5w30 for a 2012 Punto 199 1.2 51 kW ?

[DIYspanner]

My nephew bought the car at the weekend.

I've looked at some engine oil sites and they all quote 5w40.

For a 2012 reg car I would have thought 5w30 would be better?

Its got 66k on the clock.

Opinions please!

 

[DaveHerns]

Use what the experts say. What does it say in the handbook?

 

[JohnD]

Dave is right. If you look in the handbook it will probably have quite a range of acceptable oils, depending on availability and, especially, the minimum and maximum temperatures where the car will be used.

 

[Burnerman]

The engine will still be well protected when it is cold and when the 5w grade really comes into play. At the end of the day I'm sure both fully synthetic lubricants will be just fine, but why not go for recommended?
The handbook will probably give you the choice too.
John

 

[DIYspanner]

Thanks Gents

5w40 it is.

 

[JohnD]

OOI, I just checked the oil recommendations for my car. It says you can use any of the following:


SAE viscosity rating

For climates ranging from –30°C (–22°F)
and +50°C (+122°F), the following oil
viscosities may be used:

0W–30
5W–30 (preferred)
0W–40
5W–40

I have another car where the handbook contains a chart, plotting acceptable grades against temperatures. I haven't got it to hand, but IIRC it tells you what grades to use in Alaskan cold and in Sahara heat.

If you look at the oil company sites, they try to steer you towards the most expensive, such as synthetic 0W40, but your engine might have been designed to run on something simpler.

 

[DIYspanner]

Yes, a car driven somewhere like India has a different engine lube requirements to some where like Alaska.

I've yet to look at the Punto my nephew has bought. Its a 8v 1.2 engine but I doubt its the same 8v 1.2 design that was in his 2002 Punto.

 

[DaveHerns]

Was that the FIRE engine?

 

[Burnerman]

Got to be pretty similar.....started off with a carburettor, then single point injection and now multi point.
A good engine to fit a timing belt to if you're starting out!
John

 

[DaveHerns]

I'm sure he'll be fitting one in due course!

 

[DIYspanner]

For anyone interested, Quantum 5w40 at a good price.

I get Quantum 5W-30 from the same seller for the Bora TDIs we have.

I've also discovered that Quantum produce a Synta Z 5W30 which is specific for Fords so can get that for my neice's KA.

 

[Avocet]

My daughter had one, until very recently. If it has a few miles on it, the 5W40 will protect it better when it gets warm. the only possible reason to go down to 5W30 would be to reduce internal losses and get a few more decimals of a mile per gallon out of it, but it will be at the expense of engine wear. It might also burn a bit more of it.

 

[DIYspanner]

Just to add the discussion, I've been chatting a VW expert who advised me that 5w30 to VW 507.00 specification exceeds 5w40 for wear protection, economy and sludge reduction.

VW ATD engines, prior to 2005, had 5w40 505.01 specified. In 2005 5w30 507.00 was introduced and now standard for ATD engines it seems.

 

[DaveHerns]

Can you believe anything coming from VW? They'd probably change the oil spec just to cheat on the emissions test.

 

[DIYspanner]

Surely a 5w30 has more chance of hassling the emissions than a 5w40?

Having said that, my 2003 ATD engines runs as sweet as a nut on 507.00 and recently passed the mot with flying colours.

As a matter of fact, I've been advised that Quantum LL 507.00 will cater well for the entire family fleet.

x2 Bora TDI
x1 i20
x1 KA 1.3i
x1 Punto 1.2 8V
x1 Primera 1.8i
x1 C3