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MG TD TF 1500 - oil differences?

After just changing the oil, still 20/50 but a different make, the oil pressure takes slightly longer to build up to 50psi. Has anyone else had experience of this?
Thanks
John
j c rathbone

John
I copied and pasted this from another oil thread. You might want to locate your oil in this chart and see if it has the right additives still in it for your T series car. Although it’s about Porsches, it also pertains to ours.
http://www.lnengineering.com/oil.html
John

I see they have updated the info with the numbers for the Rotella that meets the new CJ-4 standards. Not near what it was.

I still like this oil:

http://www.valvoline.com/products/VR-1%20Racing%20Motor%20Oil.pdf
Carl Floyd

Hi John
Thanks for the link to oil information, very interesting reading. There seems to be a lot more information readily available in the US than we can get in the UK. I used a 20/50 from my local factor but when I asked the manufacturer about additives (internet) they said there wasn't any additives in their oil. I assumed this was a quick answer from someone that didn't know so changed to Duckhams 20/50 Classic Oil and thats when the slow oil pressure build up began, approximately 10 seconds to read on the gauge on start up.
I could change to another make but which one?
John
j c rathbone

Comma Sonic 20w50 has 1400 PPM zinc and 1300 PPM phosphorous, and should be easy to get in the UK, I suppose? Don´t know anything about its other qualities, but I have used this oil in my MGB and midget, as it is easy to get here in Norway.

Tore
Tore

John

UK oils are fine and Duchams should be SL A3 B3 See below

An engine oil that contains about 0.1% phosphorus or higher, will easily provide the required anti wear properties for older engines.

The step from API SH to API SL was accomplished by a combination of new additives or adding additional anti wear and anti oxidant to existing blends. These were not phosphorus based, but used organic molybdenum additives (not molybdenum disulphide - aftermarket oil additive), to keep phosphorus levels at 0.1%.

Now we have API SM – for the first time, the limit on phosphorus is from 0.06-0.08%. There are industry concerns about the applicability of these oils in older engines. However, the limit only applies to 0W-20, 0W-30, 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30 oils (so called “ILSAC” grades). Any other grades are exempt from this.

Therefore even blanket statements about API SM oils will be incorrect and further research will be needed by the end user.


There is one other factor with non-ILSAC oil grades. If they also have the European ACEA A2/A3 with B2/B3 or B4 performance levels, phosphorus levels will also be at 0.10 % to 0.12% as their tests have been more severe than the API for some time. Hence an oil that is SL (SM)/CF/A3/B3 also well exceeds the anti-wear requirements for older engines.

The irony is that API SF and SG oils formulated in recent years usually have phosphorus contents of around 0.08% (usually 0.1% maximum) anyway due to other advances in technology, unless the blender chooses to add extra additive.
Paul Wiley

John
I continue to use Castrol GTX 10W30. Only because I have a 5 oil change supply purchased on sale. Castrol has lowered the ZDDP levels in their oils and you need to be a chemist to read and understand all of this, which I’m not! So now I add STP-oil treatment to each oil change. It says on the bottle "contains ZDDP for anti-wear”, and is available at most parts stores for about $3 US. I'm not affiliated with either Castrol or STP and it is just my opinion and not recommendation, but what I use in my TD. I don't think you have a problem with your oil pressure, unless you are running those first few seconds with no oil pressure. Good Luck John
John

If you are adding STP for ZDDP this is the correct STP product:

http://www.stp.com/oil_stabil.html
Carl Floyd

Hi John

I used to use Duckhams 20/50 but I have recently changed to Millers Classic Oil. I had an email conversation with Millers a while back which gave me confidence in their ZDDP content.

Millers Classic Oil is also used by Naylor Bros in their restorations.

Regards

David
David Wardell

John
If you are troubled by no oil pressure for the first few seconds when you start your engine, try cranking the engine with the key off until you see a oil pressure reading on the gauge. Then turn the ignition key on and start the engine. You should have immediate oil pressure. I rebuilt my engine in 1995 and have never started it without doing this whether it's been sitting for a day, week or months. One other thought, if this dose not correct the problem is to check the oil pressure line to the gauge. If it is filled with air and not oil, it will take longer to compress the air and get a reading on the gauge. To check this disconnect the line at the rear of the gauge, put it in a coke bottle and crank the engine with the key off until oil comes out of the line into the bottle. Then quickly reattach the line to the gauge and re check. The oil should now stay in the line, it can't return because it's held in the line by vacuum. Good luck John

Carl
Thanks for the information on the STP oil stabilizer, I’ve been using STP oil treatment. The STP site says it’s new; I have not seen it in the stores here yet but will look for it. Maybe STP is addressing this oil problem for our classic cars, hopefully Castrol and the other oil companies will follow?
John

This thread was discussed between 05/04/2007 and 06/04/2007

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.