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Which are the best oils to use?


Boomy

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Isn't that what keeps the thing oil-tight after 90,000 miles?  :p

 

There's more truth to that than I'd like to admit!

 

Even some of the real old hands with XE's admit that rear crank seal particularly, can be a devil to get to seal well.

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Agreed Dave the XE RMOS can be a little fiddly to get right the first couple of times of doing it ;) 

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There's more truth to that than I'd like to admit!

 

Even some of the real old hands with XE's admit that rear crank seal particularly, can be a devil to get to seal well.

 

I have, after many unsuccessful attempts on many XE engines finally found the answer (I think) thanks to peteg. It is to use copious amounts of silicon grease on both the crank surface and the outer surface of the seal. The former stops the seal picking up on the metal of the crank on first start and the latter helps the seal plop easily into place. I never fitted them dry before (engine oil or grease) but for whatever reason it's the silicon stuff inside and out that does the trick.

 

Interestingly I watched one of these undercover boss things on the Kenworth truck engine line where the employee was fitting crank seals and she told the boss forcefully a number of times to always apply the "lube" otherwise the seal will leak.

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Interesting, will have to give that a try. I've always virtually drowned them in standard grease, both inner and outer faces and even virtually packing them inside with the grease, which has helped. But sooner or later, they do seem to leak.

 

one thing O have noticed though, is on some XE's the rear bearing cap, that also forms the other half of the crank seal housing doesn't align very well. Once spent an hour and a half persuading one to line up half decently.

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use only the GM OEM sealant on the rear crank seal, nothing else will work.

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I do.  :d  (And bl**** good stuff it is too.)

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use only the GM OEM sealant on the rear crank seal, nothing else will work.

The joint between the cap and the block is easy enough to seal with the right sealant ( there are others besides the GM that work) it's the seal around the crank itself that generally leaks and its very frustrating! I've even tried fitting the seal at the same time as fitting the cap - that doesn't work either.

SIlicon grease is the future.

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Yep, Ive done the seal/cap at the same time bit too, and again, lasted a little while but still wept oil over time. (Though I've much less of an issue being dry sumped now!). 

 

Will definitely give the silicone grease a try next time, though, not tried it on the crank seal before.

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yes always use it on all my seals :t-up:

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So is

 
Valvoline Valvoline SynPower 4T Motorcycle oil SAE 10W-50 - Fully Synthetic the best choice for a Pinto engine ?
 
Thanks
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For xflow and (presume pinto) like Valvoline 20w50 mineral oil - not sure what they call it now. BRB.

 

Here you go:

 

http://www.burtonpower.com/parts-by-brand/brands-u-to-z/valvoline/valvoline-vr1-racing-engine-oil-20w50-5ltr-mineral-valvr12050.html

 

Price has crept up a bit, used to be £20.

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For xflow and (presume pinto) like Valvoline 20w50 mineral oil - not sure what they call it now. BRB.

 

Here you go:

 

http://www.burtonpower.com/parts-by-brand/brands-u-to-z/valvoline/valvoline-vr1-racing-engine-oil-20w50-5ltr-mineral-valvr12050.html

 

Price has crept up a bit, used to be £20.

Thanks, oil ordered with filter from Burton

 

Total £43 inc postage

 

Not too bad  :)

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I did a bit of research myself a while ago (only online mind) and went down the route of 10w40 semi, but change it frequently. Doing so few miles per year and changing annually, I'll not really see much benefit of a more expensive fully synth.

 

 

I've mentioned it before on here, but no one has really picked up on it, but it's worth being aware when choosing oils that following a court case a few years ago the definition of "synthetic" is open to considerable interpretation in many countries.

 

The purist view is that a synthetic oil is one that is developed in the lab from non-mineral base oils.  However the oil companies have apparently been able to argue that a process of treating (hydrocracking) lower grade base oils counts as a form of synthesis.  

 

The research I did when trying to find oils for my car suggests that hydrocracked synth oils don't have the same performance as "true" synthetics - especially at higher temperatures or under higher loads.

 

There are a few well known oils - Mobil 1 being the first that springs to mind - that are sold as fully synth but for which the manufacturers do not disclose what the base oil stock used is.  Others (like the Millers CFS I use) are very clear about the base stocks - personally I can't help but be suspicious of those who don't but I can understand those who buy a brand based on prior experience/general confidence.  

 

The message is really that people shouldn't automatically assume that all synthetics are created equally and will deliver the performance they're expecting.

 

 

 

This is an interesting video for those who want to find out more about hydrocracking: 

 

 

.

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That's one of the reasons I went with the Silkolene Pro Race range. (Now Fuchs IIRC)

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