Sae 30 Oils And Operating Temperatures

[Tham]

The general tendency for most cars in Malaysia is to use a multigrade engine oil, with typical SAE ratings of 20W-50 and 15W-40 for the normal mineral-based ones, 10W-30 for semisynthetics and down to 5W-30 for the full synthetics. Multigrade oils are relatively more expensive.

 

Pennzoil currently has a single grade "heavy duty" SAE 30 mineral oil over here, marketed more for diesel engines, with an API rating of CD/SF.

They call it "HDX 30".

 

I was wondering if it was alright to use this long term in my old KE70's 4K ? Ambient temperatures here have grown much hotter over the past twenty years, partly due to global warming I think, and 38 degrees celsius (100 deg F) in the daytime is common.

 

I tried using it a few times, and the tappets and timing chain seemed extremely noisy on a hot afternoon. I'm not sure if engine wear would be higher in long traffic jams on a hot day.

[Super Jamie]

it's not so much in the temperature, but the composition of the oils

 

K motors are a crappy old design, coupled with the fact your engine has possibly not been rebuilt in many years, and have alot of piston blowby, which pollutes the oil

 

i have found friction-modified oils (5W40, 20W50, etc) tend to gather impurities and approach the end of their service life quicker than a straight non-synthetic oil (such as SAE30)

 

i would definitely recommend using the SAE30 in your motor. you could even try the SAE50 they have "for older engines". i don't think you'll have a problem with ambient temperatures, oil runs pretty goddamn hot inside the engine

 

you certainly won't kill it by just testing anyway

 

(i also recommend pennzoil, best oil ever in my opinion)

[Tham]

Thanks, Super Jaime.

 

I will go ahead and try it out again.

 

I was initially afraid that mineral-based

SAE 30 might tend to thin out too much

in the higher ambient temperatures here,

since the timing chain and tappets ran

extremely noisy the last time I tried it out.

 

The common single grade mineral oils

which one finds selling in motor supply

shops here are all SAE 40, which I find

too thick and lowers the 4K's performance

significantly.

 

I can get SAE 30 only direct from Pennzoil's

factory here. So far, their salesman has been

nice enough to deliver them right to where

I work, though of course I need to buy at

least a few cans (usually 4) at one go !

Edited October 16, 2006 by Tham

[Rolla Newbie]

The major problem with using an oil for diesel engines, in a petrol engine, is that the diesel oils have a 'detergent' in them. This is used in the diesel engine to remove the carbon partilces that get into the oil as a by product of combustion. If you look at used diesel engine oil it is black black black. This is the carbon that has been flushed from the engine. The problem this may cause with a petrol engine is that it removes all the little bits and pieces that build up in the bearings etc. This could cause excessive wear and possible failure. Diesel engines are built to much tighter tolerances than almost any petrol engine.

 

I would use the heavier SAE oil in the heat. I used to live in the Northern Territory and it is hot like Malaysia, and used heavy oil in my old FJ Holden. But I also used Nulon Engine Treatment. That seemed to quieten it down, and reduced the water temp so I guess the engine was running smoother and cooler. It also increased the mileage a little. This stuff worked wonders in my old HR as well.

 

Good luck

 

Paul

[Tham]

Thanks, Paul.

 

Yes, during the 80s I was driving an Isuzu Gemini,

I tried using an SAE 40 oil meant purely for diesel

engines. I think it was Shell Rimula or something,

with an API rating of just CC. I remember the oil

was quite black when drained out on changing.

 

This is the Pennzoil HDX SAE 30 oil which I was

referring to.

 

http://www.pennzoil.com.my/product3.htm