I'm pretty sure Comma Classic and Halfords Classic are the same thing, but it you look at the specs there are minor differences between these and Comma X-Flow, Castrol Classic and Midlands Classic, all of which are 20W/50. I don't know which factors are most important but to fit into the 50 grade, the oil has to have a viscosity of between 16.3 and 21.9 centiStokes at 100C. Castrol XL has a viscosity of 17.3, pretty much the same as Comma X-Flow and Comma Classic (17.4 and 17.2). Until I looked up VR1 the best I'd found is Miller's Pistoneeze which is 18.5. But way ahead and almost a 60 grade is Valvoline VR1 which is 21.1. Somebody will tell me it's the zirconium content that counts maybe? Sorry to prolong the oil debate.
The Halfords stuff and others is likely to be made by folk like Comma anyway. It may be recycled, but oil is eminently recyclable.
Indeed. I asked Halfords for the spec on their classic oil. They didn’t send me the numbers, but I got a health and safety sheet with the Comma logo on it.
If it meets the spec, it meets the spec! Mineral oil's pretty basic stuff anyway. I did read somewhere - hopefully correct - that it's the additives that degrade over time, rather than the oil itself.
Halfords and Wilko don't make oil to my knowledge so buy it in. I can't imagine they have their own spec's for what is cheap oil so buy what is available at the right price (from Comma? ). It seems to be OK and I change it often. Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk
I use the basic Comma X-Flow 20w/50, but it's getting to use a lot these days, so I've been looking around to see if there are alternatives that might last longer. I'm assuming that thicker is better. If so, then there's hardly any difference between regular 20W/50 oils and "classic" oils apart from the price. I've yet to actually test any other oils out in a vaguely scientific manner though.
So these are both made by westway lubricants. Are they the same oil but charging more because it says Classic on the label of one.
I wouldn’t make that assumption. The oil system tries to control the viscosity, if the oil is too thick it will bypass the cooler.
And there’s this 10w40 mineral running in oil. Shame they don’t mention the ZDDP content on the spec sheet of any of them
I asked Millers which oil is good for our aircooled engines and they recommended 'Pistonease' mineral 20/50 (which has a high ZDDP) on high mileage air cooled engines. Have been using this for the last two years and are very pleased with the starting/running. I do change the oil every spring but only do about 800 miles per year and its a 2.0 Fi type 4 lump.
I found mine ran cooler on 15/40 than 20/50 I think it’s because it’s a low mileage engine and the oil pressure with the 20/50 was a bit higher so keeping the oil bypass open and stopping the oil going through cooler.
I’ve got pressure and temp gauges and don’t see this happen (except at start up in cold weather). I did once see an oddity though when I put some Spanish supermarket oil in. Usually it cruises at around 2 bar, but this took it over 3 and temp went up a bit.
Exactly, if the pressure is high the system thinks the oil is cold and bypasses the cooler to thin the oil.
