HI All
Hear we go again now that K mart no longer make my favourite oil KMX for the older motors, they now cater for the modern engines, so I have been looking around to find a better oil for our older cars.
This led me to do some testing with Gulf Western oils after talking to a chemist at Gulf Western and what they are developing in oils for the modern cars and older cars is very interesting, it's a pity a few of you people don't see what happens to some of the oils that is mentioned on there when they are given a good working out one dyno,some of the oils are dropping 30psi most of them are dropping 20 to 25 psi.
The two oils that I have testing are the 20/50 and the diesel 15/40, the 20/50 still has zink and all the good stuff in it and is designed for older cars built before 1990 and was only dropping 4 to 5 psi when running at 230/240 deg F.
If you want more zink in your oil then use the diesel oil 15/40 which is fine for your minis, if we can run that weight in our race cars including the rotary Mazda's it will be fine for our mini's, I really don't understand why people want to run 60 and 70 weight oil in there motors, it doestn'help the gear box when cold as it can not lubricate the box properly when cold as it is to thick.
This has shown up in a lot of diffs and gear box in the rear wheel drive cars (race cars) where the thick oils is squeezed out and does not get between the gears, using a thinner oil fixed the problem.
The Gulf Western oil has shown up to be good in both road and race engines,
My 2 cents worth.
Graham Russell

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"It's better to be not informed than ill-informed"

I tried out some gulf western oil in my 998, as it was cheap and made in Australia. Compared to the valvoline it seems very similar. The only issue I've ever had with the valvoline is that if I thrash it a lot, when I stop the oil pressure at idle can drop as low as 2.5 bar (about 36psi), compared to a normal warm idle of about 4 bar (58 psi). I haven't noticed this happening with the gulf western oil, but maybe I haven't given it a good enough thrashing.

I was tempted to try going to a thinner oil to help the gearbox - I've read that a thinner oil will help the balk rings grip a little better. Since I've had it I've only ever put 20w50 in, so it might be worth testing just to see what happens.

I have used gulf western 20-50 oil its good stuff I brought a 20 litre drum about 5 years ago and have there compressor ,floor jack and 2 stroke oils

But when you can get valvoline products at a very cheap price ill take the cheaper price because i do oil changes every 6 months and the mini does low kms also

If I couldn't get valvoline so cheap i still would be using gulf western as I like to support the local product as its made in dunheved-st Marys industrial area

We have an Autobarn store 50 km away and Supercheap around the corner. Whenever XLD 20w/50 is on special I travel the distance and between the missus and myself I buy 4 at a time. ( and I get to have maccas). Stuff SCA.

The gulf western GR suggests (20w50) is on special for 9.99 at supercheap at the moment f.y.I

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I have a problem.. apparently

Slight thread hijack...GR what oil do you use these days for running in/bedding rings?

So the 20w50 would be the XMP 20w50?
Interesting thing is from their "Lube Desk" they suggest their SYN-X 3000™ 10W40 as "best" and
PREMIUM GOLD 15W40 as better, thoughts?

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Nick

http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86675

HI Mini053
I now use the Gulf Western 20w 50 straight from supa cheap
Graham Russell

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"It's better to be not informed than ill-informed"

Hi Nick
Those oils you mentioned are for the modern engines multi valve type not our old clunkers.
Graham Russell

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"It's better to be not informed than ill-informed"

Good advise from a man who know's his engines GR. I just might give it a go.

Thanks GR I'll give it a run.

Cheers

+1

$13.99 trade or $14.99 normal retail for Gulf Western 20w50 XP
We lost 7psi of oil pressure when it was hot and when idling holds pressure quite well.

edit: Just checked the price.
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online ... mendations

$9.99!!

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http://www.flickr.com/by_dan
Current: 1970 Mini K 2014 Focus ST
Past: 93 Rover, 64 850, 97 Rover, 66 Deluxe, 66 Moke
81 Austin Estate, 2006 R53MCS, 66 Deluxe, 1978 Clubbie
2014 Land Rover Defender 90

As posted in another thread, I changed from XLD Classic to Gulf Western 20W/50 and took it for a good run in the heat yesterday..
Pressure went from 90-100 cold, 70-75 hot, @ 3000+ rpm. Running with NO cooler fitted.

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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.

I'm currently using Vavoline XLD Classic. I use a bottle of this zinc additive with every oil change on my flat tappet engines
http://www.zddplus.com/

Not sure if it's available here, but you can buy it on Ebay or from the US Supplier:
NAVONE Engineering
www.davidnavone.com

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Slide
1965 Mini Van (1360)
1970 Mk2 Cooper S (1310)
1978 Rover SD1 V8 (4.6)
1996 Land Rover Discovery V8 (4.0)

I would appreciate some advice on this one. I have been using Valvoline 20-50 mineral racing vr1 in my 73 elan sprint and wondered if anyone knows if it would be ok in a 1275 cooper s, I know it'll be ok for the engine my only concern is the gearbox.