Asda engine oil

411514 · Unread post by **411514** » 24 Apr 2011, 17:25

Does anyone have any experience of this, or know if it is suitable for a 2003 2.0hdi c5, i know that total quartz is recommended but i am looking to change the oil in the next couple of days before a long journey,
http://direct.asda.com/Asda-5W40-Fully- ... lt,pd.html

P616VKX · Unread post by **P616VKX** » 24 Apr 2011, 17:30

I used to use 20/50 engine oil in my old car and it loved it. Used to use 20/50 from February to October then 10/40 in the winter. Was an amazing oil, car used to cruise on the motorway all day and did 40,000 in one year. Car is still on the road today.

They're all the same oils, just with different pictures on the front.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 24 Apr 2011, 17:59

P616VKX wrote: They're all the same oils, just with different pictures on the front.

And different additive packs and base stocks...

Apart from that, yes, exactly the same...

411514 · Unread post by **411514** » 24 Apr 2011, 18:13

Citrojim do i sense a hint of sarcasm, you should have some knowledge on this, i must admit i am a bit wary of using asda oil as opposed to a brand, are you saying that the asda oil will be of inferior quality to that needed

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 24 Apr 2011, 18:19

But isn't that a bit like saying every car is the same just with a different badge?
Why would the manufacturers all go to the bother then? But I know what
you're getting at.

FWIW, I'm fine with the Asda oil in my Xant TD's - IIRC they sell semi and
fully synthetic for petrols and diesels for around £14 for 5 Litres. The 4 Litre
offering elsewhere (Tesco?) are a blatant scam for the same (or higher) price.

I'm not sure whether this is another example of buy cheap buy twice as
I quipped earlier about Tesco's Fully skimmed Fuel but the Asda oil is all
ISO'd high rated when you check their spec. What's not to like?

P616VKX · Unread post by **P616VKX** » 24 Apr 2011, 18:21

Without ping-pong messaging against Citrojim... I forgot to mention that all the oils I used to use were Asda Brand.

They wont compare to the likes of £40-50 oils, but will do the job nicely. They wouldn't sell them if they weren't... And as said, I did 40,000 miles using it without hassle.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 24 Apr 2011, 18:26

TBH, the APl rating of SL is damned good - I was always led to believe the further you got down the alphabet, the better tghe oil;

(ok hardly the best, unimpeachable source but it shows what I've been told)

The latest API service standard designation is SN for gasoline automobile and light-truck engines. The SN standard refers to a group of laboratory and engine tests, including the latest series for control of high-temperature deposits. Current API service categories include SN,SM, SL and SJ for gasoline engines. All previous service designations are obsolete, although motorcycle oils commonly still use the SF/SG standard.

All the current gasoline categories (including the obsolete SH), have placed limitations on the phosphorus content for certain SAE viscosity grades (the xW-20, xW-30) due to the chemical poisoning that phosphorus has on catalytic converters. Phosphorus is a key anti-wear component in motor oil and is usually found in motor oil in the form of Zinc dithiophosphate. Each new API category has placed successively lower phosphorus and zinc limits, and thus has created a controversial issue obsolescing oils needed for older engines, especially engines with sliding (flat/cleave) tappets. API, and ILSAC, which represents most of the worlds major automobile/engine manufactures, states API SM/ILSAC GF-4 is fully backwards compatible, and it is noted that one of the engine tests required for API SM, the Sequence IVA, is a sliding tappet design to test specifically for cam wear protection. However, not everyone is in agreement with backwards compatibility, and in addition, there are special situations, such as "performance" engines or fully race built engines, where the engine protection requirements are above and beyond API/ILSAC requirements. Because of this, there are specialty oils out in the market place with higher than API allowed phosphorus levels. Most engines built before 1985 have the flat/cleave bearing style systems of construction, which is sensitive to reducing zinc and phosphorus. Example; in API SG rated oils, this was at the 1200-1300 ppm level for zincs and phosphorus, where the current SM is under 600 ppm. This reduction in anti-wear chemicals in oil has caused pre-mature failures of camshafts and other high pressure bearings in many older automobiles and has been blamed for pre-mature failure of the oil pump drive/cam position sensor gear that is meshed with camshaft gear in some modern engines.

There are six diesel engine service designations which are current: CJ-4, CI-4, CH-4, CG-4, CF-2, and CF. Some manufacturers continue to use obsolete designations such as CC for small or stationary diesel engines. In addition, API created a separated CI-4 PLUS designation in conjunction with CJ-4 and CI-4 for oils that meet certain extra requirements, and this marking is located in the lower portion of the API Service Symbol "Donut".

