oilman

And were off

Ok guys you have until midnight Wednesday to make it 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

I do, thanks for the tweek Cheers Guy

Yep, its true. Silkolene Pro S 5w-40 / 10w-50 and Pro R 15w-50 at £35 for 5L including VAT but excluding carriage. BUT, only if we can get 10 of you here interested. I will only leave this group buy open until next Wed midnight so get your names down then you will have until next Saturday midnight to place your order on the link to my website that I will post here. We have limited stock on this so get in quick, I will issue the link as soon as we get 10 names. Cheers Guy

Prince more like, my Jedi master is the King of oils! Cheers

We are often asked why don’t you do an article on Gear Oils? Well, an article would be very complex but here are the answers to a few FAQ’s that we have had over the years. What does API GL mean? API stands for American Petroleum Industry and GL stands for Gear Lubricant, see below for their definitions: API GL-1 Straight mineral oil API GL-2 Mild EP for worm gears API GL-3 Mild EP for spur and spiral bevel gears in axles and transmissions API GL-4 Medium EP, MIL-L-2105 quality, moderate severity hypoid gears, manual transmissions API GL-5 High EP, MIL-L-2105D quality, all hypoid axles, some manual transmissions API GL-6 Extra high EP, now obsolete Is it important to select the right API GL rating? Yes. Selecting the correct gear oil performance level will provide the best protection to the components of the transmission. What do the SAE grades mean? SAE stands for the Society of Automotive Engineers. The SAE classification system is a way of defining how thin or how thick an oil is. This is known as an oil’s viscosity. The classifications are listed here in order of increasing thickness: SAE 75W, SAE 80W, SAE 85W, SAE 90, SAE 140, SAE 250. What does EP mean? EP means extreme pressure and refers to the additive used in gear oils. This additive is designed to stop metal-to-metal contact taking place between transmission components. The EP additives are usually based on sulphur and phosphorous. These elements bond to the metal surfaces where there are points of extreme pressure and temperature, forming a sacrificial chemical layer. The sulphur gives gear oils their characteristic smell. Will synthetic gear oils and mineral gear oils mix together? Yes, but beware that there two kinds of synthetic gear available: polyalphaolefin (PAO) based and polyalkylene glycol (PAG) based. PAOs are basically a man made version of mineral oils (although with greatly improved properties) and can therefore be mixed with mineral oils. In fact, semi-synthetic products have mineral and synthetic base fluids in them, so obviously, they must be able to mix. PAGs, on the other hand, will not mix with PAOs or mineral oil. Utmost care must be taken when using this kind of product. What is a hypoid axle? Hypoid is an abbreviation for hypocycloidal and relates to the geometry of the crown wheel and pinion arrangement usually on rear wheel drive cars. The pinion is usually highly offset to reduce propshaft intrusion into the passenger compartment. Do I need a special oil for limited slip differentials? Yes. When the power distribution between two drive shafts is no longer equal (usually due to the surface condition that the drive wheels are turning on, i.e. ice, mud), limited slip differentials are able to effectively lock the two half shafts, ensuring equal power distribution once again. When this limited slip differential mechanism ‘kicks in’ there is a high shock loading on the clutch mechanism that requires protection from wear and slippage. Use of the incorrect oil can lead to clutch degradation and vibration. Why should I choose non-EP straight oils for my classic car? Depending on the age, make and model non-EP gear oils may be required for use in gearboxes and final drives. Certain designs contained a lot of phosphor-bronze (copper containing) components that are sensitive particularly to the sulphur extreme pressure (EP) additive. The sulphur attacks the copper and destroys the integrity of the meshing gear surfaces. Is it alright to use ATF in a manual gearbox? Certain designs do specify the use of an ATF in manual gearboxes, but they should only be used where it is clearly stated by the manufacturer. Is there one gear oil that will meet