Anything special about STJLR.03.5003?

[donnyj08]

Being a nerd Ive been researching info on stjlr.03.5003 as my wife likes Land Rover Discovery Sports and it may be in the running as a potential replacement for our escape.

Looking over oils I can find that meets the specs it appears that they aren't much different from a D1G2 oil.

Are Jaguar/Land Rover owners in the US simply using a A5/B5 5w30 synthetic?

Here is a PDS for Ravenol FDS 5w30 that is one of the popular finds meeting the spec. Ravenol 5w30 FDS

Any reason why something like Mobil 1 5w30 wouldn't check all the boxes other than missing the spec?

Mobil 1 5w30 PDS

 

[donnyj08]

Mods,

Just realized this question may fit better in the European oil section.

Apologies if it's misplaced

 

[ka9mnx]

The Ravenol being an SL and high Sa it's probably a high SAP oil with high ZDDP. None of the new SM/SN 5w30 oils available in the US would work.

 

[donnyj08]

Originally Posted by ka9mnx
The Ravenol being an SL and high Sa it's probably a high SAP oil with high ZDDP. None of the new SM/SN 5w30 oils available in the US would work.


I believe you're right.

Here are a couple others that meet the spec and they are all SL/CF

Seems like it's rare oil to find in the U.S.


Total 9000 5w30 PDS

Havoline Energy 5w30

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Check out the just-arriving & all new Trailblazer first. I'm sure the GMC and Buick versions will arrive soon after.

 

[SR5]

OP,

Yes that is a special oil, the same as Ford 913-D oil. Which is a Ford global spec oil, which means everywhere outside of North America.

It starts as a full synthetic 5W30 oil that's Euro ACEA A5/B5 rated, then they add extra requirements on top of that:
- it needs to be at the very thin end of the 5W30 grade for fuel economy
- it needs extra ZDDP for added cam chain protection, usually about 1000ppm Zn which pushes it out of API SN limits and forces it to be API SL regardless of its high quality
- it needs an increased TBN of 10 (A5/B5 only requires 8) for longer OCI

The thin for grade 5W30 and added TBN are not big problems, most GF-5 oils are also at the thin end and high TBN doesn't matter if not doing very long oil changes, just change your oil at a "normal" interval.

The big difference is the elevated ZDDP level, if you follow the philosophy of "use the oil the design engineer wanted" then you may have to special order it in.

In Australia as long as it carries API or ACEA then its a good oil, so lots of high ZDDP SL oils with modern ACEA specs here. In my oil stash I have a 5L jug of Valvoline SynPower 5W30 FE that is API SL/CF, ACEA A5/B5, Ford 913-D, JLR 03.5003
It was a good oil at a good price, so I grabbed a jug

 

[donnyj08]

Originally Posted by SR5
OP,

Yes that is a special oil, the same as Ford 913-D oil. Which is a Ford global spec oil, which means everywhere outside of North America.

It starts as a full synthetic 5W30 oil that's Euro ACEA A5/B5 rated, then they add extra requirements on top of that:
- it needs to be at the very thin end of the 5W30 grade for fuel economy
- it needs extra ZDDP for added cam chain protection, usually about 1000ppm Zn which pushes it out of API SN limits and forces it to be API SL regardless of its high quality
- it needs an increased TBN of 10 (A5/B5 only requires 8) for longer OCI

The thin for grade 5W30 and added TBN are not big problems, most GF-5 oils are also at the thin end and high TBN doesn't matter if not doing very long oil changes, just change your oil at a "normal" interval.

The big difference is the elevated ZDDP level, if you follow the philosophy of "use the oil the design engineer wanted" then you may have to special order it in.

In Australia as long as it carries API or ACEA then its a good oil, so lots of high ZDDP SL oils with modern ACEA specs here. In my oil stash I have a 5L jug of Valvoline SynPower 5W30 FE that is API SL/CF, ACEA A5/B5, Ford 913-D, JLR 03.5003
It was a good oil at a good price, so I grabbed a jug




SR5,

Thank you for your insight and thorough explanation. My wife and I are replacing our Escape in the next 12 months and A Discovery sport is one of the options she likes. I'm not sure I want a British car, although I do see some with over 100k miles even though the model is only 4 years old.

I had a hard time finding much information about STJLR.03.5003 online. I appreciate you educating me as well as others who will likely search this in the future.

It appears a few series of Ravenol meeting the spec are easily available by ordering in the U.S.

I haven't yet found if/where Valvoline Synpower FE 5w30 is available in the U.S. I do like Valvoline products.

 

[wings&wheels]

The independent LR shop I use for maintenance (I admit, I don't always do my own oil on the DD) uses the Total product.

The Disco Sport is a great vehicle. Having actually owned three new ones since '11 ( 2 RR Sports, current DD is a RR HSE TDV6), and admired them well before that, I can say that recent and current LR products are absolutely fine. Earlier ones have a well deserved reputation for pain, I wanted one for years but would not buy one until they got better, which they certainly did. You may have few niggling issues at first, but minimal problems afterward. I would put overall reliability on par with BMW, MB and Audi, less than Lexus/Acura, but above Jeep. Having all three of the Euro brands in the extended family, I have a direct comparison.

I joke that it was a Jeep GC and Trailblazer (SAAB 9.7) that sold me on my first RR; they were both so problematic, especially the GC, that I figured if I was going to deal with the irritation anyway, I might as well buy what I really wanted.

I'd certainly continue research and get other opinions, but I'd filter out those from folks without any direct experience....

 

[donnyj08]

Originally Posted by wings&wheels
The independent LR shop I use for maintenance (I admit, I don't always do my own oil on the DD) uses the Total product.

The Disco Sport is a great vehicle. Having actually owned three new ones since '11 ( 2 RR Sports, current DD is a RR HSE TDV6), and admired them well before that, I can say that recent and current LR products are absolutely fine. Earlier ones have a well deserved reputation for pain, I wanted one for years but would not buy one until they got better, which they certainly did. You may have few niggling issues at first, but minimal problems afterward. I would put overall reliability on par with BMW, MB and Audi, less than Lexus/Acura, but above Jeep. Having all three of the Euro brands in the extended family, I have a direct comparison.

I joke that it was a Jeep GC and Trailblazer (SAAB 9.7) that sold me on my first RR; they were both so problematic, especially the GC, that I figured if I was going to deal with the irritation anyway, I might as well buy what I really wanted.

I'd certainly continue research and get other opinions, but I'd filter out those from folks without any direct experience....








Thank you for your insight as an owner. If we go with a Discovery Sport it will likely be a lightly used 17 or 18 model with the black wheel package. We both really like the white on black with the black package.

We are cross shopping the DIsco Sport with MB GLC300, up spec CX5, and Passport. I know the Japanese brands are cheaper to own, but the Brit and The GLC are better looking and less appliance like. We are willing to pay for higher maintenance for the right vehicle experience.

We have 12 months or so of shopping before we decide And will continue to research until then.