Detroit Diesel 2-stroke oil

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donvalley

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Hi,

Older 2-stroke diesel engines, such as the Detroit Diesel 71 and 92 series, had monograde 40-weight oil (SAE 40) with low ash content as being the recommended lubricant. Chevron Delo 100 would be an example of the recommended type of oil.

With oil technology having advanced greatly since the past decades when those engines were in production, are there oils currently available which could be used in 2-stroke diesel engines that would outperform monograde SAE 40 oils having specs that are decades old?

Thank you!
 
The specs may be decades old, but modern SAE 40 and other mono grades are blended from group II base stocks that rival synthetic performance.

edit; I'm not sure how SAE 40 could be blended using a group III without a lot of bright stock, or a very thick PAO added.
 
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I have some experience (little bit) and a lot of reading (a lot) on lubing those engines. I have run them in marine applications.

I am wondering what you are trying to beat? The main thing in my mind is that if switching from a monograde, you are switching to a thinner base oil with the viscosity made up by synthethetic, non-lubricating Viscosity Index Improvers. These are geat if you are are starting the engine up often under like 10F. They are a total negative at at operating temperature as they degrade much more quickly than the base oil, and leave you with excess by-product to clog things.

If you are running your engines in an on-again/off-again application in an oil field in Alberta - yes, you may benefit from a multi-grade oil. If you are in a marine application were the engine room temps never falls below 20F, you are hurting yourself using a multi-grade.

A lot of these specs were written assuming these engines were in continuous duty - in which a multi-grade is a negative. So you have to look at your application, which you didn't describe, and think about it.

Example: I'm looking at a boat right now with twin 671s, I'm in Seattle. I'd never, ever consider a multi-grade in it. I'm also contemplating a winter-over in Juneau, AK. Again, not going to fire them up in a sub-zero engine room, so still going to use the monograde. Now if you are using it in an OTR application and maybe going to Fort Albany in the winter, a multi-grade makes a more sense.
 
If you are concerned because of ash residues in modern full saps oils....you cam lean towards modern diesel low/mid saps oils...like ACEA E6/E9...MB 229.51 BMW LL-04 or VW 504/507...
 
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Two stroke Diesels were spec'd for 40 grade ONLY. 30 grade was spec'd for Artic conditions ONLY. Many, many have tried 15w-40 only to find most of it landing on the pavement through the air box drains. Back in the day Rotella 40 was used by 90% of truckers.
 
Yes, from my limited knowledge of the DD 2 stroke you had better run monogrades and only monogrades or you'll watch it dump more out than you can put in!
 
The spec is 0.8% or less sulfated ash. There are modern synthetic diesel oils that meet this spec. However, the monograde 40 works really well in the 2 stroke Detroits, and you're not going to find a straight grade in a modern oil.
 
I'll soon be finished my Detroit 4-53T swap and am running Shell Rotella T1 SAE 40. To help with cold winters I've added a Webasto parking heater, an electric block and oil heater. From everyone I've spoken to who operate these engines they all say to run SAE 40. I find it hard to believe that the modern 15W40 couldn't be used but for now I'm going with straight 40. The arguments are that running 15w40 causes piston and liner scuffing, oil's too thin, and they slobber a lot.

Engine running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4K_1PKzqWQ&t=2s

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]
 
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A310 said:
I'll soon be finished my Detroit 4-53T swap and am running Shell Rotella T1 SAE 40. To help with cold winters I've added a Webasto parking heater, an electric block and oil heater. From everyone I've spoken to who operate these engines they all say to run SAE 40. I find it hard to believe that the modern 15W40 couldn't be used but for now I'm going with straight 40. The arguments are that running 15w40 causes piston and liner scuffing, oil's too thin, and they slobber a lot.

Engine running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4K_1PKzqWQ&t=2s

Very very cool!
Click to expand...
 
We ran a fleet of (6) 92 series, two 8V92TA and the rest 6V92TA. We ran Delvac 1230 in all of them year round. In the 10 yrs I oversaw the analysis program we never had anything negative come back. Hard to argue with those results.
 
I thoroughly investigated 53 series in 1973-4 when I was considering a diesel conversion of my FJ40. For automotive use the 3-53 and other 53s are governed at 2800 under load.
I ended up installing a Perkins 4.236.
 
Originally Posted by m37charlie
I thoroughly investigated 53 series in 1973-4 when I was considering a diesel conversion of my FJ40. For automotive use the 3-53 and other 53s are governed at 2800 under load.
I ended up installing a Perkins 4.236.

Ok, thanks. I worked on a lot of 71's some 92's but very few 53's.
 
Thank you for all the replies! My application is a Detroit Diesel 6V92TA powering a used dump truck I recently purchased, which will be used year round. I'll use a monograde SAE 40 oil as many have recommended. The only brand name oil I've been able to source in my area (Toronto, Ontario) is Chevron Delo 100. Many have posted, however, that Delo 100 is a good oil.
 
Originally Posted by A310
I'll soon be finished my Detroit 4-53T swap and am running Shell Rotella T1 SAE 40. To help with cold winters I've added a Webasto parking heater, an electric block and oil heater. From everyone I've spoken to who operate these engines they all say to run SAE 40. I find it hard to believe that the modern 15W40 couldn't be used but for now I'm going with straight 40. The arguments are that running 15w40 causes piston and liner scuffing, oil's too thin, and they slobber a lot.

Engine running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4K_1PKzqWQ&t=2s

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]



Interesting, that 4-53 uses a visco-electric fan clutch just like the 6.0 PSD or did you swap that all over?
 
Originally Posted by racin4ds
Delo is great oil! I think it will serve you well!


And it has a lower Pour Point, a higher TBN and a higher Viscosity Index than Delvac 1240. Same for Rotella T1, other than TBN which is about the same as Delo 100.
 
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