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MG MGA - PREFERED OIL FOR 1622cc ENGINE

Guys

I am new to this listing, though have owned a YA, TA and YT over the last 19 years, The TA has just gone and I have bought a 1600 Mark 1 fitted with Hi Gear 5 speed box conversion etc.

The engine is a rebuilt 1622cc and needs running in. I bought the car from a dealer so a few detailed questions he was unable to answer.

I have read somewhere that SAE30 was used in MGA Engines. However, what is reccommended by you experienced owners please?

All the best

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Just use a good quality 20-50
Cam Cunningham

You can use the same stuff you use in your Y-Type. 20W-50 is the most common for most climates.
Steve Simmons

Jerry

As the others say, 20-50 is a good option. Once the engine is run in you could even perhaps go down the synthetic route. I run Millers Classic 20-50 semi synthetic. For one season I even went fully synthetic, running a 10-40. The engine ran very well on it, but I was not convinced it was worth the extra cost.

Steve
Steve Gyles

I use Castrol XL 20/50 in mine.
Lindsay Sampford

Yup - 20w/50 for me too. And same in the gearbox
Graham M V

Jerry
I also have the 1622 engine with the Ford 5 speed gearbox I use Castrol Magnatec 10w40 part synthetic as recomended by Oselli when they rebuilt my old MGB engine.Changed every year or 3000 miles Oil Pressure Good,and No major leaks. The Ford Gearbox is supposably filled for life and uses a Ford transmission oil. For running in the new engine Oselli recommended using a basic 20w50 -change after 500 miles change again after 1500 moiles and then use the Magnatex
Paul
P D Camp

I have been using Valvoline VR1 20 / 50 for some time now. Its a competition grade oil that has plenty of ZDDP (look it up on Google). Always found plenty of it in old oils but it had to be taken out with the advent of catalytic converters(stops them working). Thats why you now only find it in competition / racing oils.
Used Duckhams previously but once filled with the Valvoline the oil pressure, especially when hot, was improved by 10 lbs or so and has stayed that way.
A J Dee

Interesting AJDee - that Valvoline boosts oil pressure - I have been using Duckhams and find that pressure drops significantly when hot on the motorway - where do you source your Valvoline?
Cam Cunningham

I buy 20W50 from NAPA (with the NAPA brand name), apparently made by Valvoline.

Since my MGA runs lots of miles I have chance to try different oils for comparison in similar climate conditions. I have just one specific observation. I find that Casterol 20W50 seems to thin out more and drops oil pressure about 10 psi lower than Valvoline (or NAPA oil) when hot.

So this is another vote for using Valvoline (or NAPA oil). Valvoline makes oil for a lot of different trade names, but I don't have a complete list.
Barney Gaylord

I searched the net for a supplier and found Sard Racing (sardracing.co.uk)to be the best price at the time although I have just looked and the web site is closed !!
A J Dee

Jerry,

Graham is only partly correct.

You must use the correct oil in the Ford gearbox, not engine oil. It's cheap enough from any Ford dealer.
dominic clancy

I second Barney's reccomendation.
You can tell if the "house brand" oil is from Valvoline, it will say Ashland Oil. Ashland is the word to identify the oil they sell under different labels.
R J Brown

For the past 30+ years I was a fan of Castrol 20w50. But these days I prefer Valvoline Racing VR1 oil 20w50. 75% higher zinc than SM engine oil with a balanced additive package designed for both racing and street-legal applications. Protects older style push-rod and flat tappet engines. Check out this write up.

www.valvoline.com/downloads/2008-003a.pdf
D Quinn

the correct oil for the T9 Ford gearbox is 75W/90 GL4

Siggi
Siggi

Wow,

Thank you guys for all your combined expertise which is very much appreciated. There will no doubt be other questions that I will need to ask in the future.

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

AJ and Jerry, Just bought a 5 litre pack of 20W50 Valvoline from JJC Racing , Wrexham at £25.50 incl delivery off ebay. Looked like the cheapest price for a single pack - there are also deals for multiple buys (e.g. 4 x 5L for £99)- hope it does as well as you guys recommend - will report back - cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

Cam,
Here in North America, Valvoline VR-1 20-50 oil is not available in 4 or 5 litre bottles, only in 1 quart bottles, so I would be surprised if you can get VR-1 in the UK or Europe in this size. Are you sure you are buying VR-1 with the ZDDP in it.
ZDDP is essential to prevent wear of cam followers, some have said, and modern oils have very little if any ZDDP in them. This is what makes VR-1 good for MG engines.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Hi Peter - I says "VR1" on the pack - will have to see what the small print is and how it behaves in service - cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

Jerry
Make sure your engine has the straight old SAE30 for the initial running in of 500 miles, then change to a classic 20/50. I use Millers... If you start off with a 20/50 the pistons/rings will not run in properly and the bores can glaze-up. Been there and seen it!
The original handbook states, do not exceed 45mph (original gearing), operate at full throttle or allow it to labour for the first 500 miles.
Pete
P N Tipping

For 'break in oil" I use Brad Penn break-in oil. MG racer John Targett recommended it due to it’s liberal dose of ZDDP, the best engine wear protection additive. Retailer are limited and it was $5.50 qt. when last I bought some.

After break in, as I said earlier, VR1 is my choice.
D Quinn

Hi Jerry, Thought you may like to know that the Valvoline oil I ordered off ebay ( code 270782113782) from JJC race & rally arrived this morning - pretty good service- next day delivery. Will change the oil tomorrow and I'm set to go to a show 40 miles away with 25 miles of that on the motorway - so should give the oil a good test for comparing with my usual Duckhams. cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

Just got back from the weekend show - After standing in a queue for 25 minutes to get out with the temp gauge at 200 the oil pressure was still up at close to 60 - then on to the motorway at 70 mph 4000rpm for 25 minutes and the oil pressure only dropped to about 45 - this compares to the Duckhams which would fall to around 25 on the same journey - so the Valvoline certainly acquitted itself well.
Cam Cunningham

This thread was discussed between 12/08/2011 and 21/08/2011

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