So my new engine is built and ready bar a few bits and pieces down at the chromers. Everything in it is new and now comes the big decision, Which oil to use?

I was thinking being an older engine something in the 20w-50 range would be best. I'm not going to run my oil cooler (unless I find out I need to), and I wont be revving it too hard untill I get hold of a set of worthy rockers.

Just looking for some opinions of what types of oils and what weights people use. Synthetic or not etc.

Cos as we all know, Oils aint oils.

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-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

For me it was/is Penrite, all the way.

In winter, i run HPR30, summer i use HPR40.

Older engine, old-school oil. Makes sense to me

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Cheap, Fast, Reliable. Choose two.

I actually bought a running in oil for the 1st few hundred ks that i did on my engine. Dont use synthetic, its no good for mini gearboxes....

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

Castrol Edge 25W 50W is the go!

Remember, cheap oil uses a cheaper base oil to begin with.

Castrol is good stuff! (used to be formula R)

Matt

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68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

i use whatever is on sale. i don't care much for being fussy over oil, and I can't say that I notice ANY dfference when changing from one to another......

This topis is as old as ausnini. Do a search. Apparently GR recommends a K-Fart brand oil.

Is this stuff something special or would you find it at any sort of place that sells oils?? Also good point on the gearbox, I didn't think of that. I sometimes forget a Mini works in very different ways to the other engines I stuff with



I had a look at this in Malz the other day. Seemed good (as much as you can tell by looking at the bottle ).

It's hard to tell what's a good oil or a bad oil sometimes as it can take awhile for you to start to notice the problems/benefits.

Cheers for the replies, more opinions welcome [/quote]

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-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

penrite, 20/50 or hpr30

For running in... as does Pete at Bellarine Mini Centre.

I usually run Edge 25w50, which is SG. I've got Valvoline XLD Multigrade 20w50 SG in the van at the moment.

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I thought GR used KMX oil not just for running in.

I'd recommend Castrol edge (the one for big bore engines), I've used Valvoline and noticed a significant improvement (especially with the gear change) with Castrol.

As GT said, do a search on "Oil", there is over an hour's worth of reading material on topic.

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One should never skimp on the zip ties.

Which valvoline was that?

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Valvoline XLD Multigrade 20w50 SG

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One should never skimp on the zip ties.

I had to go oil shopping today. Got the red castrol one designed for older engines. Got 15% discount - good ol' Kmart.

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Yes, GR recommends KMX. (K-Marts 'own' label but with good stuff inside)

Wasabipimninja, you said everything is new in this motor, right? Who built it? You or a shop?? get what the shop recommends if it was...

Peter.

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Click here for the Turbo Conversion Thread!

Can't remember if I read it in KC or Vizard but I recall him saying use as first preference a vegetable based oil for first preference such as the Castrol range (Castrol from Castor oil) followed by a good mineral oil as 2nd pref but never synthetic. Reason being that bearings somewhere in the box actually absorb the oil and the vegetable based ones do it better then mineral and synthetic not at all.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Penrite do running in oil I think which would be fine for the first few hundred kays, but yeah, any 'basic' oil with out special additives would be fine for running in. After its run in it's a matter of opinion. Just not synthetic!

I'm running HPR 50 (40w70) in mine at the moment