What's you're though on this new #### they came up with on the newer volvox I heard 2016 they're recommending 10w30 heavy duty oil y change now I mean 15w40 has been around for so long
It's a synthetic blend. I'm not really sold on it. But all the truck OEM's are doing it. I know soot doesn't suspend well in synthetic and turns abrasive. And I know that synthetic has less rotational drag but almost all engines have a block stiffener acting as a windage tray so the crank never plunges into the pan. I think on a new engine you have a break in period and synthetic is too slick and thin. Also with engines running hotter 215-218 and hotter oil temps fossil base oil is at a disadvantage until the air temp reaches about 100-105. West Texas Phoenix Las Vegas heat. Then synthetic breaks down fast. I am not a fan of pishing an oil change past 15k max but I'm not the engineer. If engines last 2 million miles then no need to keep salesmen on the staff. I suppose that extended drain intervals offset the extra cost. I think the introduction of bio diesel has led to way too many fuel related issues wrongly blamed on pisspoor design of engines and aftertreatment systems by all, Cummins Detroit PacCar Volvo. Smelled an old Mack today, kinda makes you moss the old days.. Oh yeah did you get my email?
I might sound crazy, but I do mine every 10k with Delvac. I used to do every 13k when I had the EGR disconnected, but since connected it's been 10k.
Yes i did get your e mail that was a huge help, I finally got it done that day. I was lost there for a little bit, I was scratching my head saying what the #### else could it be. But i got it done that was a huge help thank you .
Wow, so much bad info in that post where do I start. No offense but this is the crap that keeps the old wives tales going on synthetic oil to this day. UGH. Totally FALSE. Soot is kept in suspension by the oil's additive package. Synthetic oils are actually more naturally resistant to soot loading and oxidation characteristics than conventional oil due to uniform molecule size. The additive package in oil then encapsulates the particles and provides a "slippery" type shell if you may, which is what protects from wear. Well, it sounds as if you don't understand that the drag isn't anything to do with oil drag type windage . NO modern engine in the last 30 years should be operated with a oil level high enough to physically interact with the crankshaft and cause oil drag. The lower rotational and PUMPING drag from synthetics are again mostly a result of the UNIFORM molecule size as compared to conventional which has widely differing molecule size.......this is what also causes Synthetic oil to start easier in winter conditions...it doesn't turn to jelly. Not an attack man but a little research goes a long way to stop the false info on this subject. OP, Regarding drain intervals, oil analysis is very important if you want to run long intervals. Volvo is up to 45,000 miles recommended with the newest oil technology BUT that is only for low abuse linehaul use. Regional service or severe service still requires shorter intervals with the shortest being 25,000 miles. Honestly, change it as 20- 25,000 miles and you'll be on the very conservative side of the spec.
Did you read the very first post. Over 500K miles. Not a good idea to switch. Synthetic oil is thinner. It helps with cold starts but will find the leaks. As ambient temperature rises the benefits of synthetic decreases. The heat produced by the engine, the lack of cooling available will break synthetic oil down. Synthetic oil was developed to work in the cold. Aircraft engines spend the majority of their working life at altitude. As the oil breaks down the soot accumulation overtakes the additives ability to encapsulate. That is a FACT. Also an engine with that many miles will have engine wear. It will pass into the combustion chamber and exacerbate any existing wear to the point of screwing with the egr system. Synthetic oil will not burn off like conventional. No engine mfr has extended oil drain intervals by switching to synthetics. The reason is heat. 230-250 degree oil temperatures in trucking along with the lack of ability to cool that oil, makes it a more costly alternative without any real benfits. Average life span of single truck owners is around 5 yrs. Between 600 to 700k miles. Fleet units are 375-450k. Between the operational limitations and additional cost. The risk v reward is negligible. I understand the differences between both types fully. I have seen the failure analysis on both types. And no oil mfr recommends using a synthetic on an engine with high mileage. Look at the scientific evidence not the AMSOIL pamphlet. Detroit Diesel actually had a study about 7 or 8 years ago. Mainly due to see about it in 2stroke and 4 stroke marine applications. But the empirical evidence can be related for on highway use diesel engines. It shows new v old v rebuilt, heat absorption dissipation and working limits high and low. Soot accumulation etc. It's a scientific study by an engine mfr not a propaganda pamphlet by an oil mfr.
