Oil for a 90s JDM Turbo engine

[Astonsenna]

What does the hivemind here think for use in older technology turbocharged engines from Japan? Engine is a stock internal SR20DET Blacktop but with bolt-ons making 260 whp on 15 PSI. No oil cooler, but has a larger and baffled oil pan. Doesn't see a lot of miles, but often is driven hard and will be seeing track days soon as well. Car has a high flow cat, and doesn't consume oil.

I'll add that I'm currently on HPL Supercar 0w40 but want to explore other options as with shipping I'm looking at $150 for another order from HPL so thinking I'd rather like to spend a bit less and more on driving.

I've been reading lots of threads on here and looking at VOAs and UOAs to get familiar with things and most are all on newer cars or direct injected cars, so I'm less sure about what a desirable add pack is for something a bit more old school and boosted like this, if zinc is still important or less relevant by this point in engine tech vs esters and/or moly. SR20DETs are known for ringland failures and VCT rattles fwiw.

Things to know. 62K miles. Tuned for CA 91 octane. Oil pressure gauge since winter points to about 60 psi fully warmed on highway cruising at 3k RPM and 15 PSI idle. Cold starts have been above 70 PSI and then drop. This has been a cool California winter and spring for the most part, its been driven so far in a lot of 60F-70F ambient and it'll soon be 90-100F just about every day for a while.

Honestly the HPL supercar has seemed great, no concerns at all, sounds and runs great - but at over $150 with shipping right now is pretty gnarly for needing less than 5 quarts.

If its worth mentioning...interested possibly in Nismo/Motul 2193e which seems to be a more streetable (and slightly thicker) 5w40 version of 300V and is about $100 shipped. Amsoil premium protection 10w40 for something more basic, or their Zrod even. I saw on some german forums that Rowe and Ravenol have some high end PAO-based products also in that similar $100 shipped zone or less from some few US sellers.
Mixing Amsoil Signature series 0w40 with a quart of their 5w50 for just a little added temp resilience and increased HTHS doesn't sound silly to me either, unless mixing is considered blasphemy around here.

FSM oil is 5w30 or 10w30, but it's warmer here and car makes a bit more power than stock, which is how i got to the 5w40 10w40 number for summer months. Don't think it's boosted enough or loose enough inside for a 50 weight yet.

I plan on keeping this car for a long time, so I don't mind spending money on a good product, but just not maybe that much haha. Open to other suggestions, but very more interested in learning the whys and what to look for to suit an engine like this.

Thank you! Sorry for long message. Hoping info and thoughts are useful at least.

 

[kschachn]

Save yourself a ton of money and just get 0W-40 at Walmart. Or if you really want a 50-grade they have that too.

You're not gaining anything tangible nor significant with the rest. Mobil 1 0W-40 is one of the best motor oils on the market and has demonstrated performance by approvals such as Porsche A40.

Reading the tea leaves of a UOA isn't going to tell you anything in this regard, approvals are what guarantee performance.

Engines don't have to be "loose enough" for a 50-grade. That makes no sense.

 

[Astonsenna]

Save yourself a ton of money and just get 0W-40 at Walmart. Or if you really want a 50-grade they have that too.

You're not gaining anything tangible nor significant with the rest. Mobil 1 0W-40 is one of the best motor oils on the market and has demonstrated performance by approvals such as Porsche A40.

Reading the tea leaves of a UOA isn't going to tell you anything in this regard, approvals are what guarantee performance.

But that means actually having to go to Wal-Mart.
The local Placerville Wal-Mart is the final boss of Wally Worlds.

loose enough, as in higher mileage, bearing clearances/tolerances may have increased. I had a friend with one of these engines with a bit more miles and it had a pretty noisy bottom end and significantly more valvetrain noise. I kind of would have described that engine as being, well, a little looser.

 

[kschachn]

But that means actually having to go to Wal-Mart.
The local Placerville Wal-Mart is the final boss of Wally Worlds.

loose enough, as in higher mileage, bearing clearances/tolerances may have increased. I had a friend with one of these engines with a bit more miles and it had a pretty noisy bottom end and significantly more valvetrain noise. I kind of would have described that engine as being, well, a little looser.

Then order it online. Or pay a little more at Autozone or your farm store.

So if bearing clearances are looser then use the 50-grade. Tolerances haven’t changed. The winter rating doesn’t have anything to do with it if that’s where you’re headed.

 

[Japanese]

I'll add that I'm currently on HPL Supercar 0w40 but want to explore other options as with shipping I'm looking at $150 for another order from HPL so thinking I'd rather like to spend a bit less and more on driving.

