Hi everyone, I've been a long time lurker and wanted some opinions on the oil and the OCI for my mini:
Water cooled 1275cc motor, Garrett T3 Turbo (Turbo is oil cooled only, runs at 7psi)
4 speed shared sump (dry clutch)
Flat tappet cam
I figure the oil cooled turbo requires a high flash point, the shared sump would require an oil that is resistant to shearing, and the flat tappets would require an oil high in ZDDP.
I'm in NY and drive the car year round, winters can reach single digit *F, summers are typically in the 90*F range (keeping in mind summer traffic can really torture the oil as well).
Currently running Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 as it is readily available. Looking to change to M1 15w50 this summer. I am typically looking for oil pressures of ~25psi at idle, and ~60psi cruising. Last summer the SRT 5w40 was giving me 18-21psi at hot idle, so I was looking to try the M1 15-50 instead.
Turbo-Mini specific forums typically mention Miller's Trans-M 20w50 oil (I believe it is classic-mini specific oil). Millers is not readily available in the US.
I've had the car for about a year, OCI has been about 2000mi/6mo but was considering a shorter Mileage interval due to shearing. Oil consumption has been hard to track, as everyone knows that old british cars all leak oil, although I know that more recently oil has been getting past the valve seals on hot idle after a lot of boost (the 5w40 after 2000 miles is probably Xw30 or thinner now). Or it could be that the detergents in the Diesel oil has now cleaned up all the gunk, allowing oil to seep past the seals, although it does not smoke (ever so slightly) when the oil is cool (aka no boost, just cruising).
Anyways, I am open to comments on the current Rotella I am using, the M1 that I plan to use, my current OCI and whatever oil suggestions that the board may have, thank you!
Water cooled 1275cc motor, Garrett T3 Turbo (Turbo is oil cooled only, runs at 7psi)
4 speed shared sump (dry clutch)
Flat tappet cam
I figure the oil cooled turbo requires a high flash point, the shared sump would require an oil that is resistant to shearing, and the flat tappets would require an oil high in ZDDP.
I'm in NY and drive the car year round, winters can reach single digit *F, summers are typically in the 90*F range (keeping in mind summer traffic can really torture the oil as well).
Currently running Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 as it is readily available. Looking to change to M1 15w50 this summer. I am typically looking for oil pressures of ~25psi at idle, and ~60psi cruising. Last summer the SRT 5w40 was giving me 18-21psi at hot idle, so I was looking to try the M1 15-50 instead.
Turbo-Mini specific forums typically mention Miller's Trans-M 20w50 oil (I believe it is classic-mini specific oil). Millers is not readily available in the US.
I've had the car for about a year, OCI has been about 2000mi/6mo but was considering a shorter Mileage interval due to shearing. Oil consumption has been hard to track, as everyone knows that old british cars all leak oil, although I know that more recently oil has been getting past the valve seals on hot idle after a lot of boost (the 5w40 after 2000 miles is probably Xw30 or thinner now). Or it could be that the detergents in the Diesel oil has now cleaned up all the gunk, allowing oil to seep past the seals, although it does not smoke (ever so slightly) when the oil is cool (aka no boost, just cruising).
Anyways, I am open to comments on the current Rotella I am using, the M1 that I plan to use, my current OCI and whatever oil suggestions that the board may have, thank you!