K series Engine Oil Type?

[GregBowden]

Hi, Ive got a 2000 1.6 k series super grad academy car and was wondering what engine oil people are using? Im only using for road and occasional light track use! Cheers Greg

[SM25T]

5W-50 is the stuff

[DanRo]

Hi Greg

I have always used Comma 5w50 on my 1.6k. 
 

 

[GregBowden]

Thanks very much

[SLR No.77]

K-Series with solid followers (assume this to be the case) is 5W-50. If it has hydraulic followers it's preferable to use the original Rover specified grade which I think is 10W-40 but someone would need to confirm.

[SM25T]

10W-40 is the oil for the engine with the hydraulic VVC mechanism. 5W-50 for normal K-series

[ID_7even_Two]

How much does everyone take with them on a road trip? And how much on a trackday? First year with a 7 so trying to gauge all these things.

[DanRo]

I have a litre bottle, wedged upright if open, for track days or longer trips. 

[SM25T]

Not needed to carry any on 2500 mile European tours over the years. If you need any, they do have shops  !

[ID_7even_Two]

fair point!

[eric]

Motul 300v  15w50  is the right one , use for races

 

[SM25T]

5W-50 is the normal, not 15W-50

[eric]

Normal but not heavy duty, in France all the 1600 K race with Motul 300V 15w50 . 5w50 is too thin, the Oil pressure is too low around 2 bar at hot and then engines broke .  With 15w50, no engine failure and the oil pressure is about 3-4 bar  which is right .

But you can use 5w50 is you use the car very gentle . An engine with 15w50 synthetic need to be warmed before accelerate hard . I think for a pure road car, 5w50 is ok but not for a former race car used somethimes on track like mine .

Mine never work on 5w50  

[eric]

Normal but not heavy duty, in France all the 1600 K race with Motul 300V 15w50 . 5w50 is too thin, the Oil pressure is too low around 2 bar at hot and then engines broke .  With 15w50, no engine failure and the oil pressure is about 3-4 bar  which is right .

But you can use 5w50 is you use the car very gentle . An engine with 15w50 synthetic need to be warmed before accelerate hard . I think for a pure road car, 5w50 is ok but not for a former race car used somethimes on track like mine .

Mine never work on 5w50  

[eric]

Normal but not heavy duty, in France all the 1600 K race with Motul 300V 15w50 . 5w50 is too thin, the Oil pressure is too low around 2 bar at hot and then engines broke .  With 15w50, no engine failure and the oil pressure is about 3-4 bar  which is right .

But you can use 5w50 is you use the car very gentle . An engine with 15w50 synthetic need to be warmed before accelerate hard . I think for a pure road car, 5w50 is ok but not for a former race car used somethimes on track like mine .

Mine never work on 5w50  

[eric]

Normal but not heavy duty, in France all the 1600 K race with Motul 300V 15w50 . 5w50 is too thin, the Oil pressure is too low around 2 bar at hot and then engines broke .  With 15w50, no engine failure and the oil pressure is about 3-4 bar  which is right .

But you can use 5w50 is you use the car very gentle . An engine with 15w50 synthetic need to be warmed before accelerate hard . I think for a pure road car, 5w50 is ok but not for a former race car used somethimes on track like mine .

Mine never work on 5w50  

[eric]

Normal but not heavy duty, in France all the 1600 K race with Motul 300V 15w50 . 5w50 is too thin, the Oil pressure is too low around 2 bar at hot and then engines broke .  With 15w50, no engine failure and the oil pressure is about 3-4 bar  which is right .

But you can use 5w50 is you use the car very gentle . An engine with 15w50 synthetic need to be warmed before accelerate hard . I think for a pure road car, 5w50 is ok but not for a former race car used somethimes on track like mine .

Mine never work on 5w50  

[eric]

Normal but not heavy duty, in France all the 1600 K race with Motul 300V 15w50 . 5w50 is too thin, the Oil pressure is too low around 2 bar at hot and then engines broke .  With 15w50, no engine failure and the oil pressure is about 3-4 bar  which is right .

But you can use 5w50 is you use the car very gentle . An engine with 15w50 synthetic need to be warmed before accelerate hard . I think for a pure road car, 5w50 is ok but not for a former race car used somethimes on track like mine .

Mine never work on 5w50  

[ScottR400D]

15w50 is the same viscosity as 5w50 once hot, it wouldn't help oil pressure other than at very low temperature. 
 

 

 

[eric]

This is the theory as the 50  is the same 50  but in reality no . The 50 of a 15w50 is thicker than the 50 of 5 w 50 .

The proof is : the better oil will be a 0w50   or a 0w60  but it is not . As more the difference between the 2  numbers is great more additives you have in it ...  and it is not very good at all

[eric]

Sorry I didn't answer about oil pressure, the second owner who did not know that it was a former race car , it used 5w50 oil sold the car to me as the pressure was too low and he was afraid by that .  As we experienced in France, some K series engine failure due to bad lubrication . As soon I got the Caterham, I filled the car with the right oil and then the pressure raised 1 bar .

But what they use 5w50 in a road car :  

1) For small trip,  if you don't  let the car to reach the good temperature ( oil temperature I mean not only water temperature ) before use the car at high rev, the 5w50 is better .

2) I For the valves hydraulic adjustment , during the 5 sec from start , it is better too 

3) For emission purpose  the 5w50 is better , and for ultimate power and the fuel consumption the 5w50 is better too 

 

But for longevity, it is not .  

I do prefer to warm up the engine

 With a K series the fuel consumption is ridiculous, so no matter.

I do some times trackdays, one of my friend , the president of the French Caterham Club broke his 1800 vvc K series engines due to the 5w50 and he use now a 20w60 Motul 300V Le Mans which to thick from my point of view :-)

[John Vine]

#21   ...his 1800 vvc K series engine...

As an aside, I thought the correct oil for a VVC was 10W/40?

JV

[ScottR400D]

#20 so what you're saying is that the SAE system used by and relied on by the world's oil manufacturers for several decades is inaccurate?

OK. 

[SM25T]

#22 yes John, 10W-40 for a VVC to suit the calibration of the hydraulic control unit 

[SLR No.77]

Regarding the engine failures of French race/track cars, are these dry sump engines?  

Do they have an Apollo tank fitted?

Or just standard specification road engines?

2 bar hot running pressure is definitely not the case with 5W-50 in a healthy engine, 3.5 - 4 bar is normal.