Experience using 0-40 synthetic engine oil

[D7E]

Any body using 0-40 in heavyer equipment , I find starting much easies in -40 temps but is it safe to run in heavy applications in summer too ?

 

[GarthH]

Nice to hear from another Canuk.

I haven't used 0-40 but do commonly use 0-30 in the winter but do move up to the 15-40 in the summer.

I did work for an oil company for a number of years. The 40 identifies how the oil flows once the oil has heated up. So the 0-40 will be excellent.

Be careful about the manufacturer of the 0-40; anything that much of a spread between the two number is very difficult to mfg. It seems like only could be done with synthetics. It if is made by a reputable company then it will likely be good.

All the best

Garth

 

[DieselPower]

In -40 deg. temps the 0W-40 should work great for you. It will make starting quite a bit easier at those temps.

If it's newer equipment that is still under warranty check to make sure that it is a approved viscosity. If you should happen to have some kind of engine failure and they do a oil sample and find that you are using a unapproved viscosity they could possibly void the warranty. Manufacturers often look for anything to void a warranty on high dollar repairs.

 

[MikePA]

Any body using 0-40 in heavyer equipment , I find starting much easies in -40 temps but is it safe to run in heavy applications in summer too ?

If you're looking for easier starting in very cold conditions, why not just use a synthetic?

 

[DieselPower]

If it's a 0W-40 it is most likely a synthetic. You would need to add quite a bit of viscosity index modifiers to a conventional base stock to obtain a 0W-40 viscosity and it would then be very prone to shearing.

 

[SkyPup]

Our 2008 Mercedes common rail V-6 turbodiesel specs 0W-40 full synthetic only.

All our racing KTM motorcycles spec Shell Helix Ultra 0W-60 full synthetic though, which is unobtainable in the US unless specially imported!

 

[D7E]

If it's a 0W-40 it is most likely a synthetic. You would need to add quite a bit of viscosity index modifiers to a conventional base stock to obtain a 0W-40 viscosity and it would then be very prone to shearing.

It's local CO-OP brand but it is synthetic .
I've only tried it in one of my tractors (snow blower) a 82 hp FWA Massey and it is my newest tractor at 1993 most of my big stuff runs 1975-1988 apart from my 1953 fordson major so warrantys are not an issue and my big stuff onlyruns in warm months ( March-September )so i would stick with the 15-40 for these , I just wondered if it was safe to run all year round to save unneccasary oil changes at $92 per pail .

 

[milkman]

Experience using 0-40 synthetic engine oil

I think that he is talking about synthetic since the thread topic is Experience using 0-40 synthetic engine oil

 

[RalphVa]

If I can get 0w-40 Mobil 1 for the next oil change on my 1983 Benz, I'll buy it. I use it when I can find it for makeup oil. If I could get 0w-30 for all my other engines (incl. my JD diesel), I'd buy it. They only offer 5w-30 locally. For the first change to Mobil 1 on the Benz, I had to use a 50/50 mix of 5w-30 and 15w-50 to get an approximate 10w-40. Next 2 changes were with a 5w-40 that I found. If I can get larger quantities of the 0w-40 (lower cost), I'll use it next change.

There's no problem with this wide a range on a synthetic. The lower the first number, the quicker you'll get lube to the upper parts of the engine, and even at 0w in summer, it'll STILL be heavier than probably even 40w at operating temperature.

Ralph

 

[gf5205]

If I can get 0w-40 Mobil 1 for the next oil change on my 1983 Benz, I'll buy it. I use it when I can find it for makeup oil. If I could get 0w-30 for all my other engines (incl. my JD diesel), I'd buy it. They only offer 5w-30 locally. For the first change to Mobil 1 on the Benz, I had to use a 50/50 mix of 5w-30 and 15w-50 to get an approximate 10w-40. Next 2 changes were with a 5w-40 that I found. If I can get larger quantities of the 0w-40 (lower cost), I'll use it next change.

There's no problem with this wide a range on a synthetic. The lower the first number, the quicker you'll get lube to the upper parts of the engine, and even at 0w in summer, it'll STILL be heavier than probably even 40w at operating temperature.

Ralph

Your John Deere dealer has 0w-40.

