Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil?

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Sat 7 Aug 2010 08:16
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Waino

I've done just over 5,000 miles in the Astra 1.3 diesel estate that I mentioned on here 4 or 5 months ago and I must get round to posting a review. So far, it hasn't needed an oil top-up, but I am at a loss in finding the correct spec oil to use when it is needed. The 'Owner's Manual' says that I should refer to the 'Service Booklet', whilst the 'Service Booklet' suggests that I should refer to the 'Owner's Manual'. The (main dealer) entries in the Service Booklet state simply 5/30 used, but with no more information than that, and I came across one website that mentioned 5/40 though I'm not sure of the reliability of that one.

Can anyone suggest the correct spec oil to use, or a reliable website that could give the answer?

Many thanks, Waino

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Sat 7 Aug 2010 09:02
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Victorbox

If it's had Vauxhall dealer servicing it will probably be 5W/30 fully synthetic longlife Vauxhall oil as here http://tinyurl.com/36sa4j4 This stuff is very good and cheaper than Castrol etc as they sell it in 5 litre cans not 4 litres. Even cheaper if you buy off eBay in bulk. You can go to Halfords and buy specific diesel engine oil which supposedly has more detergent in it but I bet the VX dealers just use one grade of oil and charge you about £50 for 4 litres at service time!

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Sat 7 Aug 2010 11:06
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - dervdave

Hi Waino, look forward to how you find the 1.3 CDTi

Put your details in here to find the oil you need

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/iframe.do?category**=9024084&contentId=7044829

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Sun 8 Aug 2010 11:14
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Waino

Thanks for the replies, chaps. I sometimes get the feeling that car manufacturers are being as deliberately vague about oils as banks are about interest rates , or energy suppliers about fuel pricing!

The GM fully synthetic 5W30 at £19.99 for 5 litres looks a pretty good bet [rrp £40.80 + vat ???]. I just hope the suppliers are sufficiently trustworthy not to have substituted it with cod liver oil or worse in the original container.

Castrol appear to be recommending 'Edge' (hellishly expensive), though it's a 0W30 spec; I'm not sure how this squares up with the 5W30. I might just call in at the dealers as I'm passing and ask what they've been using.

I'll have a word with my local friendly motor factor during the week - he can generally do things at a good price. I always like to keep a ready supply of oil in the garage for topping up though I don't think there's any great rush. I checked the oil again yesterday and, after 5,000 miles, there had been no drop at all in the level.

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Sun 8 Aug 2010 13:08
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - MrDanno

Our local car shop sells the GM brand oils about 55% cheaper than Vauxhall. Your car should use Fully synth 5/30 as had already been said. Carlube brand oil is available from your nearest ECP motor factor for about £25 per 5 litres.

Your car should hold about 3.5 litres if your doing an oil change, If your just topping up maybe buy a 1 litre bottle?

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Sun 8 Aug 2010 18:10
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - bimmer-driver

As said 5/30 fully synthetic carrying the GM LLA-025 longlife grade.

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Sun 8 Aug 2010 19:54
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Dynamic Dave

As said 5/30 fully synthetic carrying the GM LLA-025 longlife grade.

There are two 5/w/30 LongLlife oils.

GM LLA-025 is meant for petrol engines.

GM LLB-025 is for diesel engines.

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 08/08/2010 at 19:56

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Mon 9 Aug 2010 10:14
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - bimmer-driver

The vast majority branded as one are suitable for the other aswell.

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Mon 9 Aug 2010 10:17
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Waino

This is where I have some difficulty as none of this detail is specified in the handbook.

The GM oil advertised in the ebay link above appears to cover both GM LLA-025 and GM LLB-025 specifications in the one oil product. Am I interpreting this correctly?

Thanks

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Mon 9 Aug 2010 11:00
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Dynamic Dave

This is where I have some difficulty as none of this detail is specified in the handbook.

Having just looked in an Astra handbook, I can assure you the info is there. Oil specification is mentioned in all Vx handbooks - has been for as long as I can remember.

It also used to be on the Vx website, but since their recent update on their website they've not included it, or their handbooks, or service interval schedule info.

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Mon 9 Aug 2010 11:34
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Waino

Having just looked in an Astra handbook, I can assure you the info is there. Oil specification is mentioned in all Vx handbooks - has been for as long as I can remember.

DD, I am looking at a half-inch thick, 355 page tome entitled 'Owner's Manual Astra, Operation, Safety and Maintenance'. The only reference that I can find to oil spec is on p298 where it says 'ENGINE OIL Information on engine oils is found in the Service Booklet'. Which page are you looking at? This particular handbook claims to be the July 2006 edition and carries the number TS 1612-A-07

The booklet entitled' Service and Warranty' contains no information either.

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Mon 9 Aug 2010 14:41
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Waino

Whilst in town this morning, I called in at the Vauxhall dealers to find out what oil they had been using during servicing. It was the 5W/30 as suggested by Victorbox above. The chap said that they use it for everything short of drizzling it on their salads.

Their price was £7.80ish for a litre , or £19.62 (inc vat) for 5 litres which I thought was pretty good for fully synthetic oil and so I bought 5 litres. As it is used for petrols and diesels, I guess I can use it to top-up Mrs W's 1.6 petrol Focus as well.

I would endorse the commonly expressed view on this website - don't always assume that the main dealer price will be a rip-off, you may be pleasantly surprised.

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Mon 9 Aug 2010 19:31
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Dynamic Dave

DD, I am looking at a half-inch thick, 355 page tome entitled 'Owner's Manual Astra, Operation, Safety and Maintenance'. The only reference that I can find to oil spec is on p298 where it says 'ENGINE OIL Information on engine oils is found in the Service Booklet'. Which page are you looking at? This particular handbook claims to be the July 2006 edition and carries the number TS 1612-A-07

The booklet entitled' Service and Warranty' contains no information either.

Having just looked in a July 2007 handbook, I have to agree with you, the info isn't there. In both an older and newer handbook it is mentioned though. I take it the dealer didn't write the grade of oil used in the relevant space in the service book when it was serviced either? They should of done so that you could refer to it to know what they used so you could use the same oil for topping up purposes.

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Mon 9 Aug 2010 21:56
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - Waino

Having just looked in a July 2007 handbook, I have to agree with you, the info isn't there. In both an older and newer handbook it is mentioned though. I take it the dealer didn't write the grade of oil used in the relevant space in the service book when it was serviced either? They should of done so that you could refer to it to know what they used so you could use the same oil for topping up purposes.

The car didn't come with a service book - but it had always been serviced to schedule by the same dealer. He obtained a duplicate book for me and, referring to his records, stamped it up to date. In the space for each service stamp was hand-written '5w30' - and that's all. The reason I made further enquiries was because, as I understand it, not all 5w30 oils are the same. I had always used 5w30 in the old Mondeo and in my wife's Focus, both petrols, and I had no idea whether a later diesel would require the same, or a different spec product.

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Wed 11 Aug 2010 01:19
Vauxhall Astra 1.3tdci - Suitable oil? - 1litregolfeater

Until recently Vauxhall had a page on their website that told you what oil they recommended, and now they don't.

This should tell you something, but what, I dunno.

Either they don't know themselves, or have been having so many oil-related catastrophes they have given up.

Or maybe they just want your money, they won't tell you point blank, you have to take it to a garage, they take all your money.

The question is - fully synth 5/40 or fully synth 5/30, which will prove to have worked best after 200,000 or 300,000 miles.

Obviously you need to change it before whatever they recommend. Halving seems to be a good rule of thumb, but dividing by a quarter is probably better.

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