What oil?

myselfnjit · #1 12-09-2009, 08:25 AM

Just changed the oil with the usual 15-40 but got to thinking up here in the cold NY winters, should I use something else?
What does everyone use/ recommend?

Steve

Jason · #2 12-09-2009, 09:15 AM

You should be using diesel rated synthetic like 5w-40. I'm using 5w-40 blue bottle Rotella as its the least expensive of the diesel sythetic 5-40s. The engine seems to quite out quickly in the cold weather and the cold flow characteristics are much better than the 15w-40. The 5-40 can be run in the summer to, but if you want to run a 15-40 you should still run synthetic.

Jason

myselfnjit · #3 12-09-2009, 05:14 PM

Well that sure is going to bring the price of an oil change up!!
I change mine often so I guess it will be synth next time.
Question though: Will synth leak more? I have some pretty good seapage right now that I would hate to make worse.

Steve

v8volvo · #4 12-09-2009, 08:17 PM

15W40 non-synthetic is the worst thing you could possibly run in the wintertime, especially in NY where the weather gets cold. It guarantees rapid engine wear.

In a D24T the oil should ALWAYS be synthetic, and in the wintertime it had better be 5W30 or 5W40. I am running AMSoil Series 3000 5W30 this winter and used it last summer as well, though I'll probably switch to their 5W40 or 15W40 next summer.

It brings the price up at oil change time, but since you only need to change it about 1/3 as often the overall price ends up about the same. How often are you changing it now? Every 7500-10,000 miles is fine if you are running a high-quality synthetic. Rotella Syn is good stuff but it's toward the bottom of the chain. Mobil 1 Delvac is good, Lubro-Moly makes some good stuff, and AMSoil is the best but it does get expensive. Anything that is synthetic, rated for diesel use (capable of handling soot and high temps), and the right viscosity range will be better than what you are running now. Use a good filter as well -- Mann, Mahle, or WIX. Do not use a Fram or other low-budget filter. Cheap crappy filters are false economy -- the few bucks extra you spend getting a quality filter will save you thousands in the long run.

Synthetic will NOT make the engine leak more. That is a myth that arose in the 1980s with very early primitive synthetic oils. It has not been an issue for decades, but somehow the myth hangs on. It is false. Synthetic will do nothing but good for your engine, in every way.

myselfnjit · #5 12-10-2009, 04:10 AM

I change every 3-4k because I run WVO in the car and dont want any Veg that might happen to make it into the crankcase to polymerize.

Well I just changed the oil...
Cant afford another one right now but when I can I guess it will be a 5w30 or 5w40 synth.

Jason · #6 12-10-2009, 04:29 AM

The blue bottle Rotella is a good oil, ya maybe not as good as Amsoil, but its still a full synthetic. Wal-mart has it for $19 a gallon. With your veg oil thing going on, you could still push the oil change interval to say 5000 miles. It will still be better for your engine. I change mine every 5000 but I also run the crap out of may car and blow smoke constantly so it gets pretty sooted up!

Jason