1300 GT Junior oil quantity

[Mike_GTV_74]

Hi, can anyone tell me the correct amount of oil to use in my 1970 1300 GT Junior?

Also I was told to use 20W50, is that correct? Are there any brands that are preferred for Alfa Romeos (I typically use Kendall GT1 20W50 in my other classics)?

Many thanks,

Mike

[Bertonemorten]

Around 7 litres, I usually buy 2 x 4 L which is the common size of oil containers where I live. According to AR 10W/40 should be OK, I use 5W/50 mobil 1 to get lower viscosity at low temeperatures and a little higher oil pressure when hot. My engine has been rebuild so I use synthetic. Oil consumption is around 0,1 L / 10000 km.

[Peter]

I think 20W50 is a preferred weight, but also read this thread about Zinc content:
changes in oil formulations and classic cars

[Mike_GTV_74]

Thanks guys. I was surprised to read that the quantity is almost 7 liters! Does the car have a really deep oil pan?

It looks like the only redily available 20W50 in my area is Castrol GTX, so I guess that will have to do.

[marco246]

Using 20W-50 weight oils in vintage Alfas is an article of faith, even though you'd be hard put to find that grade of oil specified in any Alfa owner's handbook. E.g., the owner's manual for my '71 1750 recommends 20W-40 but also lists 10W-30 and 10W-20W-40 (an obsolete specification), presumably for use in cooler temperatures. My '74 2000 specified 10W-50.

My owner's manual for the '71 specifies an oil pressure of 50-70 psi with a hot engine "running fast." I have found that 10W-30 won't give me that, but 15W-40 will. If your engine is quite worn, you may find you need a 20W-50 to provide adequate oil pressure.

Modern oils do a better job of not shearing down than they used to. E.g., the 10W-50 oils specified in the mid-70s were conventional rather than synthetic, and they wouldn't be in use very long before shearing down to a 40 or even a 30 weight. Smart owners (of which I was not one) knew this and used a more robust oil--20W-50--than specified.

So what's the point of this discourse? Just to say that you certainly can use a 20W-50 motor oil without harming your engine, but that--oil pressure permitting--a lower viscosity will do just as well and will provide a slightly better fuel economy, slightly reduced resistance to revving to higher rpms, and a slightly faster warm-up of the engine to operating temperature (and thus less engine wear).

One last thing: there is a great deal of hand-wringing about falling levels of ZDDP (a zinc and phosphorus compound) in motor oils and how this is not good for our older engines. I don't know who or what to believe. But if you use heavy duty engine oils (mixed fleet oils for gas and diesel vehicles) you can finesse the whole issue until the truth emerges. These oils are generally available in grades 10W-30, 5W-40, and 15W-40 and they have plenty of ZDDP. Good brands are Shell Rotella T and Chevron Delo, and there are others.

[GTV4EVR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marco246 Using 20W-50 weight oils in vintage Alfas is an article of faith, even though you'd be hard put to find that grade of oil specified in any Alfa owner's handbook. E.g., the owner's manual for my '71 1750 recommends 20W-40 but also lists 10W-30 and 10W-20W-40 (an obsolete specification), presumably for use in cooler temperatures. My '74 2000 specified 10W-50.

[marco246]

GTV4EVR,

Thanks for setting the record straight. But would you please take another look at your '69 owner's manual? The reason I ask is that I have a copy on CD which appears to be for the injected 1750 U.S.-spec series (Berlina, GTV and Spider) cars for 1969, but it doesn't have the date on it. The folks who made the disc (CarDisc International, Ltd., 2004) claim the manual is for 1969, and it does contain a boat-tailed rather than a Kamm-tailed spider. So my assumption was it's for a '69. Anyway, page 57 provides the oil specification, and it is for 20W-40, NOT 20W-50.

The CD also contains an owner's manual for a '69 Euro-spec 1750 Berlina, and on page 31 it specifies a 20W-40 weight oil.

The CD has also a 1971 owner's manual which matches my original.

So we have a little bit of a mystery, which does not alter my point that you can use a variety of modern oils in these old cars, depending on your druthers. I'd term the use of a 20W-50 as "old school" in most cases, but as I'm fast approaching 60 years old, that label is not meant to be offensive. Best wishes. . . .

[GTV4EVR]

I bought the car in February 1969 in Montreal. Canada got Euro spec cars. My Owners manual is for a Berlina and a GTV insert was included. You are correct, on page 31 it shows 20W-40. Earlier today, I saw 20W-50 but someone must have snuck in and changed it

[Chsmadden]

Off the top of my head, I don't know the quantity. But I use Redline 10W30 and the car runs like a good swiss watch.

[Chris1750]

1300 & 1600 sumps hold 11.2 imperial pints (~ 13.4 US pints, ~ 6.2 litres) including the oil filter.
1750 & 2000 sumps hold 11.6 imperial pints (~ 13.9 US pints, ~ 6.5 litres) including the oil filter.
Chris