all my requirements? This will depend on makes and models, but very often the answer is no. Gearboxes, final drives, transfer boxes, etc., all have their own specific lubrication requirements. The specification of the oil required will be outlined by the design engineers, who will determine which type of oil will provide the maximum protection to the transmission components. It may certainly be possible to rationalise and reduce the number of lubricants used, but the magical single product may not be achievable. What is the difference between a gear oil, an atf and an mtf and why are they sometimes interchangeable? There is a fair amount of common ground, all do a basically similar job, an ATF could be regarded as a low viscosity gear oil with more precisely controlled frictional properties. What is an MTF and why is it used instead of a gear oil? MTF ( manual transmission fluid ) is a term preferred by some OEMs, perhaps they think it's more descriptive than "gear oil". It doesn't call up any particular performance or viscosity. For example a Volvo MTF will not be the same as a Honda MTF. How do gear oil, atf and mtf viscosities relate to engine oil viscosities? Gear oils and engine oils are classified by 2 different viscosity grading systems. A 75W-90 gear oil, for example, is about the same viscosity as a 10W-40 engine oil. In theory ATFs and MTFs can be any viscosity as required by the OEM. In practice ATFs are approx. the same viscosity as a SAE 10 engine oil or a ISO 32 hydraulic oil. MTFs are about the same, possibly slightly thicker. What is a 75w gear oil as this is only a cold crank rating isn’t it? The target here is 4.1 cSt minimum @ 100 deg. C + the low temp target. If the gear oil in question is, for example, a 75W-80 it must meet both specs which is effectively the 75W low temp + the high temp targets of both specs.; 4.1 cSt minimum for the SAE 75W and 7.0 - 11.0 cSt for the SAE 80. You can see that the SAE 80 target " overlays" the SAE 75W target so expect the KV 100 of a 75W-80 to be about 9 cSt. Can one gear oil cover a number of viscosities like 75w-90, 80w-90 and 90 and why? Yes it can, the viscosity grades are not mutually exclusive, it is possible to blend a gear oil with multigrade characteristics such that it falls within, for example, the SAE 75W and the SAE 90 viscosity bands. A mulitgrade oil ( gear or otherwise ) is simply an oil which falls into more than one viscosity grade. Why do some synthetic gear oils cause poor shifting in older or high mileage boxes? If this really happens it can be that the generally lower viscosity of a synthetic gear oil may not suit an older or worn box. Can engine oils be used in gearboxes if they are the right viscosity and are there advantages to using them? Engine oils can be used in certain gearboxes, in the past it was the norm to do just that. Modern engine oils can be expected to attain the baseline API GL4 performance required for gear protection. Viscosity is not likely to be an issue, the viscosity of a 10W-40 engine oil, for instance, approximates to a 75W-90 in gear oil terms. The gear oil viscosity grade system uses bigger numbers than the engine oil system but that doesn't mean the oils are thicker. The advantages? The detergency and antiwear systems in engine oils may cope with excessive "competition" temperatures better. Engine oils are intended for a shorter service life than gear oils so one point to be aware of is the viscosity modifiers used in multigrade engine oils may not be as shear stable as true gear oil VM’s so a bigger viscosity drop in service is possible. If you are considering this, use a top quality shear stable engine oil, or talk to us first. Are filled for life gear oils a gimmick and are they in the long term bad for your gearbox? I wouldn't say they are a gimmick but they do assume "normal" service conditions. Having a modified engine putting more power through the box & competition conditions don't lend themselves to gentle gear changes so you may see higher wear rates and more wear debris in circulation. It's logical to change the oil periodically if only to flush out the wear debris. Of course the discerning owner may wish to change the oil occcasionally even if the service conditions are considered to be less severe. This may raise more questions than it answers but hopefully it is of use to some of you. Cheers Guy

