V70 D5 - Which engine oil (again !)

[Jools99]

Would be grateful if some can educate me – I have just purchased 2002 Volvo V70 D5 and first thing I want to do is change the oil & filter – I think the “spec“ from the Vovo recommendations very helpfully posted on here should be 5w-30 to ACEA A3/B3/B4
I do a search to see which oils fit this spec & find there’s a lot of others who have wondered the same thing !
The point for me is that I run my cars on “sensible” budget so expensive oils (more than £25/5l) are not my cup of tea.
And where it gets really puzzling is that several websites (Opie, Comma for example) recommend semi-synthetic oils (typically 10w-40) as well as fully synthetic ones - yet a lot of forum input says you should only use fully synthetic.
Doing my homework I see comma do a fully synthetic 5w-30 (X-tech) which is A5/B5 (which I understand is ok instead A3/B3/B4) – this is available at a sensible price and I plan to change it once every 5k – 7k miles (once a year at longest).
So please can anyone explain the differences of opinion and put me out of my misery ?!
Should I use only fully synthetic and if so is the comma worth it given it’s admittedly at the bottom end of the fully synthetics ?
Thanks for any input

Jools

[Brendan W]

0-30 is the recommended oil for the D5 , fully synthetic, which can run for 18000 miles in the right regime. The A5/B5 is for extended drain 18k , which is probably fine if you are changing every six months.TBH I think you are being a bit hard on your pocket buying a fully syn and changing so often , unless that interval is your annual mileage. I would buy 3 or better , fully syn and change at 12mo/12k whichever comes first.This allows buying a more expensive oil which generally will have a more sophisticated and longer lasting additive package.

[Thassos]

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=112504

[chrismerriman63]

HALFORDS are currently selling castol magnatec 10w40 semisyth for £17.50 for 4litres.This is 2nd on castrols recommended list fot the D5

[Jools99]

Thank you all for your input - I read thru the threads - V interesting and again highlights there doesn't appear to be a single answer.....

anyway - literally went straight to local Halfords to take advantage of their offer - but once again confusion reigned !
At my local branch in Yeovil they had 10w-40 semi-syn but also 5w-30 fully syn and when I looked closely at the 5w-30 containers they had different specs - some were A1 and some were A3/B3, A3/B4 (for Vauxhall & Opel petrol & diesel) - anyway after all the reading I've done a 5w-30 fully syn A3/B3, A3/B4 seems to fit the bill so that's what's going in (this time !).

I've not had a V70 before and one of my frustrations was finding out the oil capacity means you need two cans - whereas all my previous cars only needed one.
So an oil change that used to cost £20 in oil was looking like £80 if I went for the upmarket stuff.

Hence the need for info.

Many thanks to chrismerriman63 for the Halfords steer.

Anyone any thoughts on the Comma X-tech ?

cheers - Jools

[toolbah]

I have always used Comma oils and have recently started to use the X-Tech Ford spec A5/B5 in my 2.5T with no issues at all. And its only £24 for 5lt
Its used in the Focus ST and RS's of which both are Volvo turbo engines.

[S60-MBS]

Volvos recomendationsa have changed again along with Castrols. For our D5's it used to be 0W30 now its between 5W30 and 5W40.

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I am not sure of what Dealers are using right now as according to an email from my dealers (quoted below) they also use Shell Helix.

" The fuel filter is 31261191 £26.80 less 30%
As far as the oil goes, the original requirements were for a 0W30 fully synthetic oil which is the number you suggest. But Volvo now recommend a Fully synthetic 5W30. I dont think Volvo list a 5W30 and say we should use either Castrol or Shell. We ourselves use Shell Helix which I could do for £14.99 a litre less 15% + vat you would need about 6.5 Litres."

[outnumbered]

have you a handbook it will tell you in there what spec.
mike