30 replies to this topic

[Se7enS1ns]

Hi again,
Right ive just finished rebuilding the engine, and filled it up with the stuff in the green tin from Halfords, the classic oil 20w50 stuff as ive always thought it was pretty good stuff.

.... but them remembered that your not supposed to run in an fresh lump on synthetic oil. Is this stuff synthetic or mineral?

Cheers folks.
Dan

[Mini Man Dan]

I hope to god its mineral as its what im running my engine in on!

[Monkeh]

mineral aint it

[Retro_10s]

Another oil thread

Ok,.. to run your enginein use The cheapest 10w40/20w50 oil you can get, (tescos/asda or whatever) If you use good oil,.. the engine parts (mainly piston rings) will not Bed in properly causing them not to seal against eachother.

For an engine to Bed/Run in.. there HAS to be friction of parts.

There are literally hundreds of oil threads, the search function will find them all and most probably, answer you question regarding Aseries engine and synthetic/mineral compatability.

**edit** and sure enough... >>HERE<< is the thread i was thinking of, courtesy of the fabled TMF search function

Edited by Retro_10s, 25 September 2007 - 05:39 PM.

[Se7enS1ns]

I know, i know, i dont like pointless reposts either, but i was trying to find out what type of oil it is.

Also, i tried the search function for Halfords classic oil, and couldnt find any specific threads, but we live and learn i guess.

Edited by Se7enS1ns, 25 September 2007 - 06:38 PM.

[Retro_10s]

The thread I posted is specific to halfords oil...

Sorry if I came across harsh mate. not intended to be.

[paulrockliffe]

The thread I posted is specific to halfords oil...

Sorry if I came across harsh mate. not intended to be.

Doesn't it say on the tin what it is?

[Retro_10s]

No,... just says 'traditional green lubricant'....... useful that

[Se7enS1ns]

The thread I posted is specific to halfords oil...

Sorry if I came across harsh mate. not intended to be.

No harm done mate, i know how frustrating it is seeing the same posts on a weekly basis. I didnt see that thread. Typical case of woods and trees methinks.

Anyway, if its a mineral, then its staying, i aint draining £15 quidsworth of good oil for nowt Like Grayedout said, it wont stay thick for long anyway, so it'll do for the first part of the long running in process.

[mk=john]

Hi Dan
I am using the Halfords stuff in my Early 998 Cooper engine. It;s done 2400 miles on that oil and the oil is turning dark brown, and an oil change is due soon. The fact that its blackening now suggests it is mineral.

Everyone who buys this oil for their cherished classic, like me would assume it's mineral, as it should be totally different oil than for modern cars. Remember also the pretty tin shows vintage vehicles which can, I assume, only run with mineral oil . If it isn't it would be possible for Halford to be sued for for false advertising.

[Se7enS1ns]

Thats for that John. I didnt know it was just mineral oils that went black, i just assumed they all did it. Ive often wondered why too.

[Teapot]

Everyone who buys this oil for their cherished classic, like me would assume it's mineral, as it should be totally different oil than for modern cars.

Er, sorry to be thick but at what stage of renovation does an old engine become a new engine, if at all? Se7enS1n's 1976 car has a 1300 rebuilt engine, right? How much rebuilt? How old was it before you rebuilt it?

My 1981 pickup has an MG Metro engine which some time in the last six years was enlarged to 1380, and then broke, and was rebuilt again five years ago. I use mineral oil because it never occurred to me to use anything else until the "what oil" threads started. I've kept quiet until now hoping that it would all become clear ....

[redhotmini]

just use what has been used in the past 47+ years of minis, 20w50 mineral oil, or a 20w50 semi synthetic if you want. cant go wrong then.

[Teapot]

OK fine. I only know two oils, Duckhams 20-50 and the smell of Castrol R

[taffy1967]

I've heard that the Halfords Classic Oil that comes in that attractive Mini labelled tin is actually "Comma Oil". I don't know if that claim is true though, but I've not heard anything bad said about it even though it's a tad expensive.

However I was in a branch of Wilkinson's recently (the day I got my sump plug hole heli-coiled) and they had tins (actually blue plastic containers) of 20W/50 oil on the shelf for less than a fiver.

The brand name was "Comma", so I didn't know whether to make a killing, but I wasn't sure if it actually is the same oil as what Halfords are supplying, except theirs comes in a fancy tin?

Oh and the Comma Oil wasn't synthetic.

Edited by taffy1967, 26 September 2007 - 02:16 PM.