I've just read Reckless's lovely snow post
where he comments that he uses 10/40W oil cos its on the shelf.

What do other people use?

I've been convinced that at the very least our cars should have an oil containing lots of ZDDP.ZDDP is a vital anti wear additive for classic engines and is not present in modern oils intended for use in cars with cats.

Here's a quick link to a page giving more details
http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/castrol_with_zddp.shtml

But also as A7 engines have no filter, then other additives to ensure small particles are not allowed to build up are required.

More info http://www.morrislubricants.co.uk/lubricants/company.asp?wp=94

I have no links to any of the companies - just want to preserve our engines

Lets have a debate!

Hi,
The original Handbook Lubrication recommendation for the Austin Seven Engine is - SAE 40 Oil in Winter and SAE 50 Oil in Summer, with SAE 50 Oil in the Gearbox and a mixture of engine oil (presumably SAE 50) and yellow Grease for the Differential.
Given the advances in lubrication technology over the past 85 years, modern highly refined lubricants are much better that the originals, but the additive technology is designed for current engines, so I would stick with the producers who blend specifically for our type of vehicle.
In my 1929 Austin Standard Sports from Latrobe Motors, Melbourne, I use a low additive SAE 30 Engine Oil specifically formulated for early small vehicles from a specialist supplier 'Penrite' in Melbourne (Australia) for the engine, straight SAE 90 Gear Oil (remember SAE 50 Engine Oil has the same viscosity range as SAE 90 Gear Oil) in the Gearbox (2/3 pint not 2 to 3 Pints as the early book advises)
I put SAE 90 in the Differential also, thinking that if it survived on a mixture of SAE 50 and yellow Grease (which would have probably ruined both) then it should function comfortably on a modern SAE 90 Gear Oil.

Cheers, Tony Press. (many years ago Chief Engineer Marketing for Mobil Oil Australia)

The best fing for your seven is to fit a modern filter conversion it will double the life of your engine. I just chuck in ''off the shelf 20/50'' and the oil remains cystal clean for months no more black treacle like stuff after a couple of hours running.
Chris

To be honest my RP gets through oil that quickly that whatever is in the sump is pretty new!

It's 15W40 by the way...

Cheap 20/50, on the basis that like Reckless rats experience it isn't in there long anyway.
Interestingly the cheap stuff seems to last longer than some more expensive "classic" monograde I once used!

I have to say that if I built a posh Pheonix crank engine with some tuning mods I would most likely use a good quality oil as a sound insurance, but seen as mine is built of other peoples scrap I dont currently worry.

Steve

Please, Please everyone - go back and read the excrutiatingly lengthy previous posts on this subject and not start all over again. Cheers, Bill in Oz

Oh! come on Bill, I am back to 2006 and there have only been 6 or 7 goes at it :-)
Still I think the lubricants are a quite cheap part of the Austin Seven spares list, even if specialist suppliers are used.
Tony.

I understand that modern engines, due to the materials used in manufacture, are less susceptible to wear due to sliding friction (bores and rings) than their predecessors.
As a consequence of this and other considerations modern 'off-the-shelf' oils contain less or none of the additives previously included to combat such wear.
The Classic oils of Morris, Penrite, Castrol and some smaller manufacturers still contain these additives.
In a free(I hope!!) society yer pays yer money and makes yer choice ;-)