Engine oil for P6B

Re: Egine oil for P6B

How about this stuff then - for pre 1980 cars

http://datasheets.bp.com/bpglis/lubtds. ... enDocument

Classic XL 20W-50

Applications

Castrol Classic XL 20W-50 is a conventional multigrade engine oil of good all round performance, formulated with high quality mineral oils plus selected additives, ideally suited to older technology and classic car engines.

Castrol Classic XL 20W-50 is designed to meet the motor manufacturers' requirements for passenger cars and motorcycles running under normal service conditions, but excluding those equipped with catalytic converters.

The prime recommendation is for all pre-1980 petrol engined vehicles requiring a high quality product but with an older technology additive formulation.

I am of the belief that a good 20W-50 is better for the Rover V8 whatever the year it was made. Mine is a modern unit, i.e. it was only cast 5 years ago, but it is still of the same design and I firmly believe that it will be a little quieter, and a little smoother with the 20W-50 in it.

When my sump gasket arrives, I might try some of this and report back.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

Hello Richard,

It is my understanding that which ever engine oil is used for the Rover V8, the minimum % weight of zinc should be 1.00 and above. Maybe 0.08 % weight is entirely acceptable, but personally I prefer a little more just to be on the safe side.

In Australia, Penrite is the official supplier to Land Rover.

Ron.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

SydneyRoverP6B said:
Hello Richard,

It is my understanding that which ever engine oil is used for the Rover V8, the minimum % weight of zinc should be 1.00 and above. Maybe 0.08 % weight is entirely acceptable, but personally I prefer a little more just to be on the safe side.

In Australia, Penrite is the official supplier to Land Rover.

Ron.

Hi Ron,

Interestingly the link you gave to the Oz Penrite HPR30 in your earlier post http://www.penrite.com.au/pis_pdfs/PI_HPR 30.pdf gives zinc at .158%, whereas the UK/Europe data sheet gives it at .076% http://www.penriteoil.com/uk/pispdf/UK Classic HPR Engine Oils.pdf

Stan
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

SydneyRoverP6B said:
Hello Richard,

It is my understanding that which ever engine oil is used for the Rover V8, the minimum % weight of zinc should be 1.00 and above. Maybe 0.08 % weight is entirely acceptable, but personally I prefer a little more just to be on the safe side.

In Australia, Penrite is the official supplier to Land Rover.

Ron.

Hi Ron

Do you mean 0.1% ?

0.08% is a whole lot lower than 1%
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

SydneyRoverP6B said:
Hello Richard,

Oops,...yes indeed. I meant 0.1 %.

Ron.

I have bought a Haynes book of Laughs for the SD1 V8 as it was cheap (99p) and I have the SD1 gearbox, wheels etc.

The manual states that a 10w-40 oil should be used for the engine.

Now I know that they fitted a larger, higher volume oil pump to the SD1 engine as well as meatier heads and a few other things, but did they do anything to warrant changing to a different oil?
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

Maybe it was just so they could add some customer built in obsolescence :mrgreen: and make em wear out faster.

Graeme
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

The Owners Manual for the 3500/3500s recommends the following engine oils:
BP Super Visco-Static 10w-40 or 20-50. All the others, namely Castrol, Duckhams, Esso, Mobil, Texaco recommends 20-50 apart from Shell who mysteriously advise "Shell Super Oil".
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

I have just spoken to RPI (to get a new seal) and the engine builder down there recommends a good quality 20W-50.

They use Valvoline.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

I emailed Castrol (with the same info I gave to Penrite) and they recommended their XL20W/50 - as Chris York posted above.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

I changed the oil today for some Halfords Classic 20W-50.

It is now smoother, quieter and actually feels torquier.

:D
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

I've used the Castrol XL20/50 and also Miller Oils 20/50 and can't realy tell the difference. My car had regular Castrol GTX 10/40 in when I bought it as the owners manual just says use Castol GTX so that's what he bought. There was a definite change in the engine soound and smoothness when I changed it to the thicker stuff not to mention better oil pressure.

The good thing about the Castrol stuff is that I can mail order it along with the TQF gear oil needed for the BW auto box and there's free carriage on orders over £30. Haven't seen TQF on the shelves of car shops round here so mail order is the only way.

I've got some Castol XL in stock but I reckon I try some Halfords Classic 20/50 when I fill mine up after this rebuild I'm doing as it's easy to get hold of and relatively cheap too. I'll then change it to the Castrol after a couple of hundred miles or so.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

For the first four years from 1974 till 1978 I cannot say with any certainty what type of oil was used in my Rover, but after that till early 1988 Castrol GTX and then GTX-2 was in use. Both were friction modified 20W-50 oils. The engine by now had about 67,000 miles up, and I noted on a number of occassions that after changing the oil filter upon starting the engine a knocking could be heard for a couple of seconds, coming from the oil pump no doubt. I never lingered when changing filters, fitting the new one and then starting the engine immediately.

