Best Oil To Use
Best Oil To Use
I've searched and still couldn't find what type of oil to use in my KA24DE. I know these engines are torquey and not to high revving so I wouldn't need a thicker oil. Any suggestions, or tell me what you guys run in your KA's. Also is Redline the best gear oil, I heard it makes for smoother shifts?
What I've heard is that Nismo uses Motul Motor oil in their race cars. Just that it's not available as readily as mobile 1...besides I get a killer deal on cases of mobile 1. I haven't gotten around to trying out redline yet, but for now mobile 1 is pretty sweet. For now I'm trying out different oil filters. Anyone have any recs on that? I'm currently trying out the fram X2 filter. Filters really well but pressure drop is pretty bad. K&N flows well but doesn't filter well and should be dumped after 1.5-2k. Nissan's oem filters are pretty good too but just too lazy to go get them...
I dont know what was in my my car before i bought it, but my first oil change was Mobil 1 0W-40 syn. It was recommended somewhere in the 240sx.og FAQ's. My car had a lifter noise problem and it cured it for a while. Then it became more frequent. I had to keep pouring in a quart of oil every week to quiet the lifters down. My recent oil change (last weekend) I changed it to Mobil 1 10W30 syn with a Mobil 1 oil filter. No lifter noise yet, even upon start up. Before with the 0-40, they lifters ticked when it got cold (weather) or when the engine was cold (overnight).
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blackbeauty240
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FL240racer
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2002 5:59 am
- Car: 93 240sx SE coupe
oil
Just uswitched to royal Purple 10W-40 I think... and the engine runs one full notch cooler on my temp gauge... and that's after runnning 90 mph+ for like a hour on the interstate... K&N oil filter....
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Holisticbeatz
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sil80drifter
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- Car: 1990 240SX Hatch
Castrol GTX is good. 10W-30, usually other viscosities are not as well suited for ther KA, even on the track, in the summer. WAIT I take that back, in the summer weight 40-50 is good, if the car is used for track purposes mostly, and not just dailydriver/occasional autoX.
palmerwnd, when one runs semi-synthetic, can one switch back to non-synth later? Or is it prohobited like with synthetic, where you cannot go back.. Also could you explain WHY one can't go back? I never really understood that.
sil80
palmerwnd, when one runs semi-synthetic, can one switch back to non-synth later? Or is it prohobited like with synthetic, where you cannot go back.. Also could you explain WHY one can't go back? I never really understood that.
sil80
Castrol GTX is one of the best non synthetic oils.It has outperformed it more expensive stablemate Syntec in many oil analyses.
Castrol Syntec has also not done well at all compared to other synthetic oils.It started the "Group III as synthetic" trend and seems to have not done well to ther syns (group III and IV) in Nissan engines.The good news is they are starting to sell a new 0w-30 its very different from the rest of teh Syntec formulated in germany is green in color a group IV(!)When they extend this formulation to teh thciker Syntec Grades I would consider Syntec again but not nwo.For now I think this new grade is limited to Canada but is bound to show up in US stores eventually.Eiether way a 0w-30 is a bit thin for anything but winter use.Greatly prefer 40 weights.BMW for example had to change its rcommendation from a 5w-30 to a 10w-60 oil due to motor damage in new M3's.I believe the recommendation also went from 5w-30 for its M5 to the same recomendations they in in Germany (50 and 60 weight oils)The trend to thin oils such as 30 weights (or even 20 weights) is reversing itself, in part due to problems now becoming apparent at least in performance applications.I drive my car too hard to run a 30 weight.
Right now I am running MOBIL1 0w-40 (group IV w/ Moly), even tho ValvolineSYnPower in 5w-40 and many otehr 40 weight syns are also very good.The synPower doesnt seem to have the Moly of the MOBIL1 and is a group III but seems to do well in dirtier engines in my comparison w/ MOBIL1.
Fred...
Castrol Syntec has also not done well at all compared to other synthetic oils.It started the "Group III as synthetic" trend and seems to have not done well to ther syns (group III and IV) in Nissan engines.The good news is they are starting to sell a new 0w-30 its very different from the rest of teh Syntec formulated in germany is green in color a group IV(!)When they extend this formulation to teh thciker Syntec Grades I would consider Syntec again but not nwo.For now I think this new grade is limited to Canada but is bound to show up in US stores eventually.Eiether way a 0w-30 is a bit thin for anything but winter use.Greatly prefer 40 weights.BMW for example had to change its rcommendation from a 5w-30 to a 10w-60 oil due to motor damage in new M3's.I believe the recommendation also went from 5w-30 for its M5 to the same recomendations they in in Germany (50 and 60 weight oils)The trend to thin oils such as 30 weights (or even 20 weights) is reversing itself, in part due to problems now becoming apparent at least in performance applications.I drive my car too hard to run a 30 weight.
