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jamespbeasley wrote:1) what oil should I use in my 98 NB8A with 215000 on the clock? I can hear some engine wear, a metallicy grindy noise sometimes on accelleration, like the noise u get when you accellerate in the gear above the one should be. (is that tappets?)
2) Are those nulon/repco/wynns "worn engine treatment" things useful or a waste of $$?
3) how much should a fuel filter cost? Repco qutoed me $75, and that seemed a bit steep...

the noise you get when accellerating in too high a gear for road speed is usually a pinging sound, so the timing might need adjustment. use any good synthetic or semi synthetic oil, but if your NB8A has its standard head & lifters then you shouldn't get the noise of the NA heads which have an HLA. That said NB8A lifters do require adjusting with shims if clearances are out.

have heard people comment favourably about worn engine treatments, but only a temporary solution, especially in our engines. best to first identify what your cars problem is before contemplating or trying things randomly.

i don't think the nb fuel filters should cost that much - they used to be expensive, but there are more economical alternatives for the NA6 & NA8 at least.

If your engine is worn, wouldn't a thicker, higher-mileage oil be more appropriate than a thinner synthetic?

if it's worn Bruce, yes, but with only 215k kms when some forumites have over 360k kms, i not sure wear is the problem. used to use a heavy Penrite HPR50 oil back in the old Alfa days & found it worked pretty well.

other considerations, given 215k kms & purchasing late last year, are when did it last have a major service & was the timing belt replaced at 200k kms?

where abouts are you located? i have a genuine NB fuel filter sitting here staring me in the face..

PM me if interested

Your engine condition can be checked with such things as a compression check of all cylinders- the difference in comp between best and worst is assessed and they used to spray oil in to see if that bumped the comp up- assess's valves etc- the trained people can tell you. If the car is not burning oil it is probably ok.

Ring one or more of the oil co's for some advice on oil. If you have been using a standard type of oil over a long period then synthetics might not be a good idea. I think the synthetic thing is a bit overstated but some later cars have very low viscosity.

Important that oil gets changed with filter as noted in service guide.

Any parts you require - just check a couple of sources such as Mazda, Repco, Bursons etc. They will tell you over the phone

Have you tried running with 95 or 98 RON fuel? Does that eliminate your "metallicy grindy noise sometimes on accelleration"?

sounds like heat shield vibration to me..........

James the P2 VVT is designed for 95 RON- Mazda even go as far as putting a label inside the fuel cap ( 95) to alert those refilling the tank. Refer owners manual . I think the P1 and earlier are all 91 RON. The timing of your engine will effect such things as pinging.

Timing isn't adjustable on the NB in the same way that it was on the NA's.

I think fuel filters go for around 30 bux at the mazda dealer... sometimes they even come with the little white clips because we dont use hose clamps.

You can do it yourself but its messy and you will smell like petrol for the rest of the day.

The filter should be changed around 50 k km.