Engine Oil? Can I shift from API SN to API SJ Grade?

[ahmedfaraz79]

After carefully reading all posts related to suzuki mehran oil recommendation by experts and senior wheeler's I concluded that mehran uses a traditional flat tappet engine, it demands high zddp levels which are witnessed uptil api sj only. Above all API grades are harmful for this car.
As above mentioned i own a 2008 mehran purchased recently (30000km driven). Engine is in good nick.
Previous owner of this car is using Total quartz 3000 (20w-50, API SJ probably). I dont know much about engine oils and grades so i shifted to Zic A+ (5w-20 API SN) when i tunned up my car after my purchase. Oil is drained two times after and car is still running on Zic A+ but......now engine is going a bit noisy. Acceleration, speed all are good except noises from engine. I admit its a big mistake to shift to Zic A+ in old school engine tech.
Here i need expert opinion badly. Please suggest me best oil and grade for my ride. Also please comment on SGO oils, Zic M or some other 10w 40 , 15w 40 with API SJ/SG grades.

Regards

[hassaaniqbal92]

Zic a+ is a killer oil for a mehran viscosity wise too. U need to shift to a 10w40 viscosity first. About api grade, I am not sure. But I am using api sg oil though. I use suzuki genuine oil 10w40 api sg. I dont see any harm though in shifting to api sj or sg. @zainmahdi @xulfiqar can guide better

[ayan_cdkey]

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[ayan_cdkey]

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[arzaam.bhatti]

you care requires the older API grades due to their ZDDP content as you already know, correct viscosity is 10W-40 and 15W-40 can also be used. using new api grades has no advantage for your ride but infact disadvantage as there can be premature wear due to the lack of ZDDP not to mention useless spending of money when your car cant benefit from it. there is no harm in shifting from API SN to API SJ nothing will happen to the engine if its already fine at the moment. there are options are available in 10W-40 with API SJ grades you can use whatever one you like and can guarantee original product, all will work fine.SGO is fine too.

in personal opinion if i were you i would use something like mobil Delvac 15W-40 which is API SJ compatible as its a mixed fleet oil. its not very expsive, is a brand i trust and offers excellent engine cleanliness in your car which is otherwise a major attraction to synthetics for me.

[ayan_cdkey]

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[NiGhTShAdE]

half of ur comment is correct dat 5w20 is not to be used, but recommending api sg or sj is wrong. use any 10w40 oil with api sm or sn. I would personally recommend zic A. Downshifting from sn to sj is gonna make ur engine unhappy. What say @ahmedraja1996
@nightshade

API SM and SN are fuel conserving grades. You could face slight incease in fuel consumption if you shift to SG or SJ. Both grades are absolutely fine for Mehran though try to remain on 10W30/40 for viscosity. Though there is no harm in using SM or SN grades but still do what personally satisfies one...

[ahmedfaraz79]

@nightshade it means that viscosity is much more important than API grades of oil? am i right ?
What say @zainmahdi @xulfiqar @ahmedraja1996. Need your opinion also.

[arzaam.bhatti]

But I have heard that if one drives with a light foot, the low level of zddp isnt much of a concern. I may b wrong

i a am not sure of that but when the manufacturers spec is available why use SN and take the risk when theres absolutely no advantage, as far as fuel economy benefit is concerned of the newer oils that is offset by their high price in the first place, so in running costs again there is no benefit from the newer oils neither can you use extended drain intervals in a mehran. so its best to stick to manufacturers spec.

[ZainMahdi]

I will do a simple-cost benefit analysis:

API SN:

-benefit: thinner viscocities are available, longer life for catalyst
-cost: possible valvetrain wear for slider (flat tappet) valvetrains, more expensive

API SL or lower:

-benefit: better valvetrain protection for slider cams, lower cost
-cost: lower catalyst life

Mehrans don't have a catalytic converter, and they work well with xw-40 oils; lack of lower viscocities is not an issue here. The benefits of SN are not enough to outweigh the cost here; just go for an oldschool 10w-40 or 15w-40 and enjoy your ride.

I myself am a skeptic of valvetrain failure with newer grades, but this is a case of guilty until proven innocent; its safer to assume that they are hazardous for old-design engines. Unless someone wishes to do a long term experiment at their own risk, older grades should be the better choice here.

[ahmed2396]

@NiGhTShAdE it means that viscosity is much more important than API grades of oil? am i right ?
What say @ZainMahdi @Xulfiqar @ahmedraja1996. Need your opinion also.

