Oil
Engine Oil
The factory recommended oil was Oliofiat VS + Quattro Stagioni (SAW 15W/40)
Gearbox Oil
The factory recommended oil is Oliofiat ZC90 (SAE 80W/90 oil - not EP)
Enthusiast's Opinions
Robert Mose
I used Rotella 15-40, and woudl advise just about everyone too use it. But let me at least tell you why.The HD Diels 15W-40 products have a High Temperature High Shear (HTHS) rating that is similar to the ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4 and C3 ratings. Plus, the ZDDP has been reduced making it safe for Cats and O2 sensor. Some guys think being a diesel 15W-40 oil is why the cams last longer,becuase it had hgiher ZDDP freaked when it was reduced,but the real difference is the HTHS and similar requirements.
SAE xx rates oil viscosity at 100C/212F
SAE xxW rates oil viscosity at one temperature that is well below zero but varies depending on the rating (IE: -35)
HTHS rates oil viscosity and shear at 150C/302F
All SAE 0W-30,5W-30,10W-30,0W-40,5W-40 and 10W-40 ratings have the exact same minimum HTHS requirements. (2.9 at 150C/302F) . So a 10W-40 is NOT necessarily any thicker at 150C than a 0W-30.
An SAE 0W-30 that is also ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4 or C3 approved has a minimum HTHS requirement of 3.5 at 150C/302F
So an ACEA A3/B4 approved SAE 0W-30 is actually required to be much thicker at 150C/302F and provide far better HTHS shear protection than an SAE 10W-40 that is not ACEA A3/B4 approved is required to provide. YES, a 0W-30 can be thicker than a 10W-40!!!
SAE 15W-40 has special requirements that exceed the individual "15W" and "40". The include a minimum HTHS of 3.7 at 150C/302F.
Typical SAE 10W-40 and SAE 20W-50 products are discouraged by virtually EVERY OEM and they are not approved by any OEM for use in modern cars. So, many oil companies that make them use their cheapest base stocks in these products and the result is inferior protection when compared to other modern oil products. These 10W-40 and 20W-50 products do NOT share the ZDDP limits that the more common ILSAC approved 5W-30 and 5W-20 products have, but the absence of those strict ZDDP limits in 10W-40 and 20W-50 has not shown any real advantage in camshaft protection (or anything else).
The ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4 or C3 ratings will insure that the oil provides good protection under HTHS conditions. You can find these ratings in the Castrol Syntec 0W-30, Mobil 1 0W-40, Valvoline Synpower 5W-40 and other similar products. These products will be thin enough to allow the flow required to flush away abrasives and will still provide the required high temperature high sheer protection. I like Rotella. It fits.
You will NOT find that approval in Mobil 1 5W-30, Mobil 1 10W-30, Mobil 1 0W-30, Castrol Syntec 5W-30, Valvoline Synpower 5W-30 or other seemingly similar products. These are NOT the correct oil products for with flat tappet lifters, like the Land Rover V8
BRAND MEANS NOTHING!!!!!!!! If you turn the bottle over and it does not say that it is ACEA A3/B3 (or A3/B4, or C3) approved, then it does NOT meet that approval!
So, using Mobil 1 is NOT the answer, using Castrol Syntec is NOT the answer, and using Valvoline Synpower is NOT the answer. Only certain products within those lines (and others) meet the requirements.
Anything that has ANY of the following approvals will NOT meet the requirements you need to protect the 1960s Tech, flat tappet lifters engine that Land Rover Used:
ACEA A1/B1, A5/B5, C1, C2 GM 6094M, 4718M ILSAC GF-4
The choice is yours. I like Rotella