What oil do you use in your engine?

[Timmy!]

Bringing this back from the dead...O'Reilly auto parts (or maybe another name in your area) has the 1 gallon of Shell Rotella T for $10.99 until 4/26.

[IDBoating]

Synthetic or blend?

I didn't see the sticker on the drum. I'm hoping it's liquid dinos since the engine is still technically in its break-in period (less than 20 hours so far). I'll switch to synthetic or a blend on the next oil change.

Thanks!

[dom w. forte]

Synthetic or blend?

[IDBoating]

Hard to find? I can drive a mile up the road and buy it at a local mom'n pop marina and 20 minutes down the road @ West Marine.

OK, I now have six quarts of the proper oil. It comes with a story.

After calling every auto shop around, and West Marine, to no avail I started calling boat shops. Several said they just use diesel rated 15W-40 oils.

However, the MasterCraft dealer - one of only two PCM certified shops in the entire region - had more to tell. He said they are not satisfied using diesel oil in a gasoline application. They've only had their PCM certification for a very short time (they got it because they are also the Centurion dealer) and they are careful to toe the line when it comes to PCM's requirements. They could not find the proper oil anywhere, so "I'm not surprised you can't find it either."

To remain in compliance with PCM's specs, they contract directly with Mobil and have the proper 15W-40 GF-4/SM oil delivered in 55 gallon drums. The shop manager drained six quarts into a couple of containers and sold them to me for $30.

[IDBoating]

What came after the C? there may have been another leter and then a -#

There's a whole series of C classifications, which is why I'm referring to them as C* (where * is a wildcard). The most common is CJ-4, but there are lots of others.

[chpthril]

I took your advice and looked it up on the West Marine website. There it was, just as you said. So was a Pennzoil 15W-40 marine product. So I called my local West Marine and had them go grab a bottle off the shelf and read the label to me on the phone. Guess what - it's C* rated oil, meant for diesel applications. It is not SM rated oil. Same problem as all the others.

I looked up the Pennzoil product on Pennzoil's website and it, too, is a diesel rated oil with a C* rating. It's a marine oil, yes, but marine diesel.

I'm waiting for the call back from Deborah at PCM.

What came after the C? there may have been another leter and then a -#

[IDBoating]

Hard to find? I can drive a mile up the road and buy it at a local mom'n pop marina and 20 minutes down the road @ West Marine. It's hard to find because it's not a weight that is common for autos and like gas trucks, but is more common for diesels, but you will find it in a marine grade.

I took your advice and looked it up on the West Marine website. There it was, just as you said. So was a Pennzoil 15W-40 marine product. So I called my local West Marine and had them go grab a bottle off the shelf and read the label to me on the phone. Guess what - it's C* rated oil, meant for diesel applications. It is not SM rated oil. Same problem as all the others.

I looked up the Pennzoil product on Pennzoil's website and it, too, is a diesel rated oil with a C* rating. It's a marine oil, yes, but marine diesel.

I'm waiting for the call back from Deborah at PCM.

[chpthril]

But do they have the GF-4 rating as well?

Some of the on-shelf oils even have the newest GF-5 rating now. GF-5 is specifically backwards compatible with GF-4.

It has been suggested that diesel oils have an additive package that is not recommended for engines with catalytic exhaust systems. I have a CAT-equipped EX-343 so the CJ rated oils may not be a good choice.

BTW, we may have an authoritative answer soon. I finally (hooray!) reached a live person named Deborah at PCM who started digging into this question. Apparently the 15W-40 GF-4/SM requirement isn't theirs, but GM's (from whom PCM buys the engine blocks). According to Deborah, PCM is aware that the exact oil is very difficult to find. She now has one of their Engineers asking GM for clarification. She has promised to call me back on my cellphone with an answer that specifically addresses this issue for my CAT-equipped engine.

Hard to find? I can drive a mile up the road and buy it at a local mom'n pop marina and 20 minutes down the road @ West Marine. It's hard to find because it's not a weight that is common for autos and like gas trucks, but is more common for diesels, but you will find it in a marine grade. I did see where you stated you wanted it in the auto-grade, why not marine?

[IDBoating]

I just went to the garage and looked at a bottle of Mobil Delvac and a bottle of Rotella. Both had an SM rating.. Even Chevron Delo has it.

But do they have the GF-4 rating as well?

Some of the on-shelf oils even have the newest GF-5 rating now. GF-5 is specifically backwards compatible with GF-4.

It has been suggested that diesel oils have an additive package that is not recommended for engines with catalytic exhaust systems. I have a CAT-equipped EX-343 so the CJ rated oils may not be a good choice.

BTW, we may have an authoritative answer soon. I finally (hooray!) reached a live person named Deborah at PCM who started digging into this question. Apparently the 15W-40 GF-4/SM requirement isn't theirs, but GM's (from whom PCM buys the engine blocks). According to Deborah, PCM is aware that the exact oil is very difficult to find. She now has one of their Engineers asking GM for clarification. She has promised to call me back on my cellphone with an answer that specifically addresses this issue for my CAT-equipped engine.

[turbonine]

Actually, they specifically require an SM rated oil. Here's the quote from the PCM manual:

I just went to the garage and looked at a bottle of Mobil Delvac and a bottle of Rotella. Both had an SM rating.. Even Chevron Delo has it.

[IDBoating]

PCM and Indmar both recommend using 15W-40, which has the C rating for diesel. They prefer this because it has more detergents than a S rating oil.

Actually, they specifically require an SM rated oil. Here's the quote from the PCM manual:

The following chart shows the recommended oil viscosity
for various ambient temperature ranges:
Prevailing Ambient Recommended A.P.I.
Temperature Classification & Viscosity
Above 50°F SAE 15W-40 “GF-4/SM”
Below 50°F SAE 5W-30 “GF-4/SM”
IMPORTANT: The use of oils which contain “solid”
additives, non-detergent oils or low quality oils
specifically are not recommended.

WARRANTY NOTICE: PCM Engines reserves the right
to refuse warranty on part(s) and/or engine(s) damaged
by using improper fuels and engine oils.

[turbonine]

PCM and Indmar both recommend using 15W-40, which has the C rating for diesel. They prefer this because it has more detergents than a S rating oil. I have always used Shell Rotella in my boat. Makes buying oil easy since that is what I use in my Powerstroke also.

The important thing to remember is to let your engine warm up prior to putting any load on it. I usally keep mine at idle until I reach at least 140.

[chpthril]

Agreed. Ignore the hype, read the specs.



FWIW, PCM's manual specifically recommends AGAINST low- or no-detergent oils.

Correct, low or non-detergent oils should not be used in internal combustion engines IMO, but oil that is NOT an HD, doesnt it mean it's a low or non-detergent. If one purchased their oil based on the correct API rating, it would be hard to walk out of the store with a low or non-detergent oil for your internal combustion engine.

[IDBoating]

Just an FYI about oil: if the jug says "Heavy Duty" it's all marketing. The weight and API codes on the back tell the story.

Agreed. Ignore the hype, read the specs.

If it has "HD" printed on the label, that stands for "High Detergent" not heavy duty and is there to represent the higher levels of cleaners in the oil as compared to std detergent motor oil. HD oils are more commonly used for diesel engines.

FWIW, PCM's manual specifically recommends AGAINST low- or no-detergent oils.

[chpthril]

Just an FYI about oil: if the jug says "Heavy Duty" it's all marketing. The weight and API codes on the back tell the story. If it has "HD" printed on the label, that stands for "High Detergent" not heavy duty and is there to represent the higher levels of cleaners in the oil as compared to std detergent motor oil. HD oils are more commonly used for diesel engines.