Cleaning ability of Shell Helix HX7 10w40

[contrarian]

Hi All

I have been running this in my Volvo B230 redblock for about 2.5k miles. Prior to changing the oil I noticed a light varnish visible through the filler cap on the bearing caps etc. This varnish is still present though the oil still looks very clean on the dipstick. I would have expected the oil to be slightly dirty by now unless it hasn't been doing much cleaning. It may be that the HX7 has softened the old varnish deposits as a quick wipe removes it.

I'm otherwise happy with this oil as the engine sounds very quiet on it and doesn't leak or burn the stuff.

Cheers

 

[4wheeldog]

In my experience, good detergent oil will remove sludge deposits, but it takes solvent to remove varnish.

Though I prefer not to have varnish form in the first place, I see nothing to be gained by removing it. Sludge is another ball of wax, entirely.

 

[Lolvoguy]

I wish we had more 10w40 oils here in north america

 

[Garak]

Imperial Oil doesn't even bother with them up here, aside from the motorcycle version. On the other hand, if you want an oil with an HTHS of 3.5 or higher, Imperial Oil sells many of them at very good prices. They're just not 10w-40s, which virtually no one specifies or actually absolutely needs. GM avoided the grade.

 

[supercity]

10w40 would be one of the most popular grades down under. I don't know of any 10w40s that are just API rated though. They are however the cheapest way to get an A3/B4 lube. Its like a poor man's 0w40

 

[B320i]

10w40 was BMW's "Special Oil," (the predecessor of LongLife) and semi-synthetic at that. Not to be used on intervals longer than 9,320 miles (15,000km).

I'm suprised to here that it wasn't a popular oil. I guess the move was from 10w30 down to the 0w as soon as the technology became good enough, and perhaps something similar with the 15w40's we see, the technology was there to just make a full jump straight down to the 0w and 5w oils, and skip the 10w.

It would be interesting to see how common these types of oils were in Europe at the time; the oils meeting BMW's "Special Oils" approval, last updated around 2007 was nearly 3 pages long, and those oils are mostly -40's hot, with some -50's. Most are 5w and 10w.
The LL-01 sheet was just a page or so.

Shell Helix 10w40 still carries the important ACEA A3/B4 rating, and perhaps some other manufacturer certs, IIRC. I was considering running it in the E36, just to see how it goes. I imagine the stuff is at least on par with the Rotella product in the U.S., which is a very stout oil given what people would think are "low quality" basestocks (Group 3 synthetic, or typical Dino-blend).

 

[Kamele0N]

I think Rotella on US market is more like Rimula on EU....HD oils for trucks...

for personal cars in EU there is helix line...

http://actinia.si/shell/

osebna vozila ---> cars

tovorna vozila ---> trucks