Tallic 0 1 Vehicles Report post Posted November 5, 2010 I am having my oil changed this weekend. What type of oil does everyone recommend? I was thinking Mobil1 European Car Formula 0W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil. Any thoughts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freshcut 0 Report post Posted November 5, 2010 I would just suggest using what Lotus recommends if you have it available. I currently run Mobil 1 15-50, but only because 5-50 isn't available locally. I'd hate to have to deal with engine failure just because I wanted to save a couple bucks on oil. Looking at the recommended oils, I don't see any that call for 40 for the V8. And certainly none that are 0W for the 4cyl or V8. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tallic 0 1 Vehicles Report post Posted November 6, 2010 Thanks for the info. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevsked 699 Report post Posted January 16, 2011 Further to this thread what do others run? Anyone running Castrol Edge 10/60 like the 4 cylinder cars? . I ask as I have it on the shelf. Trevor. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karmavore 1 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 16, 2011 (edited) Royal Purple 20W-50 in my S4. Royal Purple Edited January 16, 2011 by karmavore Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibs 8,335 4 Vehicles Report post Posted January 16, 2011 Recommended oil Trev, that's all I ever use, it's what the factory recommend and is a high quality oil. Lucas, that's not an oil tested by Lotus in your engine. Unless you've done the sort of testing Lotus did, I'd add a caveat to any recommendation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karmavore 1 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 16, 2011 Well.... I'd like to see what oils they tested and why they chose what they did. I'd also say that there are some popular oils used by Esprit owners in the US (eg: Royal Purple, Redline, Amsoil) that may not be available in the UK and Europe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtookey 70 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 16, 2011 Valvoline Racing VR1 20w/50 in my S1 plus I add a bottle of ZDDPlus to boost the ZDDP levels. Adding a bottle of ZDDPlus significantly reduced the cam noise. I change the oil every 12 months regardless of the mileage. I do use the Lucas fuel treatment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fmxa 58 2 Vehicles Report post Posted January 16, 2011 (edited) A fair few of in the USA have been using Red Line Synthetic (http://www.redlineoil.com/Default.aspx) for many years, but as Bibs said it's not factory approved for the simple reason Lotus can't test every oil in the world. There's a good discount for Lotus Ltd members at Portfiield Brakes in Costa Mesa CA (http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/) for Red Line oil and these guys also make great pads for the Esprit. May be Bibs could negotiate a discount for TLF? Edited January 16, 2011 by fmxa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miket 6 Report post Posted January 16, 2011 royal purple10w-40 in my esprit turbo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevsked 699 Report post Posted January 16, 2011 All, Should have made it clear but thought as I started to post this from the V8 tech room it would show. somewhere. I am asking about oil for a V8 not the 4 cylinder cars. I suspected it would be Edge but thought I would check. Thanks. Trevor. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gghc87 60 Report post Posted January 16, 2011 Recommended oilTrev, that's all I ever use, it's what the factory recommend and is a high quality oil.Lucas, that's not an oil tested by Lotus in your engine. Unless you've done the sort of testing Lotus did, I'd add a caveat to any recommendation. notice the wiki link is showing the mobil oil for the 4 cylinder as Mobil one 15w/40 just wondered if this should read Mobil one 15w/50 ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karmavore 1 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 16, 2011 Also, m1 changed their formulation a couple years back, right? Does that invalidate the recommendation? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fmxa 58 2 Vehicles Report post Posted January 17, 2011 I was also wondering about the Mobil1 reformulation, and if it was specific to the US? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oilman 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2011 Mobil has changed some of their oils fairly recently. The Mobil 1 0w-40 now meets some updated specs and is now called Mobil 1 New Life. Mobil 1 15w-50 has been discontinued and replaced with a 10w-60, not a good decision I believe as the 15w-50 was quite popular. A couple of others have been updated and renamed Synt S-->Super 3000, Super S --->Super 2000. Just because Lotus haven't tested an oil, it doesn't mean it's not suitable and it doesn't mean that it's not a better choice than what Lotus recommend. Manufacturers are paid by oil companies to promote their products (Castrol-> Ford & BMW, Mobil-> Merc & Aston, Shell->Ferrari, Caterham->Comma, etc etc etc) and it often comes down to the highest bidder supplying the oils. Redline were mentioned above and they are a company that don't get involved with the car manufacturers, but I would use their oils over pretty much every thing on the market. Cheers Tim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevsked 699 Report post Posted January 18, 2011 Tim, Thanks for the update. Mobil 1 10/60 will be popular with Esprit owners as an alternative to Castrol Edge 10/60 I would think. Trevor.Tim, Ordered some gear oil from the site but don't see a listing for oil filter or fuel filters so couldn't order these. Have these been missed or not available? Its for a 1999 V8 Esprit. Trevor. