I figured I'd chime in with a "noob experience" also, reinforcing Don and Larry's 20w-50 mandate. I'm new to Jags, but not new to cars.

I'm in Minnesota, and picked up my '93 XJ40 in November. For the first oil change, I listened to the auto parts store guy (don't do this.) He was extremely confident in his impression that the car needed 5w-20, so that's what I bought. She smokes on startup quite a bit now. It's unbecoming of such a fine automobile.

I don't have many miles on this change, but I'll definitely be doing the oil again soon. I just don't trust that I'm getting the lubrication I need with oil that's this light. 20w-50, for sure. Even if the car sees winter duty, I don't think I'd go lighter than 10w-40 based on what I've seen so far.

 

1 qt. Yearly w/ change of filter every 2k .
91 xj40 sovereign 150k miles never burns or used oil as log verified since 3000mls. castrol 20w50
information missing

 

Well this ones back from the dead, my last post being 7 years ago. Since I still own the car I’ll chime back in.

Im still using 15-40 and usually in the brand that Walmart has. Oils have improved so much since the car was built even the inexpensive stuff has to meet a standard that is higher than it was 25 years ago.

My car gets about 5k on it a year and has always burned oil especially in startup. So between changes it’s probably uses 7-8 qts in 5K.

Such is life.

 

I get my GTX 20-50 at Walmart or Canadian Tire when it's on sale, usually around $17 for the 5 litre jugs, reasonable!


Larry

 

Hmmmm... Have you tried the 20W-50 Jaguar recommends to see if the oil consumption may be reduced? That is a LOT of oil use!

 

That was my thought as well, I would be tempted to throw some ATF and actetone down the spark plugs just in case the rings are a bit gummed up. And a good quality additive in the oil prior to the next change to try to clean the system out? Just my 2c

 

Oil burning on startup will be from head and valves, burning 10 litres of oil in 5k is mad though, would smoke like a bad tractor and no amount of 20w-50 would improve that. I'd say you have a leak somewhere, even if its just while driving. Engine itself is relatively bullet proof and even if you driven it 5k with half the oil, it shouldn't go that bad

 

Believe it or not it only smokes on startup and just for a few seconds as I pull away in the morning or after it’s been sitting awhile. ( A little James Bond action if you will). It’s not some coal rolling diesel and leakage is minimal


I’ve had the car for 9 years from 135k to 210 and it’s been pretty consistent about the oil usage an I’m assuming it’s the typical Jag Valve seals. While I nice car on the inside the paint is bad and I can’t see putting that kind of money and time into for $40 in oil year.

I would go to a heavier oil but I think it would require a change in the fall as the temps here get pretty cold. And spinning over 50w in 20deg F temps is hard.

 

That's what I've been using too, Cary. I use mine for nice weather mainly, apart from the exercise I give it a weekly drive or so during Winter IF the roads are clear of snow, ice, AND especially salt!

I only use Castrol GTX and can't see why anyone would use anything else in one of these vehicles.

 

Quote ‘spinning over 50w in 20deg F temps is hard’



20w50 from what I understand is 20 when is cold and thickens up as it gets warm/hot

 

No engine oil thickens up as it gets warm/hot. The behavior of a multi-viscosity oil like 20W-50 is that its viscosity when cold is that of 20-weight, and when hot is that of 50-weight, but the viscosity of 50-weight oil when hot is still lower than that of 20-weight oil when cold, it's just not as low as that of 20-weight when hot, so it provides improved high-temperature protection for the engine. I'm sure if I took a few more minutes to recast that sentence I could make it even more unintelligible!

I ran Castrol GTX 20W-50 exclusively in our '93 XJ40, until our son took it to college in Indiana. I then switched to 10W-40 for the Indiana winters, but changed back to 20W-50 for summer. I noticed that if I left the 10W-40 in during the summer, oil seepage and consumption seemed to increase, and switching back to 20W-50 would slow things down again.

Cheers,

Don