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oil: 10w/40 or 15w/50

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busenbust
busenbust Posts: 4,782 Forumite
in Motoring
hi all, need to pick your brains. i have a P reg petrol ford fiesta. my manual says 10W/40 or 15W/50 as an oil lubricant. Is one better than the other?? Also, you know the 'cheap' stuff you get (Asda own brand etc.), is this ok to use when compared to Castrol etc, especially on a relatively old car like mine (I would think it mattered little:confused:). Thanks everyone. :)
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Comments

  • northstar23
    northstar23 Posts: 67 Forumite
    On an older car like that I'd be tempted to put the cheap stuff in. Oil has to conform to a certain standard (ACEA is it??) whatever the brand and in an older car its not like you have much to loose.

    10W/40 or 15W50? You don't say if it needs semi synthetic or just standard mineral... but if the manual recommends either then one isn't necessarily better than the other. Buy whatever is on special offer at the time.
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    In an older car I'd use the more viscous option and buy the supermarket brand. You don't need the high tech stuff. The most important thing about oil changes is doing them not what they are done with.
  • TiTheRev
    TiTheRev Posts: 3,215 Forumite
    10w 40 will more likely be a synthetic based oil and 15w 50 (Usually 15w 40?) will be mineral based. At that age a 15w40 would be better IMO.
    :A Luke 6:38 :A
    The above post is either from personal experience or is my opinion based on the person God has made me and the way I understand things. Please don't be offended if that opinion differs from yours, but feel free to click the 'Thanks' button if it's at all helpful!
  • busenbust
    busenbust Posts: 4,782 Forumite
    northstar23 wrote: »
    On an older car like that I'd be tempted to put the cheap stuff in. Oil has to conform to a certain standard (ACEA is it??) whatever the brand and in an older car its not like you have much to loose.

    10W/40 or 15W50? You don't say if it needs semi synthetic or just standard mineral... but if the manual recommends either then one isn't necessarily better than the other. Buy whatever is on special offer at the time.

    thank you. sorry, it says 'multigrade engine oil, viscosity SAE 10w/40 or 15w/50, to API SG/CD' :confused: I have no idea what means!
  • busenbust
    busenbust Posts: 4,782 Forumite
    LandyAndy wrote: »
    In an older car I'd use the more viscous option and buy the supermarket brand. You don't need the high tech stuff. The most important thing about oil changes is doing them not what they are done with.

    the more viscous: does that mean 15w/50? sorry:o
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    busenbust wrote: »
    thank you. sorry, it says 'multigrade engine oil, viscosity SAE 10w/40 or 15w/50, to API SG/CD' :confused: I have no idea what means!

    It tells you the viscosity (how thick it is) and is written on the containers.
  • TiTheRev
    TiTheRev Posts: 3,215 Forumite
    More viscous is actually 10w40, but i'd say the less viscous stuff would 'fill the gaps' in a more worn engine better ;)
    :A Luke 6:38 :A
    The above post is either from personal experience or is my opinion based on the person God has made me and the way I understand things. Please don't be offended if that opinion differs from yours, but feel free to click the 'Thanks' button if it's at all helpful!
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    busenbust wrote: »
    the more viscous: does that mean 15w/50? sorry:o

    Yes;) . .
  • TiTheRev
    TiTheRev Posts: 3,215 Forumite
    LandyAndy wrote: »
    Yes;) . .
    Actually no :rolleyes:
    :A Luke 6:38 :A
    The above post is either from personal experience or is my opinion based on the person God has made me and the way I understand things. Please don't be offended if that opinion differs from yours, but feel free to click the 'Thanks' button if it's at all helpful!
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    TiTheRev wrote: »
    More viscous is actually 10w40, but i'd say the less viscous stuff would 'fill the gaps' in a more worn engine better ;)

    Are you sure.

    Modern oils like 5w/30s seem a lot runnier than the 20w/50 I put in the Landy.
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