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9-5 questions on engine oil

Hi,

A friend bought a 9-5, 2.0 LPT, year 2000, with 133k miles on it.

The oil - the little bit I can get on the dipstick - looks suspect for dryness/smokiness (sludge?). Level is low .. the car has gone unserviced for 16k miles. Supposingly it is on fully synthetic. With the engine fully warmed up I can hear the top end (hydraulic valve lifters/pushers ...).

Question 1. Is it safe to flush the engine (my franchised dealer does it to my 9000 every year)?

Question 2. Temporary fill. Toying with the idea of filling with a mobil 10-40 semi-synthetic which I have (and which I found too thin for my car I could hear the chain with it but not with SAAB's own oil). Put new filter. Run the car for 200 miles or a week then drain. Flush again?

Question 3. What do I put in it next? (assume some wear on the top end). Fully synthetic 0-40 Mobil 1, Shell does one at 5-40. Semi synthetic 10-40 (probably Castrol) or tell him to take it to the dealer? :-)

Question 135. All but one of the services were by SAAB franchised dealer(s). The one that was not says they put synthetic oil. I am kind of aware of the debates about leaking seals on older cars when they are filled with fully synthetic oil for the first time (assuming it has run on semi-synthetic before). Should I tell him to use fully synthetic? (I personnel use semi on mine and change it twice a year with total mileage less than 9k per year).

Any comments appreciated.

Regards Charles

9000, 2.0 lpt, 1997, 103k miles.
Reply to
Charles C.
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I've had no qualms flushing my 9000 either. Why are you concerned here ?

Maybe someone would care to comment on the relative merits of flushing oil vs a flushing additive ? In the case of the first you drain the old oil, refill with flushing oil, run the engine for a while, drain again and then complete the oil change as normal. The additive of course is simply poured in and the engine run for a while before performing the oil change.

Instinctively, I reckon the flushing oil must do a more complete job.

Graham

Reply to
Eeyore

10-40 is approved for the engine is it not ?

I can't see any problem with that.

Why 0-40 or 5-40 ?

I think you're fretting overly. You say you think it's got fully synth in there already. Replace with the same I'd say.

Graham

Reply to
Eeyore

I use Halfords 5W/40 fully Synt for my 9000. Why? Because they sometimes have BOGOF offers near public holidays. The first number 5W is good for cold winter starting, the lower this number the better. The W letter actually stands for "Winter" from the days when people changed oil for the season. The only snag is that the larger the multigrade range, the more additives they have put it. And additives can wear off, thereby reducing the lifespan of the oil, though this is hearsay and probably not important as I change oil at 3000-4000 miles.

But oil types is a long discussion; don't confuse multigrade with multi- viscosity. The point of multigrade is precisely to reduce the viscosity variation with temperature. A uni-grade oil will have a large (standard) viscosity change with temperature, the 'grade' definition goes back to the 1920's.

Reply to
johannes

How cold does it get in winter where you are ?

Graham

Reply to
Eeyore

It doesn't get very cold here, only around freezing and very little snow. (south UK). The 5W/40 for fully synt oil is very common, whereas the 0W/40 (mobil) is more expensive. There is an argument against extreme multigrade for warm tropical climate or for vehicles which runs the whole day. e.g. busses. Then it's probably an advantage to rely on fewer additives for the longevity of the oil.

Reply to
johannes

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