 

[D7E]

Thanks for the input but all seems to be car,truck or light use , I want to know can i use it with 100hp deisel engines running 70 hours/ week at 2600 rpms on heavy dusty work (Mowing ,Baling,Cultivating )?

 

[MikePA]

Thanks for the input but all seems to be car,truck or light use , I want to know can i use it with 100hp deisel engines running 70 hours/ week at 2600 rpms on heavy dusty work (Mowing ,Baling,Cultivating )?

What are the API requirements for your engine? If the oil equals (or exceeds) that, you're fine, right?

 

[SkyPup]

I want to know can i use it with 100hp deisel engines running 70 hours/ week at 2600 rpms on heavy dusty work (Mowing ,Baling,Cultivating )?

You certainly can use the exact same oil that you'd use in any car, truck, bus, or tractor with the same engine.

Be sure to invest in some good air filters too and change them out regularly too, one tablespoonful of dirt is all it takes to take out your engine.

 

[todd ph schnell]

for 6 years i ran 15-40 in my 9 peices of heavy equipment and my pickups and wifes yukon,then in the winter i would use 0-40 in the winter, with excellent results. but the dilema was that some equipment that was used more during specific times of the year would end up with the wrong oil in it+ it was an expensive waste to drop clean 15-40 out of a grader or dozer for the winter if it's not near it's service interval.============ so i contacted the service manager of a large pipeline construction company in sedgewick alberta. he said they had encountered the same problems but they owned 127 peices of equipment, a very large expense to juggle seasonal oil changes. so they went to 0-40 year round in all machinery. so i did the same with my fleet of equipment and every vehicle i have, from my gasoline pickups,wifes yukon,quads,gl 1800 goldwing and riding lawn mower. 0-40 synthetic is the only motor oil i have purchased since 2005. thats 5 years of absolutely trouble free operation.

 

[RalphVa]

Any 0wxx oil will be heavier at startup than at operating temperature but will be less viscous than a 5wxx or 10wxx or 15wxx oil at startup.

So, if your "xx" oil is the right weight for your summer operation, then use of a 0wxx oil year round is the way to go.

I use 0w30 in my JD diesel. The owner's manual chart shows 30 weight as okay for our summers here in Virginia.

Ralph

 

[Transit]

You certainly can use the exact same oil that you'd use in any car, truck, bus, or tractor with the same engine.

Be sure to invest in some good air filters too and change them out regularly too, one tablespoonful of dirt is all it takes to take out your engine.

If you are working in dusty conditions you may want to consider a pre-cleaner air filter. Here is one brand.

Centri precleaner - Air filter precleaner - ag & construction equipment air filter precleaner

 

[DEWFPO]

X2 on an air filter cyclone pre-filter. It makes a world of difference in dusty environments. It even collects snow before the filter.

DEWFPO

 

[PHILIP8N]

Our company has used JD 0w-40 synthetic in compressors powered by Caterpillar C7 (250hp) C15 (540hp) and C18 (700hp) engines. No problem with the large displacement high horsepower diesel engines. That is what it is made for, diesel engines that have to cope with a wide ambient temperature spread. Philip.

 

[dmccarty]

I switched over to JD 0w40 oil a few years ago. Before that I ran Shell 5w40 oil in the truck and tractor.

Going from 15w50 to 5w40 saw a 2-3% mpg gain. I saw a bit more going from 5w40 to 0w40. Cold weather starts are just not an issue compared with 15w40. With temps below 30 the truck just did not like that 15w40 oil so I would hook it up the engine block heater. Running 1500 watts for three hours gets expensive during the month. I do not have to use the heater with the synthetic oil.

My last UOA report on the truck was at 14,000 miles. Everything was fine. TBN was at a bit over 12 which surprised me. The oil is at 12.8 new. Either the lab messed up or the oil at more TBN that 12.8. Usually the TBN goes down by from 12 to 8 or 10.

Later,
Dan

 

[rswyan]

It's not really heavy equipment, but I have an '06 Dodge Sprinter Van (5 cylinder Mercedes diesel) that has over 296,000 on the clock as of this morning ..... the only oil it has ever seen (except for one oil change) is Mobil 1 0w40 synthetic ....

The vehicle has run all types of climates .... from -26F below in the winter in Iowa to Texas and Desert Southwest where it has seen temps of 115F or more .....