Here, I just posted these yesterday in a neighboring thread. These are turbo proved oils with stringent Porsche, MB, BMW, and VW approvals. The Pennzoil also has Ferrari approval.

Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W-40 (average price $7.50 per quart, online Amazon, eBay)
Mobil 1 Euro FS 0W-40 (average price $25 for 5 qts, Walmart or online)
Mobil 1 ESP x4 0W-40 (average price $28-30 for 5 qts, online Amazon, eBay)
Castrol Euro Car 0W-40 (average price $28-30 for 5 qts, Walmart or online)

 

[Cujet]

There are a good number of 5W-40 oils that will perfectly suit your needs.

Mobil 1 FS 5W-40	~3.8
Valvoline European Vehicle 5W-40	3.7
Castrol Edge Euro 5W-40 A3/B4	~3.8
Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W-40	~3.8-3.9
Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 (essentially Pennzoil Euro overseas)	~3.8-3.9
Liqui Moly Leichtlauf High Tech 5W-40	~3.7
Liqui Moly Synthoil High Tech 5W-40	~4.0
Motul 8100 X-cess Gen2 5W-40	~3.8
Motul 300V Power 5W-40	~4.2
Red Line 5W-40	~4.6
Amsoil European Car Formula 5W-40	~3.8-3.9

 

[papang]

My 99 integra has a bone stock turbo gsr swap making 346 whp on pump 91, it spends its life in sacramento where summer ambient temperatures regularly exceed 100f+. I drive it hard and don't baby it. Over the years I've tried a variety of 0w40 and 5w40 oils, and after comparing both engine behavior and used oil analysis results, i've settled on motul 300v 0w40. Every uoa i've sent in while running 300v has come back excellent. With some of the other oils I tested, I consistently saw higher iron and aluminum wear metals. Since switching to 300v, wear numbers have been impressively low despite the engine's power level and how i drive it. Another benefit for me is the service interval. According to motul, 300v is suitable for up to 6 months or 5000 miles in this type of use, which aligns perfectly with my maintenance schedule since I change oil twice a year regardless of mileage. I purchase it through "FCP Euro". The initial fill cost was around $85 with free shipping, but their lifetime replacement program makes it much more affordable long term. After your first purchase, you can send the used oil back and receive store credit for the original purchase price, you only pay the return shipping cost. Based on my personal experience, if I were in your position, i'd do exactly what i'm doing now and run motul 300v 0w40 without hesitation.

 

[Astonsenna]

My 99 integra has a bone stock turbo gsr swap making 346 whp on pump 91, it spends its life in sacramento where summer ambient temperatures regularly exceed 100f+. I drive it hard and don't baby it. Over the years I've tried a variety of 0w40 and 5w40 oils, and after comparing both engine behavior and used oil analysis results, i've settled on motul 300v 0w40. Every uoa i've sent in while running 300v has come back excellent. With some of the other oils I tested, I consistently saw higher iron and aluminum wear metals. Since switching to 300v, wear numbers have been impressively low despite the engine's power level and how i drive it. Another benefit for me is the service interval. According to motul, 300v is suitable for up to 6 months or 5000 miles in this type of use, which aligns perfectly with my maintenance schedule since I change oil twice a year regardless of mileage. I purchase it through "FCP Euro". The initial fill cost was around $85 with free shipping, but their lifetime replacement program makes it much more affordable long term. After your first purchase, you can send the used oil back and receive store credit for the original purchase price, you only pay the return shipping cost. Based on my personal experience, if I were in your position, i'd do exactly what i'm doing now and run motul 300v 0w40 without hesitation.

Hey thanks for the great personal feedback! That B18C must SING

 

[facility1]

Mobil 1 is not the only oil on the market, there are many other good ones out there, if you can afford HPL then by all means go for it.I would check Amsoil ss out.

 

[CleanSump]

Ferrari, Mercedes, and BMW recommend oils you can buy at Walmart for their high stressed engines. You can order online and have it delivered or have it brought to you in the parking lot. Euro approved oils have greater HTHS to negate potential thinning issues.
If your engine clearances really have opened enough that you needed a SAE 50 oil, you actually need new bearings and rings, not a thicker oil.

 

[kschachn]

Ferrari, Mercedes, and BMW recommend oils you can buy at Walmart for their high stressed engines. You can order online and have it delivered or have it brought to you in the parking lot. Euro approved oils have greater HTHS to negate potential thinning issues.
If your engine clearances really have opened enough that you needed a SAE 50 oil, you actually need new bearings and rings, not a thicker oil.

But the thread can’t continue if this advice is taken.

We’d rather hear about how those boutique German oils ordered through the mail are superior and how a UOA are proof of that.

