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[Andy B]

what do the different numbers mean, specifically 229.51? (it's fully skimmed 5W-30)

[feeutfo]

Not sure that specific number but merely differant manufacturers designations for the same product.
BMW long life for instance is almost 4 times as much as Gm's equivalent. 

But I suspect you knew that much...?  :-/

[feeutfo]

Should add it's a very good oil I believe.

[Andy B]

Should add it's a very good oil I believe.

Rather than have my collar felt for £50 a gallon for the Holy Grail of Mobil 1 that they deem is the only oil I should use in her Smart Roadster I've used Vx fully skimmed in it. However after a good work out on fast A & B roads it now has the problem of the oil pressure light flickering on tick over. I've had it before, new oil & an oil filter seemed to sort it .......... She only drives 1.5 miles each way to work so never really stresses her  car - unlike when I use it  . before I reduce the engine to card board level I'm trying to decide of GM fully synthetic is too 'thin' for it  :-/ :-/ :-/

[feeutfo]

Should add it's a very good oil I believe.

Rather than have my collar felt for £50 a gallon for the Holy Grail of Mobil 1 that they deem is the only oil I should use in her Smart Roadster I've used Vx fully skimmed in it. However after a good work out on fast A & B roads it now has the problem of the oil pressure light flickering on tick over. I've had it before, new oil & an oil filter seemed to sort it .......... She only drives 1.5 miles each way to work so never really stresses her  car - unlike when I use it  . before I reduce the engine to card board level I'm trying to decide of GM fully synthetic is too 'thin' for it  :-/ :-/ :-/

Ah, is this a "no sump" engine?

[gstylebaby]

When i worked at the vauxhall stealers in stockport vauxhall oil is or was moble 1 oil mate just in a different tub.

[Marks DTM Calib]

When i worked at the vauxhall stealers in stockport vauxhall oil is or was moble 1 oil mate just in a different tub.

Its been Fuchs for about the last 6 years 

[Andy B]

The general opinion of the Roadster forum is that the GM fully synthetic is too 'thin' ie  0w40 5w40 10w40 10w50 or 10w60 would be better than 5w30
A change of grade would be a lot easier than an engine strip down to get rid of the low oil pressure light at tick over with a HOT engine.

[Kevin Wood]

MB 229.51 will be a manufacturer specification that the oil meets (guessing MB is Mercedes). It's just a reference to a document somewhere so bears no relevance to the oil specification IMHO. Unless that same spec. is quoted by Smart?

"Standard" Mobil 1 is a 0w40 oil IIRC. This one is a 5w30, so, at operating temperature, it is slightly thinner. Once it's got good and hot it will give you slightly lower oil pressure as a result but I'm surprised it puts the light on, TBH. What grades of oil are listed in the owner's manual? Does it say a 30 weight oil is acceptable?

You might want to connect up an oil pressure gauge to the engine and make sure the oil pressure is within spec. just for peace of mind.

I wonder if that engine works its' oil particularly hard (how much oil does it take?) or whether Mobil 1 was just specified to provide a long service interval. Thinking the GM 10w40 might be OK if you change it regularly?

Kevin

[Andy B]

...
Ah, is this a "no sump" engine?

It has a sump, just no sump drain plug. 

[Andy B]

MB 229.51 will be a manufacturer specification that the oil meets (guessing MB is Mercedes). It's just a reference to a document somewhere so bears no relevance to the oil specification IMHO. Unless that same spec. is quoted by Smart?

"Standard" Mobil 1 is a 0w40 oil IIRC. This one is a 5w30, so, at operating temperature, it is slightly thinner. Once it's got good and hot it will give you slightly lower oil pressure as a result but I'm surprised it puts the light on, TBH. What grades of oil are listed in the owner's manual? Does it say a 30 weight oil is acceptable?

You might want to connect up an oil pressure gauge to the engine and make sure the oil pressure is within spec. just for peace of mind.

I wonder if that engine works its' oil particularly hard (how much oil does it take?) or whether Mobil 1 was just specified to provide a long service interval. Thinking the GM 10w40 might be OK if you change it regularly?

Kevin

The handbook recomended oil is 'smartcare engine oil SAE 10W-40, Mobil 1'
It only hold 3.5 litres but the service interval is only around 7000 miles/12 months anyway so hardly an extended interval.
The light isn't on permanently at tick over but flickers, going out completely at anything slightly above.
I'll whip the oil filter out & have a gander at it, it was horrible & collapsed the last few times I've changed it.

[Kevin Wood]

3.5 litres is a reasonable capacity for an engine of that size, IMHO. Just wondered if it had a stupidly small sump or something. In that case maybe GM 10w40 is worth a try with the interval knocked down to 3.5k or something? Maybe 5w30 is too thin?

Worth checking the filter. Could be that the lack of a sump plug means the clean oil with fresh detergent additives has taken up a load of crud from the bottom of the sump, and clogged it, I suppose?

Other possibility is that the oil pressure relief valve is sticking?

If it's only flickering at idle it's probably not going to do any harm. I'd still be tempted to plumb a cheap pressure gauge into it for a while to see exactly what's going on. You never know at what pressure the light comes on. :-/

[Marks DTM Calib]

Sounds like it may need shorter change intervals.

I guess also that its an oil suck setup which tend to resul in sludge in the sump more (sadly).

I dont like the sound of the flickering lamp, they normaly come on at the 12-15psi mark where as the oil pressure even when hot should be 30+.

[henryd]

It could just be the oil pressure switch being faulty so Kevin's suggestion of plumbing in a gauge seems a good one

[Andy B]

3.5 litres is a reasonable capacity for an engine of that size, IMHO. Just wondered if it had a stupidly small sump or something. In that case maybe GM 10w40 is worth a try with the interval knocked down to 3.5k or something? Maybe 5w30 is too thin?

Worth checking the filter. Could be that the lack of a sump plug means the clean oil with fresh detergent additives has taken up a load of crud from the bottom of the sump, and clogged it, I suppose?

Other possibility is that the oil pressure relief valve is sticking?

If it's only flickering at idle it's probably not going to do any harm. I'd still be tempted to plumb a cheap pressure gauge into it for a while to see exactly what's going on. You never know at what pressure the light comes on. :-/

Do to the light flickering last year, clearing the pump suction of the excess instant gasket a previous owner/garage had used when glueing the sump bcak on, it's had about 4 changes in the last 2 years/8k miles.
I think might have a point re using Vx's semi synthetic rather than fully synthetic, it's not going to do any harm - is it?
I replaced the pressure switch toolast year, I'm sure I've still got the old one, so that should make it easier to find thread sizes etc for a 'proper' gauge.