2000 Volvo S70 non turbo oil choice?

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I am currently involved in a timing belt head repair on a car I just purchased for the real deal due to the belt failure. During the disassembly I discovered quite a bit of sludge in the valve area of the head. The head has been tanked and the valves are being replaced however I want to purchase my parts now and oil is on the list. I read the tsb and the spec of ACEA of A1/B1 which is a low hths, but I want to run Schaeffer 5w40 9000 series which is a high hths. Any thoughts. If not those I am going with Amsoil nothing else other than maybe Redline. I love Amsoil I think though that the Schaeffer with Moly is a bit better for wear prevention.

Thanks
 
The Ester base of RedLine will assist the clean-up process of your engine intrinsically faster than the others. The nature of ester base oils compete for the engine surfaces cleaning them in the process. RL also has a lot of Moly if that is one of your buying points.

Good Luck!
 
The absolute best oil for this engine is Amsoil HDD 5W-30. First of all, as you are experiencing these engines aren't the best with standard OTS PCMO, they are dirty and they don't do well with the shearing. Best is a shear stable, heavy HTHS 30, highly cleaner additized HDEO, with plenty of esters.


BTW: Oils with lots of moly don't show any less wear than oils without moly. That's a BITOG myth. Almost all oils have plenty of additive wear protection, for wear protection in this engine, you need a good stout oil - which a) has sufficient cold temp flow (don't fall for the thinnest is ALWAYS best scheme),b) good viscosity retention time@temperature and c) a stout old school detergent/AW package. It's the detergent additives you need.
 
That oil looked very good on the data sheet with a high tbn also of 12! Wow. However it has the acea a3b3 spec, but I have been told that the Volvo and Jag and Land rovers should use a a1b1 spec with the low hths. I am trying to understand the ACEA specs, but it seems that the Low HTHS serves to do nothing more than improve mileage. I would hence opt to get more sludge protection and antiwear than I care about a .5 mpg gain.

What is wrong with or different with the Schaeffers that would not be a viable choice? The reason I ask is I have been using it for so long in a fleet that we have had no issues I am really loving the stuff even running our extended drains.

Thanks,
 
I don't think I said anything is wrong with Schaeffers. It's a fine oil. Not sure which product of theirs is the best fit for the Volvo white block. But choose the stoutest 30 with the best detergent add pack.

I don't put a lot a faith in "I have been told that the Volvo and Jag and Land rovers should use a a1b1 spec with the low hths."
 
Didn't mean that you said there was anything wrong with it, just trying to see what made the amsoil a better choice, sorry for my poor choice of wording. The 5w40 9000 series is what I was looking at however I appreciate the tip on the HDD. My question also is that I sell Amsoil to some of my customers, but why does it not show the HDD for this in the look up? It shows the AZO which I use with good results, but I see how in the data the HDD looks much more stout.

Thanks again,
 
Because the Amsoil look up guide just parrots back Volvo's recommendation. With 16 years of experience with this engine, I simply know a bit better as to what oils keep it clean and welling running. And I can say without any doubt that standard API oils will not do the job much beyond 4-5K. I for one simply will not waste my time changing the oil so frequently. I change the oil every 12-14 months, and have done 10-20K mile runs. My engine is spotless.

Some lighter 0W/5W-40's do fine in this engine as well, but some are too extreme on the other end. The relatively higher HTHS 40's will bog this engine which really doesn't come alive until, what 3000 rpm+ or so.
 
I really do appreciate your input and since you have so much experience with these, you have made my mind to use the HDD. Now I just have the headache of buying all the parts, valves etc to correct the other damage. UGH! I'm sure it will be a nice ride for my daughter when I'm done so that's why I purchased it. Any Comments on the PCV catch can replacement for this thing?
 
I have two volvos

S70 T5
S60 NA

On the S70 because it's a turbo I use 0/40 Mobil 1 in the summer and whatever Synthetic is on sale 5/30 winter (although I plan to get German Castol at AZ tomorrow, pretty fair deal). I get the filters through FCP Groton for $4.50 so the filter I get from AZ on the deal with be for a honda civic I have. The S70 has 215K on it and runs fine and is pretty clean. When I got it at 140K I ran Auto-RX through it and it stopped oil consumption pretty well.

On the S60 (same engine pretty much as your S70 NA) I run whever synthetic 5/30 is on sale and change at 6K. I have 154K on that engine since birth and I know it's clean.

