Why don't more car owners use diesel grade oil in their daily drivers? What's the down-side?
diesel grade oil in a passenger.
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Originally Posted By: BarkerMan
Why don't more car owners use diesel grade oil in their daily drivers? What's the down-side?
1. You need to know about it to use it.
2. It's had to find it in the right viscosity. 15W-40 is easy to find, 10W-30 is harder to find.
3. People get skeered when the jug sez diesel on it. They can't get past that to see the SL or SM that is also on the jug, or don't even know what SM and SL mean.
4. It's not available on xW-20 which is becoming all the vogue these days.
Why don't more car owners use diesel grade oil in their daily drivers? What's the down-side?
1. You need to know about it to use it.
2. It's had to find it in the right viscosity. 15W-40 is easy to find, 10W-30 is harder to find.
3. People get skeered when the jug sez diesel on it. They can't get past that to see the SL or SM that is also on the jug, or don't even know what SM and SL mean.
4. It's not available on xW-20 which is becoming all the vogue these days.
Originally Posted By: BarkerMan
Why don't more car owners use diesel grade oil in their daily drivers? What's the down-side?
The downside would be perhaps slightly less fuel mileage and reduced cold flow properties in extreme low temps, (although the latter is less of an issue with the new CJ-4 versions).
However, in my opionion, considering what you get for the price the benefits far outweight the downsides, if any:
Superior group II base stock oils, higher levels of detergents and ZDDP anti-wear additives, etc.
As to the reasons why more gasoline powered car owners don't use it is because, like many issues in their lives, they are simply uninformed.
Why don't more car owners use diesel grade oil in their daily drivers? What's the down-side?
The downside would be perhaps slightly less fuel mileage and reduced cold flow properties in extreme low temps, (although the latter is less of an issue with the new CJ-4 versions).
However, in my opionion, considering what you get for the price the benefits far outweight the downsides, if any:
Superior group II base stock oils, higher levels of detergents and ZDDP anti-wear additives, etc.
As to the reasons why more gasoline powered car owners don't use it is because, like many issues in their lives, they are simply uninformed.
Hi,
BarkerMan - I have used HDEOs in petrol engines for around 50 years. Still do! They were the original Factory fill for all aircooled Porsche engines (356/911/912) into the 1980s
The biggest things to be aware of are;
a) The lubricant must be "mixed fleet" rated (as XS650 noted)
b) The viscosity must be suitable for the ambient "spread" of the engine's operation
Never use a diesel only HDEO as the SA level is most likely too high and this can lead to excessive wear problems (ring pack/wall)
Some diesel engine families require a high SA level due to their combustion processes and etc.
Use these robust mixed fleet HDEOs with great confidence - there is even some wonderful synthetic versions (usually 5w-40 viscosity, Esso XD3 0w-40)too
Regards
Doug
BarkerMan - I have used HDEOs in petrol engines for around 50 years. Still do! They were the original Factory fill for all aircooled Porsche engines (356/911/912) into the 1980s
The biggest things to be aware of are;
a) The lubricant must be "mixed fleet" rated (as XS650 noted)
b) The viscosity must be suitable for the ambient "spread" of the engine's operation
Never use a diesel only HDEO as the SA level is most likely too high and this can lead to excessive wear problems (ring pack/wall)
Some diesel engine families require a high SA level due to their combustion processes and etc.
Use these robust mixed fleet HDEOs with great confidence - there is even some wonderful synthetic versions (usually 5w-40 viscosity, Esso XD3 0w-40)too
Regards
Doug
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If anyone is ever looking for 10w-30 HDEO NAPA is able to get it in all the HDEO brands that they carry, and that make it.
Can anyone honestly tell me what the real MPG advantage of a 20w vs a 40w is? Everyone toughts the gain, but are we talking on the order of 1-2MPG difference? If so, I wonder if that gain truely outweighs the increased film strength offered by the heavier oil.
Can anyone honestly tell me what the real MPG advantage of a 20w vs a 40w is? Everyone toughts the gain, but are we talking on the order of 1-2MPG difference? If so, I wonder if that gain truely outweighs the increased film strength offered by the heavier oil.
Doug, I agree. I've been using Delo 400 since 67 in the same vehicle with good results.
All good reasons given. If you can find the approriate viscosity in a dual rated oil, it's almost always a better than.
And now with CJ/SM dual rated oils the line is even more blurred.
With CI and previous, in a new car the biggest issue would be the Phosphorous level, and the remote possibility of cat poisoning and the emmissions system warranty.
And now with CJ/SM dual rated oils the line is even more blurred.
With CI and previous, in a new car the biggest issue would be the Phosphorous level, and the remote possibility of cat poisoning and the emmissions system warranty.
Thats all I use
I use Delo 5w40 in both my Volvos and love it! I think diesel rated is far better for a car as long as it is rated for the vehicle.
Delo 15w40 sluggified one of my saturns, to the tune of 36 MPG instead of 40 on a 18 mile commute. I understand it's a thicker 15w40.
Alternatively (bad control sample, I know), Pennzoil LL 15w40 was great in a different saturn that burnt a bit of oil. Didn't burn less, but it burnt less leaving a stop sign, which got rid of some bogginess from the knock retard circuit.