 

[4wd]

But the thread can’t continue if this advice is taken.

We’d rather hear about how those boutique German oils ordered through the mail are superior and how a UOA are proof of that.

It doesn’t really need to - but “run its course” has all but vanished - just look at the VRP editions of War & Peace !

 

[Spring Break '92]

Engine is a stock internal SR20DET Blacktop but with bolt-ons making 260 whp on 15 PSI. No oil cooler, but has a larger and baffled oil pan.

I once owned a Sentra SE-R with an SR20DET and a 240SX with a built turbocharged KA24DE. All I ever used was plain vanilla Mobil 1 5W/10W-30 with Premium Guard or OE Nissan filters and just changed the oil at 3,000 miles. Granted, this was 20 years ago, but if I still owned one or both of them I would be using M1 0W-40 and some extended performance PG-made filter. I wasn't the oil guy I am today (to my wife's chagrin) - but I just realized German Castrol was available then and I knew nothing of it. I feel cheated.

 

[Japanese]

All I ever used was plain vanilla Mobil 1 5W/10W-30 with Premium Guard or OE Nissan filters and just changed the oil at 3,000 miles.

Engine is a stock internal SR20DET Blacktop but with bolt-ons making 260 whp on 15 PSI.

Yes, the original 1998 Nissan 200SX owner's manual states 5W-30 or 10W-30 oil. But that is for stock engine. OP engine is not stock and makes about 40 hp over the stock hp.
I would also use 0W-40 oil. This oil was not that popular in the late 90s, although it was used as factory fill by Porsche.

Page 197
https://www.nissan-techinfo.com/refgh0v/og/200/1998-Nissan-200SX.pdf

 

[Astonsenna]

I once owned a Sentra SE-R with an SR20DET and a 240SX with a built turbocharged KA24DE. All I ever used was plain vanilla Mobil 1 5W/10W-30 with Premium Guard or OE Nissan filters and just changed the oil at 3,000 miles. Granted, this was 20 years ago, but if I still owned one or both of them I would be using M1 0W-40 and some extended performance PG-made filter. I wasn't the oil guy I am today (to my wife's chagrin) - but I just realized German Castrol was available then and I knew nothing of it. I feel cheated.

German Castrol was the biz. I discovered it while owning my E46 330i, and compared to the factory bmw twinpower branded 5w30 or 5w40 that I would consume a half quart of every 1,000 miles or something gnarly, first change onto German Castrol (maybe a 0w40?) and I never added oil again lol. Never did a UOA on the car, but it went from using oil to not using oil with the german castrol.

And yes, I'm pretty sure I did buy that at Wal-Mart lol.

 

[Spring Break '92]

OP engine is not stock and makes about 40 hp over the stock hp.

I think it's borderline at 260 HP. There are plenty of turbo cars out today that are making at least that and definitely running 30 grades. I would still use 0W-40 but a Euro 0W-30 or 5W-30 would suffice for sub-300 HP IMO. I don't recall OP telling us what the car is used for. If it's a drift car or road coarse car then definitely 0W-40 would be a better choice.

 

[Spring Break '92]

.....I would consume a half quart of every 1,000 miles......

That's interesting, because way back I once met a guy with a very new M3 that was using the factory BMW oil and he was consuming so much of it that he had at least 6 bottles of it in the trunk at all times.

 

[kschachn]

German Castrol was the biz. I discovered it while owning my E46 330i, and compared to the factory bmw twinpower branded 5w30 or 5w40 that I would consume a half quart of every 1,000 miles or something gnarly, first change onto German Castrol (maybe a 0w40?) and I never added oil again lol. Never did a UOA on the car, but it went from using oil to not using oil with the german castrol.

And yes, I'm pretty sure I did buy that at Wal-Mart lol.

German Castrol was only a 0W-30 and was not available at Walmart.

 

[kschachn]

I think it's borderline at 260 HP. There are plenty of turbo cars out today that are making at least that and definitely running 30 grades. I would still use 0W-40 but a Euro 0W-30 or 5W-30 would suffice for sub-300 HP IMO. I don't recall OP telling us what the car is used for. If it's a drift car or road coarse car then definitely 0W-40 would be a better choice.

Mostly because it’s not about the grade really. It’s about the HT/HS.

 

[Japanese]

German Castrol was the biz. I discovered it while owning my E46 330i

This one is the current "German" Castrol. It's not available at Walmart and you can get online at AutoZone only, and maybe Adv. Auto/O'Reilly.
Castrol EDGE Euro Car 0W-30 (A3/B4)

Here is a thread dedicated to the German Castrol:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/german-castrol-still-available-usa.324054/page-5#post-7548109