An oil query!

[gensetsteve]

penny wise pound foolish .go for a good quality mineral 15w40

we have had cummins kta38 engines on test on some fancy new oil it was a total ####up cost a fortune already had 2 engine failures at £40k each.

buy decent filters as well and change them regular you should go far wrong doin that

 

I worked on alot of ktta 50's in 1990 do they still make the kta series. I remember them being V16 with twin turbo's and twin starter motors. I remember they had alot of trouble with crankshaft pulleys falling off as I run down the dock side with sparks coming out the top of the container.

[gensetsteve]

NO! Don't go down the semi synthetic route. Joe public falls for marketing hype and thinks they're getting a better product. a) pure mineral basestocks and dino cracked so-called synthetic basestocks don't work well together. b) They have different thermal, viscosity and degradation characteristics. SS oils are the biggest lube trick since oil additives. A pure mineral basestock with decent additive package is better.

 

I agree that 15-30 might not be ideal (but one firms multigrade will be very different to anothers of the same grade...); 15W40 would be better; thin oils were brought in to increase mpg. yeah fine for the first 1000 miles and then what? The polymerics thicken up anyway when oxidised.

 

 

 

Oh no, yawn... "modern synthetic oil" !!! Well since there are 5 groups of synthetic basestock, 3 of which are dino cracked anyway leaving PAO and the best which is Polyol-ester, which modern synth would that be???!!!

 

The latter won't "wash" based on it being synthetic, rather the detergent in the additive pack will or won't. Very high end synths have low detergents anyway as they don't need them, thus also being more seal compatible.

 

Can't remember what Landy this thread refers to but for cost effectiveness go with Texaco URSA SHPD 15W40 which is a mineral base with high end additive package. Base = good running temperature and additives = good durability in this case. Circa £40 / 20L from OJ Williams...

 

I've said this a million times before on this site but no-one listens! Spent 20 years in the oil business but what do I know

 

I did not realise you were into the lube business. I would like to improve my knowledge on oil. I am more electrical side than mech but have my HgV tickets and endless certs from engine manufacturers. We have recently gone over to semi syn due to the lower cost. I have resisted up to now as I was worried about the effect of the oil on our 30 year old sets on contract ie oil seal damage leaks etc.

[Matthew Storrs]

thanks for your thoughts, doesn't look likie im going to get a definitive answer, currently using mineral 15 40 in chipper/digger and semi smthetic in 300tdi, purely as this is what the manuals say, probably should stick to that as well as good quality as mike tm150 says if any of then go bang i want to iliminate(?) the fact i was trying to say a few meagre pounds.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

I'd rather use butter than semi - synthetic

[Breezeblock]

I worked on alot of ktta 50's in 1990 do they still make the kta series. I remember them being V16 with twin turbo's and twin starter motors. I remember they had alot of trouble with crankshaft pulleys falling off as I run down the dock side with sparks coming out the top of the container.

yeh they still make them good engine they are about 1050hp if i am right the ktta50 had two sets of staged turbos and were about 1500hp the kta38 are 12 cyl version of the series

[djbobbins]

I'd rather use butter than semi - synthetic

 

Reminds me of this TV advert, health warning before you click on the link that I'm pretty sure it'd be too risque to get past the ASA in the UK!

 

video A strange butter advertising - love, sex, brazil - videos kewego

[doobin]

Reasonable quality oil and REGULAR filter and oil changes. A small 3-cylinder (digger, chipper) engine should have an oil change every 150 hours or preferably sooner. No point buying anything from Halfords all the like- intelligent molecules my hairy a*rse! Just make sure the API matches or exceeds your machines spec and all will be well.

 

Do the finger test- smear some oil from the machine between your thumb and fingers. If it leaves any sort of black smudge, CHANGE IT! and the filter.

 

Quite a fan of the Lucas oil stabiliser myself. Some say it's snake oil, nobody seems to know for sure but the digger certainly runs quieter on it and there's a noticeable better oil pressure in the tractor.