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At this time of year, it’s beneficial to use an oil that has good cold start flow properties as it will get to the parts of the engine that need it far more quickly when you turn the key. The "w" number which means winter is the key here and the lower it is the better cold start performance...

A number of ‘add-on’ additives intended to improve the performance of commercially available automotive lubricants have been marketed in recent years, under such names as ‘Xxtralube ZX-1’, ‘Metol FX-1’, ‘PPL Anti-Friction’ and ‘Activ-8’.All such products share the following characteristics with...

If you are "modding" your car and adding BHP then consider your oil choice carefully as the stock manufacturers recommended oil will not give you the protection that your engine requires. A standard oil will not be thermally stable enough to cope with higher temperatures without "shearing"...

This is something different but well worth reading. It was written by our learned friend in Stoke and we think is of interest to any car or bike owner. Well…………! In The Beginning there was Carbon and Hydrogen. These got together in accordance with rules forged in the Big Bang (yes...

At this time of year, it’s beneficial to use an oil that has good cold start flow properties as it will get to the parts of the engine that need it far more quickly when you turn the key. The "w" number which means winter is the key here and the lower it is the better cold start performance...

SYNTHETIC? What is it and what does it really mean? The Oxford Dictionary says: “made by synthesis; manufactured as opposed to produced naturally” When it comes to oil we think of synthetics as the best that we can buy and that all synthetics are the same but, it’s not so simple...

At which temperature does an oil flow better? There is no temperature where oil suddenly starts to flow better. A 10W/40 for example will flow between -25C and 100C or more, but there is some difference in the rate of flow! (True viscosity at -25C is about 7000 Centistoke(cSt) units...

To kick off Opie Oils new 12 part series of interesting oil facts we thought that we would address the statement “My oil has turned to water!” Let’s be objective and look at the actual figures involved here, emotional expressions such as ‘turned to water’ just will not do. Engineering is...

10w-40, what does it mean? We have answered thousands of oil questions in the last 4 years but the most frequently asked one is “What do the numbers mean?” In short, if you see an expression such as 10W-40, the oil is a multigrade which simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity...

But not from us this time! We get asked many oil related questions every day and decided to put some of the most frequently asked ones to an Oil Expert called John Rowland. He has been the Chief R&D Chemist for Fuchs/Silkolene for many years and previously developed ahead of their time...

We need a picture of your car!! If you have an Opie Oils sticker on your car... Ive seen some around, send us a photo with the logo in clear view and you will be given a priority position as the first members of the Opie Oils ‘Street Gallery’, to be launched as part of our new website...

We are often asked why don’t you do an article on Gear Oils? Well, an article would be very complex but here are the answers to a few FAQ’s that we have had over the years. What does API GL mean? API stands for American Petroleum Industry and GL stands for Gear Lubricant, see below for...

All oils are comprised of basestocks and additives. Basestocks make up the majority of the finished product and represent between 75-95%. Not all basestocks are derived from petroleum, in fact the better quality ones are synthetics made in laboratories by chemists specifically designed for...

I read on many forums about 0w and 5w oils being too thin. 0w-40, 5w-40, 10w-40 and 15w-40 are all the same thickness (14 centistokes) at 100degC. Centistokes (cst) is the measure of a fluid's resistance to flow (viscosity). It is calculated in terms of the time required for a standard...

Costs of synthetics vary considerably. The most expensive are the “Ester” types originally only used in jet engines. These cost 6 to 10 times more than high quality mineral oils. The cheapest synthetics are not really synthetic at all, they are dug out of the ground and not manmade. These...

Opie Oils Ten Percent Off Week. Thats correct, from the 18th of May to the 25th of May EVERY PRODUCT on our site in the members section, has 10% OFF!! **** This offer is only avilable by ordering online! **** Grab yourself a bargain today while this offer lasts...

This post may seem like going back to basics but we are constantly surprised by the amount of people who do not know or understand what is written on a bottle of oil and therefore have no idea of what they are looking for, buying or using. This post should help as a basic guide, for more...

The Opie Oils "collect your oil at shows" order system is now up and running in the "Members Section" of our website http://www.opieoils.co.uk To order your oil for collection at a show, saving carriage costs you need to follow this procedure: 1. Go to our site and log into the "Members...

We are asked all the time about the use of magic addatives / miracle cures. This one is certainly no exception in its claims. Having read about it, I asked Silkolene was this a miracle addative and were the claims possible or more importantly technically possible? If you're...

What’s written on your oil bottle and what does it mean. This post may seem like going back to basics but I am constantly surprised by the amount of people who do not know or understand what is written on a bottle of oil and therefore no idea of what they are buying/using. To be blunt...

We are pleased to announce that we now have an expanded range of Castrol Oils in stock including Castrol Edge 0w-30, 5w-30, 10w-60 (replaces TWS), Edge TD 0w-30 and 5w-40 Castrol Edge Sport 0w-40 (replaces RS) and Edge Sport 10w-60 (replaces RS) Bike Oils including R4, R2, GPS, GP and a...

What’s written on your oil bottle and what does it mean. This post may seem like going back to basics but I am constantly surprised by the amount of people who do not know or understand what is written on a bottle of oil and therefore no idea of what they are buying/using. To be blunt...

I thought this would be of interest as It's probably the question I get asked the most. Shame the answer isn't simple though! The basic benefits are as follows: Extended oil drain periods Better wear protection and therefore extended engine life Most synthetics give better MPG They...

I am just canvassing interest on the possibility of putting together a "group buy" on Brembo Sport replacement discs and pads. If I can get enough interest together then I will be able to get a bulk discount. I will need at least 10 orders to kick this off but the larger the interest, the...

The Opie Oils "collect your oil at shows" order system is now up and running in the "Members Section" of our website http://www.opieoils.co.uk To order your oil for collection at a show, saving carriage costs you need to follow this procedure: 1. Go to our site and log into the "Members...

A short lesson on Multigrades: If you see an expression such as 10W-40, the oil is a multigrade. This simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades, in this case 10W & 40. This is made possible by the inclusion of a polymer, a component which slows down the rate of thinning as...

I get asked many questions about oil so I thought a thread here for all oil related questions would be a good idea and build into a FAQ or reference point for others. So, put your oil questions here but please give the following information if you would like a recommendation: Make...

Cheaper oils are in the long run a false economy, In the first mile the higher volatility, inferior anti-wear performance and poor temperature resistance of a cheap grade of oil will start to show. Obviously, there will be no immediate effects. The whole point of top quality oil is long-term...

I read so much stuff on the internet about Synthetic Oils that is simply not true so I felt it was time to tell the truth rather than accept the myth. So in future when you see someone state any of these, please do me a favour and point them at this thread! Synthetic motor oils damage...

In this cold weather, it is beneficial to use an oil that has good cold start flow properties as it will get to the parts of the engine that need it far more quickly. The "w" number which means winter is the key here and the lower the better. It may seem odd but a 15w or 20w will struggle...