Well I just changed my Oil & Filter in my EL yesterday with Penrite HPR15 which is rated at 15-60w. I was using HPR 10@ 10w-50w before but I think the climate up here is too warm for a low 10w. But I still need a decent low viscous oil on start up still so I thought a 15w would be a good middle of the road weight. Also I am up to 191200Km in my EL now as well and I thought the 15w would be good for that as the Tappets get a bit noisy with anything lighter than 10w.

I have been using semi synthetic oils in the XR as they seem to perform the best for me, the LPG likes it too as it doesnt take much to start the car on gas if i have to.

I have used both Shell helix and Penrite HPR15 (semi-synth).

I have just serived the XR a couple of weeks ago and i an now using Shell Helix ultra premium blend or something, i believe its a 15-30w or something similar.

My Xr isnt all that ticky either... Which is a good thing im sure

LOL. Mineral oils don't have cleaning agents. I've never heard so much rubbish in my life.

ALL engine oils have cleaning agents. Have we forgotten the 3 jobs of oil?
1. Lubricate.
2. Clean.
3. Cool.

Mineral oils do have cleaning agents. If they didn't clean carbon deposits, they wouldn't get black. (Logic escapes a LOT of people) They also have dispersal agents and anti-foaming agents, just like synthetic oils. The difference between mineral, semi synth and full synth is that Mineral oils are made from crude oils. Synthetic oils are made from animal fats and oils. Semi-synth is a blend of mineral and synth.

Now, as for age of engines. The older the engine (mainly design wise) the thicker the oil you need. So, if your driving a car with an engine that was designed in 1970, you need a fairly thick oil. For a new design like the 4.0L 6cyl, you don't need an ultra thick oil. If you use one of them, you're only doing more harm than good. Don't go a 0w or 5w, that's too thin, but a 10w or 15w is fine.

Also, there is nothing wrong with going from mineral to synthetic (unless you've got a turbo setup) The part of the engine that suffers the most is the camshaft. That's the thing that wears the most, and if you use crap oil, or don't change the oil regularly, it will wear even quicker.

Now, as for burning oil, well! If you car burns synthetic oil, it will burn mineral oil. Thick oil is a "quick fix" for worn rings and valve guides. If you can't run a thin oil without burning it all up, then your engine's pretty much knackered.

Have you tried an oil designed for dduel fluel/lpg vehicles?
I've been using Penzoil LPG (it's 15W-40 - which Ford recomend), so are Castrol GTX Gas, Mobile LPG and Shell Helix LPG.
I think Penrite lpg is different.

why are you calling a 50 wieght oil thin???????

I Run BP Visco 3000 15w-50

Not one issue is the best oil i have used to date, 3rd oil change with this stuff.

Good Oil pressue and no sludge buildup.

Changed Every 5000 kms.

155,000 kms now

Because it's a 5 weight oil....

no it's a 5w50 that is 5 weight cold and 50 wieght hot.

when hot it is no thinner then a 20w50 or 25w50.

Ok this always seems to be a point of confusion,

Taken from the Castrol Web site,

A monograde is an oil whose viscosity is defined at only one temperature, either high or low. A multigrade must meet both high and low temperature viscosity requirements simultaneously. This makes multigrades an easy and popular year-round choice for drivers who experience hot summers and harsh winters. They are easily recognized by the dual viscosity designation (i.e. 10W-30 where the 10W is the low temperature, or winter designation and the 30 is the high temperature designation). It is the viscosity modifier additive that produces a thickening effect at high temperatures but is dormant at low temperatures.

which means that the oil gets thicker as it gets warmer!

no it doesn't mean it gets thicker as it warms up.


this would now be about the tenth time i've explained all of this but here goes again.


the first number is the cold weight. and the second number is the hot wieght.

what all of this means is that when COLD the a 20w50 has the properties of a COLD 20W oil.
when HOT a 20w50 has the properties of a HOT 50W

so the oil still thins out but only as far as a 50w oil would.

a cold 20w60 oil would be the same as a cold 20w50
but it would be thicker then the 20W50 when they are both hot.

Yeah I understand what your saying, thats just the way I read what Castrol is saying "the viscosity modifier additive that produces a thickening effect at high temperatures" obviously this modifier is designed to maintain the viscosity of the oil when hot to the same viscosity of a 50w oil.

Agreed... lol, i should have explained it a bit better.. thin when cold...