Capt.Bill11
Guru
Yeah well, they also advocate adding Marvel Mystery Oil to your fuel and that's a crock. So sorry, apparently they don't know it all.
Oil Change on Lehman 120
- Thread starter PuppyR
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Yeah well, they also advocate adding Marvel Mystery Oil to your fuel and that's a crock. So sorry, apparently they don't know it all.
Nomad Willy
Guru
I agree Cap,
You can put syn oil in a 37 Plymouth as long as it's not sludged up but I don't think you'll notice any engine improvement. Synthetic oil is superior .. no doubt about it.
As far as I know the only advantage to synthetic lube oil is the ability to maintain a good film of oil at very high temperatures. Like in a turbocharger or a racing engine. Dino oil gets the job done fine on NA engines commonly found in trawler boats. They don't present a challenge to dino oil and as far as I know synthetic oil offers no cost effective advantage.
If you can please submit an objective (a truly independent source) report that shows there is a significant and cost effective advantage (excluding lower fuel burn) to using syn lube in old or modern low temp low performance engines and I'll seriously consider using it myself.
Can't deny that American Diesel has a lot of experience but I'd look to the engine manufacturer (in this case Ford) for that kind of information. But Ford didn't make a marine engine and the marine engine operates under different conditions than truck engines. So the above is flawed. However for old engines that are no longer being manufactured one could look at another brand of engine that was extremely similar to (in this case) the Ford Lehman. Perkins. 6-354. Just about the same in all respects except the name. And the Perkins engine is a marine engine. If you do I'll bet they recommend exactly what Arch talked about in his post.
You can put syn oil in a 37 Plymouth as long as it's not sludged up but I don't think you'll notice any engine improvement. Synthetic oil is superior .. no doubt about it.
As far as I know the only advantage to synthetic lube oil is the ability to maintain a good film of oil at very high temperatures. Like in a turbocharger or a racing engine. Dino oil gets the job done fine on NA engines commonly found in trawler boats. They don't present a challenge to dino oil and as far as I know synthetic oil offers no cost effective advantage.
If you can please submit an objective (a truly independent source) report that shows there is a significant and cost effective advantage (excluding lower fuel burn) to using syn lube in old or modern low temp low performance engines and I'll seriously consider using it myself.
Can't deny that American Diesel has a lot of experience but I'd look to the engine manufacturer (in this case Ford) for that kind of information. But Ford didn't make a marine engine and the marine engine operates under different conditions than truck engines. So the above is flawed. However for old engines that are no longer being manufactured one could look at another brand of engine that was extremely similar to (in this case) the Ford Lehman. Perkins. 6-354. Just about the same in all respects except the name. And the Perkins engine is a marine engine. If you do I'll bet they recommend exactly what Arch talked about in his post.
Last edited:
Adelaide
Senior Member
Boat is a 1981 34' Marine Trader with a Lehman Ford 120. I'll be changing my oil this week for the first time and was wondering about the best oil to use. What type and weight of oil do you use? I know the manual says 30 weight for my weather conditions but that was written in 1981. Oil has change over the years. Looks like the PO used Shell 10w40 the last time. Do you use the same oil in the fuel-injector pump, as you do in the engine, or 30 weight? As always thanks for helping out!
Both my Diesel mechanic and my surveyor stated to stick specifically with Chevron Delo SAE 30. What is the advantage for me to go with something different? A few dollars saved by purchasing from Walmart?
Yes, you use the same oil in your injector pump.... when draining my injector pump (can be very messy), I have had excellent results with a dust pan, specifically one with a channel down the handle and a paper cup...... Good luck!
Last edited:
Northern Spy
Guru
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2012
- Messages
- 4,075
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- Northern Spy
- Vessel Make
- Nordic Tug 26
You have an old engine, and good luck finding 20W20 on the Walmart shelf.
Be sure to answer them honestly at the checkout when they ask "Did you find everything you were looking for today?"
I always do; which makes for an uncomfortable silence.
Be sure to answer them honestly at the checkout when they ask "Did you find everything you were looking for today?"
I always do; which makes for an uncomfortable silence.
Last edited:
Donsan
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2014
- Messages
- 2,300
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- No Mo Trawla
- Vessel Make
- Hurricane SS188
I think you are reading the chart wrong. The way I read it is 10W30 will hold for most boating conditions.
Nomad Willy
Guru
I remember 20W20 but don't recall what it was. Before MV many (to most) people used 30wt in the summer and 20wt in the winter. But a lot also used 20wt on low mileage engines and 30wt on high mileage engines. In those days that would be cars w over 60,000 miles accumulated.
Scott's manual clearly says to use 20wt except over 90 degrees. And when that manual was written most Lehmans probably ran at much higher loads.
I looked around and it seems 20W20 was sorta like 10W30. The difference has to do w the pour point and depressants that made it closer to 30wt at higher temps but better suited to winter as well. From what I read it sounds like it had some rudimentary viscosity improvers in the additive package.
And it seems Conoco Phillips may offer the oil now.
Scott's manual clearly says to use 20wt except over 90 degrees. And when that manual was written most Lehmans probably ran at much higher loads.
