What is the best oil for a Perkins 4.154

Gulfstar · 10-12-2014, 06:11 PM

Hi all I recently purchased a Gulfstar 36 MKII and have been going through all the systems. My question is; What is the best motor oil for my Perkins 4.154? Thanks!

Tom.B · 10-12-2014, 06:53 PM

Find out what the owner's manual says and use that. Rotella is pretty popular and I used straight 40W for our 6.354, but this is a loaded question here. Lots of different opinions on synthetic versus dino. At the end of the day, YOU have to decide exactly what to use. However, get the weight spec from the owner's guide. If you don't have it, I would bet that a lot of people at our sister forum (cruisersforum.com) have that size motor and could share their experience too.

Please use the search engine here and go do some reading on member's opinion on oils. Thanks.

bluebyu · 10-12-2014, 07:16 PM

+1 to Tom!

Or/and goto http://boatdiesel.com/.
Membership cost 25$ Loads of great information there.
Goto the forum section, you will be able to view new answers, older answers are only for members.

As an example:
http://boatdiesel.com/Engines/Perkin...=4102013431713

Hope this helps!

sunchaser · 10-12-2014, 09:13 PM

DELO 15-40 and can be purchased at Costco for about $ 40 a 3 pack. Used it for years in my 2003 Perkins Sabres and that is the weight the book calls for.

Gulfstar · 10-13-2014, 11:32 AM

Thanks for the information! I checked the manual and It list's everything from 20-50, 10-30, 20-20, 20-40, 20-30 from different manufactures. Delo makes a 20-40. Am I over thinking this?

psneeld · 10-13-2014, 11:34 AM

yes

Gulfstar · 10-13-2014, 11:50 AM

OK So what would happen If i use the Delo 10-40 like Sunchaser suggested?

Capt.Bill11 · 10-13-2014, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gulfstar

OK So what would happen If i use the Delo 10-40 like Sunchaser suggested?

Your motor will explode into a million pieces and the villagers will chase you out of town with burning torches.

Then again, most likely nothing will happen.

psneeld · 10-13-2014, 12:28 PM

I vote for choice number one....

Actually the only thing less likely to have agreement on than oil is anchors and neither topic has anyone really shown where one or the other is truly better...just a bit different.

Even the quality of the oil has never been shown to matter a whole lot let alone viscosity, brand, additives, etc....so the lack of consensus says...use a typical modern diesel oil and no one can tell you anything for sure...except they don't know for sure...

sunchaser · 10-13-2014, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gulfstar

OK So what would happen If i use the Delo 10-40 like Sunchaser suggested?

Sunchaser uses 15-40 as the book recommends. Cat recommends the same for their identical 3056 to my PS 225s. A trip to Costco will convince you that Delo 15-40 is the price leader, by far.

For God's sake though don't query about a synthetic or the thread will grow to 40 pages.

psneeld · 10-13-2014, 12:36 PM

Yeah but discussing synthetic will a quiet and fast 40 pages...

High Wire · 10-13-2014, 12:43 PM

Welcome aboard! 15W-40 is fine and you can find it anywhere.

gwkiwi · 10-13-2014, 02:48 PM

I use Delo 15W-40 on my Perkins Range 4 engines with good results. I asked the company that tests my oil the same question you have and they said Delo (Chevron) and Rotello (Shell) are both good.

Nomad Willy · 10-13-2014, 03:36 PM

She'll Rotella or Chevron 30 weight oil.

Gulfstar · 10-13-2014, 03:45 PM

So after reading all the reply's I did a google search on Delo 15-40 and some guy was selling 6 gallons on Craigslist new in case for $50.00. I now have 6 gallons of it.

Tom.B · 10-13-2014, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gulfstar

OK So what would happen If i use the Delo 10-40 like Sunchaser suggested?

The sun will explode and end all life as we know it.

OR

Your engine will be lubed.

psneeld · 10-13-2014, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gulfstar

So after reading all the reply's I did a google search on Delo 15-40 and some guy was selling 6 gallons on Craigslist new in case for $50.00. I now have 6 gallons of it.

And they all lived happily together forever!

I love a story with a happy ending......

dannc · 10-13-2014, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gulfstar

Thanks for the information! I checked the manual and It list's everything from 20-50, 10-30, 20-20, 20-40, 20-30 from different manufactures. Delo makes a 20-40. Am I over thinking this?

Yes.

The manual should also be showing temperature ranges in which to use each of those oil weights. Pick the oil that best fits the temperature range when the engine will be used.

For say, 20W50, I assume there is a W and the W matters, every manual I have seen would show that a 20 weight will have a lower air operating temperature while the 50 would have a higher air operating temperature. Given the high temperatures in many engine rooms I would think a 20w40 or 20w50 oil would be a good choice.

Just make sure the oil meets or exceeds the manual's API Service Classification, the two letters in the "donut" on the oil container. Read this link, but make sure you read the part of the document for diesels, not spark engines, oilspecifications.org - Lubricant standards and specifications.

For most diesels, you want to use a diesel rated oil not a gas rated oil.

I use a variety of oil brands. Which ever oil meets the manual specification and for the best price. I have used Shell 15W40, Shell 5W40, Delo 15W40, JD 15W40, and JD 0W40 on my diesels. My JD riding lawn mower and DR Mower are using a synthetic, I think it is 0W30, that might be Penzoil.

The oil lab I used for used oil analysis did a test a year or so ago with oils that were 30-50 years old that they bought off Ebay. They ran the variety of ancient oil through some of the their cars with no problem. Just pick an oil that meets the engine specification.

Just changed my oil and I forgot to mail off the sample.... Note to self...

Later,
Dan