It is possible for an oil to conform to both the gasoline and diesel standards. In fact, it is the norm for all diesel rated engine oils to carry the "corresponding" gasoline specification. For example, API CJ-4 will almost always list either SL or SM, API CI-4 with SL, API CH-4 with SJ, and so on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_oil

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 24 Apr 2011, 18:56

411514 wrote:Citrojim do i sense a hint of sarcasm

It's just the mood I'm in today.. Sorry...

Basically, as i said in teh fuel thread, the oil must beet relevant API Ratings and as long as they do then it's fine fopr the job.

The difference is again in the quality of the additives used to bring the base stock to spec. The cheaper ones will have a shorter life than the expensive ones. This is particularly the case in viscosity index additives. These bring the hot viscosity up to a level and are usually comprised of long-chain polymers. Cheap ones initially do the same job as expensive ones but wear out faster by the action of being chewed up by gears and so on. So, Oil A from Tesburys and Oil B from Fossil bot start as 10W-40 but after 5,000 miles Oil A is now a 10W-20 whereas Oil B is still a 10W-40.

Same applies to detergent additives and anti-wear additives...

A good basic rule of thumb is that any oil is OK as long as it meets spec. but the cheaper it is the shorter its full-performance life will be and therefore it needs to be changed more often. When i can get it, I use Costco stuff in 20L drums these days. The cost of it versus the shorter change interval is nicely positive when compared to say, Castrol.

Unread post by **daviemck2006** » 24 Apr 2011, 21:55

I've used asda oil since I got the c5, from 50000 to 100000, change it at 8000 miles no problems so far, also used it in wifes 206, no probs there either. Not changed oil in 107 yet, but it will get asda as well when the time comes

Unread post by **myglaren** » 24 Apr 2011, 21:59

I always used Asda 10W40 in my Xantia, changed once a month (lots of miles)

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 24 Apr 2011, 22:21

I use Comma oil from Trago Mills for both the XMs and the Hdi, less than £10.00 and meets the required specification, must have bought over 100 gallons over the years.

Peter

lexi · Unread post by **lexi** » 25 Apr 2011, 10:43

We can discuss the merits of spec for long and weary. At one time I was using fleet oil from Millers which is very good. Bought in bulk. Now it is rather expensive and you can pick oil up on specials when you shop with your wife at a better price.

For the majority of petrol and diesel cars the oils from Asda and the like actually exceed spec. When was the last time you heard of an engine failing through poor oil? Only thing to watch for is certain engines that have special oil spec like eg. modern VW.

The more standard engine could run for ever on the cheapest oil now available. It probably exceeds the spec recommended when the car was new 15yrs ago

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 25 Apr 2011, 13:15

Many wise words on additives and quality up to now.
But not a single word on corresponding oil change intervals ?

IMHO there is a tendency to be religious in believing that branded good quality Hi-pricy oils can last 2 or more "standard" oil change intervals.

Not giving any thougths to the fact that the engine oil gets more and more contaminated with combustion residues during oil change intervals.
The oil filter is in no way an absolute filter - but often thought to be so.

In diesel engines you can visually check, that he engine oil is getting contaminated from day 1 - as the oil turns black after a few days driving even with a fresh filter fitted.
Yes - HDI's runs cleaner but still contaminates the engine oil.

This is because of fine sooth particle content.
Not from a cheap oil getting burnt, but residues from the combustion.
These residues is in no way healthy to the engine - and they must come out of the engine with oil change.
No matter how good and expensive the oil is.

I'm in no way an expert on these issues, but clearly there has been a problem with optimistic long oil change intervals on 1.6HDI's making short life of many a turbo.
No matter the "best" oils have been used.
This can IMHO only be caused by a contaminated oil due to too long service intervals.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 25 Apr 2011, 14:22

My thoughts exactly Anders, the frequency of oil changes is far more important than oil price and I to believe that the decline of durability in modern diesels is largely down to the extended oil change intervals. I have always changed my oil at 5000 miles and although I have invariably used the cheapest oil I can find - within spec, I never had an engine or turbo failure in 25 years and about half a million miles of Citroen diesel ownership.

Peter

411514 · Unread post by **411514** » 26 Apr 2011, 19:44

Right il give it a go then, i tend to change the oil every 5k anyway so if it does degrade a bit quicker as suggested it shouldnt be a problem, thanks for the input guys il report back in 5k