5/50 in a 2.5 Volvo Turbo???

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Hogwash. These are not VAG blocks.

The ONLY time you're going to EVER consider a 50 weight in a post '99 turbo white block is if you're competition tracking a heavily modified one. And it sure wouldn't be a multivis, either.

You should NEVER need that heavy a viscosity in any street variant of this engine, anywhere.

On the post '99 white block turbos, a full synthetic 30 is fine on the street except under the most severe of conditions, where a 40 might be advisable. I drive a HO turbo 2.5, an S60R to be precise. They don't get much more stressed than that in a street block. Only modded Rs, where the HP goes much past 350, are 40 weight candidates.

On pre-99s, I will lean towards a 40, but for different reasons. There was a piston ring change around 99, so the earlier ones might experience a little less consumption on 40. But they won't be harmed at all using a 30.

The more important need with a turbo white block is for a synthetic base stock that has superior thermal stability. And a 5w-50 multivis would not be first on THAT list, especially if racing it. Try a straight 40.

A 50 on any white block turbo would just KILL spool up and response.

And the ticking is from the injector valving. Volvo's fuel injection systems are notoriously LOUD.

This guy is talking from the days of red blocks and non-water cooled blowers.

And unless he's tracking a heavily modified R engine, he doesn't know what he's talking about.
 
IIRC, the owner's manual of a V40 (2 liter turbo) in my family in Europe, shows a chart with various approved viscosity grades, from Xw-30 up to Xw-60. Not surprisingly, the Volvo dealer where the car gets serviced uses Castrol TWS 10w-60 in it, all year round. Must be a European thing...
 
Depending on the year i think Volvo recommends either 5w30 or 10w30 in the 2.5 low pressure turbo's here in the US.

In some of the online manuals i've read through on Volvo's they also list 5w40 as an acceptable oil to use in the 2.5.

There are many hard-core Volvo loyalist however that insist on nothing but 10w30.

XXw-50 may not hurt the engine, but i do not think it is necessary and would likely only have the bennefit of reducing ones gas mileage.

As for ones engine blowing, yes it will for certain, somewhere around 400,000-600,000 miles if you use plain old Supertech Conventional, perhaps you can stretch that out a bit if you go with semi or full synthetic.
wink.gif
 
quote:

Originally posted by Quattro Pete:
IIRC, the owner's manual of a V40 (2 liter turbo) in my family in Europe, shows a chart with various approved viscosity grades, from Xw-30 up to Xw-60. Not surprisingly, the Volvo dealer where the car gets serviced uses Castrol TWS 10w-60 in it, all year round. Must be a European thing...

Interesting, same oil BMW mandates in their M models.
 
Below is a thread of a guy who insists that the engine will "blow" is you use anything other than a 5/50 at 100F temperatures. I said 5w30 10/30 is fine and mentioned GC as well.

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For Europe a 40 grade has been recommended for as long as I can remember except for the last few years when, for example in my country, the driving habits changed and people started wondering where their precious liquid gold went. Also maintenance is down to 18.5K miles nowadays using 0w30 grade oil.

Go to a nice track day, auto X day and hear that engine's tick-a-tick-a-tick because of the pissthin oil. And most of them use 40 grade.

Now do this on a 100ºF day and say bye bye to your turbo.

The thread started is driving a modified S60 and uses it for spirited driving.

I would never, ever, recommend a light/lean/low maintenance/high mileage 30 grade oil on a car like that.

Lately a few 0w30 grade oils appear to hold their viscosity over a wide temperature spread but so far not much has been proven.

The 5W-50 runs very well on the Volvo turbo engine, plenty of people have been using it for longer time.

I would prefer a 5W-40 but at 100ºF ambient is has been proven that with some brands viscosity becomes scaringly thin after hard use. If 5W-40 isn't available and 5W-50 is the choice is simple.
 
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