How do you measure the "Obvious temp decrease" in your diesel? They run a thermostat which maintains a constant temp range during the normal engine operation.
I tested the oil I use in the race car that doesn't matter what the thermostat is because it is borderline over heating all the time anyway. My temps dropped 21*F (average) from 205-210 to 185*F and the Thermostat started cycling again during test laps... (Race temps are usually higher due to lack of air in traffic and debris in grill and on the radiator.)
I averaged 220*F during racing instead of 240-250*F
I am just curious how you were able to see the temp Decrease without using special equipment.
Oilguy

 

oilguy,

While I can't give an accurate answer with numbers, the stock temperature gauge peaked an obvious amount lower than before. I tow a race car at an average of over 20,000 miles per year out of Florida under consistent conditions, so I was very familiar with it's operating temps. I'm sure that 1-2 widths of the needle translates into an obvious temperature decrease.

 

Just changed the old girls oil for the first time. (at 4500 miles) I put delo 15-40 wt and a fleetgaurd filter. I hope that this combo will works.

 

mopar filter & rotella 15w-40

 

I was just wondering...
I know that when I changed to Scheaffer syn's >> It made my truck take longer to warm up on cold mornings... About 1 mile longer >> but I just wondered if you had equipment to tell the temp difference during normal engine operation.
Do you run Amsoil in the race car also? How is the performance? How often do you change it?
Oilguy

 

Ditto for me. You can get Wix filters cheap at fleetfilter.com.

 

I ordered mine from here pretty cheap!

http://www.filter1.com/

 

I only use mopar or fleetguard filters. I use OEM filters on everything I own. I get my tractor and mower filters from Kubota and Agco. I have seen to many problems arise from crappy aftermarket filters that didn't meet OEM specs. When these trucks and equipment cost as much as they do why take a chance running something else? That's why I just run factory filters then I never have to worry about a warranty problme or anything else. Price isn't a concern for me when it comes to filters although I am not wealthy, because I have a pile of money invested in my trucks and my tractors. Why try and save $3 or $4 on a filter whenit can cost 10 or 12g's to replace an engine in one of these things? I don't believe in making things out to be harder than they have to.

 

That is the first I here of people mixing oil like that..

I think the people that make this stuff (name brand oil) have a million dollar lab to make and mix oil, and I will leave it to them, they know what they are doing and get paid to do it.
Little different oil but I have been selling guns and gun oil for 20 years or better and see people mix oil and use oil not made for guns that cause all types problems and gun oils that are mixed and turn to tar and make things stick. Its like the people that mix antifreeze color and old and new , it turns to jello. I have seen that.
Not saying that what you are doing is wrong or bad it may be fine but not knowing what is in each brand of oil could cause a problem. BUt that would be for someone that test it and knows all there is to know about oil, I will tell you that I don't. But I did stay at a Hoilday Inn last night.

Jon

 

Here, here! I just use what it came from the factory with it and it seems to do the job.

 

Does anyone know for sure who makes the Mopar oil & filters?

I hear rumors that the filters are repackaged Fleetguards and the oil is Valvoline

 

That is what I was told.
Jon

 

"Not saying that what you are doing is wrong or bad it may be fine but not knowing what is in each brand of oil could cause a problem."

Delvac 1 and Delvac 1300 are both Mobil HDEOs, both seem to work well togther as the engine runs quieter than with just straight dino.

If people are worried about mixing oil then they should never change the type of oil that they're using, including same brand, type, viscosity but upgraded product, unless you flush the old oil from the engine, as you leave a lot of old oil in the engine when you change it.

If you're on the road and need to top off but don't have the exact same type of oil, then you should just park it until you can get some, or buy 6 gallons of a different type; 3 gallons to flush and 3 gallons to refill. Or just use the oil company recommendations and top off with a different HDEO, which is mixing, right ?

 

Sounds good and could be true never said it would not run quieter.

If you do a total drain there is not much oil left in the motor and mixing 12 qt new oil to maybe 1/4 qt or less should not make a difference.
But that is why if you talk to a lot of oil makers they tell you to run a full load of the new syn oil then change it at 500 or less miles.
The oil has stuff in it to clean the motor.
That is what amsoil and others say.
The local amsoil guy around here said he would pay for that oil (3 gal for 500 miles) if I run there oil.

Good point but this is a CTD and I have about 300k on a CTD's I know it is not much but I have never needed to top it off.
Also it works the same way as a swap if you add 1/4 -1/2 qt to the 11.5-12qt you have in it it should not matter. BTW most people I know of carry all the stuff needed to service them, but never use it.
In my truck I have 2 oil filters, 2 fuel filters, one air filter, 4 gal oil, brake pads,water, food (MRE) and other junk and tools to fix stuff with, If I got the trailer I will have CO2 onboard air all the tools and a readywelder if needed. Yes I have stopped and weld trailers and junk back to get people on the road. If I ever see your rig on the side of the road I will be the first to stop and help you in any way I can.

If I wanted to be a smart A@@ then I would have told you to go back to rotella T 15w-40 and you will not need to mix or top of!!!!
No I don't want to start an oil war they all are good and we just pick what we want. The point was only this I do not know anyone else that mixes oil 50/50 like you do, I just trust the oil makers and if I have a problem then I can go back to them but if you tell them you mix it then I would bet you would be on your own.

FWIW you should have seen the look when I stopped in uniform after a shoot with 2 cannons and 2 mortars on the trailer and say "can I help you change your tire" , please hold my hat and gun!!!!!!!
I had 20 people stop just to look on I-81, cop told me to move on I was holding up traffic.
Best of luck
Jon

 

"The point was only this I do not know anyone else that mixes oil 50/50 like you do, I just trust the oil makers and if I have a problem then I can go back to them but if you tell them you mix it then I would bet you would be on your own."

The point I was trying to make is that people mix all the time already, when switching oil, using an upgraded version of the same oil, or topping off with a different oil. I don't know what the dry fill is vs an oil change, but on cars it's common to need an extra qt on a rebuild as an example.

The concerns seem to be 'something bad happening' if oil is mixed, and a more specific concern would be incompatible base oils or incompatible additives, which are a small portion of the oil. Incompatible base oils would probably show up first, as a gelling or ?, and it's something that makers want to make sure doesn't happen as the potential exists for serious engine damage, under the common circumstances noted above. Oil film thickness under operation is very small, maybe 0.001 to 0.003 inches on say a journal bearing, and maybe down to a tenth of that at portions of the the ring and cylinder interface. Incompatible additives would probably show up as a problem over a longer period of time, but they're also more prone to problems with small levels of incompatible chemicals due to the already low levels in the oils. Again, makers want to make sure that such things don't happen under the common circumstances noted above.

If there is going to be a problem it will be less than optimum protection, especially over longer drain intervals and/or extreme conditions, so staying with the same make and type, such as Mobil Delvac like I do, seems to work just fine. UOAs posted by others at other sites on such mixes seem to work well.