I decided to try a different oil and opted for Pennzoil Street Machine, a 20W-50 oil. Right up until the engine was removed in 2007 after 203,000 miles, the knocking eminating from the oil pump was never to be heard again.

When the 4.6 was installed by the Range Rover Specialist, Penrite oil was used. The initial fill being a 20W-50 Running In oil. After some 400 miles I returned the car for the first service where the oil was drained and the filter changed, as the engine was under warranty. The Service manager attended to the task. He drained the oil, and then removed the filter. He was quite busy so it was well over an hour before the new filter, half filled with oil was fitted.... :shock: The hoist supporting the car was then lowered and the engine filled. Given what I had heard and read about the importance of promptly fitting a new filter once the old one has been discarded and then starting the engine, I was somewhat concerned that the pump would not prime.

I mentioned this to him, and he said "that it would not be a problem, if a pump fails to pick up then there is usually something wrong and as such it requires attention". As it would happen he was right. Oil light off, pressure straight away and not the slightest hint of knocking.

Even so, I still like to change the filter quickly, just like I always have.

Ron.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

Old habits die hard Ron and you're probably right to change the filter quickly despite what the mechanics say.

Anyway it makes less mess if you can do it quickly.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

I've always pre-filled the new filter, giving it several shots as the element soaks it up, then unscrewed the old filter, spun the new one straight on, refilled with oil and started asap, but I worked in one place where one bloke always drained the oil, removed the filter and then left it for an hour while he went to lunch...........

Luckily most cars weren't Rover V8's, but he did do it, and got away with it several times.

Braver man than me.........
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

Hi all, just bought Duckhams 20W-50 on the recommendation of our regional organiser. My most recent 3500s had just had a fill of it before i bought it and seems very smooth (when it actually runs!). I have a slight rattle from another 3500s on start up (though the receipts show it's had new lifters and a cam recently) and i'm going to try the duckhams in that and halfords classic in the third car. Interestingly i'm sure i actually paid more for the Halfords oil than the duckhams! On the subject of diesel oil i ran a sierra 1.6 petrol on mobile delvac 1300 super (my father used it in all his machinery) from about 100,000 - 210,000 miles with great results. I think i had the only pinto in the world without a ticking cam! I later put it in a 2200SC and had oil leaks within days! Not doing that again.
Dave
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

SydneyRoverP6B said:
....When the 4.6 was installed by the Range Rover Specialist, Penrite oil was used. The initial fill being a 20W-50 Running In oil. After some 400 miles I returned the car for the first service where the oil was drained and the filter changed, as the engine was under warranty. The Service manager attended to the task. He drained the oil, and then removed the filter. He was quite busy so it was well over an hour before the new filter, half filled with oil was fitted.... :shock: The hoist supporting the car was then lowered and the engine filled. Given what I had heard and read about the importance of promptly fitting a new filter once the old one has been discarded and then starting the engine, I was somewhat concerned that the pump would not prime.

I mentioned this to him, and he said "that it would not be a problem, if a pump fails to pick up then there is usually something wrong and as such it requires attention". As it would happen he was right. Oil light off, pressure straight away and not the slightest hint of knocking.

Even so, I still like to change the filter quickly, just like I always have.

Ron.

But is that a 4.6 with the later crank driven oil pump Ron? If so, it's much less of a problem.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

Hello PeterB76,

The cranskshaft driven oil pumps are an integral part of the timing cover, which then presents a clearance problem if fitted to my 4.6 within the confines of the P6B engine bay. So on that score my engine runs an SD1 timing cover complete with P6B oil pump front cover and P6B water pump with viscous coupling.

Ron.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

The exact reasons why, and whoever gave them to me, have been lost in the mists of time, but I have religiously used Penrite HPR30 for many years now in GF148. This 37-year-old untouched engine is in extremely good condition. Having lifted my inlet manifold and gasket off the other day I can confirm the excellent condition of the camshaft, which as we all know, is a bit of a weakish point in the Rover V8.
 
Re: Egine oil for P6B

Hello Warren,

I too have been using Penrite HPR30 in my 4.6 since the Penrite Running in oil was drained. Penrite is the official supplier to Land Rover in Australia. It is great to hear that your engine is in such fine condition for having been using it over many years.

Ron.
 
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