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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - Oil Change

decided to have an interim oil and filter change. The one where the service manual says you don't have to, but all the experts recommend it. I went to Lex Auto Centre, and opted for Mobil 1 fully synthetic, plus an engine flush. Would there be a difference I wondered? Whereas before, I would never go past 4000 revs in 1st gear (that's 90 mph in 5th), climbing the hill where I live, it sailed easily on passed 5000 and up to six, I daren't go any further.

Gary
Gary

Good stuff, especially now with Super Synth!! LOL.

Seriously, I started with it in my ZT at the 12k service, and just had fresh in again at 24k. Saw some pictures recently in the course of my work showing the engine of a taxi car. Extremely clean, with minimal wear after 100k+ miles. The V^ 160 ZT loves to rev, especially with a tank of Optimax to boost things a bit.
Mobil 1 has the highest API spec on the market currently, bar a few specialis oils at a higher price, but then the Mobil isn't cheap either!
Martin

I shouldn't bother! Your engine will be going bang in a big way fairly soon if other peoples experiences are anything to go by!
Eric

Mega, Jonesy and now Eric, the 3 to55ers.
28.2K and no big bang! Your serve!!!
Kelvin

Oil change in a fortnight, I going to use Mobil 1.

Kelvin
Kelvin

My zs180 has now covered 45k ( i had to put new tyers and front break pads ono this week :-( !!! ) I only cover motoway miles (hence the long tyre and break life) but need aprox 1 ltr oil every 1000 miles (rover say this is normal !!!!) the dealer and i have always used castrol magntec would changing to Mobil 1 fully synthetic improve anything. ( and mega no wise cracks about changing the car, its done 45k in 18mths and not worth a bean so changing is out of the question)
David

David, what grade are you currently using? With 45k done already, i dont think it would be unwise to use a 10w40 if a 30 weight is already being used. A litre per 1k is what my 121k hard driven MG Maestro Turbo uses, i wouldnt be overly concerned as some engine just happen to use oil more than others.

Gareth
Gareth Kidman

My 75 used to drink about a 1L every 1000 miles (1800 4 pot) but my ZT KV6 doesn't use any.
Although our normal practice in our consultancy and training is to advise against late changes to high grade oils, I think you will be ok in this instance. The trouble with the high spec Mobil 1 is that it will keep engine surfaces remarkably clean, and putting it into an older engine can release loads of crud etc and may cause teh occasional seal leakage. My suggestion here would be to go to Mobil 1, but, and this sounds expensive, have the oil drained after another 1000miles and refill, and you should be good then for 12k miles. That first drain and filter change will get rid of the loosened gunk from the engine. As you have mainly m/way miles, your oil and engine are probably not too bad compared to a 1980 MGB with 45k miles and little use. In addition the magnatech is a semi-synthetic, but will have provided better protection than the older mineral oils used in the 70s and 80s.
BTW, I though I had done well to get to 25k on the first set of tyres but at least the pads are still ok!
HTH
Martin

Martin what about my 30k service/oil change.
If I go to Mobil one would you still recommend I change again after another 1000 miles?
Kelvin

Probably not a bad idea if you can afford it, Kelvin, especially on the prices given over at Jerry's site. I think I paid about £50-60 for an early oil change on the ZT, so if you're supplying the oil it should be reasonable at less than an hour's labour. I don't think the V6 is a DIY proposition for oil changes, or you need a good set of axle stands if you try as the filter is awkwardly located.
Martin

May have to stretch it a bit further Martin, even if I can get cheaper discount oil. Maybe stretch it too 2k?, & give me a few weeks to save the pennies

Kelv
Kelvin

2k will probably be ok, Kelvin. I must try and get mine rolling roaded as I would like to know if the Mobil 1 and Shell Optimax do release a bit more thrust. Although, I am still using these mainly for the wear control and cleanliness benefits they offer over other products.
Martin

Rolling Road? My god you're a brave man.

You might just see a piston exiting the bonnet at full chat....
Eric

So what do you drive, Eric?
Martin

thanks for the info Gareth / Martin, its castrol GTX magnatec sae 10w-40. i will look into changing to mobil 1, i hope there is not too much crud in the engine, i have been running it on LPG for the last 37K and as far as i know that is surposed to run hotter or cleaner or somthing which is suposed!! to keep the engine cleaner. All i know is when running on petrol it sounds like a bag of spanners but on gas its lovely and smooth, if very slighlty down on power.
david

David, my ZS180 is also using about a litre every 1,000 miles (car is now at 28k miles). Since Mobil 1 is thinner oil it is possible that the engine will use even more oil (this was certainly the case with my MGF).

Ralph
Ralph

what do you all think about trying the mobil 1 for a while and if the ZS drinks it go back to the cheeper magnitec? also can you mix the oils????

david
david

Auotmotive oils are highly regulated and therefore, mixing is permissible without serious harm, but not best practice.
Yes, the 0W is thinner than the 10W but that is only at cold start temperatures, and in Winter I would rather have 0W than 10W as this will circulate better on startup being thinner. However, above 40°C the oil starts to thicken through the use of additives, and both should offer a 40 grade at operating temperature, hence when warm there is no difference per se. But, the additives used are subjected to shearing and cnsequently, a cheaper semi-synthetic or mineral will suffer more shear and operate as a 30 instead of 40, so in this instance, I would have some faith in the higher spec API SL Mobil 1 being able to withstand the shearing compared to Castrol Magnatec. I have it on good authority from BP technical personnel that Mobil 1 is one of the best major brand oils, despite the fact they own Castrol.
HTH
Martin

Just adding my bit, when racing in the past I felt that Mobil 1 was'nt really up to the job as much as Castrol. I tried Mobil 1, Castrol Magnatec and both grades of Catrol RS. The RS comes as a 0W/30 or in the Castrol Classic Oil range as a 10w/60. Understanding that the KV6, the K and also the T series were designed years ago the best protection came from the 10W/60 Synthetic Castrol RS. The only problem is getting hold of it! MGOC club shop sell it or it's available direct from Castrol Classic Oils on the net. P.S I had 2 engines expire whilst running on Mobil 1- Might be big coincidence but never gonna chance it again.
Steve

don't know about racing, just know about my everyday experience of 'before and after'. All I can say is -

Mobil 1,
Yum Yum Yum!
Gary

has anyone had the experience of both types of Mobil 1?

http://www.mobil.co.uk/automotive/p10.htm

http://www.mobil.co.uk/automotive/p2.htm

http://www.mobil.co.uk/automotive/

http://www.3angleinternet.co.uk/mobil1/php/fuel_calc.php

Gary

I use 15w 50 Mobil One. It the only oil i trust to protect my turbo and bearings, i drive my car very hard and a thinner oil would soon wear things out. But then again my engine is hardly modern, 0w 40 is designed for newer cars with tighter tolerances, fuel economy, emissions and long life. For most cars that have done 10k more its ideal, if you use it before then you may find you get bore glazing because the oil is so good at protecting the internals. It's when you get upwards of 80k miles where a thicker oil *may* be needed, if most of these miles are motorway miles you may find you never use any oil well into 100k with 0w 40. Town cars have life a lot harder.

Gareth
Gareth Kidman

I used the 0w40 Mobil 1 in my MGF from 12,000 miles up to 120,000 miles, at which point I switched back to Magnatec. The most significant thing that I noticed was that with Mobil 1 the oil temperature never went above 100 degrees, whereas with Magnatec it regularly went above 120 degrees.

Ralph
Ralph

This thread was discussed between 24/06/2003 and 09/07/2003

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