The basic benefits are as follows: Extended oil drain periods Better wear protection and therefore extended engine life Most synthetics give better MPG They flow better when cold and are more thermally stable when hot Esters are surface-active meaning a thin layer of oil on the surfaces at all times If you want to know the reasons why then please read on but, warning - Long Post! Stable Basestocks Synthetic oils are designed from pure, uniform synthetic basestocks, they contain no contaminants or unstable molecules which are prone to thermal and oxidative break down. Because of their uniform molecular structure, synthetic lubricants operate with less internal and external friction than petroleum oils which have a non-uniform molecular structure. The result is better heat control, and less heat means less stress to the lubricant. Higher Percentage of Basestock Synthetic oils contain a higher percentage of lubricant basestock than petroleum oils do. This is because multi-viscosity oils need a great deal of pour point depressant and viscosity improvers to operate as a multigrade. The basestocks actually do most of the lubricating. More basestocks mean a longer oil life. Additives Used Up More Slowly Petroleum basestocks are much more prone to oxidation than synthetic oils. Oxidation inhibitors are needed in greater quantities in petroleum oils as they are used up more quickly. Synthetic oils do oxidize, but at a much slower rate therefore, oxidation inhibiting additives are used up more slowly. Synthetic oils provide for better ring seal than petroleum oils do. This minimizes blow-by and reduces contamination by combustion by-products. As a result, corrosion inhibiting additives have less work to do and will last much longer in a synthetic oil. Excellent Heat Tolerance Synthetics are simply more tolerant to extreme heat than petroleum oils are. When heat builds up within an engine, petroleum oils quickly begin to burn off. They are more volatile. The lighter molecules within petroleum oils turn to gas and what's left are the large molecules that are harder to pump. Synthetics have far more resistance as they are more thermally stable to begin with and can take higher temperatures for longer periods without losing viscosity. Heat Reduction One of the major factors affecting engine life is component wear and/or failure, which is often the result of high temperature operation. The uniformly smooth molecular structure of synthetic oils gives them a much lower coefficient friction (they slip more easily over one another causing less friction) than petroleum oils. Less friction means less heat and heat is a major contributor to engine component wear and failure, synthetic oils significantly reduce these two detrimental effects. Since each molecule in a synthetic oil is of uniform size, each is equally likely to touch a component surface at any given time, thus moving a certain amount of heat into the oil stream and away from the component. This makes synthetic oils far superior heat transfer agents than conventional petroleum oils. Greater Film Strength Petroleum motor oils have very low film strength in comparison to synthetics. The film strength of a lubricant refers to it's ability to maintain a film of lubricant between two objects when extreme pressure and heat are applied. Synthetic oils will typically have a film strength of 5 to 10 times higher than petroleum oils of comparable viscosity. Even though heavier weight oils typically have higher film strength than lighter weight oils, an sae 30 or 40 synthetic will typically have a higher film strength than an sae 50 or sae 60 petroleum oil. A lighter grade synthetic can still maintain proper lubricity and reduce the chance of metal to metal contact. This means that you can use oils that provide far better fuel efficiency and cold weather protection without sacrificing engine protection under high temperature, high load conditions. Obviously, this is a big plus, because you can greatly reduce both cold temperature start-up wear and high temperature/high load engine wear using a low viscosity oil. Engine Deposit Reduction Petroleum oils tend to leave sludge, varnish and deposits behind after thermal and oxidative break down. They're better than they used to be, but it still occurs. Deposit build-up leads to a significant reduction in engine performance and engine life as well as increasing the chance of costly repairs. Synthetic oils have far superior thermal and oxidative stability and they leave engines virtually varnish, deposit and sludge-free. Better Cold Temperature Fluidity Synthetic oils do not contain the paraffins or other waxes which dramatically thicken petroleum oils during cold weather. As a result, they tend to flow much better during cold temperature starts and begin lubricating an engine almost immediately. This leads to significant engine wear reduction, and, therefore, longer engine life. Improved Fuel Economy Because of their uniform molecular structure, synthetic oils are tremendous friction reducers. Less friction leads to increased fuel economy and improved engine performance. This means that more energy released from the combustion process can be transferred directly to the wheels due to the lower friction. Acceleration is more responsive and more powerful, using less fuel in the process. In a petroleum oil, lighter molecules tend to boil off easily, leaving behind much heavier molecules which are difficult to pump. The engine loses more energy pumping these heavy molecules than if it were pumping lighter ones. Since synthetic oils have more uniform molecules, fewer of these molecules tend to boil off and when they do, the molecules which are left are of the same size and pumpability is not affected. Synthetics are better and in many ways, they are basically better by design as they are created by chemists in laboratories for a specific purpose. Cheers Simon

