What Oil for a 1978 Marine Perkins 6.354 Diesel

[Rjohns3]

The manual calls for an API CC straight 30wgt oil. This is for a marine application with engines with a recommended continuous speed of 2400RPM with pushes to 2800 rpm as conditions warrant. The boat is a trawler, so I can expect continuous runs of 6 to 8 hours a day with some days seeing upwards of 12 hours of continuous run.

Original owner has run Wolf's Head HD 30 in it for 38 years and has very good results. My concern is that the API CC spec has been obsoleted for close to 28 years. My experience is with flat tappet gasoline engines. Is there a analogous concern to the zinc issue in modern oil formulations for gasoline engines for diesel engines. Both Wolf's Head and PennGrade (Brad Penn) have told me that the CF rating will work in my Perkins. With all due respect, I just don't trust their technical support guys in both cases my Perkins engines left the factory before these guys left the womb. MOre to the point, neither of them seemed to really understand that engine wear patterns were directly impacted by the additives packages used in their oils.

 

[andyd]

No clue about best oil. However ,if the engine has run for nearly 30 yrs on a particular spec of oil, why change now? My main question is where and what are you trawling for in Ohio?

 

[Brons2]

CF rating works for the old Detroit Diesel 2 strokes also, which is what Rotella T1 is and what most Detroit guys use, except it's straight 40 in their case.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: andyd
No clue about best oil. However ,if the engine has run for nearly 30 yrs on a particular spec of oil, why change now? My main question is where and what are you trawling for in Ohio?

You're apparently unfamiliar with the Great Lakes?

 

[andyd]

I know about Lake Erie, I just didn't know there were any edible fish in it. What are you fishing for?

 

[bubbatime]

And of the modern 30 or 40 weight diesel engine oils will be more than adequate.

For example, Rotella T1 SAE30 or SAE40 are both rated CF or CF2, which supersedes CC.

http://rotella.shell.com/products/rotella-t1.html

Mobil Delvac comes in 30 and 40 weight. Rated CF.

http://www.mobil.com/english-US/Commercial-Vehicle-Lube/pds/NAUSMobilDelvac1330-1340-1350

Wolfs Head still sells the 30 and 40 weight diesel oil, in 5 gallon pails. Rated CF and CF2. If you want to stick with Wolfs Head.

http://www.wolfshead.com/extreme-duty-synthetic-blend-30-5-gal.html

As to your other concerns, its 38 years old. It has run on something other than CC rated oils for most of its life. Stop worrying about it. The modern stuff is fine.

 

[Rjohns3]

Most northern sport fish to include: most bass species, most perch species, mukies and pike, walleye, most catfish species, steelhead and occasional rainbow trout, rarely salmon, possibly gar (see Ohio sport fish). Perch, walleye and bass are the big draws to the lake. However we use our trawler for cruising. It is a 1978 fiberglass Formosa Boat Co. built 40 Trawler with twin PErkins 6.354s in it.

 

[Rjohns3]

Thanks, was hoping to confirm that unlike gasoline motor oil and its zinc loads re flat tappet engines, that the CF and later service level oils were not missing anything that the CC service level had related to anti wear and anti shear additives.

 

[Rjohns3]

Because the available specification has changed from API CC to API CF in the last 39 years. I am concerned that the additive and detergent mixes have changed sufficiently to no longer meet the objectives of the obsolete API CC spec.

 

[m37charlie]

I purchased a Perkins 4.236 (same modular design as 6.354) new in 1976. The manual recommended a Series 3 oil but I always used Delo 400 in it. Series 3 is a very high detergency oil for its time, similar to modern European ACEA E4 oil. The only E4 I know of in the US is Delvac 1 SHC 5W40, available at Mobil marine distributors.
https://www.exxonmobil.com/en/marine/products/mobil-delvac-1-shc-5w40.
Delo 300 30 or 40 is a series 3 oil but isn't made any more.
Don't use CF2 oil, that is for 2 strokes and very low in additives due to deposit issues in 2 stroke Detroits. Or keep using your Wolf's Head.

Charlie

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Originally Posted By: Rjohns3
Most northern sport fish to include: most bass species, most perch species, mukies and pike, walleye, most catfish species, steelhead and occasional rainbow trout, rarely salmon, possibly gar (see Ohio sport fish). Perch, walleye and bass are the big draws to the lake. However we use our trawler for cruising. It is a 1978 fiberglass Formosa Boat Co. built 40 Trawler with twin PErkins 6.354s in it.

That's some boat. Do you have pictures you can share?

 

[Rjohns3]

The Gandy Dancer at dock, Midway Marina, Catawba Island, Ohio

 

[JHZR2]

I'd look to run delo 40wt straight.

 

[NH73]

I agree, keep using a diesel rated straight 30 oil. Like others say, CF supersedes CC. CF is the rating still used for single weight oils.. If you would really want to venture into newer oils, it would be 15w40. Better cold start up for sure, but somebody probably come on here say not to. As far as Zinc and PH, you got to remember oils years ago were sold with less of that them what even the new oils today were reduced to. And plus, they didn't have any substitute anti-wear additives.

 

[BrocLuno]

If you want a real high detergency oil, you might look at Mobil Mobilgard HSD. Very stout oil with high TBN and approved by a lot of engine builders

https://www.exxonmobil.com/en/marine/products/mobilgard-high-speed-diesel-oil

 

[userfriendly]

PDS on Mobilgard HSD shows good water tolerance and separation. That red flags it as not containing emulsifiers if that is important for your application.

 

[fdcg27]

Good looking boat. Love the lines. Bet those Perkins diesels sound good.
Formosa Boat Co? So this vessel was built in Taiwan?
Would love to hear the story on how this boat ended up on Lake Erie.
Oil? If yours are NA, then they are pretty understressed and should be fine on any HDEO.
You might find better advice at oldmarineengine.com.

 

[NH73]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
If you want a real high detergency oil, you might look at Mobil Mobilgard HSD. Very stout oil with high TBN and approved by a lot of engine builders

https://www.exxonmobil.com/en/marine/products/mobilgard-high-speed-diesel-oil
This looks like a much better oil than the Wolf's Head that the previous owner used.

 

[userfriendly]

Cajun or Acadian?

It looks like Chevron left their SD 15W30 CJ-4/SM with high ZDDP. HTHS is reported to be 3.7 which is top of the SAE 30 scale.