Special Crankcase Oil for Diesels?

[OkieG]

My tractor is 4 years old. Until I was introduced to TBN, I never knew there was special crankcase oil for diesels. I don't get out much.

The dealer who sold me my tractor was very much old school. He didn't believe in the new fangled multi-vis. He said just use a good quality 30W. So, I did, regularly, with Penzoil 30W. If the owners manual mentioned diesel crankcase oil, it didn't sink in to my poor brain.

With my most recent oil change (400 hrs. on the meter), I switched to Rotella, so now I'm on the right track!?

My question is, what have I done to my diesel engine by using "regular" crankcase oil for 400 hours?

OkieG

 

[ronjhall]

<font color=blue>My question is, what have I done to my diesel engine by using "regular" crankcase oil for 400 hours?</font color=blue>

OieG

I don’t think you have harmed your tractor as long as you have been using oil rated for Diesel engines. The Rotella should make your tractor easier to start in cold weather

 

[MikePA]

George, I'm sure one of TBNs oil experts will jump in pretty soon, since I am not an expert. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif If I've read your post correctly you are concerned because for the past 400 tractor hours you have not been using diesel rated oil, correct?

My impression from reading posts on this topic is that diesel rated oils have additional/different detergents since the combusiton byproducts of a diesel engine are quite different from a gasoline engine. In one series of posts, someone had inadvertantly put regualr oil into their diesel engine. They called the oil manufacturer, I think it was Castrol, and were told to drain the oil and replace it with diesel rated. Obviously, this was the 'safe' answer for them.

There's not much you can about it now, but if you've changed your oil faithfully, you should be OK. I imagine the potential problems would be similar to those effects of not changing your oil when scheduled, i.e., increased wear and the resulting reduced engine life.

 

[frank_f15]

GEORGE: as mike stated there is not much u can do about it now. i wonder if it might not be a good idea to change the oil and filter a little sooner than regular? don't really know it it might help, don't know if the differnt oil might not lossen anything up that the reg. oil mught have not taken care of. just guessing here.

 

[OkieG]

"If I've read your post correctly you are concerned because for the past 400 tractor hours you have not been using diesel rated oil, correct?"

Mike, You are correct. The Penzoil was bought at SAM's Club. I'm pretty sure it's not rated for diesel.
Thank goodness, the tractor has worked flawlessly, and I can't tell any difference so far between the Penz and the Rotella as far as engine function is concerned.

I am just hoping the inadvertent abuse I inflicted on my tractor was not a huge blunder.

OkieG

 

[s1120]

I would guess that as long as you changed the oil enough, you will be OK. But there is not a lot you can do about it now anyway./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I would change it agen at about half the normal time. This will get any remaining cheap oil out,[you would be amazed at how much old oil stays in a motor after an oil change] and also incase the new oil flushed out any deposits, it will get them out also.

 

[art]

There is no way to change what has happened. We used to see more of it with the big farm tractors would not break-in right and we would put in gas engine oil to help them seat quicker. Sometimes it worked, sometimes we still had to tear them down. Yours should be a case of well seated 400 hours. You might have some extra grundge in the engine that will do fine just left alone and allow the quality of the diesel rated oil to pick up from where your old oil left off. I would not worry as long as you did change your oil when required.

 

[geneP]

I'll agree with the others who say if you changed your oil on schedule your engine should be fine. I base my opinion on an experience with my L2250. I bought it with 990 hours on it. I talked to the only previous owner and asked him what oil he had used, and he said "Valvoline 10W-30, changed it twice a year". I removed the valve cover to check the valve adjustment, and the inside was clean as new. The engine still runs perfectly and burns no oil.

 

[OkieG]

The engine still runs perfectly and burns no oil.

Thanks Gene.
The consensus of all the kind respondents to my question suggest some degree of increased wear on the engine by not using diesel rated crankcase oil. That is very likely true. But, I was hoping my ignorance was not unique and others having dealt with similar circumstances would chime in.

It eases my mind to know the story of your L2250. Thanks again Gene to you and to your tractor's previous owner.

OkieG