[skyship007]

Originally Posted by Bernard333

The stuff posted by CheshireD5 in post 1 is ok for your 2002 D5 engine. My 2003 D5 has only ever had the cheapest oil available since the car was new meeting A3/B4 spec and its now done 180000 miles with no oil related wear problems, at £7.50 a gallon this is the cheapest I have seen so far.

Cheap oils sometimes work if changed often enough, but it's a gamble if you don't use a major brand oil, as the Acea certs are given out after self certification. No checks are done at all and even if the oil was in spec to start with, there is nothing to stop the mixer changing it. The limits are good, but the certification process is a joke and the car industry folks are laughing, because they really don't like older cars, they want to sell you a new one.

Shell Helix Ultra 5/40 (A3/B4) is often cheap for a real good oil, although if you have any leaks Valvoline Maxlife 10/40 seems to be the cheapest high mileage oil with seal conditioners, along with Castrol GTX 15/40 (Summer only).

If you do use an 0/30, check the PDS for the actual viscosity figures, because the OEM oil spec was for Castrol Edge 0/30 in some cases and that oil is right near the top of the 30 range. If you buy a mid range x/30 it might well be below design spec and the cheaper ones then thin down (Or get contaminated with diesel) and finish up in the 20 range. That's low enough to cause a rattle when hot and result in a higher consumption rate.