56 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

What Keith's article doesn't seem to consider is the fact that the gearbox shares the oil. The A-series gearbox ideally needs a thick oil, probably a 40 grade in this country and even a 20w50 might be a bit thin for the gears. I believe gearbox wear has not been properly considered with the 0W20 Torco oil. One might also wonder what the ZDDP level is with the Torco stuff.

A reduction in petrol consumption will not cover the cost of an earlier gearbox re-build or higher crankshaft thrust bearing wear.

For me I'll stick with what has proved itself for me in rallying over many years and on the road as well. I like a high ZDDP level combined with high sustained oil pressure at all revs and low (in relative terms) oil consumption. On a classic car petrol consumption is not really an issue due to the low annual mileage.

Edited by Cooperman, 04 November 2015 - 07:59 PM.

[Guess-Works.com]

The Mini gearbox is an evolution of the inline gearbox shared by the midget, moggie and A30, surprisingly these gearboxes, although separate from the engine, also run an engine oil rather than an EP gearbox oil...

[Spider]

I'm not going to 'pedal' any particular Brand or Type of Oil, but in selecting an Oil, maybe have a think about what it is that the Oil is there to do;-

 

     Lubricate - we all know that

     Clean

     After 'Cleaning' what it does with what's been cleaned off and what does it leave behind?

     Bottom end coolant

     Anti-rust agent

 

There's some good and reliable info here;-

 

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

 

knock your socks off!

[Cooperman]

The Mini gearbox is an evolution of the inline gearbox shared by the midget, moggie and A30, surprisingly these gearboxes, although separate from the engine, also run an engine oil rather than an EP gearbox oil...

I believe the early Morris Minor gearboxes used an EP oil, but that later a standard engine oil was specified. However, standard engine oil was 30 grade or 40 grade back then, so a good 20w50 should be ok. But a 0w20 is basically a zero grade from cold and one might wonder whether that would be OK for the gearbox. Personally I will stick with 20w50 Valvoline VR1 as I know that's good in a Mini and I used that in a A-H Sprite engine & gearbox I worked on for historic motorsport.

[gazza82]

It also doesn't mention synthetic based oils contain ingredients like detergents which can attack certain metals like copper and brass ... Which are found in a-series gearboxes.

As some of you are aware I'm rebuilding the Mini's predecesor, an Austin A35, with an inline MG Midget engine and gearbox. I've been advised by a number of owners to use 20W50 mineral in the gearbox but I could use same or 10W40 synthetic in the engine.

[Cooperman]

It also doesn't mention synthetic based oils contain ingredients like detergents which can attack certain metals like copper and brass ... Which are found in a-series gearboxes.

As some of you are aware I'm rebuilding the Mini's predecesor, an Austin A35, with an inline MG Midget engine and gearbox. I've been advised by a number of owners to use 20W50 mineral in the gearbox but I could use same or 10W40 synthetic in the engine.

Your choice, but I would recommend Valvoline VR1 20w50 in both the engine & the gearbox.

[gazza82]

That is the way I'm considering, plus it means I should have spare in the garage for top-ups.

One of my A35 owner colleagues swears by it in his 140bhp turbo'd 1275. And if it works for him ...

Edited by gazza82, 04 November 2015 - 11:26 PM.

[fenghuang]

140bhp in an A35?!?! That's gonna surprise a few Saxo drivers at the lights.

[gazza82]

Surprises lots of people because it looks fairly standard on the outside too.

For brute force, and brown underwear, how about 160 from a Ford Zetec and normal aspirated but that one is a race car ... Just happens to be road-legal. Custom built everything. I'll try and put up a couple of links to pics of the cars.

[jaydee]

Interesting point about detergents and EP additives

to be honest the problem does not lie in synth oils, no synth oil has additives that corrode copper, modern engines have copper bearings.

The actual problem is those snake oils sold as oil additives that can really wreck engine and gearbox

Moly in very high percentage corrodes copper, and the content in synth oils is very low. Its used in high percentage in many third party snake oils.

Your gearbox synchros will stop working way before you get corrosion anyway, thats because of the lack of friction caused by moly.

Chlorinated paraffin is what can really corrode copper, steel, anything in your A series engine and is actually used in cutting oils and..guess where..snake oil additives. Was introduced as an EP additive and discontinued in the 60ies due to the corrosion issues..

As a side note..even ZDDP will attack copper if in excess.

[lewBlew]

Used Halfords classic oil for over 10 years in a multitude of classics and not had one explode yet :) change once if not twice a year.

[Agus1601]

Here we use Valvoline VR1 oil on our engines, it is the best I had on my minis, and would never change except Motul 2000 is back again!!! That was an awesome oil too

[Alpenflitzer]

 

I followed the advice of Calver and changed to MILLERS Classic Mini Oil 20W50. All the additives needed are in the oil.

You can use of course other 20W50 oils but then it was recommended to havbe additives. See Clavers site 

 

http://www.calverst.com/

 

 

I am very happy with Millers for at least the last 4 oil changes.

 

He makes a very convincing argument for using Torco 0W20. Was there a reason why you went for Millers instead?

 

 

This is what you can find when googeling Valvoline:

Mar 11, 2007 - It turns out that VR1 Racing Oil is just ordinary new car street oil that says Racing Oil on the label. ..... Valvoline Racing 20W-50 1192 1077

 

 

 

 

YES! He said using Millers Mini Oil does not need Torco Additives.

 

Edited by Alpenflitzer, 10 November 2015 - 03:31 PM.

[minimuk]

If you look at comma's x-flow oils, the mineral 15w40 and 20w50 all have 0.11% (1100ppm) Zinc

 

and extremely good value

[Kaj]

On this topic of lubrication, is Slick 50 protection worth it to put into the A Series engine/gearbox? I've always wondered if this would have any detriment on the Mini?

 

** just found a thread on this subject so there are some views that this is not worth adding as an additional additive.

Edited by Kaj, 17 November 2015 - 07:16 PM.