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Zetec oil recommendation?
Charlie_Zetec - 28/8/13 at 03:37 PM

More questions for the collective....

1825cc silver top zetec engine, freshly rebuilt with marginal overbore using new pistons, rings, shells, big ends, ARP bolts, full head rebuild etc.

Which oil do you guys recommend? I know zetecs use 5/30 semi-synth generally, but I was going to go fully synthetic as its essentially a new engine.

BUT-
It has been suggested that I should use a 5/50 ESTHER or similar spec race oil (from Motul) as its going to get driven harder than the engine was designed for in a standard car. FYI, I'm also running an oil cooler with a thermostatic control valve.

All thoughts greatly appreciated......

loggyboy - 28/8/13 at 03:40 PM

I planned on running fully synth on my new standard (bar ARPs) black top.

britishtrident - 28/8/13 at 03:58 PM

Use 5w/30 semi-synthetic for the first 500 miles then change to a 5w/30 5w/40 or 0w/40 fully synth.

There are three (more ?) alternative processes used to make synthetic oil base stock while ester base stock is best (as used for Mobile 1) they are all pretty good and a massive improvement over mineral oil.


Most damage to engines occurs at cold start if you want the best protection go for Mobile 0W/40.

[Edited on 28/8/13 by britishtrident]

Paul Turner - 28/8/13 at 04:05 PM

Do not run it in on fully synthetic or ester synthetic oil, the rings and bores will not bed in. Get some mineral 10w30, I have used Carlube in all the Zetecs I have run in. Then change to your choice of oil after about 300 miles.

If you are doing trackdays or racing Ester Synthetic is a good idea but for fast road use I simply use 5w30 fully synthetic, currently Motul but have used Castrol and Mobil in the past, depends which I can get at the best price.

With regards to oil coolers I don't have one, even on the track I never saw the temp go above 100 degrees, on the road it struggles to get to 80 degrees even when driven with intent. Since Ester synthetic is good to over 125 degrees its just extra weight and extra joints to leak.

coozer - 28/8/13 at 05:52 PM

You must used Ford oil or you will hear the crank bearings knocking say "Hoy! Wrong oil!"

Halfords stock Ford oil. Go in there and get the correct oil.

zetec engines need the correct oil due to the temp they run at.

Charlie_Zetec - 28/8/13 at 06:16 PM

Halfrauds recommend 5/30 semi synth for Ford zetecs, or 5/30 fully synth for ultimate protection. Surely the spec/weight is the important part, although I have seen some of their bottles marked as "Ford" or "VW" - what's that all about?!?

I've just e-mailed Motul head office to see what they recommend for a) running in, and b) general use. I've got a feeling they're going to recommend 5/30 semi for running in and 5/30 fully synth for daily use. I'll report back as soon as I hear anything to keep you all updated!

rhinopower - 28/8/13 at 07:34 PM

This is what im using for running in, as recommended by millers

BaileyPerformance - 28/8/13 at 08:24 PM

You MUST use mineral oils to allow the engine to bed in, do not use semi or fully synthetic.

Do 500miles on cheap supermarket mineral oil, then use semi.

You do not need to use "ford" oil in a zetec, they are no more sensitive to oil than any other engine, this myth come from a valve guide issue that was present on the first zetecs, this is no longer an issue.

britishtrident - 28/8/13 at 08:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by coozer
You must used Ford oil or you will hear the crank bearings knocking say "Hoy! Wrong oil!"

Halfords stock Ford oil. Go in there and get the correct oil.

zetec engines need the correct oil due to the temp they run at.


That is all about catalyst and HEGO life and extended service intervals and fuel consumption & emission certification the manufacturers must be able to meet US certification requirements to guarantee a 8 year life for emission related components, hence nearly all manufacturers now have their own oil specs. To protect the cat & lambda from contamination these oils have very low amounts of additives compared with what was used in the past and so give less protection to the mechanical parts of the engine. The truth is as long as viscosity grade is correct there is not much difference in specs of quality synthetic oils except those for PD engines. VW PD engines need the correct oil which however is suitable for general use. VW particularly have a large number of oil specs and oil used should match not only the engine type, but the year of manufacture and service interval.

Vauxhall/Opel/Saab, Renault/Nissan & Toyota ran into different engine damage problems due to garages (including their own main dealers) not paying enough attention to changes in oils specs and using mineral or semi-synthetic oils in combination with extended service intervals.



[Edited on 28/8/13 by britishtrident]

britishtrident - 28/8/13 at 09:12 PM

Ford initally changed the oil spec to 5w/30 because the early Zetec hydraulic tappets were not operating properly from cold starts in sub-zero conditions.

Paul Turner - 29/8/13 at 07:05 AM

quote:
Originally posted by coozer
You must used Ford oil or you will hear the crank bearings knocking say "Hoy! Wrong oil!"


Who told you that load of nonsense. Believe it or not Ford do not make oil, they sell oil to the correct spec sold in Ford cans made by A N Other (used to be Total). Many other manufacturers sell oil that meets exactly the same specs. But on a kit car with none of the Ford emission stuff fitted the only spec that matters is 5w30. On a trackday its possibly a good idea to use 5w40 if your oil temps get very high or better still use 5w30 ester synthetic.

Crank bearings are simply not clever enough to tell if its Ford oil or not.

Between 1999 and 2010 we had 3 Fords that all required oil to the normal Ford spec. Our local dealer serviced all 3 cars and never put a drop of Ford oil in them, he used Shell Gemini which met the Ford specs. Strange as it might appear the crank bearings on all 3 cars never said a thing.

dhutch - 29/8/13 at 10:20 AM

quote:
Crank bearings are simply not clever enough to tell if its Ford oil or not.

Are you sure?

Last time I ask mine they said they could taste what color ink was used on the label and adjust there wear-rate accordingly, big end number three actually suggested if you used oil made from a non approved supplier it could actually loss material without you even starting the engine, but I couldnt tell is he was pulling my leg or not....


Daniel

britishtrident - 29/8/13 at 10:55 AM

One of the things to watch out for is there is no definition of "semi-synthetic" most buyers would assume it would mean 50% mineral 50% synthetic but ithe synthetic content of the oil could be less than 5%. Likewise as far as I know none of the top line ester synthetics are 100% ester base stock.