I use Amsoil premium synthetic oil. I had engine oil analysis suggesting that I could probably go 8k - 10k based on my driving habits. I installed a 2 micron oil filter and filled up with Amsoil premium synthetic diesel oil last July. In October I hit 8k miles, and noticed a fuel smell one day while driving. I also noticed the oil pressure had dropped to zero. I saw a lot of blow by on the bumper, and the crank case breather tube was puffing out diesel fumes. I took it to the shop near where I had stopped when I noticed the smell, and they informed me that at least one of my injectors had probably gone out, filling the crank case with diesel fuel. As I was under warranty, they suggested getting it into the dealership to have them look at it. The shop was closing, and they were trying to get me out of there. I was so stressed about the engine, I forgot to have them change the oil and drove back home (about 35 miles) on the amsoil synthetic that was diluted by fuel.

I had the truck towed into the dealership, and they replaced all of my injectors under warranty. I saved a oil sample and sent it in for analysis. The oil was so diluted by fuel that they couldn't even analyze it.
After the injector fix, I had the dealership drive it about 80 miles to check for any sort of knocking indicating scored bearings. They heard nothing.
They changed the oil (dino based) and i took it back to them after 1000 miles to check for knocking again. (no knocking)
I ran that batch 2500 more miles and sent the oil sample in for analysis. They found slightly elevated metal content, but they said they see that any time engine work is done.

At that point, I filled up with Amsoil premium full synthetic again. I feel that the extra lubrication was well worth it for that 35 mile drive on a batch of oil diluted with fuel. Even though it was thinned out, it protected the bearings and internal components of my engine, and to me, that's worth the extra cost.

 

Brian,

What kind of oil filtration do you have installed that is giving you 2 mic filtration?

 

This is a great site - helpful and very informed people. Thank you. The list of licensed ATF-4 trans fluids is very helpful.

Well, with only a little over 60K miles on the truck, maybe I had better stay with Mopar or other licensed ATF+4 trans fluid - for warranty reasons (as I recall, these trucks have a 7yr/70K mile powertrain warranty) - at least for now.

As for motor oil, let me ask what for some of you who know far more about these trucks than I do might find to be stupid questions. As I understand it, syn oils and dino oils are compatable - they can be mixed. Here are the questions:

1) Can some of you recommend a synthetic blend oil that meets CI-4 compliance - if there is such a product?

2) Is it recommended that a good parafin-based CI-4 be blended, say 50/50, with an oil such as Rotella T5 - to get the best of both worlds relative to the detergent package offered by CI-4 oils and the heat/extreme service offered by a synthetic?

 

The CI vs CJ is really a dead issue. CI dino oils are very difficult if not impossible to find in any brand, being phased out. The only syn oil in CI that is readily available is AM'S Oil 15/40 Diesel Marine which is a great product

 

However, Group 2 oils (Mineral Based Oils) are not all Parrafinic. They can be Napthinic also.... which is an inferior base oil and the one used by most national brands.... Pennzoil, Quaker State, Mobile, etc. I believe they are preferred because they are less expensive.

RJ

 

You are probably correct, tlloyd. I am having virtually no luck finding any oil in retail outlets that is not listed as meeting both CI-4 and CJ-4 compliance schedules. What I find puzzling about this is, as someone pointed out earlier in this discussion, the detergent packages for CI and CJ oils are significantly dissimilar.

That leads one to ask, how can one oil meet both requirements?

I have been doing so much reading on this subject lately that I forget where I read it, but one article stated that the real variable at work in the "great oil debate" surrounding syn VS dino (CI VS CJ) concerns the low sulpher content of the diesel now available. Specifically, that CJ-4 oils were developed for diesels using low sulpher diesel fuel that we now universaly find at the pump. Since that is all of us, CJ-4 is ok to use in all automotive diesel applications, according to the article - I do recall the article was NOT published by an oil company.

Not being proficient in the area of petro chemical engineering, I can offer no opinion on the point made in this article or its merits.

 

The problem with CJ blend oil as I understand it.....is that they removed most if not all of the Zinc and Phospherous.....ZDDP.

I've give up trying to buying a CI-4+ oil anymore too. I thought I had found the answer with John Deere +50 oil....but now it has even switched to CJ.


So my latest experiment is to run CJ blend regular Rotella.........with a ZDDP cam break in additive mixed in....that is supposed to be real high in ZDDP.

..

 

Amsoil has one...as mentioned
Valvoline Premium Blue Classic still makes a CI-4 oil... synthetic??
Schaeffer (quality company out of St Louis) makes one.
Red Line
Royal Purple

I would not mix them. Your thinking is logical, but unnecessary. There would not be Group 4 oils on the market if they did not have adequate additives. And in my opinion, for our CTD's, group 3 base oils do serve all our needs.
They are a lower cost alternative and do qualify as synthetics. Purists have been slow to accept group 3 base oils as honest synthetics but time has proven these oils to be viable product.

Never was it truer that a little knowledge make choosing an oil complicated and clouds the issue.
Pick a brand your comfortable with and sleep well.
Changing it, and the filter, reasonably often is still the most important factor, IMO.

RJ

 

TexasCTD - the zinc issue you raise seems to be the central concern among those folks seriously evaluating which oil type to use. On the other hand, I can't recall anyone claiming to have destroyed a camshaft while using CJ-4 - but who knows?? Since CJ is now about all we can find, the point has been reduced to essentially an academic exercise I suppose.

However, having said that, what exactly are you using as a ZDDP addative - brand, where to get it?

 

RowJ - you make a lot of sense!! Thanks.

 

The differnce is about 25% less ZDDP. I use a ZDDP additive from Comp Cams to make up the differance.


That's because they're not synthetics. They're highly refined dino oil.

That's not say they're bad products - they're not. For most vehicles and drivers, they're just fine. But if you're paying synthetic prices, you'de better get a true synthetic.

 

Amsoil bypass filter. EaBP100 (claims to guarantee 2micron bypass filtration)

 

Mineral based oils-(group1), virtually not used in today's environment.

I have been using Chevron Delo 400 LE at our shop since its inception in late 2006. We have found absolutely no ill effects on the varied equipment we operate, this includes engines manufactured by Cummins, Cat and International. All UOA's have supported slightly extended service intervals. I went from 10k on all the class 8 trucks to a 15k service interval. The Internationals went from 7500 to 10k.

 

Hvytrkmech,

Good to hear, that's what I've been using in mine at 10k intervals... but rest assured you are hurting many CI-4 user's feelings right now ...

 

You guys might find the following Cummins Service Bulletin interesting:

Cummins Service Bulletin 3810340-06.

Just put the title in your search engine.

sbmar.com/Maintenance/PDF/Cummins-Oil_Service Bulletin_Mar-2007.pdf