I have gallons and gallons of the delo 15w40 I got for $2.50/gal; I use it in various beaters I bring home, fix, and flip, as long as the weather is halfway warm. That no passenger car people have heard of the stuff is what forced walmart to deeply discount it at clearance when some new diesel-related spec was released.
Alternatively (bad control sample, I know), Pennzoil LL 15w40 was great in a different saturn that burnt a bit of oil. Didn't burn less, but it burnt less leaving a stop sign, which got rid of some bogginess from the knock retard circuit.
I have gallons and gallons of the delo 15w40 I got for $2.50/gal; I use it in various beaters I bring home, fix, and flip, as long as the weather is halfway warm. That no passenger car people have heard of the stuff is what forced walmart to deeply discount it at clearance when some new diesel-related spec was released.
The negatives of using HDEO's in passenger cars has been beaten to death here. The largest supposed negative was cat poisoning from ZDDP, if I recall correctly.
I'm using Esso XD-3 0W30 in my Volvo turbo.
I'm using Esso XD-3 0W30 in my Volvo turbo.
I've yet to personally meet anybody who had to replace a catalytic converter due to burning oil. Not to say it hasn't happened, but I haven't met anyone forced to do so.
Frankly, if you are burning enough oil to poison the cat, I'd think you have a pretty significant blue cloud trailing you down the road. Big enough to attract some representative of the law enforcement community in locations where there is some kind of emissions testing.
Frankly, if you are burning enough oil to poison the cat, I'd think you have a pretty significant blue cloud trailing you down the road. Big enough to attract some representative of the law enforcement community in locations where there is some kind of emissions testing.
You will find several of them at Saturnspot.com
the newer Hondas also have sensitive easily damaged expensive cats.
the new wideband O2 sensors are extremely sensitive to ZDDP contamination
the new wideband O2 sensors are extremely sensitive to ZDDP contamination
I've never seen a documented case of cat poison. I think that sometimes a cat is replaces at the same time that other things have been done and the cat get the credit for the fix. It's possible that they were wrong.
I think a better question is, "how much oil do you have to burn to affect the cat(s)". If your car goes a whole OCI without burning an oz of oil how much samage will truely be done?
Now, if your car goes through a quart of oil every 1k miles, does it really matter what type of oil it if? Arnt they all going to kill the cats in that quantity?
Now, if your car goes through a quart of oil every 1k miles, does it really matter what type of oil it if? Arnt they all going to kill the cats in that quantity?
Yes Brien,
the difference is in between those extremes; that's what the guvment is concerned about.
If you're not burning oil at all, doesn't matter.
Some cars burn oil normally, Saturns, a couple of European models, etc.. Those are the ones that hace to be weary.
My 2¢
the difference is in between those extremes; that's what the guvment is concerned about.
If you're not burning oil at all, doesn't matter.
Some cars burn oil normally, Saturns, a couple of European models, etc.. Those are the ones that hace to be weary.
My 2¢
Originally Posted By: NJC
The negatives of using HDEO's in passenger cars has been beaten to death here. The largest supposed negative was cat poisoning from ZDDP, if I recall correctly.
I'm using Esso XD-3 0W30 in my Volvo turbo.
A Chevron lube tech told me not to use diesel oil in my gas vehicles. There was something in the add pack in larger quantities than in gas engine oil that would shorten the life of the cat. Gas engine oils were re-formulated to help extend cat life.
The negatives of using HDEO's in passenger cars has been beaten to death here. The largest supposed negative was cat poisoning from ZDDP, if I recall correctly.
I'm using Esso XD-3 0W30 in my Volvo turbo.
A Chevron lube tech told me not to use diesel oil in my gas vehicles. There was something in the add pack in larger quantities than in gas engine oil that would shorten the life of the cat. Gas engine oils were re-formulated to help extend cat life.
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Originally Posted By: Gillsy
Originally Posted By: NJC
The negatives of using HDEO's in passenger cars has been beaten to death here. The largest supposed negative was cat poisoning from ZDDP, if I recall correctly.
I'm using Esso XD-3 0W30 in my Volvo turbo.
A Chevron lube tech told me not to use diesel oil in my gas vehicles. There was something in the add pack in larger quantities than in gas engine oil that would shorten the life of the cat. Gas engine oils were re-formulated to help extend cat life.
Then you should have asked him why Chevron Delo says on the bottle "suitable for mixed fleets", as well as meeting the gasoline api rating.
Originally Posted By: NJC
The negatives of using HDEO's in passenger cars has been beaten to death here. The largest supposed negative was cat poisoning from ZDDP, if I recall correctly.
I'm using Esso XD-3 0W30 in my Volvo turbo.
A Chevron lube tech told me not to use diesel oil in my gas vehicles. There was something in the add pack in larger quantities than in gas engine oil that would shorten the life of the cat. Gas engine oils were re-formulated to help extend cat life.
Then you should have asked him why Chevron Delo says on the bottle "suitable for mixed fleets", as well as meeting the gasoline api rating.
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