What oil is best for the Prince-Engine?

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Nov 1, 2022
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Hi! I have a 2013 Peugeot 3008 with the 1.6 16V VTi Prince-Engine (BMW/Mini-PSA Engine). This Engines are well known for timing chain issues.

Is there a oil to prevent timing-chain stretch? The recommended oil is a 0W-30 / 5W-30 weight oil, rated ACEA C2 or C3.

Thank you very much!
 
Thicker oil and dont extend the oil changes. What is the service interval on that?
 
Clean oil from the major oil companies is usually a good bet. Oil will not keep bad parts or designs from wearing or breaking.
 
I would go for a bmw ll-01 rated oil. They're common here and over there and do well against timing chain wear without having to spend a lot.
 
Chains always last longest with a 30 viscosity oil. Not 0W-xx but a true 30. There is a difference in wear rates between the two. Especially when particulates are involved. Also, a quality straight 30 will have an HTHS of about 3.8, considerably higher than xW-30's do.

Fast forward to today, many modern oils now have timing chain wear ratings, and moly is the additive that helps with wear.

However, nothing can replace adequate viscosity. Consider a 5W-40 if your climate allows it.





Here is post of mine from a few years back:


The above linked study was rather interesting. However, I suspect the test was run using rather low viscosity oil. My speculation is that additives become the lubricant when oil viscosity is too low to prevent rapid wear. For over 100 years, industry has been using chains for power transmission, often in seriously heavy duty applications. So chain life was a major factor in operational costs, machine accuracy, down time and so on. Industry studied the problem and found the longest possible chain life required just two things. 1) 30 viscosity oil. 2) extremely clean oil. Despite what many here say, oil changes are the way to remove micro particulates from your engine oil. Unless one is performing particulate counts and knows the percentage of soot in the oil, extending OCI's beyond the severe service interval is risky. We've known about chain wear forever. This is nothing new and surprising. Timing chains have been failing for as long as they've been used. With wildly differing results on the very same engine models. The reason for early failures remains the same as it's ever been. My suggestion: Choose a quality synthetic oil of sufficient viscosity, change it frequently. The Ford Ecoboost chains that are failing take 25 man hours to change and the parts cost is near a $1000. That's nearly $4000 to replace chains, often before 100,000 miles. The oil change is cheap insurance.
 
Go that long and choose a 0W-water lubricant on a direct injection, small sump engine and expect rapid chain wear.
What does the winter rating have to do with it? Many European oils with decent HT/HS and timing chain wear requirements have a 0W winter rating.
 
Doesn't the new API SP spec have a specific timing chain wear test?
Although on this side of the pond there aren't many API SP oils available, yet.
Yes and so do some manufacturer approvals and ACEA sequences. I wouldn’t trade an API license for that.
 
Maple syrup?
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Hi! I have a 2013 Peugeot 3008 with the 1.6 16V VTi Prince-Engine (BMW/Mini-PSA Engine). This Engines are well known for timing chain issues.

Is there a oil to prevent timing-chain stretch? The recommended oil is a 0W-30 / 5W-30 weight oil, rated ACEA C2 or C3.

Thank you very much!
I use ACEA C3 5W30 either Mobil or Castrol and change oil and filter at the recommended intervals.
 
The non turbo vti's actually last a lot longer then the turbo 1.6 prince version.
I've seen examples make it up to 200.000 250.000 km on original chains. The 1.6 turbo however is sometimes already worn at 80.000km.
 
Hi! I have a 2013 Peugeot 3008 with the 1.6 16V VTi Prince-Engine (BMW/Mini-PSA Engine). This Engines are well known for timing chain issues.

Is there a oil to prevent timing-chain stretch? The recommended oil is a 0W-30 / 5W-30 weight oil, rated ACEA C2 or C3.

Thank you very much!
According to some uoa's, recommended oil total 5w30,0w30 are dead just at 9000km...
No way for 25000km intervals ! Oil consumption and other problems after years of use ...
Since it has no dpf, why bother with low saps.
On psa forum people say you must obey manufacturers oils :ROFLMAO: , but they do not last much..
 
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The non turbo vti's actually last a lot longer then the turbo 1.6 prince version.
I've seen examples make it up to 200.000 250.000 km on original chains. The 1.6 turbo however is sometimes already worn at 80.000km.

Blowby is increased on turbo engines, so they will inevitably get more particles in the oil over the same distance travelled.
 
According to some uoa's, recommended oil total 5w30,0w30 are dead just at 9000km...
No way for 25000km intervals ! Oil consumption and other problems after years of use ...
Since it has no dpf, why bother with low saps.
On psa forum people say you must obey manufacturers oils :ROFLMAO: , but they do not last much..

I've been seeing the same, C3 oils are almost decomposing in some engines after 15000 km, and that's already half the recommended interval. Fuel dilution is a big factor in this but not all. A3/B4 seem to hold up better, I suspect they can cope with the oxidation longer.

I don't think the brand of motor oil is important here, but the chemistry is.
 
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