Oil treatments

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Robbie
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Post by Robbie »

When I started this thread I had know idea about all the different types of oil (I am a novice, I expect you noticed) Now I’m really confused, what started it was I put my recently purchased Xantia 1.9 TD in to Citroen for a service and when I got it back everything seemed fine except a sort of gut feeling that it wasn’t quite the same as before, the only way I can describe it is to say that the engine sounds slightly looser and noisier, not as tight as it felt before, my wife doesn’t notice anything but then she drove for two miles on a flat tyre and didn’t notice that either. Anyway that’s why I asked about oil additives but now I’m wondering if it’s just that Citroen put a thinner type of oil in it. I’ve just looked at the reciept and it has four boxes “15w40” “10w40” “5w40” and “other” and other is ticked. What sort of oil should I put in? I’m afraid I’m a bit confused by 10w 50 or 40 and all that. I want the engine to feel like it did before the service, I probably sound mad but if you do understand what I’m talking about I’d welcome your views.
Robbie
alan s
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Post by alan s »

Robbie,
The thing with this I would suggest would be to ask the dealer exactly what he put in the car. It's a bit rude for them to to simply say "other" & not tell you what went in there.
If the records of the car show that a certain grade of oil has been used throughout the life of the car, then that is what should really still go in it. I think it's a bit foolhardy to change, particularly if the car has done reasonably big miles.
As an example, my BX 16V had done around 87,000 klms when I bought it. I changed the oil & at the recommendation of the guy at the parts place, used Castrol GTX3 which is recommended for multi-valve engines. It rattled something shocking as well as causing the hydraulic lifters to stick on a couple of pots. I changed to Shell semi-synthetic just to play it safe. It performed reasonably well on that.
As time went by I discovered that the car was in fact on fully synthetic by the previous owner & I changed to that as well as changing the filter.
I never change oil based on mileage but on look and smell and where I changed the semi-synthetic at around 5000 klms, I am about to change the fully synthetic at 8,000 klms. This may soumd a bit extravagent but this car gets used in only two ways; very short runs (ie) round trip of say 12klms or long high speed runs (800 - 1200 klms in 8 - 12 hours) in tropical conditions; daytime temps around 40 deg C in the shade, hence the oil tends to get moisture contamination on the short runs & cooked on the long. This controls the oil changes in my case.
When I changed to the full synthetic, I found it is a bit noisy when cold, quietens down when hot and the oil seemed to be working at its best from 3 - 7000 klms. I got better fuel consumption for sure and slighly cooler running.
I also own a CX which has done big miles and been regularly serviced before I bought it but always been on mineral oil. It runs happily on Total 20W-50. My sons CX which had a used motor (2.5 GTi) with low miles fitted, runs on Shell semi-synthetic. I wouldn't dare run my CX on this due to its history.
Sorry to be a bit long winded on this but they are examples of how I have decided which oils to use in which cars & the reasoning behind it so hopefully you may be able to use this as a guide.
Personally I think you'll find that they (your garage) have gone completely different on oil type and/or grade and this has created the problem which may not be serious.
BTW, did they change the filter at the same time & if so did they use a Puflux filter?
I have heard of cheaper type filters causing problems on PSA motors.
Alan S
Jon

Post by Jon »

To add a couple of other things.
Firstly, with regards to Oil Filters, certainly every Citroen/Peugeot engine that I've seen which has suffered mechanical failure seems to have been fitted with a cheap aftermarket oil filter. If I was buying a second hand Cit/Peu diesel I'd probably walk away unless I saw the reassuring sight of a a blue Purflux filter.
Its also worth mentioning that on Peugeots built after build code 8240 (7/99>), and all Citorens using DW8 or HDI engines, that only semi or fully synthetic oil is specified. These oils should be used in conjunction with the later type oil filter (1109R0/R1, Purflux LS304)to enjoy the 10,000 mile service intervals.
The owners handbook for my Berlingo DW8 diesel states that Total semi synthetic diesel oil, or Quartz 9000 fully synthetic oil must be used. As the traditional first service at 1000 miles no longer includes an oil change (!)a new engine is expected to go a whole 10,000 miles before its first oil/filter change, which I found a bit difficult to accept.
I dropped the oil at 6000 miles (mankey, dirty already) and used a premium semi synthetic oil with a Genuine filter. By doing this the thing is getting double the oil changes specified, but I hope to get payback by long engine life.
That my bit of waffle for the day anyway!
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Jon Wood
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hardmanm
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Post by hardmanm »

Hi David,
If you don't want to change brand my local motor factor sells valvoline fully synthetic 5/50, a lot cheaper than Mobil 1 too. I have run CXs and a Toyota 3.0 24V Supra on this without any trouble.
Mark
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Hi fellas, with all the advertising hype and I suppose cost of the stuff compared to other motor oil, I assumed Magnatec was a synthetic.
Don't know if I should fork out and give Mobil 1 TD a blast, thing is how long to leave it in, too expensive to cob after only 5000 miles, I know it's got a longer life than ordinary multigrade stuff, but how long.
Have seen a change of oil brand cause a perfect Perkins diesel in a MF65 tractor go from being a first touch starter to having to be towed inside a year.
I wouldn't have believed it had I not witnessed it.
After 80,000 odd miles on Valvoline TD, I'm a bit reluctant to change brand knowing what can happen.
Dave

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