Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Archimedes001
09-09-2021 at 08:48 AM.
Quote
from KMan
:
Generally speaking, what makes motor oil suitable for diesel engines as opposed to gas ones, for the same weight and type? Is this mostly marketing?
API C service category (CK-4, CJ-4 etc.) has a completely different set of engine test specifications than an API S category (SP, SJ, etc.) for passenger cars.
What this means is the formulations are similar but diesel spec engine oils tend to have a lot more dispersant in there to handle soot and also usually higher ZDDP (antiwear) and detergents. They also tend to use a different type of viscosity modifier (usually a styrene type) that helps disperse soot and also has a really good shear stability as the drains on diesel oils is very long.
You could technically use a diesel spec oil in a passenger car as it is over formulated for those but... the drawback is if they have a high ZDDP level which could cause premature catalytic converter failure.
The other way around doesn't work, a passenger car oil couldn't survive in a diesel engine for a very long time. For a short period sure but not for the drains and the amount of soot those engines see.
That said this stuff is API CF-2, CF so it's old spec probably use it for lawn mowers or other random applications but not a modern passenger car or even a modern diesel.
Oh should also add that even modern CK-4 diesel oils do not have to pass the low-speed-preignition (LSPI) test so they might use all calcium based detergent systems which could be disastrous for your turbo GDI engines (VW, Ford ecoboost, etc.)
Generally speaking, what makes motor oil suitable for diesel engines as opposed to gas ones, for the same weight and type? Is this mostly marketing?
From what I've read is that the diesel formulations have higher zinc compound concentrations for increased anti-wear of the metal parts in the engine, but catalytic converters can't handle that higher concentration (sounds like it would clog them up early) so that's why it's not recommended for gas cars with cats.
I run the diesel version it in my outdoor gas engines - mower, tractors, etc since they don't have emissions / cats.
This is cheaper than the TSC jugs I buy so will grab a couple of these.
API C service category (CK-4, CJ-4 etc.) has a completely different set of engine test specifications than an API S category (SP, SJ, etc.) for passenger cars.
What this means is the formulations are similar but diesel spec engine oils tend to have a lot more dispersant in there to handle soot and also usually higher ZDDP (antiwear) and detergents. They also tend to use a different type of viscosity modifier (usually a styrene type) that helps disperse soot and also has a really good shear stability as the drains on diesel oils is very long.
You could technically use a diesel spec oil in a passenger car as it is over formulated for those but... the drawback is if they have a high ZDDP level which could cause premature catalytic converter failure.
The other way around doesn't work, a passenger car oil couldn't survive in a diesel engine for a very long time. For a short period sure but not for the drains and the amount of soot those engines see.
That said this stuff is API CF-2, CF so it's old spec probably use it for lawn mowers or other random applications but not a modern passenger car or even a modern diesel.
Oh should also add that even modern CK-4 diesel oils do not have to pass the low-speed-preignition (LSPI) test so they might use all calcium based detergent systems which could be disastrous for your turbo GDI engines (VW, Ford ecoboost, etc.)
Quote
from BlluittFW
:
From what I've read is that the diesel formulations have higher zinc compound concentrations for increased anti-wear of the metal parts in the engine, but catalytic converters can't handle that higher concentration (sounds like it would clog them up early) so that's why it's not recommended for gas cars with cats.
I run the diesel version it in my outdoor gas engines - mower, tractors, etc since they don't have emissions / cats.
This is cheaper than the TSC jugs I buy so will grab a couple of these.
Thanks, very detailed and informative. The only part I don't get is why this would affect the cat, since the oil is supposed to remain in the engine block. Are we talking blow-by and oil leakage into the combustion chamber, that over time affects the cat?
Straight 30 diesel is often the speced oil for standby machinery that is stored in conditioned space, such as sheltered diesel generators and fire pumps.
It's also commonly speced on older farm equipment.
Thanks, very detailed and informative. The only part I don't get is why this would affect the cat, since the oil is supposed to remain in the engine block. Are we talking blow-by and oil leakage into the combustion chamber, that over time affects the cat?
Diesel rated oils often has wear additives that are really helpful to recent wear. The same additives are useful in flat tappet cam motors, and also very good for metal to metal wear. Additives such as zinc, and molybendium can damage some platinum catalytic converters.
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Archimedes001
What this means is the formulations are similar but diesel spec engine oils tend to have a lot more dispersant in there to handle soot and also usually higher ZDDP (antiwear) and detergents. They also tend to use a different type of viscosity modifier (usually a styrene type) that helps disperse soot and also has a really good shear stability as the drains on diesel oils is very long.
You could technically use a diesel spec oil in a passenger car as it is over formulated for those but... the drawback is if they have a high ZDDP level which could cause premature catalytic converter failure.
The other way around doesn't work, a passenger car oil couldn't survive in a diesel engine for a very long time. For a short period sure but not for the drains and the amount of soot those engines see.
That said this stuff is API CF-2, CF so it's old spec probably use it for lawn mowers or other random applications but not a modern passenger car or even a modern diesel.
Oh should also add that even modern CK-4 diesel oils do not have to pass the low-speed-preignition (LSPI) test so they might use all calcium based detergent systems which could be disastrous for your turbo GDI engines (VW, Ford ecoboost, etc.)
I run the diesel version it in my outdoor gas engines - mower, tractors, etc since they don't have emissions / cats.
This is cheaper than the TSC jugs I buy so will grab a couple of these.
What this means is the formulations are similar but diesel spec engine oils tend to have a lot more dispersant in there to handle soot and also usually higher ZDDP (antiwear) and detergents. They also tend to use a different type of viscosity modifier (usually a styrene type) that helps disperse soot and also has a really good shear stability as the drains on diesel oils is very long.
You could technically use a diesel spec oil in a passenger car as it is over formulated for those but... the drawback is if they have a high ZDDP level which could cause premature catalytic converter failure.
The other way around doesn't work, a passenger car oil couldn't survive in a diesel engine for a very long time. For a short period sure but not for the drains and the amount of soot those engines see.
That said this stuff is API CF-2, CF so it's old spec probably use it for lawn mowers or other random applications but not a modern passenger car or even a modern diesel.
Oh should also add that even modern CK-4 diesel oils do not have to pass the low-speed-preignition (LSPI) test so they might use all calcium based detergent systems which could be disastrous for your turbo GDI engines (VW, Ford ecoboost, etc.)
I run the diesel version it in my outdoor gas engines - mower, tractors, etc since they don't have emissions / cats.
This is cheaper than the TSC jugs I buy so will grab a couple of these.
It's also commonly speced on older farm equipment.
Diesel rated oils often has wear additives that are really helpful to recent wear. The same additives are useful in flat tappet cam motors, and also very good for metal to metal wear. Additives such as zinc, and molybendium can damage some platinum catalytic converters.