Alaskan Sea-Duction
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2012
- Messages
- 8,084
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Alaskan Sea-Duction
- Vessel Make
- 1988 M/Y Camargue YachtFisher
well too late!! LOL
I have a 14 year old Volvo TAMD41P-A 6 cyl. 200 HP turbo diesel engine in my Camano. The manual recommends 15W-40 diesel engine oil. !
"NOTE: Multi-grade oils (such as SAE 15W-40) are recommended for year-round use in Cummins Onan liquid-cooled engines, or as a good all-season oil for air-cooled engines.
NOTE: SAE-30 is the preferred summer grade for optimum oil consumption control in Cummins Onan air-cooled engines."
and per the attached chart still show 30W for warm climate use.
I have a 14 year old Volvo TAMD41P-A 6 cyl. 200 HP turbo diesel engine in my Camano. The manual recommends 15W-40 diesel engine oil. The Synthetics I have seen on the market (Mobil 1, Shell's Rotella, etc.) for diesels seem to be mostly 5W-40. Are these lower cold pour synthetics compatible with older engines like mine? Does anyone know of authoritative articles on this subject?
It seems like using a synthetic with higher temperature tolerance, fewer contaminants than mineral oil, and better initial flow when starting up engines that experience longer time segments between use seem to make sense, while having the same high temperature viscosity as mineral oils. Seems like there should be some research literature out there, including recommendations from engine manufacturers. Goal, of course, is engine longevity, not searching for better mileage at the risk of higher engine wear. I welcome good research and recommendations from authoritative sources!
Thanks!
In a WalMart for stuff and grub and looked at their oil display, and bigger than life was Shell Rotella T6 full synthetic 15W-40.
Nomad Willy said:At some point a synthetic would have no VI at all yet the “oil” would have a multi-vis rating because synthetic oil is more stable as temperature changes.
It is well to remember that Ford Lehman engines were developed well before the widespread use of multi-grade oils. Using SAE 30 grade oil in a Lehman is fine. But, using it ignores the benefits of multi-grade oil, that is, far better cold start-up lubrication with equally good operating temp lube ability.
I think this is key.
Also, 50 years ago, the wear at start up was not as well understood. That's why ALL engine manufacturers now recommend multi weight oils.
Yes, the additives are better also.
Abundant natural gas may mean more synthetic content in lube oil due to market pressures. Backward from what might have been expected in recently past years. Good enough is probably better than ever.
Problem solved. The last thing I expected was to find the syn just by walking into WalMart....
Yup. Here’s an oil discussion from a gear head who has done a lot of testing of oils and other stuff. It’s long but worth the read imho.
https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/motor-oil-wear-test-ranking/
There are two Delo formulas. Delo 100 for 2 stroke engines and Delo 400 for 4 stroke engines. Which formula purchased was not mentioned. JohnDeere was mentioned so that would require Delo 400.
API FA-4 oils will provide similar improvements over CJ-4 oils, but it is important to note that FA-4 oils are only intended for use in newer on-highway diesel engines. FA-4 oils will have limited or no backward compatibility with on- and off-highway diesel engines where engine manufacturers recommended CJ-4. While not specifically backward compatible, FA-4 oils are expected to play an important role in some current and new diesel engines by protecting those engines and at the same time helping them meet more stringent emissions requirements.
Curious - is there such a thing as an active on-engine viscosity meter for those of us simpletons of modest budget? (I am sure they likely have these on large ships, but I am not that.)