[swarnava.m]

I don't know if this query is a little irrelevant to this thread, but could not figure out where else to post this.

The half-yearly service of my Alto is coming up, and I went checking out lube stores for a better oil. I found Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 Fully Synth 4L can, and the guy quoted me Rs.4000/- for it. Is this too high or is the price ok? Also, a 10k change would be fine for this?

I also asked him for Shell Helix HX5 15W40, and he said he didn't keep a can of the same. He said it is the most selling oil, so they buy barrels of that. He showed me the barrel. And said therefore he could give me whatever quantity I wanted. Since the Alto requires 2.7L (correct?), I asked him for 3L, and he said the best he could give me was Rs.750/-. I have two questions. Is this price alright? And, is is fine to buy it loose from his barrel or should I definitely go for a sealed 3L or 4L can from another store?

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by swarnava.m

The half-yearly service of my Alto is coming up, and I went checking out lube stores for a better oil. I found Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 Fully Synth 4L can, and the guy quoted me Rs.4000/- for it. Is this too high or is the price ok? Also, a 10k change would be fine for this?

I guess that just for another Rs. 200/- you may get Mobil1 0W40 grade oil. In my locality I used to get it for Rs 4000/- earlier but prices seem to have increased and the retailers now are nor willing to sell it below Rs 4200/- (for a 4 Litre jar). Also this time I was not offered my favourite Mobil1 shirt, which used to come as a complimentary free gift.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by swarnava.m

I don't know if this query is a little irrelevant to this thread, but could not figure out where else to post this.

The half-yearly service of my Alto is coming up, and I went checking out lube stores for a better oil. I found Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 Fully Synth 4L can, and the guy quoted me Rs.4000/- for it. Is this too high or is the price ok? Also, a 10k change would be fine for this?

I also asked him for Shell Helix HX5 15W40, and he said he didn't keep a can of the same. He said it is the most selling oil, so they buy barrels of that. He showed me the barrel. And said therefore he could give me whatever quantity I wanted. Since the Alto requires 2.7L (correct?), I asked him for 3L, and he said the best he could give me was Rs.750/-. I have two questions. Is this price alright? And, is is fine to buy it loose from his barrel or should I definitely go for a sealed 3L or 4L can from another store?

Does he have a shell certificate for authorised dealer? You could possibly trust him more based on that.

750/- is better than the price quoted of 4000/- for 4L. Most people are buying it for between 700 to 800/- per liter. He might pull a fast one by adding 14% vat at billing. Ensure this is the billing amount then ask for unbilled transaction minus 14%. When unbilled get sealed can. And make sure the can is less than 6 months old.

--Rahul

[swarnava.m]

Originally Posted by Ragul

750/- is better than the price quoted of 4000/- for 4L.
--Rahul

Thanks for the reply, but I think you misunderstood me. 750/- is for 3L of Shell Helix HX5 15W40, not Shell Ultra.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by R2D2

0W40 synthetic can very comfortably take ambients of upto 40 C but it depends on the engine. .....

For e.g. my car's mfr now recommends using 5w-30 mineral (!!) or 5w-40 synth in all temps ranging from -15 C to >40 C. Modern engines do NOT need thick oils and higher viscosity creates resistance in engine ops.

Modern engines are much better made and so are happy with thinner oil. Remember the Premier Padmini needed SAE50! The previous generation of Maruti & Hyundai engines needed SAE40. Modern engines incl. the K's from MS and H are happy with SAE30. See the specs and get what is specified. Theoretically, a thicker oil will be less fuel efficient, but the difference may be marginal. I am not aware of any modern engine asking for oil thicker that SAE40. My Honda runs on 0W30 while the Santro gets 10W40.

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by Ragul

Good news guys!!

Now thats an increase of 2.91kms per liter over my earlier city average and I think quiet good for a Gypsy?

--Rahul

Congrats on the better FE and smoother engine after switch to synthetic. As I have posted, I have consistently seen better FE after I switched to synthetic on my Lancer too (between 1-2 km/l usually 1.5km/l)

[Crazy4.Cars]

hey folks, has anyone tried a elofic or purolator oil filter on their diesel cars with mobil delvac MX engine oil?

[guptavis]

Originally Posted by Ragul

I filled petrol to the brim at 20085kms after returning from the service and yesterday I filled up to auto-cutoff at 20541kms. The fuel that went in was exactly 33.99ltrs.

No offence but i think there is a problem with your experiment.
You filled till the brim frist and till cut-off later. If you had gone till brim later it would have been more accurate, since now we cant say if .5L or 1L or 2L etc more fuel could go in till brim, bringing down the calculated fuel efficiency.

[sgiitk]

@Crazy4.Cars; Purolator and (later) Elofic are probably OE to most car companies who are sourcing spares from within the country. You can use them with impunity.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by guptavis

No offence but i think there is a problem with your experiment.
You filled till the brim frist and till cut-off later. If you had gone till brim later it would have been more accurate, since now we cant say if .5L or 1L or 2L etc more fuel could go in till brim, bringing down the calculated fuel efficiency.

Good point. So the actual increase in fuel efficiency may be lesser. Yesterday I filled till cut-off, lets see how the calculations work out for th e next refill.

See that's why I always copy the observation or measurement or analysis method even at work...

Thanks
--Rahul

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by R2D2

0W40 synthetic can very comfortably take ambients of upto 40 C but it depends on the engine. If you believe that your engine needs thicker oil by all means go in for 5W-50 synth.

My car has been running on Mobile1 for last two years and over twenty thousand KM (since last two oil changes). Before that I was using Castrol edge (5W-40) in my car, which IMHO is also an almost equally excellent product. Is it now safe to change over to a thicker 5W-50 grade oil, considering the hot summer temperatures of our country?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

My car has been running on Mobile1 for last two years and over twenty thousand KM (since last two oil changes). Before that I was using Castrol edge (5W-40) in my car, which IMHO is also an almost equally excellent product. Is it now safe to change over to a thicker 5W-50 grade oil, considering the hot summer temperatures of our country?

Why are you changing oil grades to 5w-50? Do you believe that 5w-40 was not viscous enough for your car? Have you noticed any issues after using this grade after 20K kms?

Remember using thicker oil will make you engine appear to run smoother but will rev slightly less eagerly.

Check your owners manual for recommended grades v/s ambient temperatures. Most new gen cars use xW-40 or xW-30 where the x can be 0, 5 or 10.

Cheers!

[Crazy4.Cars]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@Crazy4.Cars; Purolator and (later) Elofic are probably OE to most car companies who are sourcing spares from within the country. You can use them with impunity.

Thanks for the info, i just gave my Ritz Diesel for service today, i checked MASS is using UFI oil filter which is a OE supplier to ferrari and jaguar, the cost of this oil filter is 400 where as purolator and elofic are available after market for rs 150. for this time i have used UFI, but not sure if it is required to use the same from next time?

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Why are you changing oil grades to 5w-50? Do you believe that 5w-40 was not viscous enough for your car? Have you noticed any issues after using this grade after 20K kms?

Thanks for your response R2D2. I have absolutely no issue with my present engine oil and is more than satisfied. I was just inquisitive whether it will be safer in any car to switch back to thicker oils.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

Thanks for your response R2D2. I have absolutely no issue with my present engine oil and is more than satisfied. I was just inquisitive whether it will be safer in any car to switch back to thicker oils.

If no adverse effects have been noticed (should not with synthetic) and you are happy with the performance, continue with your present choice of oil.

Cheers!