mx5cartalk.com

I usually use 10-30W...

With sumer here and some 40 deg days do people use heavier oil like a 15-40W?

I used to religiously use Castrol Edge 5w-30 (previously called Syn-something something) untilI found a top-notch Aussie manufacturer of lubricants right at my back-door, PM Oils.
The guy is a chemical engineer and used to be, and still is at times, a referral source for BMW Australia.

Long story short, he explained to me, in great but very informative, length, the reasons why 30W lubricants are too thin for Australian conditions. BMW had huge problems when they switched from 40-30 quite a few years ago.

The only time he would recommend it is if you were heading for the snows.
All his oils are 40W or more viscous.

In other words, yes, switch to a 40W.

Why not support an Aussie business while you're at it
http://www.pmlubricants.com.au/

Something like Magnatec 10W40 in the pre-NC models will do you all seasons. Same weight in synthetic will do the NC.

Yep btw I drive a NB (2001)

Advice taken thanks... will probaby get 10-40W synthetic...

JBT wrote:Something like Magnatec 10W40 in the pre-NC models will do you all seasons. Same weight in synthetic will do the NC.

I've just switched to that & patchy quite likes it.

Me too.

Jules

At one of our tech nights we went to Castrol and the guy there recomended 50W for track day use. He said as the oil gets hot 40W would break down.

There are also 2 types of Magnatec. The one you buy in the 5L containers from Supercheap etc and another one generally only available to mechanical workshops in big drums. The drum version is semi synthetic and is the one most Mazda dealers will put in your car at service time.

Then there's also an AUSTRALIAN manufactured and AUSTRALIAN owned company that makes top-or-the-range lubricants. PM Oils. *hint* bloody *nudge*

is Penrite made in Australia? think i might try their semi synthetic 10w50 next oil change. currently using Penzoil semi synthetic 10w40 with it's fancy time release molecules.

I am using the Penrite 10W50, seems to do the trick but how would you really know anyway?

On cold mornings the engine doesn't feel as sluggish as the Shell 15W50 I was running before, but it could be a mind over matter thing.

Saboteur, the reason why I have used Castrol (up until the last oil change) is because they were the only lubricant that stopped the engine from making that ticka-ticka-ticka cam-bucket/shim noise on start-up.
I have tried all the major brands except Mobil.
Now I'm using PM Oils and no ticka-ticka noise either.

i used magnatec before i went turbo...I found that magnatec kept the lifters quiet for the longest period of time between the 10,000 service intervals....

Now that im turbo i use 10-40 fully synthetic shell oil..i feel that 30W is just too light for a 160,000K turbo engine...

someone told me recently that Magnatec stuffs up turbos for some reason.

My short term memory being as bad as it is, and my car not being turbo, I only paid half attention.

Good move