B21 Motor oil

[Anonymous Poster]

Greetings, the book says use 10-30 motor oil but I was wondering what should I use for year round oil here in new england for best engine performance/protection I want to use rotella 15-45 diesel oil if it is better than 10-30. What is the best brand? thanks

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

William,

I use Delo 400 and live in the Northwest where 20 deg F is rare as hens teeth. Oil is a favorite subject on this board. Take a look at the topic "Oil, Fuel and Lubricants" you will find more than you ever wanted to know. Search under "Mark"/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Thomas]

William,
If your B21 still under warranty I would stick w/the recommend engine oil.

I use 10W-30 year round also change the oil & fiter every 40 hours,and never had a problem yet...I swtich to Case & IH oil 10W-30,for I feel its a tad better than the Kubota oil.

Where abouts in New England do you live.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[JATO_RaT]

William, I'm with twinkle, I would go with the 15W40 as well. I too use alot of Delo 400 15W40. I would imagine Rotella from Shell is comparable. Have no fears about switching from Kubota oil to another brand. Although Delo 400 is not exclusively for diesel, it is designed with diesel engines in mind. Remember, the desingnation 30 or 40 in the second part of 10W30 or 15W40 is not the oils viscosity, it is the first number that designates an oils viscocity. Rat...

 

[Rowski]

This is from a paper I did while I was in tech school.


What do those numbers mean "10W-30"?

The number designation found on an oil container represents an oil's viscosity rating. Viscosity is a measure of the oil's thickness. Oil viscosity numbers are assigned to the oil by the S.A.E. (Society of Automotive Engineers). The "W" rating means the oil has been rated for winter use and that the oil meets specifications for viscosity at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Using accepted techniques, measurements are taken at specific temperatures to measure the oil's viscosity number. Oil with too low of viscosity can breakdown and lose strength at high temperatures. Oils with too high a viscosity may not pump through the engine quick enough to lubricate engine components properly at low temperatures. Engine oil should flow easily when the engine is cold and remain thick enough to protect the engine when the oil is hot. The two types of oil viscosities are single viscosity or straight-weight oils, and multi-viscosity or multi-weight oils. Single weight oils are oils that do not change in viscosity. For example, 20-weight oil would remain 20-weight oil at all temperatures, where as 10-30 would be 10-weight oil when cold and 30-weight oil once warmed to normal engine operating temperatures. Look at the lowest temperatures you will encounter in winter driving and the highest temperatures you will encounter in summer driving and base your selection on that range. The wider the viscosity spread the greater the use of polymers to achieve that viscosity spread. Polymers can break down and form deposits that can increase engine wear and decrease engine life so, generally speaking, the lower the viscosity spread the more durable the oil will be. Remember to use multi-viscosity oils with the smallest viscosity spread you can get away with for the temperature range in which the vehicle will operate.


Derek

 

[JATO_RaT]

Derek, I once had all typed up on my computer back in 1984 a excerpt from a SAE publication. It explained the numbers and letters just a little different. They said that in a multi- viscocity oil, you are not actually changing the oils viscosity as measured in flow rate through a given orofice but rather, that it is the viscocity indexers in the oil that provide the "stick" or "cling" to the metal surfaces that will cause for example, a 20W50 to have the cling of a 50 weight oil all the while providing the viscocity of a 20W. At the time I recall thinking about this in terms of honey and water and their ability to adhere to an object, particularly one spinning very fast. By the way, it also mentioned that it is the indexers and fortifiers in oil that contribute to the pollution problem with used oil and why we really needed to dispose of them properly. Rat...