Oil types?

The API Cx ratings are for diesel service, the Sx ratings are for petrol service. So the API data you have given us is not particularly helpful.

The ACEA Ax is for petrol service, and the Bx is for light diesel service. A B2 spec is the 'lowest' class of oil they rate, and a B3 spec oil meets that standard as well as additional extended drain requirements so should be fine.

What's the engine it's going in to, and what viscosity are you thinking of using? This is also fairly important.

On or around Sun, 13 Nov 2005 16:43:16 +0000 (UTC), "TonyB" enlightened us thusly:

yes.

although if it's a diesel it's the API C[] rating you should be looking at. chances are an SJ is more than CE though, so to speak.

S for spark ignition, C for compression ignition, IIRC, and in general, the further through the alphabet the better. SG was, for example, the point where anti-sludging was added to the standard (again IIRC) and it's quite tricky to get 20W50 grade oil that conforms to SG for to put in earlier V8s.

Thanks, it sounds like it's OK. It's going in a 200 TDi and if the minimum spec is ACEA B2:96 and I'm using ACEA B3 it should be alright. It's 10w40.

If it is, this means I can use Castrol GTX which is considerably less expensive than the diesel Castrol. Now I'm going to get people screaming at me that I can't use a "petrol" oil in a diesel engine, I bet.

TonyB

Thanks Austin. This could be saving a lot of people a lot of money. The GTX was about 15 quid, the diesel version by Esso was 24 quid.

BTW for other home mechanics, I'm using a Pela oil changer which is very good. Cost about 20 quid from Ebay and has paid for itself already.

TonyB

TonyB

I'd still use a diesel specific oil in this engine. It's a high-revving, relatively high-compression, turbocharged diesel engine with a relatively small oil capacity and as such is going to be fairly hard on it's oil.

IMO it's a false economy to try and save a small amount of money at oil change time to the potential detriment of engine wear - even one turbocharger rebuild will cost more than your savings in 100,000 miles of using the chaeper oil. I use Pennz Long-Life 15W/40 in similar engines but if I were in the UK I'd be using 15W/40 Chevron-Texaco Delo

400 as I'm not aware of Pennz being available there. However any equivalent oil from a reputable manufacturer should be fine.

IIRC there's an oil boffin lurking here somewhere who will have a more knowledgeable opinion on this matter and I expect they will be along shortly.

On or around Sun, 13 Nov 2005 20:48:22 +0000 (UTC), "TonyB" enlightened us thusly:

if it meets the specs, it's mutlipurpose oil, not specifically petrol or diesel.

lately, mine have bene running on Q8's high-spec tractor oil, which was a good price in the local agric merchant for 25l drums. Meets all sorts of specs, plenty good enough for LR and van engines. It's a bit light viscosity for the series III in summer, but I bet it'll be OK in winter.

AFAIK standard GTX is not a multifleet oil.

If it meets ACEA E3 or mb228.3 or API CH4, which premium oils will do, then it is ideal for even longer drain intervals than LR recommend, thus giving added assurance for the careless or the extreme driver.

It's a bit light

If you are using a super universal tractor oil of 15w/30 or the better and more expensive 10w/30 then, although it will be much better than GTX, it will not be ideal for the 200tdi unless it meets at least E2 228.1 or CH4.

Huw

Yes you are. If you are running this engine on anything less than the old CCMC D5 spec which is now obsolete then you will be compromising its ultimate life. This spec was the first SHPD spec and its modern equivalent is ACEA E2 or mb228.1 but there is absolutely no reason today for not using the better ACEA E3 specification oil. This can be substituted by the approximately equal API CH4 or mb228.3 specs. Land Rover are often guilty of specifying lesser oils than they should IMHO although if you read the instruction book for both VM and 200tdi engines of the time, I do believe it mentions that CCMC D5 should be used but it is not as clear as it should be about explaining that this is as a minimum. That oils meeting the specifications that I quote above will also meet and exceed the lesser specifications [you mention] for light vehicle engines also mentioned in the book should be taken as given.

Huw

The correct oil for this engine should cost no more than £38+VAT for 25 litres at a motor factor, truck or agricultural supplier or dealer.

Huw

On or around Sun, 13 Nov 2005 22:29:55 -0000, "Huw" enlightened us thusly:

I suspect this one is 15W40, in fact - not got the drum any more, it was empty - I'm about to buy some more. I believe it does though meet the above specs; I'd not have bought it otherwise, since I don't believe in crappy cheap oil if I can avoid it.

ooops. time to go and defrost the motors.

On or around Sun, 13 Nov 2005 22:34:17 -0000, "Huw" enlightened us thusly:

I'll let you know how much mine is, when I get a new drum. less than that last time.

Easy to find in your area is Morris Ring Free 15w/40. This is well up to spec.

Huw

So when the 2000 owner manual for a TD5 says ACEA A1.98 & B1.98, it's even worse!?

That same owner manual says 5W30 or (on the line below) 5W40 or 5W50. This is to run in the UK. Which one should I use?

Cheers,

Fred

No, in typical the 'standards' fashion of making things as illogical as possible the A1/B1 spec oils are effectively a higher specification than the A3/B3 ones. The A1/B1 spec is for an energy saving, catalyser friendly oil for low friction engines.

It prolly doesn't matter, but you might get fractionally better fuel economy with the 5W30.

On or around Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:23:55 +1300, EMB enlightened us thusly:

there's a hint in the dates. A2.96, A1.98... I forget the date for A3.

Current A1 spec is A1.02, but they were numbered this way as the "fuel efficient" spec was AFAIK the first one to be defined.