Which Oil?

This will open the Mother of all debates but someone has to do it. I get asked time and time again about what viscosity grade oil someone should use in their Diesel 4WD. Start looking in various areas on the vehicle and one soon becomes suspicious if the right guidance or money is driving the oil choice recommendation. When manufacturers are running the engine production they are doing so with speed and efficiency on mind. Along with that comes the Global mindset that the engine being made will go anywhere in the World. This Global mindset, when we get to the point of adding engine oil, may not be what we need in our local market though. Local market meaning, ‘the conditions the engine will really be running under most of the time”.

Step to one side for a moment in the discussion. There are so many factors being designed into New Generation Diesels that the mind boggles. The one leading them all though is fuel efficiency. Piston ring tensions and frictions are high on the agenda of increasing engine efficiency and this means more strain on engine oils.
Back to how all these factors, climate and design, affects our engine oil choice. The majority of vehicles we see through our shop usually have the answer to what oil really is a better choice for your vehicle and that lays in the SAE oil guide that most makers fall back on if the ‘recommended’ oil isn’t available. If you really have a good look at that chart and the conditions you vehicle will be running in you may soon come to realise that 0W30 or 5W30 weight oils aren't that crash hot after all. Whilst great for Global temps down to -30’C or lower, they will struggle in temps as they rise to 30’C.

So what Oil should you chose? Keep in mind one that suits our local conditions. That’s certainly not -35’C here in Oz. Speak to your Diesel Expert to get further advice and watch this space for another article on this well misunderstood topic.

Safe Fourwheeling

Andrew Leimroth

Berrima Diesel- The Diesel Experts