I looked around and it seems 20W20 was sorta like 10W30. The difference has to do w the pour point and depressants that made it closer to 30wt at higher temps but better suited to winter as well. From what I read it sounds like it had some rudimentary viscosity improvers in the additive package.
And it seems Conoco Phillips may offer the oil now.
Last edited:
Northern Spy
Guru
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2012
- Messages
- 4,075
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- Northern Spy
- Vessel Make
- Nordic Tug 26
Oh I'm pretty sure I'm reading the chart right. 20W20 did and still does exist. Very common spec for British cars if a similar vintage.
The SAE system has a fairly high range of viscosity represented by the weight number which was originally a drip number from 100 years ago.
Thank goodness for ISO ratings.
But I agree 10W30 would be fine.
The SAE system has a fairly high range of viscosity represented by the weight number which was originally a drip number from 100 years ago.
Thank goodness for ISO ratings.
But I agree 10W30 would be fine.
Last edited:
Donsan
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2014
- Messages
- 2,300
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- No Mo Trawla
- Vessel Make
- Hurricane SS188
Adelaide
Senior Member
Agree on Trawler Beach House. Here is the link....
The Trawler Beach House: Ford Lehman Diesel Oil And Filter Change
dhmeissner
Guru
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2012
- Messages
- 1,569
- Location
- North America
- Vessel Name
- The Promise
- Vessel Make
- Roughwater 35
Maybe this helps?
psneeld
Guru
What the chart tells me is .....
.....that most oil experts (especially the ones that say read the manual without further thought) on trawler forum are just that...oil experts on trawler forum and certainly no place else and definitely not in my 50 year old designed engine running in 2015.
Now...if I owned a high hp, 2014 MAN turbo diesel....the manual would be under my pillow. Fr my Lehman...I'll stick with my Rotella 15W40 and after reading the comeback from Daddyo in my purposeful thread, may even try a synthetic blend soon.
.....that most oil experts (especially the ones that say read the manual without further thought) on trawler forum are just that...oil experts on trawler forum and certainly no place else and definitely not in my 50 year old designed engine running in 2015.
Now...if I owned a high hp, 2014 MAN turbo diesel....the manual would be under my pillow. Fr my Lehman...I'll stick with my Rotella 15W40 and after reading the comeback from Daddyo in my purposeful thread, may even try a synthetic blend soon.
Last edited:
Northern Spy
Guru
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2012
- Messages
- 4,075
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- Northern Spy
- Vessel Make
- Nordic Tug 26
Lehman's are frozen in time.
Is it true when you call American Diesel you have to use a rotary dial phone?
Is it true when you call American Diesel you have to use a rotary dial phone?
psneeld
Guru
Yep...tried emailing them but my net speed was so fast it went right by Kilmarnock on to Norfolk....
And someone keeps saying my Lehman engine never gets cold but I have brushed frost off of it in the morning...not sure if that means it's cold or not.
The bow sure didn't like breaking ice to get out of Baltimore Harbor last year...so it made fun of me my whole 4 month trip by leaving a nice blue smile showing from under my red bottom paint...
Keep up those good ones....you are like the west coast rep for RT Firefly comebacks....
...
Last edited:
Northern Spy
Guru
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2012
- Messages
- 4,075
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- Northern Spy
- Vessel Make
- Nordic Tug 26
Are you sure it wasn't some of that frozen time?
I suppose if you brushed enough off you could use multi viscosity oil without damage...
psneeld
Guru
dhmeissner
Guru
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2012
- Messages
- 1,569
- Location
- North America
- Vessel Name
- The Promise
- Vessel Make
- Roughwater 35
I have never had an email reply from AD.
mike66
Guru
I've had quick response from them when I had to replace my motor mounts and ended up buying them after speaking to Bob.
On the beaten to death oil topic, for further reading try Bobistheoilguy.com and read the motor oil university series. It's about cars at 215 degrees, but the logic follows with lower temp marine engines. Food for thought and again, most likely not a huge factor in how long that engine lasts you compared to how the engine is loaded and how fast it is run.
On the beaten to death oil topic, for further reading try Bobistheoilguy.com and read the motor oil university series. It's about cars at 215 degrees, but the logic follows with lower temp marine engines. Food for thought and again, most likely not a huge factor in how long that engine lasts you compared to how the engine is loaded and how fast it is run.
Adelaide
Senior Member
So, are you an oil expert on the Trawler forum? Those that say "follow the manual" aren't the people claiming to be oil experts.
jleonard
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2008
- Messages
- 5,063
Now that is funny
psneeld
Guru
Not even close...I'm just using what I'm using...I'm not TELLING people what they should use....
Besides there's a lot more to the story if ...you probably just missed it or just needed to take a shot at me...either way...have at it...
Capt.Bill11
Guru
Last time I needed to talk to them I picked up the nearest empty can of Marvel Mystery Oil with a string coming out the bottom of it and got right through to tech support.
Only down side was that I had to clean my ear out with degreaser after I got off the can with them.
Daddyo
Guru
I've spoken with Brian at American Diesel several times on the subject and although he recommends single weight dino oil he is not particularly apposed to multi-weight or synthetic. The engine is significantly smoother and quieter with the multi synth. And yes Bob is wrong about using Marvel. He is an expert but not infallible.
Esse Quam Videri
Esse Quam Videri
