were you i would run a synthetic 5W-40 all year and not worry, your TU will be more than happy with that.
And don't worry if there is a bit of valvetrain noise, i have never heard a TU engine without a bit of ticking, my 1.1i TU on 20W-50 still ticks haha.
 
I have an analogous "problem". It's been cold and you can hear cars ticking a bit during start-ups.
My car ('07 Volvo V70 base) starts OK and sounds good doing it with Mobil1 0W-40.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM:
My friend, who took a detailed lubrication course at his job site, insists that you never venture off the "low number".
He said switching from a 10W-40 to a 10W-30 is OK but never, say, using 0W-30 where a 5W-30 is called for.

I always thought the "0W" was more nominative than actual. In fact, there could be no ZERO WEIGHT anything.

The BIG TROUBLE with the OP's situation is that he lives in a place where experimenting with different oils is expensive.
 
The ticking is because the oil is thinner at running temperature. 0 Celsius isn’t cold and a 10w40 oil is perfectly appropriate.
 
Please correct me if I'm wrong but should I change from current 5W-30 to 0W-40, 5W-40 or 10W40, wouldn't the engine be even more cold?

I'd like to have a running temperature of at least 100C (212) so by the logic above I would need a 0W-20 oil which feels strange since I don't live in Arktis.

Is my assumption right that higher visco gives less temp and vice versa?

Say I should switch to Peugeot recommended 10W-40, wouldn't the engine temp go even lover?
 
Originally Posted By: puguser
Please correct me if I'm wrong but should I change from current 5W-30 to 0W-40, 5W-40 or 10W40, wouldn't the engine be even more cold?

I'd like to have a running temperature of at least 100C (212) so by the logic above I would need a 0W-20 oil which feels strange since I don't live in Arktis.

Is my assumption right that higher visco gives less temp and vice versa?

Say I should switch to Peugeot recommended 10W-40, wouldn't the engine temp go even lover?


Ah, it would seem you are missing some oil basics. Apologies, I didn't detect this in the first post.

Thinner oils usually make an engine run cooler as flow is increased, thicker oils usually make the engine run hotter. However, the difference is negligible. I would imagine the difference between a 0W20 and a 15w40 would be less than 10°c.

Your PSA TU5 calls for a 10W40. That means the oil at operating temperature has the viscosity of a SAE 40 weight oil. The 10W means the engine oil stays suitably viscous down to -20°f/-28°c.

Stick with a *w40, but if you want better cold temperature characteristics then look to a 0w or a 5w. If it was my engine I would be looking to a fully synthetic 5w40 or 0w40.
 
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Originally Posted By: Kira

HERE'S THE PROBLEM:
My friend, who took a detailed lubrication course at his job site, insists that you never venture off the "low number".
He said switching from a 10W-40 to a 10W-30 is OK but never, say, using 0W-30 where a 5W-30 is called for.


I do not see any rationale behind that statement.
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Kira

HERE'S THE PROBLEM:
My friend, who took a detailed lubrication course at his job site, insists that you never venture off the "low number".
He said switching from a 10W-40 to a 10W-30 is OK but never, say, using 0W-30 where a 5W-30 is called for.


I do not see any rationale behind that statement.


Agreed, if anything I would say the opposite would be slightly true.
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Kira

HERE'S THE PROBLEM:
My friend, who took a detailed lubrication course at his job site, insists that you never venture off the "low number".
He said switching from a 10W-40 to a 10W-30 is OK but never, say, using 0W-30 where a 5W-30 is called for.


I do not see any rationale behind that statement.



Linctex is exactly right; that statement is bull caca
 
Quote:

I always thought the "0W" was more nominative than actual. In fact, there could be no ZERO WEIGHT anything


OT: "W" stands for winter, not weight; it is an almost arbitrary assigned numerical scale.

Regardless, it you believed it stood for weight, do you also believe 0F is "no temperature?" j/k
 
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The 40 (as in (0W-40) might take SLIGHTLY longer to
get up to temperature that a -30, but likely not enough
to notice.
0W-40 is popular in Europe.


My 2¢
 
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