L300 Mitsubishi Delica diesel; need help

[Abax25]

I have an L300 Mitsubishi Delica diesel with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel.

The factory oil change interval is 3,000 miles, so I’ve just been using Dino 15w-40. Given the service interval is so low, does it matter which brand is used? I know new oils are formulated for modern diesels. Is there a certain brand that would be better for my old school diesel?

Also, given the low intervals. Can I stretch a filter change to two oil changes? Which would be 6,000 miles? I have a stock pile of the hated orange can frams….. Oil filters for this vehicles are $30+ a piece so I’ve been using the orange frams that came with the vehicle.

 

[SR5]

What year or model generation or engine model number do you have?

The L300's were sold around the world for many years with many different engines.

 

[JavierH19]

For the most part no. As for 15W40 even if they say that they are not synthetic blend or full synthetic they're not really Dino anymore some will be a semi synthetic but not advertise it. If a 15W-40 has the Volvo VDS 4.5 certification it has to be able to do 360 hours of operation with no more than 50% oxidation I believe and among other things and if one low cost oil has it like the other there's not that big of a difference as far as the engine cares. Now sure an oil can be better than another even if both have it but any oil that at minimum meets that specification is going to be good stuff but I wouldn't dare take it that far anyway. I normally change 15W-40 by the 200-250 hour mark and in miles that's under 11k and I've used almost a dozen different ones so far. But in some countries it's common to drive less far and at lower speeds on average and also idle more. if you are driving like 40 kmh around town and no faster for the most part you're not driving very fast so it takes a longer to get those miles. Me driving around in Mexico is not the same as me driving around here in the US on average I'm driving literally twice as fast in the same engine running hour just because of how I need to drive here compared to there, the road quality, and the laws here. How long does it take you to do 3000 miles or equivalent in kilometers.

 

[Abax25]

What year or model generation or engine model number do you have?

The L300's were sold around the world for many years with many different engines.

4d56T

 

[SR5]

4d56T

Sounds like a late 80's or early 90's vehicle, or at least that is around here.
Any modern 15W40 oil should work fine. Any brand that carries CK-4 will be good, no need to chase anything special when you are changing every 3k miles.

How good is your fuel quality in terms of sulphur content?
Older oils carried more TBN and needed to be changed sooner due to higher sulphur levels in the fuel causing acid buildup. With modern fuels carrying much less sulphur, you should be able to extend your oil change interval. A UOA with TBN should tell you.

 

[fantastic]

I'd say 3k oil changes & reusing the oil filter for 6k is doable.

 

[Abax25]

Sounds like a late 80's or early 90's vehicle, or at least that is around here.
Any modern 15W40 oil should work fine. Any brand that carries CK-4 will be good, no need to chase anything special when you are changing every 3k miles.

How good is your fuel quality in terms of sulphur content?
Older oils carried more TBN and needed to be changed sooner due to higher sulphur levels in the fuel causing acid buildup. With modern fuels carrying much less sulphur, you should be able to extend your oil change interval. A UOA with TBN should tell you.

The little motor is definitely overworked on American roads. I keep my speed down, but do a lot of mountain passes. Nervous to go beyond the factory intervals of 3k miles.

I’ve been using Delvac 1300, but realized most modern oils are geared towards emissions. Wasn’t sure if any ole oil would be fine, or needed to find something that was more “old school”

 

[Abax25]

I'd say 3k oil changes & reusing the oil filter for 6k is doable.

I have a few of the orange fram extra guards that came with the vehicle. I drive a good amount, and would hate to change a filter every 3k miles if it wasn’t needed…. especially given filters are $30+ each for this vehicle

 

[fantastic]

I have a few of the orange fram extra guards that came with the vehicle. I drive a good amount, and would hate to change a filter every 3k miles if it wasn’t needed…. especially given filters are $30+ each for this vehicle

Understand that, They advertise 10,000 miles for the orange cans here in the USA & not sure how they advertise them elsewhere but if they're made the same 6,000 miles should be no problem.

 

[Jetronic]

I have an L300 Mitsubishi Delica diesel with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel.

The factory oil change interval is 3,000 miles, so I’ve just been using Dino 15w-40. Given the service interval is so low, does it matter which brand is used? I know new oils are formulated for modern diesels. Is there a certain brand that would be better for my old school diesel?

