Oil consumption issue

Started by jimay3677, June 26, 2014, 04:45:01 PM

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colcol

The Penrite 'Full Zinc' full synthetic 15-60, the zinc may cause problems with the catalytic convertor, thats why they got rid of zinc years ago, as it was poisoning the convertors, having said that note of caution, i am using it my JTS, but will most likely use something else at the next oil change, Colin.
1974 VW Passat [ist car] 1984 Alfa 33TI [daily driver] 2002 Alfa 156 JTS [daily driver]

Alfa156Melb1

Quote from: Thevak on July 07, 2014, 08:53:16 PM
Good time to buy Penrite from Repco with 20% discount using major car clubs membership cards such asRACV for the month July.

Awesome! Thank you :)

Alfa156Melb1

Fair enough Colcol..

Whilst I've always used 10w60, prior to switching to an oil with zinc, I used mobile for years then Martini (which is zero zinc, or close to it) and had to replace my cams.

Since switching to zinc, thanks to a very knowledge member on another forum giving us some great advice - my cams are still in perfect condition - after 3 years and just under 90,000 kms.

Yes, zinc will over time kill cats - but it's a very long time and there are other factors that come into play there too... in my case, my cat's are perfectly fine despite using this oil.

I have a feeling that the thicker Castrol Edge products also have high zinc levels.. although i'm not 100% sure on that.

I guess to add to my resolve on this, which I totally accept is based on other peopels knowledge, not my own expertise - Matt from Alfamen spent a great deal of time on this subject on the last 932 tech night... He explained the importance of zinc in certain engine designs which include the TS, JTS and Busso range. He acknowledged the Cat risk.. but when you weigh it up, the choice is clear.

His experience of worn cams, rings and other bits and pieces was not down to viscosity but oil type - people using modern oils in what is essentially, old engines.  He uses a range of oils including penrite.. but all have higher levels of zinc.

It's not the be in and end all of the subject - there are other factors of course.. but there's my take.

:)

colcol

The biggest problem with a direct injection engine is oil dilution, that is petrol and crap getting into the oil system and petrol is a solvent, and its lubricating your engine, and with the JTS engine, the first things to go are the camshaft lobes.
No brand of oil will save you from this, i indicated that i wasn't going to use Penrite 'full zinc' at my next oil change, but i will use it on the change after that, just so those poor old cats don't get too much Zinc!
And you don't use the modern 5-30 fully synthetics in the older range of Alfa Romeo engines, just use what Alfa Romeo recommended, [which wasn't Selenia].
Just like you don't use 40-70 oil in the new range of Alfa Romeo / Fiat engines.
Lets agree on changing your oil on time and with the JTS, if its running around the city, change it at half the recommended klms, Colin.
1974 VW Passat [ist car] 1984 Alfa 33TI [daily driver] 2002 Alfa 156 JTS [daily driver]


Steve S

High ZDDP levels will only kill cats at a faster rate than lower Zn oils. Lower ZDDP oil will still kill a cat fast if you burn a lot of oil, so it's not a complete cure. There are ZDDP free engine oils btw.

Alfa of course recommends Selenia Racing which is a very high ZDDP oil, at least as high as Penrite HPR so Alfa don't think it's a problem for the cats, or don't care.

In Australia its hard to find a low ZDDP oil in a viscosity grade you would use in an Alfa as they generally only come in 20 and 30 multigrades.








Alfa156Melb1

Quote from: Steve S on July 07, 2014, 11:36:16 PM

In Australia its hard to find a low ZDDP oil in a viscosity grade you would use in an Alfa as they generally only come in 20 and 30 multigrades.

I didn't know that.. fair enough!

jimay3677

No matter how my car is driven I always dump oil at 5-7k noway in hell would I go 15k or even 10k

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jimay3677

Omg! I won't be wasting more money on castrol edge 10w60. Compared to penrite ten tenths 5w60 and hpr 10 it's the worst for consumption. Just over 1000k and it was 1/3 below max. I'll go back to hpr10 which barely used a drop.

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Alfa156Melb1


jimay3677

For sure. I had to crawl under the car and check for leaks. I checked the oil twice in 2000k on hpr10 (oil bottle and funnel in hand) and returned the bottle to the shed without adding a drop

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Alfa156Melb1

Do you live in the city or suburbs? And was this 1000 a trip away... extended drive?

Edit.. Forget that - you live in Rutherglen

Often if you mostly do short trips, say tot he shops and back, then do a long one - there'll be a lot of fuel and moisture burnt off which accounts for rapid oil loss...

Given where you live, I doubt that was the cause.

jimay3677

#27
Nah. 100k round trip 5-6 days a week at 100k/h.  And the usage was way less doing the same on hpr10.  I've been using penrite exclusively for my last three cars, TF magna v6, Ford Probe, BA Falcon I sold that tank before doing an oil change I disliked it so much lots of power but handled like a brick and had no soul. The Probe was a beautiful car with awesome handling but it had been badly neglected by previous owners and I got sick of fixing it, I resprayed it in acrylic and got to the cut and buff stage and couldn't find the motivation to keep going. Of course the new owner has had no issues and finished the respray and I want it back lol.

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