Don't want to start ZDDP war again but for the sake of people again discussing this topic is that API itself suggests that SL SM SN are backwards compatible with cars having SE SF SG obsolete grades. But to be on 100% safe side then use 10W40 SG. But i have seen and observed cars which had API SF SG in their manual but i ran them on SM SN and they had much cleaner engine then engine run on SE SF and had overall better fuel consumption.

[NiGhTShAdE]

@NiGhTShAdE it means that viscosity is much more important than API grades of oil? am i right ?
What say @ZainMahdi @Xulfiqar @ahmedraja1996. Need your opinion also.

Viscosity has its own importance and so does of API grading, Out of two none is less important than other...
But yes people would have different precptions on grading and similarly not everyone would agree on viscosities. The mojor point that leads to disagreements is that Owner's manuals remains same where as technology advances every day becoming better and better, some elements gets removed, some gets replaced and some are added new. Some people go with new technology while others prefer to stay with manuals written ages ago...

[hassaaniqbal92]

I will do a simple-cost benefit analysis:

API SN:

-benefit: thinner viscocities are available, longer life for catalyst
-cost: possible valvetrain wear for slider (flat tappet) valvetrains, more expensive

API SL or lower:

-benefit: better valvetrain protection for slider cams, lower cost
-cost: lower catalyst life

Mehrans don't have a catalytic converter, and they work well with xw-40 oils; lack of lower viscocities is not an issue here. The benefits of SN are not enough to outweigh the cost here; just go for an oldschool 10w-40 or 15w-40 and enjoy your ride.

I myself am a skeptic of valvetrain failure with newer grades, but this is a case of guilty until proven innocent; its safer to assume that they are hazardous for old-design engines. Unless someone wishes to do a long term experiment at their own risk, older grades should be the better choice here.

perhaps the best solution for the zddp debate

[Xulfiqar]

Don't want to start ZDDP war again but for the sake of people again discussing this topic is that API itself suggests that SL SM SN are backwards compatible with cars having SE SF SG obsolete grades. But to be on 100% safe side then use 10W40 SG. But i have seen and observed cars which had API SF SG in their manual but i ran them on SM SN and they had much cleaner engine then engine run on SE SF and had overall better fuel consumption.

please note that car manufacturers and oil blenders take "normal" as no car more than 10 years old on the road, which means nothing earlier than 2005, in developed world, most cars had LEV and ULEV engines in that time and they were specced for something like API SL and those engines had 3 way cats in them.

Pakistan is very unique - it still has the oldest engine in production, the suzi F8B, even if its made in 2015 doesnt mean its a 2015 engine, its still a 1981 engine. And its not very hard to find issues in engines using the wrong oils.

[ahmed2396]

please note that car manufacturers and oil blenders take "normal" as no car more than 10 years old on the road, which means nothing earlier than 2005, in developed world, most cars had LEV and ULEV engines in that time and they were specced for something like API SL and those engines had 3 way cats in them.

Pakistan is very unique - it still has the oldest engine in production, the suzi F8B, even if its made in 2015 doesnt mean its a 2015 engine, its still a 1981 engine. And its not very hard to find issues in engines using the wrong oils.

Sir i agree with the above points, but the op has querry to shift to SJ grade after using SN. So the question is diesel oil 15W40 e.g delo gold or a gasoline oil 15w40 SJ would provide better protection to engine as both oils would have high ZDDP compared to SM SN oils but which is better to go with?

[tintin1]

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[junaidmahmood]

You can use SN grade without any problem. All these grades are backwards compatible. SN is newer than SJ and therefore will offer more protection. You need to check the viscosity requirement from the user manual of Mehran. ZiC A+ is a thin oil and will increase the noise a bit, however you need to pour the oil with correct viscosity as mentioned in the manual.

[ahmedfaraz143]

After suggestion of senior and respected members of this fourm like @zainmahdi @ahmedraja1996 @nightshade and @xulfiqar i have shifted to SGO ultimate (10-40 API SG) from Zic A+. Wanna share results.
Ride is driven 800km after oil change bt noice from engine is increased not reduced as expected , there is a minor effect on acceleration it comes down. No reduction in oil.
So now how to reduce engine noice?

Regards

[ahmedfaraz143]

After suggestion of senior and respected members of this fourm like @zainmahdi @xulfiqar @ahmedraja1996 and @nightshade i shifted from Zic A+ to SGO Premium (10w-40 API SG). Waana share results.
Ride is driven 800km after oil change.
Engine Noise is increased not reduced as excepted.
Acceleration is a bit down.
No reduction in oil.

Now how to reduce engine noise as engine is too calm before shifting to ZicA+?

[kiransap]

Which engine oil for vehicle is best
havoline , shell , total