Switching to lighter oil for winter

[herring]

Where I live it's not easy to plug in my block heater. Starting my car last winter when it got down in the 20s wasn't easy, and the valves were properly adjusted. One of the things I'm thinking about doing is putting lighter weight oil in for the cold months. I currently have Rotella 15W40 (dino) in it. I don't want to use synthetic oil as the car already has a tendency to drip, I'm afraid it would be a fountain with synthetic oil. I've tried synthetic oils in the Rodeo and experienced both leaking and burning which I don't with dino oil.

So, I want to lower the first viscosity number (15), but there are no diesel-rated oils lower than 15 except synthetic.

I've thought of 2 things:
1. A good 10W40 gasser oil (Castrol GTX) with some expensive ZDDP additive (zddplus). This still wouldn't have much in the way of detergents or soot control, though.
2. A 50-50 blend of 15W40 Rotella and some 0W30 gasser oil. This would be a 7.5W35 mixture, and would still contain half the diesel agents (ZDDP, detergents, soot control). *Note: people elsewhere have told me that oil viscosities don't mix like this--blending a quart of 0W20 and a quart of 10W30 would not produce two quarts of 5W25, is this true?*

Which do you think would be better for the engine (which will probably only go 2,500 miles between this oil change and the next one in spring)?

 

[simple_gifts]

FYI; There are 10W-30 dino diesel rated oils.

Call Reit Lubes in Warminster and see if they have Delo 10W-30

 

[JHZR2]

you might look for some rotella 10w-30, as that has the setup that you'd want.

Keep that 240D chugging!!!

JMH

 

[Taylor]

nice car! my step dad just bought an 83' 380sl from AZ he has only driven it once from one shop to another! lol nice cars though. anyways I just dumped some 0w-40 mobil 1 in it. should be good for the winter as its shears to a high 30

 

[Audi Junkie]

Some normal gas oils carry light diesel specs, like Mobil Clean 5000. Should be ok for your old car. I'd look into a high-miles 10w-40, they have higher additive levels like diesel oils.

 

[Doug Hillary]

Hi,
herring - Shell market Rotella SB (synthetic blend) in 10W-30 and 10W-40 viscosities - either would do the job
As AJ has said Mobil's product is OK too

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Some normal gas oils carry light diesel specs, like Mobil Clean 5000. Should be ok for your old car. I'd look into a high-miles 10w-40, they have higher additive levels like diesel oils.


Id avoid that for an OM 616 engine, as they soot load at a rate of about 0.7%/5000 miles. Fairly high loading for a non-diesel add pack.

If I as to go for an API CF add pack, Id try to ensure that my base fluid was tops - timing chain wear is roughly halved when going to mobil1 from dino oils in the OM 616/617 series engines.

That said, using a 10w-40 API CF PCMO for the winter only (december to february, say) with HDEO used the rest of the time surely wont be the end of the world...

Your car only has 307k miles though... there is lots of life left!


JMH

 

[Doug Hillary]

Hi,
JHZR2 - You are correct but the Poster does not want a synthetic. CF is a good and current API standard that embraces high sulphur levels and indirect injection

These engines tolerate up to 2% soot very well - and as you say with a good base fluid such as XHVI or the Delvac 1 they will go up to 3-4% without too much drama. Oil thickening "out of grade" is the worry

 

[Gary Allan]

Anyone want to approach his "leaking more with a synth" issue?

As far as the burning, I experienced consumption when switching to an older evolution of Rotella 5w-40. It passed with subsequent changes. Shell appears to have issues with bringing this oil to market in a timely manner. It has trailed the conventional by up over 6month in the past. Naturally, the conventional will be available for OEM production ..but the synth takes its time in availability ..sporting the antiquated spec's for a good bit.

 

[herring]

Thanks for everyone's input. Question: what is XHVI?
I will ask about Rotella 10W40 synthetic blend.

Maybe I will call the dealer and ask what they recommend.

 

[herring]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
I experienced consumption when switching to an older evolution of Rotella 5w-40. It passed with subsequent changes.


So, are you saying that they've done something with the formulation so that it's not as likely to burn/leak than synthetic oil normally is?

 

[Johnny]

herring, XHVI is the Group III base stock that Shell uses in their Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40. I think what Gary was talking about was that after the cleaning effects the consumption stopped. The Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 would be an excellent oil for your application, and you can get it at a good price at most Wal Marts.

 

[jaj]

Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
Hi,
herring - Shell market Rotella SB (synthetic blend) in 10W-30 and 10W-40 viscosities


I guess it depends on the market - here in Canada Rotella SB is available in 0w-30 CH-4, 5w-30 CF, 0w-40 CG-4 and 10w-40 CH-4. API service ratings are a tad behind the current levels.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

I have a '97 Rodeo that I've used Rotella synthetic 5w-40 in for the last 2yrs solid.

Love the stuff.

But, I do believe it's a tad thick on real cold Colorado mornings, that's the only time my truck ticks and twice last year, at around -10F, sounded horrible.

Don't care to use the Rotella in the winter again.

 

[addyguy]

There are some good HDEO 10W-30's - Rotella, obviously, but also Pennzoil Long-Life 10W-30, Delo 10W-30, and IF you can get it, Petro Canada makes a Duron 10w-30 with great specs...

Good luck!

 

[bullwinkle]

If you can find it reasonably cheaply, run Valvoline Synpower 10W30 Grp. III SM/CF rated synthetic-I ran Delvac 1/TDT 5W40 in my '82 2 winters ago, had some leaks but started OK-but the price for it now is outrageously high.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I feel that Rotella T 10W-30 should fit the bill for you perfectly... It has great cold flow abilities.

 

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
There are some good HDEO 10W-30's - Rotella, obviously, but also Pennzoil Long-Life 10W-30, Delo 10W-30, and IF you can get it, Petro Canada makes a Duron 10w-30 with great specs...

Good luck!


x2...PC makes excellent oils.

 

[bullwinkle]

I can tell you that 10W30 dino (at least in the Motorcraft Turbo Diesel brand) was a LOT thicker at cold temps than the 5W40 Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme synthetic (stealer changed it in the middle of the winter last year in the Ford 6.0). I hope your 240D's compression is better than my 300D's is-I have a hard time starting mine below 10* F. even with synthetic oil (unless plugged in, of course)