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what engine oil u use?

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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White850Turbo
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Post by White850Turbo »

robert213 wrote:http://www.volvocars.us/_Tier2/Owners/Library.htm

Castrol GTX Straight 30W, if you live where temp is above 0C/32F
I don't think it's such a good idea to run a straight weight oil on a car engine. It'd provide very little protection at startup.
-Sean

1995 850 Turbo (Extensively Modded)

1998 S70 T5 (Almost Stock)

S70LPT
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Post by S70LPT »

guys..

overthere in USA...Esso Ultron synthetic is favorite choice or not? is this a good oil?

MadeInJapan
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Post by MadeInJapan »

We don't see Esso oil here in the States...it may exist in a few states, but I've never seen it.
'98 S70 T5 Emrld Grn Met/Beige Tons of Upgrades Mobil-1
'04 V70 2.5T Red/Taupe Some Upgrades Mobil-1
'07 S40 T5 AWD 6 speed manual! Silver/Black Stage1 Heico & Elevate
'07 S60 2.5T Blue/Taupe- my kid's Volvo

S70LPT
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Post by S70LPT »

hard to get esso oil there?

maybe marketing strategy of exxon mobil... USA market demand is fill with Mobil 1.maybe.

same also in malaysia. eventho got both mobil and esso, but through the advertising campaign, Mobil 1 is well accepted and regarded as high class oil. some local oil experts say that esso & mobil synthetic not much different because both are exxon mobil products. again, i think this is marketing strategy...i highly believe that both have very identical quality or maybe same quality. for those are willing to pay more,they opt for mobil 1. esso ultron synthetic is slightly cheaper with good quality also.

in conclusion, why pay more for mobil 1 when esso ultron offers same class oil at cheaper price.

robert213
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Post by robert213 »

White850Turbo wrote: I don't think it's such a good idea to run a straight weight oil on a car engine. It'd provide very little protection at startup.
My other car is a 1985 Mitsubishi Starion, which I bought new from the dealership. It now has 200K miles with original engine and turbo. I did a lot of reading about oils back in the Eighties.

With conventional multi-weight oils, the lower number is the weight of oil. The higher number is accomplished by the use of additives. In other words, 10W30 may be something like 25% straight 10W oil and 75% additives to act like 30W oil. Also, 10W40 may be something like 15% straight 10W oil and 85% additives to act like 40W oil.

Everyone knows what happens when these additives start flowing thru a super hot turbo. The additives begin to coke up and cause the turbo oil feed lines to clog.

With conventional straight 30W oil, you have mostly straight 30W oil with some additives only for cleansing. Therefore, there is less additives to cause a problem with coking-up.

I only use conventional 10W30 oil in a turbo-ed engine when outside temps drop down below 32F. I have used mostly straight 30W oil during the life of my Starion.

Of course, the problem with additives in conventional oil is the primary argument for the use of synthetic oil in turbo-charged engines.

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Tsquared
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Post by Tsquared »

robert213 wrote: With conventional multi-weight oils, the lower number is the weight of oil. The higher number is accomplished by the use of additives. In other words, 10W30 may be something like 25% straight 10W oil and 75% additives to act like 30W oil. Also, 10W40 may be something like 15% straight 10W oil and 85% additives to act like 40W oil.
Sorry, but I have to call Bull$hit on that one. You need to do your research again. Start by going here:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com

For the viscosity numbers you need to do a google on "ASTM Method D 2270". This is the methodology of rating the oil.

T2
'11 C30 T5

'96 854 - died an early death with 184K miles. Killed by the front end of an LTD on a suicide mission (T-boned and both cars totaled).

robert213
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Post by robert213 »

Tsquared wrote: Sorry, but I have to call Bull$hit on that one. You need to do your research again.
My description of multi-weight oil and additives is over simplified for explanation purposes only. Back when turbo-charged engines first appeared in the eighties, car magazines published several articles on oil and its use in turbo-charged engines. All of the articles agreed that straight weight oil was better suited for turbo-charged engines than multi-weight oils. These articles strongly advised against the use of 10W40 in any turbo-charged engine.

I wish that I kept these magazines. I threw them away during my move from Chicago to Indianapolis.

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Tsquared
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Post by Tsquared »

Again, do the research. Your premise that lower viscosity number is the base oil and the higher number is achieved by additives and that the additives are 75% of the oil are incorrect.

I would have like to have seen those articles about strait weight oil. The three turbo powered performance cars I have owned, 83 Dodge Colt, 86 Buick Grand National, and my current 89 Porsche 944T, all recommended multi-weight oil and also had the addendum that synthetic was preferred. Your 1985 Mitsubishi Starion probably has the addendum.

As far as turbo coking it is typically due to neglecting to let the turbo cool enough prior to shut down. The coking issue has been a problem with the exhaust turbo design since it was first utilized in 1925. You can check the Borg Warner Turbo history for this...
'11 C30 T5

'96 854 - died an early death with 184K miles. Killed by the front end of an LTD on a suicide mission (T-boned and both cars totaled).

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