Need oil advice for a long and demanding trip

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MD5

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Feb 14, 2008
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Italy
Hello,

I Kindly ask some advice about the most suitable lubricant to use for a long trip along 6500 miles / 40 days in the middle east and west Asia.

The trip will be a mix of long and flat highway path and plenty of road and off-road tracks. Fairly high ambient temp are expected across the entire trip. Diesel fuel quality will be poor due to high sulfur contents.
My car is a Land Rover Defender 4x4 vehicle powered by a Ford Duratorq 2.4 liters Diesel engine with cat and NO DPF. EGR is closed/disabled.

Oil service is planned every 12.000 miles or 1 year

Which of the following oils best suit my needs ? Whats your opinion about ?

FACTORY RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT = CASTROL MAGNATEC A1 5W-30
API SM/CF
ACEA A1/B1, A5/B5
Ford WSS-M2913A, B, C
Viscosity:
@ 40C = 54
@ 100C = 9.6
Viscosity Index 164
TBN = N/A

MOBIL DELVAC LE 5W-30
API CJ-4 / CI-4 PLUS / CI-4 / SN
ACEA E9 / E7 / E6
Viscosity:
@ 40C = 69
@ 100C = 11.8
Viscosity Index 168
TBN = 10

MOBIL 1 0W-40
API SN, SM, SL, SJ
ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4
Viscosity:
@ 40C = 75
@ 100C = 13.5
Viscosity Index 185
HTHS = 3.8
TBN = 11.8

About the high sulfur diesel fuel, do you believe that adding a fuel additive (like the one from Stanadyne) could in some way make it better ?

Thanking in advance for any advice.

Mario from Italy
 
I dont know about the newer, ford powered landies as much as the older mtdi stuff used in the forces and farms up and down the the country, I was going to pipe up with millers xfs 10w40 which is a stellar oil but maybe not best suited to the 2.4
Heck just go with recline 5w40 - they make the goodness
smile.gif
 
Evidently your engine/emission system does not require low ash oil. Of your choices I would use the highest TBN oil, Mobil 1 0W40. You might consider the ultimate, Mobil Delvac 1 SHC 5W40, TBN=16. It is available in Europe and the UK although I am not sure whether you can get it in 5L jugs or just a 20L container.
All the ACEA E4/MB228.5 oils are designed for high sulfur fuel, most are 10W40 or 5W30.
Most of the concern about "bad fuel" should be about high sulfur effect on the emissions system (no real effect on the motor itself except acidification of the oil, which high TBN counteracts). And of course dirty fuel, you should have a primary filter with water trap before the engine.

Charlie
 
When i read the thread title "Need oil advice for a long and demanding trip", I was already thinking Mobil 1 0w-40 before I even clicked on the thread. So that gets my vote.
 
Either oil should have enough TBN for 6.5K under any conditions even with high sulfer fuel.
12K might not be realistic on high sulfer fuel and I'd probably not plan on it without some verification in the form of a UOA.
The Delvac is intended for diesels so might handle any excess soot loading better, although a modern small displacement diesel like this Ford probably doesn't load the oil too badly with soot.
OTOH, the Delvac LE will be a low SAPS (or maybe mid-SAPS) oil, so the M1 0W-40 might be a better choice from a wear perspective.
Flip a coin and don't go the full 12K without a UOA, IHMO.
 
One idea to get ideas on a good oil is by looking up the Ford Transit with the 2.4 engine as fitted to the your Defender

Being a Ford engine it was specced with fuel economy oil

The more robust fuel economy oils are A5/B5 rather than the earlier and less robust spec of A1/B1

I know that Essex Ambulance Service (now East of England) used to use the standard oil supplied by Ford dealers which at the time was Castrol Magnatec 5w30 A5/B5 Full Synthetic

I would not be leaving the oil in for 12k in the conditions you are proposing.

On your journey I would personally do an oil and filter change prior to departure and then an oil only change at around 3k miles in, I would take the oil with me rather than hope I could find the right oil on my trip.

I would probably use Castrol Magnatec 5w30 or if available Castrol Edge 5w30

Ford developed these engines in conjunction with Castrol and Castrol is the oil used by most Ford dealers in the UK from what I have seen.

The 2.4 dura torque engine is also fitted in the TX2 London Taxi.

It is known for excessive rocker wear and cam chain issues.

Though I personally think that is due to poor servicing when used in harsh stop start traffic all day.
Apparently there is more than one spec of cam chain and tensioner with the higher powered ones being more robust. not sure which is fitted to the engine in your vehicle.

Good luck on your trip
 
Thanks all for your opinion, really appreciated.

I will replace the engine oil and filter a few days before starting the trip. I will use Mobil 1 0W-40 because it's fairly cheap when bought in Germany (1 liter = 10 USD).
I'll bring back 7 liters of Delvac LE 5W-30 that already have + one oil filter to do, as you suggest, an intermediate oil change.

The Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 oil is fairly expensive when compared to Mobil 1.

About the fuel, to avoid problem due to poor quality a Racor sedimenter/water separator is fitted before the factory fitted 5 micron Stanadyne FM100 filter.
 
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