5W30 diesel rated oil

[bdog]

I have a lot of things with engines. 11 diesels and 12 gasoline. Looking through them they take oil from 5w20, to 5w30, to 10w30, to 5w40/15w40 for the diesels. It is a headache to keep up with which oil goes where. I was thinking if I could find a 5-30 that was rated for diesel use (CJ4) that I could just use it in everything as it is close enough to virtually all the specs. I am tempted just to use 5w40 but it makes me nervous in the vehicles that call for 5w20.

The only oil have seen on a Google search is Mobil delvac LE 5-30. It is CJ and SN rated so it should be good for virtually anything with and engine. The problem is I have never seen it in stores. Any ideas on a 5w30 that is readily available?

 

[pmsmechanic]

I don't have as many engines as you do but I run John Deere synthetic 0W-40 in just about everything that I change oil in. It sounds expensive but John Deere states that if you use their synthetic oil and their filters you can extend oil change intervals by 50%.

I only have two gas motors. A 1947 IHC KB-1 and 2008 Yamaha Grizzly. The IHC gets the diesel oil and the Grizzly gets Yamalube as it's only a few quarts a year. Our Jetta gets the dealer recommended oil as TDI's are fussy about oil. I don't as a rule change oil in it.

 

[abeal]

Apparently Amsoil makes a very good 5w-30 diesel. All my diesels and small gas engines get the Rotella T6 5w-40. Cars are 0w-40 and 5w-20 so they get that.

 

[bdog]

Amsoil is too expensive and I am not convinced it is worth it. I don't want to derail the thread but it is not something I am considering.

I found a local source for the Mobil delvac 1 LE 5-40 but it is way too expensive - $1800 for a 55 gal drum or $35 a gallon if bought by the gallon. I guess I will stick to using multiple oils.

 

[Winmac]

Have you looked at becoming a amsoil dealer?
I'm not a fan of the stuff but I know guys that did it just to get the discounts for them selves. Sound like you would have to volume to make it feasible.

 

[Copperhead]

Mobil makes a 5w30 synthetic CJ-4 oil. So does Delo. Most oil companies are either putting out a CJ-4 rated 5w30 or 10w30 or close to doing so. Every heavy class 8 truck diesel OEM is now factory filling with 10w30. Even the truck only lube centers are stocking 10w30 as an option for oil changes. While it is not common on the shelves yet simply because demand has not reached a level to make it worth doing so and it takes a while for the retail folks to get their act together, every major oil company distributor can get you a 10w30 CJ-4 rated oil. I haven't checked, but I have read forum posts elsewhere that some are finding CJ-4 rated 5w30a and 10w30 starting to show up on some wally world shelves.

I would just go with a 10w30 CJ-4. The only difference between it and a 5w30 is the winter rating. And a 10w30 is fine down to -35F territory. Before it even got that nasty cold, I would have heaters on everything including the oil pan anyway like I did when I lived in Alaska. On the 5w20 spec'd engines, probably ok to to use a 30w oil, but that would depend on your comfort level to do so. And most diesels are fine with a 30w oil unless they are on their last leg. I have heard of many folks using a 30w oil in an engine the OEM said to use a 20w and it worked just fine. Especially if one is using a synthetic.

A 10w30 is very shear stable under pressure. One of the best oil choices there is for just about any application. Same can be said of most 5w30 full synthetics. While I don't use it, Amsoil has their OE line of diesel oils that are priced well that includes a 10w30 synthetic CJ-4 oil. With a preferred customer thing, I would be it would rival most anything priced in an auto parts store.

Here is the fact page on that one. It is CJ-4 Diesel and SN gasoline engine rated so it would cover all the bases at a very good price. $4.89 a quart by the case. Less per quart on higher volume. That is the preferred customer pricing. You can get a preferred membership for 6 mo for $10 or a year for $20.

http://www.amsoil.com/lit/databulletins/g2885.pdf

 

[The Fred]

I fix cars for a living and have for many many years.

Oils have changed, sometimes better sometimes worse.

Almost all vehicle manufacturers recommend synthetic oil these days. I have swapped to 5W-40 full synthetic in almost everything and have been very happy. Even my old 1958 Case crawler gets it. I've had the engine apart since and it still looks like new internally.

Good luck whatever you choose, Fred

 

[Thomabear]

At 55 years of age and having to budget maintenance of several pieces of equipment I haven't run synthetic oil in anything. I've also never experienced a lubrication related failure in anything... This includes vehicles and equipment that reached mileage and hours well beyond where most people are comfortable going. Not knocking synthetic, I'm just saying my personal experience proves I never have needed it.

 

[Z71]

As a Dealer or Preferred Customer just about every AMSOIL diesel oil is less than the price you found for Delvac, some many 100's less, below $1500 for a drum. $20 a year to be a Preferred Cust., 30 to be a dealer.

If you change your mind, PM me and I can send you a wholesale price list. They have a distribution center in Dallas.

 

[RalphVa]

I've been facing this problem, too. I've found that the 5w30 507 spec-rated oil at the VW dealership is about the same price as any other synthetic out there. So, I've about decided to buy it for my JD 1025 and my Isuzu diesel generator as well. Can't seem to find any 5w30 for the JD; had been using T6 in my 4010 before we bought the VW TDI. In future, I'll just buy more Castrol at VW for all 3 engines. (The Castrol and Mobil 1 ESP are just low ash (for Exhaust System Protection) diesel oils that should be downward usable in any other diesel engine.)

Pisses me off that I cannot buy Mobil 1 5w30 ESP anywhere. Online, it's quite a bit more expensive than the Castrol. I retired from Exxon and was glad to start using Mobil 1 after the merger because I knew from working in the lube oil industry that it was the best. However, there have never been any engine failures in VW TDI engines due to lubrication issues. When I was working for Exxon, Castrol (in USA anyway) bought all its oil from Exxon. Now, they're owned by some British oil firm.

Ralph