P80 oil discussion UK Castrol 10W-60

rjschuster · Post by **rjschuster** » 22 Feb 2021, 04:36

hi all
i have a 1999 v70r turbo awd mk1 phase 3--& am wondering the best oil to use??
i was thinking fully synthetic castrol edge 10-60 ?/ any thoughts--[ only 66000km on the clock ]
based in the uk.
thx in advance

Post by **abscate** » 22 Feb 2021, 04:57

Oil threads often go badly but, here goes...

1 oil standards and products vary by market, so the product we buy in the US isn’t the same as EU, and now , the BU.

2 the user manual has the recommendations based on your local climate , 10-60 won’t be in there.

3 99.9% of drivers will be well served by using the recommended viscosity in the manual, changing it at 5000 miles for Dino oil, 7500 miles for synthetic. Use a service like Blackstone to test the oil after the first change and adjust accordingly.

I use castrol synthetic in all of our fleet with varying intervals

rjschuster · Post by **rjschuster** » 22 Feb 2021, 05:41

sadly have no owners manual--have tried to get one that covers this model--but no joy

Post by **abscate** » 22 Feb 2021, 05:43

They are free online from Volvo, isn’t life great!?

https://www.volvocars.com/us/own/owner- ... rs-manuals

Cookeh · Post by **Cookeh** » 22 Feb 2021, 13:46

Whatever brand of fully synthetic 5W40 or 10W40 you prefer that meets the following critera: ACEA A3/B4, API SL (or newer). OpieOils in the UK has the best choice of oils meeting this criteria, though not always the cheapest.

10W40 semi-synthetic will be fine, but expect to change it more frequently, and to have lower performance at either extreme of our temperate climate. If you go down this route, all the above standards still apply. You might save £2-3/L, but you'll be changing it more frequently....swings and roundabouts.

Post by **misha** » 22 Feb 2021, 16:22

Castrol 10w-60 is racing oil and it would be needed if you drive it in high rpms most of the time.
Otherwise it is not needed and the car will have higher fuel consumption due to thicker oil(xx-60).
With only 66k km on the clock i would use 5w-40 fully synth because of a turbo...all year round.

Post by **June** » 22 Feb 2021, 17:46

I would ask the previous owner what the car has been using if you bought it from a private owner. Or if receipts in glove box indicate. Otherwise the UK has a cooler climate and most trips are short i would stick to 5W30. If mostly highway maybe 10W30. Everyone has their own opinion. Mike put Castrol 20W50 in my 1998 V70 XC and the engine rattled fiercely. The car never left the driveway like that. It was changed back to 10W30 and the engine sound was quiet again. The 60 may cause the same trouble? You're car is low mileage and my 98 was traded before 40,000 miles. June

Post by **scot850** » 22 Feb 2021, 20:41

Which engine do you have? 2.3 or 2.5liter? I have a North American 2000 Model Year V70R with the 2.5 motor and 5 speed auto box. Manual gives options but the one that covers the biggest range is 5W40. Most Volvo engines of that era are specified as either 5W30 or 10W30 in the handbook.

I have a load of Canadian market handbooks for various years. I pick them up at the junkyard. there is not one specific to the V70R model over here.

Neil.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 22 Feb 2021, 22:47

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I found the Rotella and Castrol to be excellent for Turbo's (2.5T & T6). For milder weather use the Castrol and for more warmer weather year round use the Rotella. Very robust for hot temperatures.

Rotella T6 0W-40 Case of 3
https://www.amazon.com/Shell-Rotella-Sy ... 221&sr=8-5

Castrol 03101 EDGE 0W-40 - Switch to this one oil a year and a half ago for all 5 cars as the Atlas requires it for warranty.
https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-03101-0W ... 171&sr=8-4

0W20 Top Tec 6200 Engine Oil (5 Liters) - Liqui Moly LM20238 - Back to 2 oils as the Atlas was traded for a Tiguan. Found out VW has a new Certification and it's only 0W-20 for the small Tiguan 2.0 turbo.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/0w20-t ... ly-lm20238

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Oro · Post by **Oro** » 23 Feb 2021, 00:33

Most of the UK has a climate similar to where I live - temperate maritime. 5w, 0w oils are really wasted in such a climate (indeed in much of the US) as the compromise of achieving very cold temperature flow properties - thinner/weaker base stocks, more additives to achieve hot viscosity - aren't worth the qualities sacrificed in other areas if you don't need that cold weather starting pumpability. This is especially true in a turbo. The greater the viscosity spread -winter rating vs operating temp rating - the more of the oil is made up of non-lubricating additives that are also prone to break-down and thus clogging journals, rings, etc. There is no free lunch with oils - if you choose an oil that is designed to pump -30C, (a 0w-xx oil), you are making sacrifices elsewhere in its composition and performance.

I look for a stout synthetic that suits my climate and gives me the lowest Noack (evaporative loss - strong measure of quality/purity) and highest HTHS (oil film strength under stress). For me that's Mobil 1 10w30 High Mileage, similar specs to Redline 10w30, a pricier boutique oil. It is also ACEA A3/B3 rated and that's a tough standard. In the UK, I don't know what you have to choose from - but I would make my choice based on the same criteria:

a) Narrowest viscosity spread that suits my car/climate.
b) Oil with low Noack and high HTHS (likely full synthetic).
c) Reasonable price and availability so I'm not chasing a unicorn.