classic car forum header
Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 
Register     Posting Photographs     Privacy     F/book OCC Facebook     OCC on Patreon

Next silly question
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration. Forum Index -> Mechanical Restoration
Author Message
Millie Vanillie



Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 21
Location: Chichester, West Sussex

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:38 pm    Post subject: Next silly question Reply with quote

Hello,

I have put out quite a few posts these last few days and it seems I have an awful lot to learn about everything Laughing

My next question is about oil.

What specification oil would you recommend for my 1955 Austin A30 ? The bloke down the local garage seems to think 'straight 30' oil should be ok, but also suggested the more common 20/50.

I welcome your advice as always , thanks again .
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rick
Site Admin


Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22423
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

a decent quality 20/50 from a leading brand should do very nicely. Forget the cheapo stuff for sale in the supermarket, try finding Duckhams or even Halfords' own classic motor oil. There are alternative 'classic' oils, although they may be mail order rather than off-the-shelf locally.

Don't forget the filter too, a removable canister if I remember right on the A30. You might consider converting it to a later spin-on canister, which incorporates a non-drain valve in it - not a bad modification if you plan to use it regularly, especially as the old style filters aren't that plentiful.

rgds, Rick
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
peppiB



Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 686
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Embarassed Embarassed I have to confess to using supermarket 20/50 in both the Minor and the landcrab and have not had any problems in the 5 years I have been doing it. Even on long journeys it hardly uses any - did a trip from Newcastle to Ludlow and back at the weekend in the Minor and it didn't use a drop. The cars do 2 - 3 thousand miles a year and oil and filter are changed each spring. Both mine are still the cartridge element, and as long as there are no leaks to warrant it, I don't change the top rubber seal either Embarassed Embarassed
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
SV8Predator



Joined: 24 Aug 2008
Posts: 136
Location: Further up the creek

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Castrol have recently been sending out information to the clubs about their 'Classic Oil' range. I found it interesting reading and discovered that modern oils do not have the anti-wear additive ZDDP, because this can be detrimental to catalytic converters and other emission equipment. Modern engines have the latest surface hardening technology and very close tolerances and need a different specification of oil than that which is suitable for one of our 'older cars'. These modern oils do not offer as much protection in these older cars.

More details at:
http://www.castrol.com/castrol/subsection.do?categoryId=9014105&contentId=7027417
_________________
2000 Jaguar XJ8 4.0 LWB
1974 Jensen Interceptor Mk III
1969 Jensen Interceptor Mk I
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
buzzy bee



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 3382
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

The main issue with modern supermarket oils is the detergents in them, they don't allways help!

I use straight 30 and would recomend you doing so too. Morris do a straight 30 oil and I trust morris lubricants. They are also very helpful, knowing one of the owners, they have old vehicles and steam engines.

http://www.morrislubricants.co.uk/scripts/default.asp

I use decent 20 50 in minis though.

Cheers

Dave
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
PAUL BEAUMONT



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 1281
Location: Barnsley S. Yorks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi, as Buzzy says Morris' of Shrewsbury are probably the oldest people specialising in classic motor oils, but you might also like to check out www.penrite.co.uk & www.millersoils.net. Both sites are a useful reference for anyone new to old motors. You will often find one or the others products at the bigger shows etc. Personally I use Millers because they are just up the road, but for no other reason
Good luck with the motor and dont worry about asking the questions.
Paul
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4092
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I treat all my cars to Morrisons best; £2.99 for 4.5L Very Happy which included a Vauxhall Omega a few years ago that covered 150,000 miles of which 140,000 was on the Morrisons stuff and the engine ran perfectly when I sold it, the only thing that used to fail were cam and crank sensors, hardly oil related Laughing
I did change the oil every 10,000 miles so this may of helped ?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
bob2



Joined: 06 Dec 2007
Posts: 1727
Location: Malta

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ohh Dave every 10,000 is a bit too often dont you think? Shocked
On my everyday modernish I change it every 4000 kms and on the minis once a year (one may cover about 500mls and the other barely does 200mls per year). I do use Delphi 20/50 on my minis though!!
However now for the first time I have an oldish car with rear wheel drive and with a gearbox that needs separate oil (not like minis) so I'd also like to know what to use for the differential and gearbox?
The car in question is a 1970 Hillman Hunter.
Any hints?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
PAUL BEAUMONT



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 1281
Location: Barnsley S. Yorks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check the Penrite link in my previous entry. It gives you all you need to know. Don't necessarily need to buy their oils, but the spec of what you need is there
PAUL
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Keith D



Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 1127
Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For the record, Penrite oils were developed for veteran,vintage and classic cars and motorcycles from the word go.

