Cold Weather Oil

[MarlinMark]

I have a new '04 Duramax and am reading all of your posts for info. Thanks for all of the great info. I am going to be heading to Montana hunting on Nov. 5th. I will have my oil changed before the trip. Temps could be as low as -20 below where I'm headed (I hope not.) I will not be towing a trailer but, I will have a load of gear. What oil (brand and type) should I put in my truck?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

[BassinRVer]

Mobile Delvac 1 - 5-40

[Idle_Chatter]

Or Shell Rotella-T semi-synthetic 5w/40

[LanduytG]

Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 heavy duty diesel.

Greg

[MarlinMark]

Thanks guys. I have the cold weather front and will be changing the oil to one of the reccomended brands/types. Are there any other tips for me on this trip. I have the engine heater and will use it where electricity is available.

Thanks again,

Mark

[kraemerf]

Use a good "winter" diesel additive and carry a spare fuel filter in case it waxes.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

I read a post that said the Rotella Syn is a highly refined dino. So, is it ok to switch between Rotella Syn(5w-40)and Rotella T(15w-40), for winter & summer, without any adverse effects?
JP

[Idle_Chatter]

Yep, Heartbeat Hauler, Rotella-T 5W40 is a "semi-synthetic" and there's no problem at all in swapping between the Rotella 15W40 and the 5W40. As a matter of fact, there's no problem in swapping between *ANY* modern oil, whether it's synthetic, semi-synthetic or petroleum. They have different bases and additive packs, but as long as they are properly rated for diesel use there will be no adverse effects in putting in a charge of another oil and it mixing with the residue of a previous oil of another brand or type.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Thanks Idle_Chatter. Appreciate the response.
JP

[Jelisfc]

Ok since there are at least three points of view how about drain intervals? I'm using Rotella dino changing at 7500 miles. I'm thinking Rotella 5W40 but how does a semi syn compare to a full synthetic for recommended interval? The last time I ran Amsoil in a gasser the recommendation was 12 months or 15K-25K??? miles with a filter change half way.

Thanx,
Steve

[Idle_Chatter]

Jelisfc, I've been using 7500 as my interval. My oil analysis results have been very good on Rotella-T petro and synthetic, with the synthetic coming out better. I think the petro could go longer and the synthetic could definitely go longer, but 7500 works out fine for me as well as making my filter changes easy to handle at 7500 and 15000 intervals. I have an Amsoil dual remote filter, do the oil and full flow at 7500 and the oil, full flow and bypass at 15000 - along with my fuel filter.

[403turbo]

Ok here's my $.02

Syn is deffinitly better than dino, I don't think anyone will argue that. (probably shouldn't have said that)

The debate is do you NEED a syn oil. If you are going to change at 7500 syn is probably a waste, unless you are hooked to 9 tons all the time.

Dino will cut it to 7500 no problem under normal duty.

If you are going to pop for syn oil you might as well run extened drain, there is no point to throwing away perfectly good oil. But in order to sleep at night I recommend running an oil analysis on that syn oil at 10K or so just to prove that all is good. Its the best $20 I've spent. I have proof that my extended drain isn't hurting my truck. Do it once or twice and you have a pattern that things are good.

If you want to get fancy you can do the ferrography, count all the little particles, but the basic tests are OK for a good or bad decision.

I run the AMSOIL 15-40 in the summer and I did run the series 3000 5-30 for winter, but the viscocity got a little funky last winter and I am going to try the Delvac 5-40 this winter. Just ordered it yesterday!

API and all that aside they are all good oils, all have tested very well by members here. You can't go wrong with those 3 suggestions.

Just my $.02

[chuntag95]

Originally posted by 403turbo:
The debate is do you NEED a syn oil.Need, Want, What's the difference?
:D :D

[403turbo]

Yeah, we have a hard time with that here :D :D :D

[Idle_Chatter]

All very well stated and thought out, 403. I agree that it seems foolish to discard an expensive charge of oil that has many more miles of useful life. I feel that way about some people that are adamant about changing out oil (even expensive synthetics) at 3,000 miles. I know from my oil analyses that I'm getting pretty full measure from the petro oil at 7,500. I know that the synthetic is only beginning to break a sweat, but I run the syn for winter temperatures and cold starts. I also like to stay to a routine on my lube and filter services, so it'll be 7,500 and 15,000 for me.