1) Castrol asked us to because it's a 5w-40 and meets ACEA A3/B3 so equally high on Petrol specs as Diesel. It has an unfortunate name, their words not mine! 2) They are all very similar 3) For standard cars 5w-30, 5w-40 is better for heavy footed, track types 4) For the track something better, Motul 300V or Silkolene Pro S we recommend Sorry for the delay, seemed to miss this one Cheers Simon

350z at 22.... Where oh where did I go wrong? Anyway, if you have a heavy foot I would go 5w-40, just give you a little extra padding if you like when things get pushed. 10w-30 is the standard recommended grade in japan, not very common here in Europe/Uk they are either shite or very expensive synthetics, we have a couple. Cheers Guy

You can use 5w-30 or 5w-40. If the car does not get used hard and you want best economy etc then go for a synthetic 5w-30. Have a look at these http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-653-5w-30.aspx It takes 4.7ltr. Regards Guy

If you see an expression such as 10W-40, the oil is a multigrade. This simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades, in this case 10W & 40. This is made possible by the inclusion of a polymer, a component which slows down the rate of thinning as the oil warms up and slows down the rate of thickening as the oil cools down. It was first developed some 50 years ago to avoid the routine of using a thinner oil in winter and a thicker oil in summer. For a 10w-40 to attain the specification target a 10W ( W = winter) the oil must have a certain maximum viscosity at low temperature. The actual viscosity and the temperature vary with the viscosity grade but in all cases the lower the number, the thinner the oil, e.g. a 5W oil is thinner than a 10W oil at temperatures encountered in UK winter conditions. This is important because a thinner oil will circulate faster on cold start, affording better engine protection. For a 10w-40 to attain the other specification target a 40 oil must fall within certain limits at 100 degC. In this case the temperature target does not vary with the viscosity grade, if there is no "W", the measuring temperature is always 100degC. Again the lower the number the thinner the oil, a 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100 degC., which is typical of maximum bulk oil temperatures in an operating engine. The engine makers are, of course, very well aware of this and specify oils according to engine design features, oil pump capacities, manufacturing tolerances, ambient temperature conditions etc. It is important to follow these guidelines, they are important and are an are stipulated for good reasons. If the engine has been modified, the operating conditions may well be outside the original design envelope. The stress on the oil caused by increased maximum revs, power output and temperature may indicate that oil of a different type and viscosity grade would be beneficial. Cheers Simon

Something like this http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-1146-silkol ... gines.aspx Cheers

Any oil questions, we're here to help so feel free to ask. You may find these pages on our site useful too! http://www.opieoils.co.uk/oil-and-filte ... issan.aspx All the best for 2009 Cheers Guy

At this time of year, it’s beneficial to use an oil that has good cold start flow properties as it will get to the parts of the engine that need it far more quickly when you turn the key. The "w" number which means winter is the key here and the lower it is the better cold start performance the oil will have. A 15w or 20w rated oil will struggle to get around the engine in very cold temps and we would strongly recommend using a 10w, 5w or 0w for better cold start performance. It is a fact that around 90% of all engine wear occurs on cold start because the oil is at its thickest. The colder it gets the thicker the oil becomes and this affects the rate of flow which affects the rate of wear. These numbers help to explain the oils thickness and therefore cold flow performance at various temperatures. Grade.................At 0C.................At 10C..............At 100C 0W/20.............328.6cSt...............180.8cSt............9cSt 5W/40.............811.4cSt...............421.4cSt............14cSt 10W/50............1039cSt...............538.9cSt............18cSt 15W/50.............1376cSt..............674.7cSt............18cSt 20W/50.............2305cSt...............1015cSt............18cSt Centistokes (cst) is the measure of a fluid's resistance to flow (viscosity). It is calculated in terms of the time required for a standard quantity of fluid at a certain temperature to flow through a standard orifice. The higher the value, the thicker the oil. Winters in this country fortunately are not too cold but, compare the thickness of the oil at 0degC and 100degC and you will see the big difference. Just something to consider on the frosty mornings. The Opieoils Team.