The company CEO was John Dymond, a petroleum engineer in Melbourne, Australia who was an old car enthusiast himself. Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago. He travelled all over Australia visiting old car clubs to give technical talks on oils and unleaded petrol when it first came out. He was a mine of information who gave freely of his knowledge. He personally gave me a lot of help when it came to getting my 1928 Morris Cowley to run on the rubbish we were sold when unleaded petrol first came out over here.

I have used only Penrite oils in all my seven vehicles (moderns as well as vintage and classic) for the last twenty or so years and have NEVER had any lubrication problems.

Keith
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Millie Vanillie



Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 21
Location: Chichester, West Sussex

PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well thanks (again) for all the advice !

I went ahead and bought the straight 30 oil recommended by Buzzy Bee and also the Penrite website and my little Austin is now purring like a kitten bless her !

Also cheers to Paul (Beaumont) for saying I shouldn't worry about the questions...I have to say that it's quite overwhelming the amount of knowledge that is out there and I don't want to offend anyone by asking something that's just downright stupid, but on the other hand I don't want to damage my Austin either just cos I am too proud to ask.


Anyway, give me a few hours and I am sure I will come up with something else I need to know Rolling Eyes
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
exbmc



Joined: 18 Jun 2009
Posts: 236
Location: Derby East Midlands

PostPosted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:22 pm    Post subject: oil Reply with quote

Millie, years ago when your A30 was new, and multi-grade oils were not yet common. It would have had 3000 mile changes, and if it was late in the year SAE 20 would have been used, or if it was spring SAE 30 ready for summer. The coming of multi-grade did away with that eventually, but when I started work in the lube bay as a 15 year old, the 20 or 30 depending on the time of the year was still going strong. (1962) There was BP visco static in use, but only in the newest cars.
One for bob2, you probably have the info by now, on the Hunter?
If not, I have an old Pearsons handbook for it, and they recommend Shell Super 20/50 in the engine and gearbox. For the rear axle, it's Shell hypoid SAE 90. Excuse me restarting a 3 month old thread, but I have only just joined, so will just add on where I can.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bob2



Joined: 06 Dec 2007
Posts: 1727
Location: Malta

PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks exbmc, do you mean I should put engine oil in the gearbox?
I have the factory manual but have not taken a look at it yet!!
Was too busy renovaitng the house lately!!

I have bought some BP 20/50 for the engine for now!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
exbmc



Joined: 18 Jun 2009
Posts: 236
Location: Derby East Midlands

PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:19 pm    Post subject: oil Reply with quote

Hello bob2, Yes, it's engine oil in the gearbox. I was quoting direct from the old manual, so it's the 20w-50 bit that matters. The Shell Super is no longer on the market. Plenty of good alternatives though, the BP will be fine.
I had a couple of Avengers, and my late dad had a 1500 minx, (Arrow series, so Hunter shaped). We actually used the Shell Super in them, as we ran a filling station then. Some people no doubt use SAE 90 to quieten one that is getting a bit noisy in the gearbox, though the shift may be poor?
Also ATF may be used in some manual boxes, I don't know if it is common on these old Hillmans though. I always stuck to the engine oil myself.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Nic Jarman



Joined: 05 Oct 2008
Posts: 1031
Location: Stoke by Clare, Suffolk

PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used ATF in my Midget gearbox. It leaked a small amount but it did clean the internals, and then I replaced it with EP 80. I have been very reliably informed that if you have a cartridge filter then use a detergent spec oil. If you have an older type engine then use a low detergent or non-spec oil and change it regularly, about every 1 to 2 thousand miles. I use Slick 50 as an engine rebuild for the Talbot is around 6K.
Back to the Midget, I use 10/40 semi in the engine and it works just fine, much to the annoyance of the purists.
Buy your oil in 25 ltrs, it is much cheaper.
API provide all the specs you will need (and More).
_________________
1936 Morris 8 Series 1
1973 MGB roadster
1977 MG Midget 1500
Dax Rush
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration. Forum Index -> Mechanical Restoration All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
OCC Merch link
Forum T&C


php BB powered © php BB Grp.