Oil specification

I posted this a few days ago in the Engines forum, but although 20 people have looked at it nobody's managed to give me a reply, so I'm hoping the folks in here will be more welcoming:

I love my TD4 Freelander dearly but I'm no techie; I have it serviced regularly and it gives me great reliability in return. As I don't do techie I don't mess - I keep my involvement under the bonnet to checking fluid levels every two weeks.

For the first time since I got it, I find the oil needs topping up. That's fine, that's within the sphere of even my competence - or is it? The first problem is that I can't get the oil cap off; its not just tight, it feels as though there is something stopping it from being removed. Being plastic I really don't want to use a wrench to turn it; does it lift up, or should it be pressed down or something before being turned? Or do I just need to show it the wrench and give it some welly? Its the square yellow one, if that helps.

The other question I wanted to ask is which oil should I use? I don't understand the difference in oil grades, and the handbook gives me a choice of grades ranging from 0W/30 to 10W/60; looking at this list I assume that for the temperature range we're likely to find in good old Brighton I should look for something like a 10W/30, but in the local Halfords there seems to be only a dozen different brands of 15W/40, each of which is said to conform to ACEA A2, whatever that means. The handbook states the oil should meet specification ACEA A3 or B3...

I realise that my Freelander is a 2004 model and the handbook reflects specifications that will have changed in the intervening years, but what current spec oil is good for this engine? Is 15W/40 OK, and should it be mineral oil or synthetic? Sorry to be asking such basic questions but with 107,000 miles on the clock the engine runs so sweetly that I don't want to do anything that might screw it up!

Hi. The oil cap always sticks solid. It turns anti-clockwise one 1/4 turn to remove it. If it's stiff then use some extra leverage.
Oil is an individual thing tbh. I always use Fuchs 5w40 full synthetic for the TD4. 5w30 is much to thin for an old engine and was only used to aid fuel economy.

I note your car as 107000 miles therefore I would use the oil below and at the moment they have a deal on, used on both my TD4 and R40 M47 engines, my personal choice
http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l...ine-oil/10w40-engine-oil/?521776011&0&cc5_245

Little bit cheaper at parent company at the moment using the code WEEKEND35
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...engine-parts/engine-oils/?521776011&0&cc5_245

10W-40

Asda had there own brand 5w40 full synthetic on offer last week. It cost £7.99 for 5 litres, yes that's right. 5 lts of full synth for under £8. Bargain or what.

You can ignore the test specifications these days. All modern oils far exceed the minimum spec requirement of the 15 year old + TD4 engine design.

Nodge68 said:

Asda had there own brand 5w40 full synthetic on offer last week. It cost £7.99 for 5 litres, yes that's right. 5 lts of full synth for under £8. Bargain or what.

You can ignore the test specifications these days. All modern oils far exceed the minimum spec requirement of the 15 year old + TD4 engine design.

Click to expand...

Now that was or is a very good bargain, off to Asda in the morning or even later if I am up late as per usual

Thank you guys - 10w40 it is - I ordered the 5 litre as described, complete with the discount! And thanks for the reassurance about the oil cap; I really thought there must be some sort of mechanical lock on it, but I'll put a pipe wrench on it and ease it off.

She might nearly 14 years and 107,000 miles old but I still get 38mpg which I think is pretty good for an almost two-tonne car with the aerodynamics of a breeze block. I love her to bits and just wanted to make sure I didn't do anything to **** her off!

It's heart warming to hear of a fellow freelanderer who is also in love with their Freelander and caring for it.