Basestock categories and descriptions All oils are comprised of basestocks and additives. Basestocks make up the majority of the finished product and represent between 75-95%. Not all basestocks are derived from petroleum, in fact the better quality ones are synthetics made in laboratories by chemists specifically designed for the application for which they are intended. Basestocks are classified in 5 Groups as follows: Group I These are derived from petroleum and are the least refined. These are used in a small amount of automotive oils where the applications are not demanding. Group II These are derived from petroleum and are mainly used in mineral automotive oils. Their performance is acceptable with regards to wear, thermal stability and oxidation stability but not so good at lower temperatures. Group III These are derived from petroleum but are the most refined of the mineral oil basestocks. They are not chemically engineered like synthetics but offer the highest level of performance of all the petroleum basestocks. They are also known as “hydrocrackedâ€

Are synthetics better? The basic benefits are as follows: Extended oil drain periods Better wear protection and therefore extended engine life Most synthetics give better MPG They flow better when cold and are more thermally stable when hot Esters are surface-active meaning a thin layer of oil on the surfaces at all times If you want to know the reasons why then please read on but, warning - Long Post! Stable Basestocks Synthetic oils are designed from pure, uniform synthetic basestocks, they contain no contaminants or unstable molecules which are prone to thermal and oxidative break down. Because of their uniform molecular structure, synthetic lubricants operate with less internal and external friction than petroleum oils which have a non-uniform molecular structure. The result is better heat control, and less heat means less stress to the lubricant. Higher Percentage of Basestock Synthetic oils contain a higher percentage of lubricant basestock than petroleum oils do. This is because multi-viscosity oils need a great deal of pour point depressant and viscosity improvers to operate as a multigrade. The basestocks actually do most of the lubricating. More basestocks mean a longer oil life. Additives Used Up More Slowly Petroleum basestocks are much more prone to oxidation than synthetic oils. Oxidation inhibitors are needed in greater quantities in petroleum oils as they are used up more quickly. Synthetic oils do oxidize, but at a much slower rate therefore, oxidation inhibiting additives are used up more slowly. Synthetic oils provide for better ring seal than petroleum oils do. This minimizes blow-by and reduces contamination by combustion by-products. As a result, corrosion inhibiting additives have less work to do and will last much longer in a synthetic oil. Excellent Heat Tolerance Synthetics are simply more tolerant to extreme heat than petroleum oils are. When heat builds up within an engine, petroleum oils quickly begin to burn off. They are more volatile. The lighter molecules within petroleum oils turn to gas and what's left are the large molecules that are harder to pump. Synthetics have far more resistance as they are more thermally stable to begin with and can take higher temperatures for longer periods without losing viscosity. Heat Reduction One of the major factors affecting engine life is component wear and/or failure, which is often the result of high temperature operation. The uniformly smooth molecular structure of synthetic oils gives them a much lower coefficient friction (they slip more easily over one another causing less friction) than petroleum oils. Less friction means less heat and heat is a major contributor to engine component wear and failure, synthetic oils significantly reduce these two detrimental effects. Since each molecule in a synthetic oil is of uniform size, each is equally likely to touch a component surface at any given time, thus moving a certain amount of heat into the oil stream and away from the component. This makes synthetic oils far superior heat transfer agents than conventional petroleum oils. Greater Film Strength Petroleum motor oils have very low film strength in comparison to synthetics. The film strength of a lubricant refers to it's ability to maintain a film of lubricant between two objects when extreme pressure and heat are applied. Synthetic oils will typically have a film strength of 5 to 10 times higher than petroleum oils of comparable viscosity. Even though heavier weight oils typically have higher film strength than lighter weight oils, an sae 30 or 40 synthetic will typically have a higher film strength than an sae 50 or sae 60 petroleum oil. A lighter grade synthetic can still maintain proper lubricity and reduce the chance of metal to metal contact. This means that you can use oils that provide far better fuel efficiency and cold weather protection without sacrificing engine protection under high temperature, high load conditions. Obviously, this is a big plus, because you can greatly reduce both cold temperature start-up wear and high temperature/high load engine wear using a low viscosity oil. Engine Deposit Reduction Petroleum oils tend to leave sludge, varnish and deposits behind after thermal and oxidative break down. They're better than they used to be, but it still occurs. Deposit build-up leads to a significant reduction in engine performance and engine life as well as increasing the chance of costly repairs. Synthetic oils have far superior thermal and oxidative stability and they leave engines virtually varnish, deposit and sludge-free. Better Cold Temperature Fluidity Synthetic oils do not contain the paraffins or other waxes which dramatically thicken petroleum oils during cold weather. As a result, they tend to flow much better during cold temperature starts and begin lubricating an engine almost immediately. This leads to significant engine wear reduction, and, therefore, longer engine life. Improved Fuel Economy Because of their uniform molecular structure, synthetic oils are tremendous friction reducers. Less friction leads to increased fuel economy and improved engine performance. This means that more energy released from the combustion process can be transferred directly to the wheels due to the lower friction. Acceleration is more responsive and more powerful, using less fuel in the process. In a petroleum oil, lighter molecules tend to boil off easily, leaving behind much heavier molecules which are difficult to pump. The engine loses more energy pumping these heavy molecules than if it were pumping lighter ones. Since synthetic oils have more uniform molecules, fewer of these molecules tend to boil off and when they do, the molecules which are left are of the same size and pumpability is not affected. Synthetics are better and in many ways, they are basically better by design as they are created by chemists in laboratories for a specific purpose. Cheers Guy You can find more technical articles here.