Right now I am running MOBIL1 0w-40 (group IV w/ Moly), even tho ValvolineSYnPower in 5w-40 and many otehr 40 weight syns are also very good.The synPower doesnt seem to have the Moly of the MOBIL1 and is a group III but seems to do well in dirtier engines in my comparison w/ MOBIL1.
Fred...
sil80drifter wrote:palmerwnd, when one runs semi-synthetic, can one switch back to non-synth later? Or is it prohobited like with synthetic, where you cannot go back.. Also could you explain WHY one can't go back? I never really understood that.
You can always go back w/ the blendsMany recommed a flush if u go back w/ a full syn(Be careful w/ kerosene based flushes only use those if you think engine is resasonably clean internally as too much loosened sludge may clog up your oil pick-up w/ predicatable results).
Why?Group IV oils cling well to engine internals.If they keep clinign after the change over your oil flow might be compromised in some locations.Also GroupV oios are natural seal sweller, remove them and u may have a leak.
Much of the above isn't really so serious anymore ,as oil formulations have improved across teh board to make mixing less of an issue
Fred...:thumbup
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sil80drifter
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Thank you! I think with 116k on my SOHC KA, which I do revv to fuel cut every now and then, and which is probably quite dirty, even though I have used SeaFoam on it, I will get myself some ValvolineSynPower, 5W-40, if I go synthetic. I've also heard that there are some better flowing/particle catching filters out there than even our Nissan OEMs. Somoene said they are using a Mustang filter which is huge (high flow) and traps dirt well, on their CA, and those oil fittings are similar to the KA so I'll look into that and post results.
sil80
sil80
The Nissan OEM filters are very good all around, stick w/ them.(Unless you cna find a qulaity filter that fits but is oversize (ie longer, than it would be wortha switch)
Of course there are better filters out than the OEM, but for the price the OEM is pretty good.ValvolineSYnPower 5w-40 ($4.4 per quart) is pretty hard to find.You might have to find a Valvoline Distributor I sued to do that.MOBIL1 0w-40 ($5 per quart) can be found at Porsche, MB, dealers and also at Autozones.
Fred...
Of course there are better filters out than the OEM, but for the price the OEM is pretty good.ValvolineSYnPower 5w-40 ($4.4 per quart) is pretty hard to find.You might have to find a Valvoline Distributor I sued to do that.MOBIL1 0w-40 ($5 per quart) can be found at Porsche, MB, dealers and also at Autozones.
Fred...
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sil80drifter
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WorkinDriver
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- Car: 240's
Call an authorized fram dealer, They have very good Filters, some are not availible on the shelf. But they are, if from fram. Also, Only use Mobil 1. Mister Nissan Engine himself, Gene Crowe, told my dad to only use Mobil. Gene Crowe, if your a nissan fan used to build all the Nissan race engines for American Races. He was the first to use( sucessfully ) Twin Turbos, ( on the IMSA GTP cars. ) Just some good info. Sad to say mr. Gene Crowe Passed away a few years ago.
Fram oil filters? I stopped using fram because they say they use teflon in the filters. I hear that the high temp of the oils could cause the teflon to break off. How'd you like to have plastic running through your engine?http://www.fram.com/products/oil/double.htmMaybe teflon's good?
Yeah I never used fram before on my car until I was recommended the X2. It's actually pretty good. Good for street because of its high life and excellent filtration, but not for track since it's got a pretty bad pressure drop when you startup your car. But if you plan to do more in city driving with synthetic, I think that's the way to go as your oil doesnt get dirty as fast. I'm at 1.5k right now and the oil is still honey colored (Mobile 1 15-50). K&N filters, yeah I've tried them too, pretty good on the pressure, but sucky on the filtration. I had to do an oil change at 1.75k instead of my usual 2.5k since it was really dirty. Nissan filters are all around good stuff. I've yet to try Purolater Gold filters. I've heard good stuff about them, just they're really pricy like 25+ from what I heard and are very hard to find.
