I'v seen a lot of posts regarding the jts oil usage,and im wondering if there is a problem when it dosn't use any oil.It's got 80k on it and i have done 2k so far no oil usage,good?,but i'm thinking that if it's not being topped up,no new oil is going in and in 2k the oil has turned black as the ace of spades!Is this a problem?
No problem at all. Black oil is absolutely fine, it is not an indication of condition. What oil is in it?
The guy that sold it to me changed the oil the day i picked it up,but i don't know what type,hopefully 10-60 but i don't know.
That's a slight worry, it could be anything. Still worth keeping in there for a reasonable length.
I've heard reports that some JTS are bad on oil consumptions, others are fine, and no clear idea on what causes the difference. Take it to an independent specialist (pick an Alfa club sponsor) when you're ready for an oil change, and get some advice.
If unsure, for peace of mind and the sake of $60 odd, just change it. As far as you know it could be Extra Virgin Olive oil, but you could at least smell it.
My 2cents worth.
Trust nobody but yourself. Then again I don't trust myself neither so I trust my wife!!!
Ha ha,i don't think it's olive oil,not enough omega 3's!i suppose i'll get some castrol 'edge' when i do it
The JTS use oil because of the direct injection and ring design, Alfa, Holden, Volkswagon all use oil when direct injected, the JTS in 2002 oil specs were 10 - 40 fully synthetic racing oil, just like the twin spark, then they were using oil and owners were running them out of oil, so Alfa Romeo upspecs the oil to 10 - 60, which cut back the consumption, it important to have the right viscosity oil, but MOST important is not to run it under the min level on the oil dipstick, otherwise you will run a bearing, if you do a lot of city running change the oil at about 5,000 klms, for runs where the oil gets hot and you get a bit of freeway running, change it every 10,000 klms, Colin.
I had really good results when i used penrite 10-70, oil consumption was cut down to a minimum, used it on a jts 2005 gt. good luck
I average 1l per 5000 km on HPR15, if that is a helpful benchmark for you.
10 - 70 is starting to get quite thick, you would use a little more fuel pushing it around your engine and it wouldn't flow as quick when cold, but if it works for you that is good, i know when i use 10 - 60 Castrol Edge and i change it, it is not that thick at all, as i usually lubricate the floor of the shed as it flows everywhere including upwards out of the oil pan.
Also be aware that the JTS oil gets contaminated with fuel by products and rubbish, and will flow around your engine NOT lubricating properly and the first thing to be ruined will be the cams.
So at a worst case you have 95% oil and 5% petroleum by products, and you go for a good drive with the Alfa Romeo club one Sunday and drive like you stole it and give it a bit of welly and get the oil good and hot and burn out all the 5% crap, you will have 95% of what you started off with in the morning.....when you checked it before you left home, and it will seem that its starting to use oil, when its just burnt all the rubbish out, Colin.
If you ask me "10w70" is absurd. There isn't an engine in the world that needs a 10w70. "70" isn't even an official SAE grade, its just something made up by Penrite to perpetuate the myth that thicker is better.
10-70 penrite is recommended by some alfa specialists in sydney for the jts including penrite itself,go figure
Alfa romeo reccomend 10-60, but Penrite say 'extra 10' or something to give you a bit more, i would happily use it in my JTS, Penrite oils is an Australian company that makes specialist oils for Australian conditions, the big world brand oil companies make oil for the world market, as Australia is just a blip on the sales charts the important thing is that all the ASEA standards comply with Fiat - Alfa Romeo specifications, and you change it regulary, along with the oil filter which is easy to get at on twin sparks and JTS's, just don't show the Busso V-6 156 drivers how easy it is to change the oil filter, as they will cry, as the V-6 requires long service leave to be taken, Colin.
Quote from: colcol on July 11, 2013, 09:28:35 PMthe important thing is that all the ACEA standards comply with Fiat - Alfa Romeo specifications,
Heh - well in this case they don't! By virtue of specifying only Selenia Racing, the only spec required is FIAT 9.55535-H3 and Penrite does not officially meet that, nor do they say it is suitable for that application.
FWIW the only oils I've found that are recommended for FIAT 9.55535-H3 applications are Shell Helix Ultra Racing and Fuchs GT1 10w60.
This is of course a load of nonsense ;)
if a lot a of cam wear happens on cold start-up,wouldn't a "sticky" oil work well because the parts would already have a'coating'?,or does it work the other way around?
Quote from: t-rev on July 12, 2013, 07:37:18 PM
if a lot a of cam wear happens on cold start-up,wouldn't a "sticky" oil work well because the parts would already have a'coating'?,
Its not just the cams, but all engine components suffer metal to metal contact on cold start until the oil starts flowing. Oil is formulated to be "sticky" or polar and it will not totally drain off, residue will remain for a very long time. The design of some engines will also leave the cams in a bath of oil so there is little problem at all.
Anti wear additives in the oil "activate" with the heat created during metal to metal contact and coat surfaces with a layer. This coating is continuously being worn off and relaid. During cold start up this coating should be there from when the engine was last running to do its job until an oil film can be establish. Cams will however always operate in a state when there is metal to metal contact so they should have a good coating of anti-wear on them. Anti-wear additives work on a molecular level, not in a "film" of oil. The large volumes of oil that flow over the cams are not to provide extra lubrication, it is needed to cool the components and of course to provide a constant supply of additives to wherever they are needed.
Cam wear happens on a JTS when the oil is contaminated with by products of petrol which is like a solvent, which isn't good for lubricating the bearings, cams and such, for city running where the oil doesn't get hot and burn off the solvent, change your oil sooner, say at 5,000klms, i have used Shell helix 10-60 ultra racing, as it was on special at Supercheap and i found that my engine didn't blow up which is good, will give the Fuchs GT1 10 - 60 oil, because it has German Technology, just like Volkswagons, so that must be good as well, Colin.