Use a 5w-30, a few here to consider http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-653-5w-30.aspx Cheers Guy

Opie Oils Street Gallery Do you want your car to be viewed by 1,000’s of motor enthusiasts? We’re looking for pictures of YOUR cars with an Opie Oils sticker to put on our highly acclaimed ‘Street Gallery’ at Opieoils.co.uk, where owners are automatically entered into our monthly competition giving you get the chance to win £50 of Oil or other great prizes! The Winner for July will be given £50 to spend on an order at OpieOils.co.uk. How To Enter? All we need is a picture of your 350z clearly displaying an Opie Oils sticker (available with any website purchase). Send a picture of your car and some information on specs/modifications to sales@opieoils.co.uk. The winner will be contacted at the end of each month Regards, The Opieoils.co.uk Team

SYNTHETIC? What is it and what does it really mean? The Oxford Dictionary says: “made by synthesis; manufactured as opposed to produced naturallyâ€

Just found this old thread. Any oily questions please post em ere. Cheers Guy.

At which temperature does an oil flow better? There is no temperature where oil suddenly starts to flow better. A 10W/40 for example will flow between -25C and 100C or more, but there is some difference in the rate of flow! (True viscosity at -25C is about 7000 Centistoke(cSt) units, dropping to 14 at 100C. ‘Viscosity’ is really just another name for ‘rate of flow’.) The correct question is at what (sump) temperature is an oil at a viscosity that suits a modern high-RPM engine? Present day designs are happy on an oil viscosity of 10 to 15 cSt. (But many are OK on less than 10.) 30cSt is too high at high RPM. It can lead to foaming, air entrainment and cavitation. Temp. for 30cSt (DegC)..........Temp. for 15cSt ............Temp. for 10cSt 5W/40.........71.............................90.................................117 10W/40.......70.............................99.................................118 10W/50.......80............................109................................130 10W/60.......89............................119................................142 As you will see from the above table a 5W/40 or a 10W/40 is perfectly adequate for all engines except those that run unusually high temperatures (120degC plus) Cheers The Opie Oils Team

To kick off Opie Oils new 12 part series of interesting oil facts we thought that we would address the statement “My oil has turned to water!â€

A centistoke (cst) is the unit in which viscosity is measured. The 15w-40 will be very thick when cold compared to hot as all oils thin with heat. This is why when people say you cannot us a 5w-40, its too thin you must use 10w-40 is bollocks. Cheers Guy.

10w-40, what does it mean? We have answered thousands of oil questions in the last 4 years but the most frequently asked one is “What do the numbers mean?â€