Oh dear Lord that's priceless, more of the old wives tales. Viscosity is viscosity. The only way to be "thinner" is to use a lower viscosity oil. 15W-40 is 15W-40 And synthetic SHINES in extreme temps, especially heat where it DOESN'T break down and LOSE viscosity like conventional oil. This has been proven countless times and is the reason it was required in jet engines 60+ years ago...conventional cannot handle the heat load on the small oil quantity. High heat or extreme cold are both areas that synthetic oils outperform conventional oils. The statement about old engines not using synthetic is bogus as well. Show me one mfg that states it shouldn't be done... I have personally converted countless high mileage engines to synthetic with exceptional results, including compression going back up from unsticking the rings. The oil seals myth is also just that, a myth from the early days of synthetic technology many decades ago....it has to do with seal conditioner additives. Sir with all due respect you really need to learn more about the facts of synthetic oils and get away from the old wives tales.
So where do I begin: Let's start with thermal breakdown of oil. The best synthetic diesel oil breakdown begins at 284 degrees (amsoil) second place goes to chevron delo at 281 a conventional oil, next is Mobil delvac at 279. 5w40 amsoil is 265. Thermal breakdown of motor oil is where lighter weight properties boil off thereby changing the chemical composition of that oil. Rotella for those interested starts at 254. Thermal breakdown leads to viscosity change. As well a a chemical change in the oil base property. This affects soot suspension, film strength, and wear properties. Wear protection capability is the basis for which an oil should chosen. For all diesel oils it ranged between 72,022 psi (rotella) to 77,207(amsoil 5w40). That is film strength. As you should know, oil is a liquid and not compressible. So all oils regardless of brand viscosity or weight provide the same exact protection. The conclusion of the study states that 1) there is no real or perceived benefit of synthetic oil over conventional oil in diesel engines either turbocharged or supercharged either 2 or 4 stroke. Next is operational range of sythetic v conventional oil. Synthetic oil does have superior cold start protection. With an ambient air temperature operational range of around -20f to about 98f. Problem with synthetic oils is that at higher operating temps the additive package deteriorates causing chemical breakdown the lower side of the range is superior to conventional in that it provides exceptional wear protection as conventional oil is too thick to flow thru filters and opens the bypass allowing for contaminants to pump thru the engine unfiltered. Conventional oil operational range is 10f to around 125f on average. Next is oil leaks and seals. As you state and correctly so synthetic oil will not start a leak. It will, however, find them. With higher mileage engines seal wear is inevitable. Especially OEM seals. So if there was any deterioration present it will be enhanced with a thinner oil. As for oil consumption, the tendency for synthetic oil is to find and enhance resulting in consumption. Marginal wear can sometimes be reversed but is the exception rather than the rule. Cost v benefit analysis is as follows as synthetic oil ranges between 200and 700% increase in just oil cost as well as higher maintenance costs associated due to previously worn or deteriorated parts and components. The use of conventional oils provides sufficient protection with a failure margin of 35% where synthetic oils recommended are extreme cold operations where ambient temperatures range below 0 to 85f. And cold starts are often. If oil temperatures are to exceed 230f is to is recommended to use conventional oil as thermal breakdown of synthetic oil is complete and once reached will continue to disintegrate and conventional oil if cooled will not. However oil change must be made either way. If you made it to here I commend you. The study is 284 pages. The conclusion is 19 by itself. The only thing I do not see in the study is how an EGR system affects the oil. Whether it is functioning properly or has a fault. Be it an EGR valve or egr cooler etc. As the egr contains contains more soot than just combustion produces by itself, piston ring wear will allow accelerated levels to bypass the rings and enter the oil. All of the tests on the oils were done between 2012 and 2014. It was done by 3 independent laboratories 2 in the states and one in Europe. The conclusions were almost identical in all 3.
Dave, great post ! However, the big thing you're missing on the thermal breakdown argument is that the "falloff" "begins" around 275F on almost all oils. >Here's the BIG difference, Synthetics decline like any other oil but at a substantially lower rate than conventional oils. I'm specifically speaking a Group IV PAO (true synthetics) -vs- a Group III Hydrocracked base though. It's not that they're impervious , they just resist the decline to a far higher temp range than conventional oils. Rotella 15W-40 conventional is bar none the worst off the shelf oil for volatility and viscosity loss with temperature. It is burnt to a black crisp about 100F before most PAO oils give up completely.
