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Which engine oil can I use


Paul H

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Triumph Vitesse mk2 

We’ve made it to Ireland in the Vitesse starting from Bury St Edmunds , through to Holyhead and currently in Doolin https://www.doolin.ie/

we’re heading south along the Atlantic Way then next Friday meeting up for the Gordon Bennet rally https://www.gordonbennettclassic.ie/

The car is behaving well apart from not being able to get any gears after a short stop. It was very hot and think heat might have played some part. The problem was the insulation behind the carpet restricting clutch movement . I removed the insulation and modified the carpet ie removed the section and clutch travel is improved though when we get back need to improve clutch throw plus I’ve got the annoying canary singing away. I tried the spring trick which worked for the first 300 miles then the canary sprang back to life , dipping the clutch kills the singing.

The only issue I have is oil consumption which is higher than I had planned for as only packed 1 litre 20/50 . I’ve checked at each fuel station and no 20/50 which is to be expected. Hopefully will find a Motor factors tomorrow and sort. If I can’t is there an equivalent I can use . The Vitesse is using about 1 litre per 500 miles . Oil pressure is fine 75 on startup and 45 to 50 psi at 50mph . We have overdrive and rev counter rarely going above 3000 so she is being treated gently , plus the roads over here mean average speeds have dropped to low 30’s.

Internet is more difficult here so hopefully will pick up some suggestions re oil later today 

Thanks to everybody who has helped us get this far , and without this forum my Vitesse would still be in the garage 

regards 

Paul 

 

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In an emergency, any oil you can get to avoid running out of oil.

try to avoid fully synthetic 

semi synthetic should be ok

the bigger the numbers the better, especially the second one.  

If necessary, change the oil once you get the correct spec. 

 

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Multi grade oil has two numbers eg 20w50 or 10w40

the the first number is the viscosity of the oil when it is really cold, the second when it is warm.  

The bigger the number the thicker the oil is, so a 10/40 oil is always thinner than a 20/50, but a 20/40 will be as thick as a 20/50 when it is really cold, but thinner when warm. 

As I said earlier, for emergency use get an oil where the second number is as big as possible.  But don’t go over 60 (oil number, not speed) So if 10/40 is all you can get, it will do.  A 0/15 oil would not be very good in your engine, it would be far too thin.

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Paul,

Can you give some towns that you will be heading towards or through over the next few days and I will have a search for possible oil outlets.

Additionally, Eire, is awash with classic car enthusiasts, so if you see a classic parked on their house drive etc I have no doubt the owners will be more than happy to assist in some way; especially knowing the generosity of the Irish.

Good luck.

Richard.

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2 hours ago, KevinR said:

Multi grade oil has two numbers eg 20w50 or 10w40

the the first number is the viscosity of the oil when it is really cold, the second when it is warm. 

Being really pedantic...

The numbers are not, strictly speaking, the viscosity but the viscosity grade. A 50 grade oil, when hot, is thinner than a 10 grade when cold. But it's much thicker than the 10 grade when they're at the same temperature. A 10w40 oil is one which, due to use of additives, does not thin out as quickly with temperature, so that it has the viscosity of a 10 grade at a specified "cold" temperature but retains enough viscosity to match a 40 grade at the specified "hot" temperature.

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Thanks for all inputs , I now have a better idea what the grades mean. We have found a Motor factors in Kilrush which will hopefully have some 20 50 so will pay them a visit tomorrow , if not Ennis is not to far away .

One guy said we could use semi synthetic but maybe he just wanted to make a sale? is he correct ?

thanks again 

Paul 

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Went to Kilkee http://www.kilkee.ie/ today and took the cliff pathway . Better than Cliffs of Moher in our opinion  as Moher had thousands of tourists and queuing to get on a footpath is not our scene 789A8F27-95EB-4928-9FD4-27CB33160E41.thumb.jpeg.ecc213a803d28eacc81edbabfdbd7a3c.jpeg

were either going to Ennis or using the Shannon ferry to Tabart tomorrow once the oil situation is sorted 

Paul 

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33 minutes ago, classiclife said:

Try these Paul:

https://www.toppart.com/ennis/

https://www.goldenpages.ie/ennis-motor-factors-ennis-D9584/

There are others in your vicinity, good luck.

Richard.

Thanks richard . At our B n B in.killimer just outside kilrush mentioned to the landlady re oil and she told me to.go and see Pat over in the pub . Pat collects classics and i now have 3 places to try in kilrush plus a map.written on a serviette. Our plan is kilrush and then on to Ennis if no joy in kilrush . Thanks for the links 

Paul 

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10 hours ago, classiclife said:

I have no doubt the owners will be more than happy to assist in some way; especially knowing the generosity of the Irish.

That's great news Paul, not that I doubted help would be forthcoming in some way - not that I am biased of course !!

ádh mór !!

Best wishes.

Richard.

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19 hours ago, classiclife said:

That's great news Paul, not that I doubted help would be forthcoming in some way - not that I am biased of course !!

ádh mór !!

Best wishes.

Richard.

No joy for oil in kilrush so rang https://www.toppart.com/ennis/ and they had 20/50 multi grade , thanks for the link . We’re currently staying outside Ennis https://www.visitennis.com/

Here is a pic of our Vitesse outside the B and B 

650 miles so far on this trip , I’m even getting used to the canary ?

001E4C56-32F2-4EC4-81AB-74245FA69BC3.thumb.jpeg.8ab46a2f0f88e2e08e0c1db822a36f2f.jpeg

Regards

Paul

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Canaries,  if it goes quite with a light finger on the pedal its skidding,  one day it will go quiet

If it grumbles with load on pedal the berings failing

Ive not got any big parrots now but about 20 cockatiels   would you like to borrow some ???

Well its s new tune 

Pete

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2 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

Canaries,  if it goes quite with a light finger on the pedal its skidding,  one day it will go quiet

If it grumbles with load on pedal the berings failing

Ive not got any big parrots now but about 20 cockatiels   would you like to borrow some ???

Well its s new tune 

Pete

Hi pete.light touch on the clutch and canary stops. Cant wait for canary to expire. Which end of the push rod is responsible ?

Paul

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