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buddsy 1,372 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 18, 2011 After all I have read I like the look of the Royal Purple. Looks fab but thats only by what I have read. How do you guys who use it get on with it? Buddsy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibs 8,335 4 Vehicles Report post Posted January 18, 2011 ...have you tested it to a level more involved than just putting it in the car? Has the oil been analysed after it's been removed? Have the gears been checked for wear? Has the CWP been checked for wear? Or do you just like the fact it shifts better... I'm not in a position to risk such expensive parts such as the engine and gearbox on untested lubricants. I'm sure that there are lots of wonderful new oils that do wonderful things but until I see empiric evidence that it's in any way better than what's being used now I'll stick with what Lotus told me to. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ads_green 12 Report post Posted January 18, 2011 I have worked with one sports car manufacturer who were paid to use brand X and then binned it and filled up the empty cans with brand Y as they wouldn't let that oil near their car. I think truth be told any modern proper fully synth (not just in name) will be an excellent choice of oil and won't cause undue harm. It's still important to get the right grade though and I find the link to the wiki quite worrying - the range of oils there are pretty much from one extreme to the other. I mean the difference between 10W/60 and 5W/30 feels like it'll be huge. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buddsy 1,372 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 18, 2011 (edited) I did read a test that was posted on here for gauling and it came out top. I also like the fact its 100% synthetic unlike mobil 1 which is called synthetic but its made from mineral oil and adjusted so they can call it synthetic? Is that correct? Buddsy Edited January 18, 2011 by Buddsy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibs 8,335 4 Vehicles Report post Posted January 18, 2011 The wiki info is also here... http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EGuides/ETechnical/oil.html That's info from the factory. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buddsy 1,372 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 18, 2011 its says the factory say you should use 100% synthetic but then they say you should use Mobil 1 which is a blend as I understand? Buddsy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rogerch 63 3 Vehicles Report post Posted January 18, 2011 I've always treated this as my Bible, and never deviate. Esprit World It's worth noting that when I bought my car the compressions were all over the place (mentally I was up for a rebuild) I immediately replaced all the fluids, using all Castrol products as per recommendations, including Edge 10/60 oil. The compressions came good (should have seen the treacle that came out of it, a certain Shell product) no further proof needed, don't scrimp on oil. I've been regularly chucking .9 bar boost through mine for the last 2 years. Add up you're annual maintenance cost, and ask yourself, "does it make sense to economise on oil?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buddsy 1,372 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 18, 2011 For me its not a price thing as the Royal Purple is more expensive.I havent made up my mind yet but just want to use the best I can. One thing after a rebuild you need to run the engine in, so you are after wear...the new syntheitc oils are so good you have to use a running in oil to give you a small amount of wear!! LOL Buddsy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oilman 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2011 We've been offered Royal Purple oils to sell and the UK supplier is on the same industrial estate as us so it would be easy, but we've had a few of their oils analysed and they aren't anywhere near as impressive as their advertising suggests. Their oils showed high sulphur content, which in the heat of an engine can produce acidic compounds, leading to increased wear. As their oils aren't great and cost a lot more than pretty much everything else, we can't see a reason to sell them. Mobil 1 in the UK are 100% synthetic oils. Their 0w-40, 15w-50 and 5w-30 oils have 100% PAO synthetic basestocks, they are not modified mineral oils. Other Mobil oils, ones that aren't labelled as Mobil 1, are made from modified mineral basestocks. Cheers Tim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