Just my take on it.

When doing the timing belt, I used all Volvo parts , fairly straight forward job, take your time.
I am not sure that the S70 NA has a flame trap (in it since it's not turbo'd) It's an easy job or at least was on the S70 I have. Instructions can be found on Swedespeed or volvoforums.com
 
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Thanks volvomix, I just got done pulling flame trap and it is open, but a bunch of flakes of varnish in the opening to the crank case aboe oil level and possibly the lower one draining back to crankcase partially plugged in the block, both vacuumed clear. Oil filter cup had 1/4" of sludge in the bottom, cleaned that, and return holes from head are now clear. Prepped deck surface, cleaned piston tops, removing crank gear now, putting parts list together. I know the volvo trap is expensive and I am a tech, trying to keep the cost down on this repair so I am thinking about hoses and trap from Groton. URO stuff, heard some bad things but the price is right..especially right now as the state has cut cut cut everything I have so shoe string budget is what I have to do, not what I want to do.

thanks guys,
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Because the Amsoil look up guide just parrots back Volvo's recommendation. With 16 years of experience with this engine, I simply know a bit better as to what oils keep it clean and welling running. And I can say without any doubt that standard API oils will not do the job much beyond 4-5K. I for one simply will not waste my time changing the oil so frequently. I change the oil every 12-14 months, and have done 10-20K mile runs. My engine is spotless.

Some lighter 0W/5W-40's do fine in this engine as well, but some are too extreme on the other end. The relatively higher HTHS 40's will bog this engine which really doesn't come alive until, what 3000 rpm+ or so.


Well, this should answer both the oil and engine queries!
A home run!
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Because the Amsoil look up guide just parrots back Volvo's recommendation. With 16 years of experience with this engine, I simply know a bit better as to what oils keep it clean and welling running. And I can say without any doubt that standard API oils will not do the job much beyond 4-5K. I for one simply will not waste my time changing the oil so frequently. I change the oil every 12-14 months, and have done 10-20K mile runs. My engine is spotless.

Some lighter 0W/5W-40's do fine in this engine as well, but some are too extreme on the other end. The relatively higher HTHS 40's will bog this engine which really doesn't come alive until, what 3000 rpm+ or so.


Well, this should answer both the oil and engine queries!
A home run!


+1 you can see what I run.

Here's what the TNN for cleaning sludged engines states, "Clean the oil filter casing and install the new oil filter.
Fill with new Synthetic Oil; this will assist in continuing the cleaning process. ACEA A1/B1, viscosity SAE 5W-30
Note: Engines subjected to extreme driving conditions are to be filled with ACEA A1/B3, viscosity SAE 5W-30 Synthetic oil.
"Extreme" regards driving conditions that generate abnormally high oil temperature or oil consumption, such as driving in mountains with a lot of engine braking or when driving at high
speeds on highways.
ACEA A3/B3, viscosity SAE 5W-30 Synthetic oil.
Customer information
Affix the oil decal (part no.30748024) on the upper radiator member. Remove any existing decal.
Caution! Make sure that the customer is aware of the importance of following the prescribed oil change intervals and the benefits of using Synthetic oil to prevent engine oil deposits from reoccurring. Use the Synthetic oil grades specified in step 13.
Follow up oil and filter change
Drive 2,000 km/1,200 miles and then replace the oil and filter. Use one of the Synthetic oil grades specified at step 13"

http://www.volvoxc.com/resources/how-to/pdf/01-23-09/TNN,%20Lubrication%20System%20Contamination%20Cleaning.pdf


Cheers,
Astro
 
My take, it's a NA engine, 168 HP. No Turbo.

Run cheap dino, with Auto Rx. Then after that's done run whatever sythetic you want.

The reason it has sludge in it is probably related to poor oil change maintenence.

These engines don't sludge up unless it isn't changed regularly. My two are clean, but I change it religiously and use Volvo filters I get from Groton.
 
car is up and running fine, had to pull pan after initial start due to loss of oil pressure when hot, found pan full of sludging and sump plugged and orings sucked in at pump to pan junction. Running cheap oil with mmo for the first 1k then its 5w30 amsoil diesel as you suggested. So far so good and averaging 20 plus average mpg mostly in 15 mile trips 50/50 highway/city commute.
 
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