ZS Oil Change

2690 Views 24 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Kelvin Fagan, Feb 27, 2002

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · Jan 23, 2002

In the owners handbook for the ZS it reccomends a 10w/40 oil min specification ACEA A2.
I want to change the oil and use a semi/synthetic brand,ive always been a fan of Mobile 1 but i think its to thin to put in the ZS.
has anyone got a opinion/suggestions?
thanks kev

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Anthracite

· #2 · Jan 23, 2002

Mobil1 is 0W/40 so should be fine. My understanding is tha the 0 indicates that it is thinner when cold - which is obviously a good thing as this is when most wear occurs - while the 40 indicates that it will be just as thick as 10W/40 when hot. In fact, due to synthetic oils having fewer viscosity improvers, they generally stay thicker at high temperatures for longer than semi- and non-synthetics.

YMMV, of course, but my ZS180 will be getting Mobil1 at the first opportunity and, quite probably, Red Line in the gearbox. Speaking of which, does anyone know whether the gearbox is designed to allow the oil to be changed or just to be topped up?

S.

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 23, 2002

Thanks for that .S.
ive never seen a anthracite ZS ,got a photo?

Anthracite

· #4 · Jan 24, 2002

ive never seen a anthracite ZS ,got a photo?

'Fraid not, though I might see if I can borrow a digital camera off someone at work. However, you can't see the paint for the muck off the road at the mo'.

You can take it from me, it looks fantastic when it's clean.

S.

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 24, 2002

Ive just seen one this morning in chelmsford,had the little spoiler on which didn't look quite right IMHO

Anthracite

· #6 · Jan 24, 2002

had the little spoiler on which didn't look quite right IMHO

I have to agree. I was thinking of going the small spoiler route - not particularly being a fan of the ironning board - but I was fortunate enough to see a ZS180 waiting for its PDI with the small spoiler.

I don't feel that it suits the shape of the car at all.

S.

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 24, 2002

its only the 4 door saloon i dont like the little spoiler on,the hatchback looks cool with a little one.

JLD

· #8 · Jan 24, 2002

I agree, IMHO the small spoiler suits the 5 door ZS but looks out of place on the 4 door.

Anthracite

· #9 · Jan 25, 2002

I've yet to see the 5-door in the flesh so I can't comment. In fact I've only seen one other ZS on the road but all the cars awaiting PDI in the dealers I visited were 4-door - all bar one with the picnic table.

Seen several ZRs around here and actually more ZTs than ZSs.

S.

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 3, 2002

Ive changed the oil today on my 180 and i dont know if other owners have experianced erratic dip stick readings but i have.
this morning i checked it after laying idle all night it read overfull,i then stuck it in waited a while then checked again and it read minimum bearly.
after i'd emptied the oil i measured it,including what was in the filter at 4.3 ltrs.
my handbook says the oil capacity is 5.2 ltrs.
the car has done 8,000 miles and in that time ive added 1 ltr.
i will check again later to see what the new oil is reading.

JLD

· #11 · Feb 3, 2002

Added about half a litre today to my 120 - mileage 3300.

Checked the wifes ZR 105 - still reading max at 1600 miles.

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 3, 2002

I am sure the ZS uses the PG1 gearbox, in which case changing the oil is relatively easy.

These boxes don't use gear oil like the smaller box found on the 1.4 and 1.6 K series motors, they use 10/40 engine oil.

Actually, Rover dealers sell a very good oil which was specified for the 220 turbos which used the same toughened PG1 box.

Someone told me this oil is fully synth 10W40 made specially for them.

Don't know how true that is but I know that it offers more protection, hence the reason them using it on those 200 BHP ones.

Matt.

cerbman

· #13 · Feb 17, 2002

kevin neal said:
Thanks for that .S.
ive never seen a anthracite ZS ,got a photo?

£13,495, what a bargain.

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Aston MARTIN

· #14 · Feb 24, 2002 (Edited)

Gear box oil

The gear box oil used on PG1 gearboxes IS NOT 10/40 based engine oil but MTF 94 which should be available at the dealers. Also their is a oil fill/level plug on the side of the box just above the drain plug allowing you to change your g/b oil.

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 24, 2002

Martin,

Is that the same stuff that I was talking about that went into the 220 turbo's Torsen diff PG1???

PG1 boxes on all 820's (except blown ones) and 420's specify 10W/40 engine oil. I have a Rover technicians service manual for the 800 series from 1994 which says so.

Matt.

Anthracite

· #16 · Feb 25, 2002

220 turbo's Torsen diff PG1

Ooh! Now a torsen diff would be very would be neat. Did Rover fit a torsen as standard on the 220 Turbo? Is it a reasonably robust unit? If so, I must have a chat with my dealer!

S.

Ex-Member

Discussion Starter · #17 · Feb 25, 2002

Oh yes.

All 220 turbo's/420 turbos, 620 ti's and 800 Vitesse Sport 200PS had a torsen diff. As did the R200 BRM.

A hard driven T series turbo will eat through the gearbox casing where the diff sits, leading to the diff moving around and eventually noise and the drive shaft popping out. Around 100K in my experience.

The top of the gearbox casing is stamped with a T to identify these tougher boxes with a better diff!!!

Later boxes >97 were revised and a lot better. However, I imagine that in the end the tremendous torque this lump produced will do the same just at a higher mileage.

However ones I have driven with this later box, the linkeage and box feels a lot tighter at higher mileages.

Whoosh chuff!! ; - )

Matt.

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Nick Young

· #18 · Feb 25, 2002

Matt,

Hate to disagree with you, but I don't think that all 620ti models had the torsen diff.

There, someone is bound to prove me wrong now I've said that!

Anthracite

· #19 · Feb 26, 2002

Matt Hicks said:
All 220 turbo's/420 turbos, 620 ti's and 800 Vitesse Sport 200PS had a torsen diff. As did the R200 BRM.

Spoke to my friendly MGR dealer yesterday who claimed that, in the 800 turbo that he is currently driving, the torsen diff doesn't make much difference.

Doesn't sound right - a torsen diff is a torsen diff after all, so should be able to divert 5 times the torque of the wheel with the least grip to the wheel with the most. Does anyone here agree with him, would putting one in a ZS be pointless?

On a more practical note, does anyone one know if changing the diff would be a fairly straightforward operation? I assume it "just" drops out the bottom of the 'box. If, however, it means dropping out the gearbox and stripping the whole thing down, the idea is going to be a non-starter.

S.

Aston MARTIN

· #20 · Feb 26, 2002 (Edited)

Torsen diff !

The idea of just slipping a torsen differential straight in is a non starter! The t/diff replaces the standard diff in your gear box and requires a complete strip down. Also did you enquire on a price for one of these diffs? That may also make you think again unless you could source a 2nd hand box cheap enough!

GEAR BOX OIL!
Matt i hav'nt manage to find my notes on gear box's/oil but when i do i'll let you know!

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