oil grades

[3ares]

My new 2016 Ford Power Stroke F 250 diesel recommends oil 5w-40 syn. oil for towing. I’ve been using 15w-40 Shell Rotella. What oil have you been using?

[cummins2014]

ChooChooMan74 wrote:
Make sure that your 15W40 Rotella is low SAPs (Made for trucks with DPFs), or you could have DPF issues.

Read the Ram diesel supplement if you are referring to the 6.7 Cummins Shell Rotella 15W-40 is one of the recommended oils above 0 degrees

[jus2shy]

lenr wrote:
According to Ford owner's manual, 10W-30 oil is not approved for bio-diesel above B5 which has been pretty hard to avoid in our travels. The pumps never seem to say if they're B5 or B20 or something in between--I'm sure it has to do with what is cheapest at the moment. Also, for sustained driving above 100 degrees 5W-40 syn is recommended. And, while out looking for oil be sure to get a diesel approved oil--my 2012 6.7 requires CJ-4 rated oil. Using non-diesel oil runs the risk of fouling the catalytic converter.

I believe that if a pump is not labeled biodiesel, then it has a 5 percent blends or less. Anything over 5 percent requires a label. B5 meets astm standards for pure diesel, hence why all OEM manufacturers are fine with it and no labeling requirement.

[lenr]

According to Ford owner's manual, 10W-30 oil is not approved for bio-diesel above B5 which has been pretty hard to avoid in our travels. The pumps never seem to say if they're B5 or B20 or something in between--I'm sure it has to do with what is cheapest at the moment. Also, for sustained driving above 100 degrees 5W-40 syn is recommended. And, while out looking for oil be sure to get a diesel approved oil--my 2012 6.7 requires CJ-4 rated oil. Using non-diesel oil runs the risk of fouling the catalytic converter.

[BenK]

Follow the OEM's recommendations (and if not...then the OEM has a position
to deny any warranty coverage), follow the herd, or learn about the
metrics of ICE oil properties vs your application (the OEM manual
has two or more different viscosity recommendations and is by usage
(terrain/ambient, duty cycle, etc)

The OEM employs many lube experts (many are PhD's and PE's), along
with working with lube provider experts/charts/documentation/etc
to derive their recommendations with-in the manual(s)

A constant learning topic for me and if you folks want to discuss
this in more detail...suggest (if not already on these or other tech
pages on the topic) reading up...or not and just follow the herd...


Good starting point and follow the sub-links

viscopedia starting page

What is Viscosity? Learn more about the flow behavior of liquids

Best page showing the relationship(s) affecting and subsequent effects to viscosity
Factors Affecting Viscosity


Several other attributes to ICE oil, but shear strength is the main one...IMHO
Temp & duty cycle are close seconds...as they affect shear strength
directly

viscopedia wrote:

Shear Rate

The shear rate is an important parameter in defining viscosity (refer to the two-plates model) and also in specifying a substance's flow behavior.

The vital question is whether a change of shear rate does or does not change a fluid's viscosity. This question draws the line between Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids.


Ideally viscous or Newtonian Liquids

If a fluid's internal flow resistance is independent of the external force – i.e. the shear rate - acting upon the fluid, it is ideally viscous. Such fluids are named Newtonian liquids after Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered the mathematical relation between viscosity and the external force acting upon a fluid. A viscosity function means plotting the viscosity over the shear rate. The viscosity function of a Newtonian liquid is a straight line (curve 1). Typical Newtonian liquids are water or salad oil.

Non-Newtonian Liquids

If a substance is not ideally viscous, its viscosity changes with the shear rate. For such substances the apparent viscosity is specified. There are substances that show shear-thinning behavior (curve 2). Their viscosity decreases when the shear rate increases. For other substances the viscosity increases with increasing shear rate – that is called shear-thickening (curve 3).

For example yoghurt and shower gel show shear-thinning behavior, while starch solutions show shear-thickening behavior. These are just two of the most basic examples of potential flow behavior. Learn more about how shear rate can influence a substance’s flow behavior in World of rheology.

[Grit_dog]

azdryheat wrote:
I only use 15w-40 dinosaur Diesel oil. Not too particular about brand. I'm not convinced that syn is all that it's cracked up to be. Plus I change the oil every 5k.

I typically use the same, in every vehicle and engine I own, mowers, generators etc.
I don't change the diesel truck that often more like 7-9kmi, but I'd bet you that neither you nor the truck will know the difference.
My take on lightweight oils is that it's EPA efficiency mandates that spawn those reccomendations.
I ran 15-40 in Ford gassers that reccomended 20 or 0w20 whatever it was and saw 0 difference.

Always has and always will be, the best oil to use is the one you change regularly. Good maint habits are far more important than the color of the jug.

[lawnspecialties]

If I'm not mistaken, the manual calls for 10W-30 for regular driving. Seemed odd for a diesel but they're smarter than I am for that.

I like the 5W-40 synthetic for my peace of mind. Yes, its more expensive but:
1. I feel more confident going until the computer tells me to change the oil.
2. I tow heavy with this truck 90% of the time its on the road.
3. I drive less than 7500 miles per year on this truck so I like having synthetic sitting in there for an entire year versus conventional oil.

Just my .02.

[ACZL]

Newer diesels are requiring use of lighter weight oils. Doesn't make sense to us, but gov't is forcing the use of them to meet efficiency requirements. Semis are 0-30 in some cases. I've used Rotella T6 synth since new, change every 5k regardless, 23,000 happy miles.

In my old '03 6.0, started off w/ Rotella 15w-40 dino, but later switched to the sythn and use it in my garden tractor as well as it's a 3 cyl diesel. No problems. BTW, tractor is a '87 w/ Yanmar motor.

[Dave_H_M]

:h What is wrong with the mfg recommendation?

That is good enough for my tow vehicle.

I cannot be convinced anymore that thicker is better.

[noteven]

5W40 synthetic - good flow on start up inc cold weather and high temp specs are better than 15W40.

[FishOnOne]

3ares wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:

Rotella T6 5W40 for 110k miles.

How many miles to an oil change?

Thanks

OLM tells me to change the oil at ~7,500 miles.

[3ares]

FishOnOne wrote:

Rotella T6 5W40 for 110k miles.

How many miles to an oil change?

Thanks

[Okie1]

Same here

FishOnOne wrote:
Rotella T6 5W40 for 110k miles.

[azdryheat]

I only use 15w-40 dinosaur Diesel oil. Not too particular about brand. I'm not convinced that syn is all that it's cracked up to be. Plus I change the oil every 5k.

[lenr]

5W-40 syn is the Ford approved heavy duty oil. Heavy duty has a bunch of triggers including towing more than 1000 miles (but they don't say if that is per oil change) or idling more than 10 minutes per hour (which isn't much if you do any city driving). I do both so it is 5W-40 for me in our 2012 6.7. 15W-40 is only good down to 20 degrees F which is not a problem in the south but the full synthetic oil will give better protection in very high temperatures of the south.