Hi all,

Only new around these parts so sorry if this is a question answered previously.

What oil should I use in my 1100 clubman.
Some say standard 20w50 as a multi-grade is the way to go and some say straight 30 as it is better for the gearbox. Who is right??

I understand oils have come a long way since the 60s & 70s but I am not sure which is best.

The car is not a daily driver however I have got a 'hard driver' (http://www.minisport.com.au/prod1272.htm) filter for her as only the best will do!!

Your thoughts........? (type/brand, etc)

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Justin

GR uses kmart KMX...

guess what i use

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1975 Leyland Mini: 1060cc - resto/ ex-hsc project.

20W/50 is recommended.

Straight 30 will be too thin when hot. And thicker when cold.

I agree with GR, KMX 20W/50 is good stuff. It gives me the same oil pressure hot as Castrol Edge Sport 25/50 does, and it's 1/2 the price or less.

Stay away from synthetics....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Excellent, thankyou I shall get some 20w50.

anyone in particular??

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Justin

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1975 Leyland Mini: 1060cc - resto/ ex-hsc project.

Motorpro KMX from K-Mart.

Rumour has it the KMX is repackaged Shell oil. It does look and smell like Shell...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

In my personal experience (as a oil gauge watcher) I reckon it thins out a lot quicker than the other oil I use which is castrol edge, it shows in the way the gear changes feel once its heated up...so I'm pretty sure its not repackaged Castrol at least...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Do not use "synthetic" or the Magnetic oils in a Mini Engine for to many reasons.
For the price and the experiance of people that us it, as I do KMX from Kmart is perfect for the daily drives and those that wish to rev it when they want to

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

"Stay away from synthetics...."

Crap. Synthetic oil is better than "normal" oil is pretty much any performance category - except cost...

At any given viscosity the film strength is greater and it will retain that viscosity with less additive - although I suppose you might argue that its all additive. And because it doesn't depend on long chain polymers it will live longer.

As I've said before, try the wear test. Run your engine on normal oil for ,say, 3k miles and measure (photograph?) the feather of debris on the magnetic plug. Refill with a suitable synthetic and rerun the test - I would suggest for double the mileage and compare the quantity of swarf on the plug.

Based on experience I would suggest you might be surprised. 15 years of daily use with the same rings, bearings, synchros suggests to me there's nothing wrong with synthetics.

It amy very well be overkill but it won't hurt.

Cheers, Ian

You can expect accelerated cam and lifter wear in an A series with synthetics. So says Graham Russell and he would know, he grinds enough of em. He told me when selecting oil for a Mini, pick one with an SG rating or lower. Like KMX, Castrol Edge 25W/50, etc.
Flat faced followers/lifters in these old design engines (early V8s too) need zddp (a zinc phosphate) additive in the oil to prevent wear. Synthetics (and many modern mineral oils too) have precious little or none as it poisons cat converters.

Synthetics work great in modern engines, but they all have roller cam followers these days. <edit> or curved face lever followers.

There is a further argument that having the gears in the sump damages synthetics. This same argument is used in the motorcycle world- most bikes with a combined engine/gearbox oil system specify use of mineral oils.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Oil is a nececary part for an engine.

You buy cheap parts, they don't last as good and can damage the parts around them.

Buy good parts and they last longer and perform better....

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.

this thread comes up ALOT, it is not hard to find info by using the search.

anyway..

if its a normal mini engine, any 20w50

if its something special use the best you can afford.

i use castrol edge because i can feel the difference over cheaper oils.

I use the KMX 20W50

as it's so cheap, I do a change once every 3 months, which at the moment is only every 1000kms, as I'm away for 2 of those 3 months!

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tim
68 Deluxe 1293, HIF44, megajolt/EDIS4, daihatsu alternator..

'a mini is for life, not just for christmas!'

seems strange that shell would be rebranded to a lesser known label. but stranger things have happened. could similar to what they do with crown lager and fosters.