LEON(MI)

Member
is there a difference between 10w-30 for cars and 10w-30 diesel for tractors? I saw that menards had some diesel oil on sale.i have been using reg. oil in my tractor. still running!
 
Yes. A diesel engine should only use oil that is diesel rated. I recently bought one of those Carrol Stream air-cooled diesel engines, and it calls for 10w30 diesel rated oil. Found it at Walmart.
 
(quoted from post at 17:47:33 04/17/16) is there a difference between 10w-30 for cars and 10w-30 diesel for tractors? I saw that menards had some diesel oil on sale.i have been using reg. oil in my tractor. still running!

Read the API ratings. Most people seem to read the viscosity but ignore the actual specs.
 
The answer is: "It depends on the oil".
Most modern gasoline car manufacturers now want SN oil. When oil went from SL or SM to SN, a lot of the good flat-tappet additives were taken out of the SN oil. One of the additives taken out was zinc. Zinc shortens the life of catalytic converters and since modern gasoline engines have roller lifters, and you don't have the sliding on the camshaft anymore, it really wasn't needed. However, a lot of diesel engines still have the sliding tappets and zinc is a good additive to stop camshaft wear from the sliding tappets.
A lot of diesel engine oil still has the zinc and using it in a car COULD shorten the life of the catalytic converter if your engine uses some oil. Modern SN rated oil in a diesel engine might not have all the additives that the diesel manufacturer recommends.
For the vehicles I drive, I really have no problem using diesel engine oil in a gasoline engine. However, I would balk at using SN (or the new Dexos oil) in a diesel engine.
If I've really clouded up things, it's probably best to read the owner's manual.
 
thanks for the replies.got the book out.it calls for "cc" rated diesel oil.did not understand the different ratings.will be changing to the correct "diesel oil'. thanks again.
 
The diesel rated oil is a better oil for the older gas engines with flat tappets and no cat converter.

You didn't say what tractor you have, but if it's an older model, say pre 70's, the 10w30 might be a little light for summer use. Do you know what the mfg recommends?
 
Don't know how much "on sale" is at menards but I use Chevron-Delo 400 CJ-4 diesel rated (latest diesel rating) and they have it (big blue jugs) at Wallmart. Ten qt jug for $ 25.00 or you can get it in smaller quantities for slightly more. that's $2.50 qt for top of the line diesel oil. Probably no more than $ 3.00 in smaller quantities. I use the 15W-40 and love it. Apparently my engines do to.
 
You are not going to find a "CC" rating on the oil anymore, its been obsolete and superseded many times. Modern diesel oils are just fine for older diesel engines. If you look hard enough some of the brands specify older ratings on their websites etc. I think the CH-4 is the oldest rating still being used with CJ-4 being the most current.
 

I use the Rotella in my '75 BMW R90S, it's all about the zinc and the cam in that engine. That's been the go to oil for at least the last 10 years for airheads.
 
The short answer is YES, there are diesel rated 10W30's. You may need to look a little harder to find them but they are available. They would be CI or CJ rated oils rather than SM or whatever the gasoline spec is today...
I always use the diesel rated oils in any heavy duty gasoline engine.

Rod
 
(quoted from post at 21:49:45 04/17/16) Don't know how much "on sale" is at menards but I use Chevron-Delo 400 CJ-4 diesel rated (latest diesel rating) and they have it (big blue jugs) at Wallmart. Ten qt jug for $ 25.00 or you can get it in smaller quantities for slightly more. that's $2.50 qt for top of the line diesel oil. Probably no more than $ 3.00 in smaller quantities. I use the 15W-40 and love it. Apparently my engines do to.

What are the signs and symptoms of "oil love" ?
 
(quoted from post at 10:25:59 04/18/16) Must have a little extra time (or something) on your hands, huh?

Just wondering how you and your tractor could both love oil? How do you place a value or quantity on that ?
 
"What are the signs and symptoms of "oil love" ? "

Well let's see . . . You start out with that Ooey Gooey feeling, and then . . . . . .



LOL
 

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