20w50 for high horsepower application

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Jun 8, 2012
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197
Location
youngstown, ohio
My buddy in Australia mentioned when they turn up their series 60 engines they run a 20w50 oil. But they don't see the temperatures in the Winters like we do. I'm not familiar enough to make this decision, but in cold temps, -10 on up would 20w50 be to thick for my engine in the states?
 
i assume -10f so it's too thick. i'd try an oil like pennzoil platinum 0w-40 in those temps if i still wanted great protection.
 
15W40 in the winter in Ohio is pushing it at times. 20W50 would be way too thick. I always switched my diesels to 5W40 when they were getting ran in the winter. Those single digit temps with 15W40 made starting a bear.
 
Oh a series 60 Detroit? We have cavitation issues with 10w30 viscosity.
Oh. When i saw Australia and series 60 i assumed the series 60 land cruiser like one that you may have yourself but located in ohio instead. Didnt think about the detroit series 60 first. Land cruisers are common over there and still sell the beautiful series 70 new.

In that case a diesel grade 5w-40 is the thinnest i'd ever go for the cold climate but id go thicker in the spring to fall months. But i'd probably give mobil 15w-50 a look. not a diesel oil but its high zddp and 4.5hths.
 
Oh. When i saw Australia and series 60 i assumed the series 60 land cruiser like one that you may have yourself but located in ohio instead. Didnt think about the detroit series 60 first. Land cruisers are common over there and still sell the beautiful series 70 new.

In that case a diesel grade 5w-40 is the thinnest i'd ever go for the cold climate but id go thicker in the spring to fall months. But i'd probably give mobil 15w-50 a look. not a diesel oil but its high zddp and 4.5hths.
Don't know anything about land cruisers sorry. They are ugly though I'm my opinion lol. But even a 5w-40 maybe to thin. Guess I'll be staying with 15w40
 
Don't know anything about land cruisers sorry. They are ugly though I'm my opinion lol. But even a 5w-40 maybe to thin. Guess I'll be staying with 15w40
i like my old jap trucks nice n ugly lol.

Diesel rated 5w-40's are thicker compared to gasoline 0/5w-40's. The hths of a 0/5w-40 gas is just over 3.5 and the kv100 is at the very bottom of a 40 grade and can shear to a 30.

But a diesel 5w-40 is still around 4.0-4.1 hths and a 15w-40 can be 4.2 and the kv100 is closer to a 50 than a 30 and it will stay in the 40 grade for sure especially.

M1 15w-50 full syn wouldn't be a bad thing. It's not labeled as a diesel but it's high saps, hths, zddp, calcium, and tbn like one and it labeled as a racing oil, Get it at any walmart.

I guess you could make a new thread asking if m1 15w-50 would be ok in a 60 series detroit. Get some other diesel members to chime in, they'll know more than me.
 
But i'd probably give mobil 15w-50 a look. not a diesel oil but its high zddp and 4.5hths.

I may be speaking out of turn, so apologies in advance, however there's a reason diesels require diesel-rated oils.

Without having checked specs of M1 15w50, if it's not rated for diesels (ie API rated CD, CF, CG, CH, CI, CJ, or CK) then I think it should not be used in any diesel engine. Diesel-rated oils are designed to hold soot in suspension (among other things) and without that ability, you'd be accelerating engine wear at a minimum.
 
I may be speaking out of turn, so apologies in advance, however there's a reason diesels require diesel-rated oils.

Without having checked specs of M1 15w50, if it's not rated for diesels (ie API rated CD, CF, CG, CH, CI, CJ, or CK) then I think it should not be used in any diesel engine. Diesel-rated oils are designed to hold soot in suspension (among other things) and without that ability, you'd be accelerating engine wear at a minimum.
You're fine i do that as well at times. The mobil website says its api CF rated at the very least which isn't a modern diesel rating and i do know of that but the detroit 60 series is an old diesel and i dont think a cf rated full syn 15w-50 would hurt it. Especially with shorter drains i presume. He says high power and most modded diesel guys go for a bypass system. A basic single filter setup is fine.
 
S60s have huge bearing surface areas. Honestly I would not question using a 15w40 in the least, even in high horsepower applications. If the old 2 strokes survive on it (which they do) it will be fine for a series 60. JMO
 
S60s have huge bearing surface areas. Honestly I would not question using a 15w40 in the least, even in high horsepower applications. If the old 2 strokes survive on it (which they do) it will be fine for a series 60. JMO
The 2 strokes are supposed to get a 400 weight oil, not a multi grade. Our experience in 2 cycles with multi grade it increased oil usage. But that's not the question at hand. Yes some,.not all 60's have big bearings. I don't have an issue with 15w40 but if a better oil grade is available for higher horsepower that's what I want.
 
You're fine i do that as well at times. The mobil website says its api CF rated at the very least which isn't a modern diesel rating and i do know of that but the detroit 60 series is an old diesel and i dont think a cf rated full syn 15w-50 would hurt it. Especially with shorter drains i presume. He says high power and most modded diesel guys go for a bypass system. A basic single filter setup is fine.
I don't run a bypass system and I'm eventually going to back to my 20k intervals once I get these viscosity issues ironed out with switching back to Chevron.
 
I may be speaking out of turn, so apologies in advance, however there's a reason diesels require diesel-rated oils.

Without having checked specs of M1 15w50, if it's not rated for diesels (ie API rated CD, CF, CG, CH, CI, CJ, or CK) then I think it should not be used in any diesel engine. Diesel-rated oils are designed to hold soot in suspension (among other things) and without that ability, you'd be accelerating engine wear at a minimum.
But a 15w50 diesel rated oil would be sufficient if one wanted to use that?
 
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