Also, given the low intervals. Can I stretch a filter change to two oil changes? Which would be 6,000 miles? I have a stock pile of the hated orange can frams….. Oil filters for this vehicles are $30+ a piece so I’ve been using the orange frams that came with the vehicle.

Soot is the issue, if you find the oil is not loaded with soot, you can stretch the interval and the filter aswell.. What was the oil spec back then, API CD?

 

[Abax25]

Soot is the issue, if you find the oil is not loaded with soot, you can stretch the interval and the filter aswell.. What was the oil spec back then, API CD?

It’s an old diesel. The oil is black the moment you change it. Would need to send a sample off to check for soot

No clue on what the oil spec was back in the day for it. Very basic engine, but when I see “low emissions diesel oil” that scares me

 

[Jetronic]

It’s an old diesel. The oil is black the moment you change it. Would need to send a sample off to check for soot

No clue on what the oil spec was back in the day for it. Very basic engine, but when I see “low emissions diesel oil” that scares me

you can do a blot test yourself.

Yes I know the engine from the L200, also in it's newer DI form. We used Acea C3 oil in them, 15,000 km interval for oil and filter.

But yours is unknown and on lower cetane fuel, so check if the oil has reserve dispercancy before extending the oci (or the filter interval)

 

[Abax25]

you can do a blot test yourself.

Yes I know the engine from the L200, also in it's newer DI form. We used Acea C3 oil in them, 15,000 km interval for oil and filter.

But yours is unknown and on lower cetane fuel, so check if the oil has reserve dispercancy before extending the oci (or the filter interval)

Never heard of a blot test!

 

[Jetronic]

Never heard of a blot test!

https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/499/blotter-spot-method

here you go

 

[JimmyChainsaw]

I had an old Nissan ute the same vintage as your L200.It also required a 5000km oil change.Have to say I got sick and tired of changing the oil all the time.Turned out the fuel available around this time had a higher Sulphur content plus these were precombustion engines which don't burn as cleanly as common rail.Here in NZ we changed to ULSD in the early 2000's,so I increased the change interval to 10,000km and had a UOA check done.Every thing was just fine.Just for interest I put some C3 oil in it and took the oil change interval out to 20,000km,again the report came back fine.So Abax25 sleep easy,these little Jap diesels are very forgiving.My guess is the body will rot away long before the drivetrain gives up.

 

[Jetronic]

I had an old Nissan ute the same vintage as your L200.It also required a 5000km oil change.Have to say I got sick and tired of changing the oil all the time.Turned out the fuel available around this time had a higher Sulphur content plus these were precombustion engines which don't burn as cleanly as common rail.Here in NZ we changed to ULSD in the early 2000's,so I increased the change interval to 10,000km and had a UOA check done.Every thing was just fine.Just for interest I put some C3 oil in it and took the oil change interval out to 20,000km,again the report came back fine.So Abax25 sleep easy,these little Jap diesels are very forgiving.My guess is the body will rot away long before the drivetrain gives up.

When I was a kid we had a Nissan Sunny with 2.0 diesel which required 5000 km oil changes aswell, just remembered

 

[dlundblad]

I would argue your OCI can be stretched out a tad, but that’s not what you’re asking. That being said 3k oil changes with an every other filter change seems very reasonable.

 

[Abax25]

I had an old Nissan ute the same vintage as your L200.It also required a 5000km oil change.Have to say I got sick and tired of changing the oil all the time.Turned out the fuel available around this time had a higher Sulphur content plus these were precombustion engines which don't burn as cleanly as common rail.Here in NZ we changed to ULSD in the early 2000's,so I increased the change interval to 10,000km and had a UOA check done.Every thing was just fine.Just for interest I put some C3 oil in it and took the oil change interval out to 20,000km,again the report came back fine.So Abax25 sleep easy,these little Jap diesels are very forgiving.My guess is the body will rot away long before the drivetrain gives up.

Yeah the 3k changes come up quickly with the driving I do.

I’ve been using plain ole Delvac 1300. I see Walmart SuperTech full synthetic is only $1 more. I’ll be running that next change and get an analysis done at 3k miles to see how it’s holding up

 

[Number_35]

I love those L300 Delica vans. I test-drove two back in 2003 when we had moved to NZ for a year and were looking for a van.

Both had the 2.4 l petrol engines. My wife nixed them because of the 5-speed column-shifted MT.

I think at that time the recommendation for OCs in NZ was 5,000 km for diesel and 10,000 km for petrol.