2001 decato engine oil

[stephsol]

Re: 2001 hymer B548 2.8cc
This is the 2nd winter here at home, and having to run my engine to boost the habitation batt due to "NO SUN" which effects the oil level (same thing happened last year) I've looked at a couple of threads but still not sure what oil to top up with.
15w40 is my thinking at the moment As it's on 130'000 km, but looking for confirmation as I'm seeing conflicting opinions.

 

[Badknee]

Sorry but I don’t understand why running your engine to top up the batteries affects the oil level?
Whose engine is it, Fiat, Ford, Merc? If it was me and I were worried about it I would change the oil and filter and replace with 5-40w for the winter.

 

[SIFTA SAM]

Was Semi Synthetic 10w50 for my 2004 B544 Fiat Ducatto 2.8 JTD

 

[Podney]

Why is your engine using so much oil? Are you leaving it running for hours on end…….I hope not.

Probably 10/40 semi synthetic in the Fiat 2.8 Jtd ,or 10/50 as above.

 

[Figaro]

10W 40 semi synthetic for 2.8 jtd but don't understand connection between running engine to charge battery and oil level

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[mitzimad]

probably better to get a generator

 

[stephsol]

Last year the garage just topped it up, they didn't have an explanation, it's been steady since last winter. I ehu every 2 weeks but I don't have enough storage for a generator. So in this bad weather if I'm stationary for a few days I need to run the engine for 15-20 mins only, it does smoke a bit, perhaps it burns off the top of the pots?

 

[Figaro]

I don't think running the engine for 15-20 mins is going to do much to charge the batteries and from advice on here, it's not good for the engine either.
If the engine is using a bit of oil, I don't think it's that unusual for an older engine. Smoking engine probably needs looking into if it doesn't clear soon after starting.
Just keep your oil changes regular and top up as needed.
Are you full time in the van ? could you have a night on a site once a week to charge up ?

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Synthetic 10W40 is available at Halfords and at a good price,if you check their websites ,you can sometimes get a discount as well

 

[denisejoe]

How long after running the engine are you checking I wouldn’t check for at least an hour.

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[airwave]

15w40

The correct oil is 10/40 , synthetic based multigrade , so long as the vehicle is used in temperatures above minus 15 . It is recommended the oil is changed more often , being diesel , and my workshop manual recommends every 5-7000 miles Interesting to note , my owners manual suggests 30,000 kms , so the choice is yours . That is a 2.8 idtd , year 2000 . Oh and don't forget you have a turbo , so the oil should be suitable for a blown engine . Personally , i use Castrol Magnatec .
You say the engine smokes . Well i would hope this is white smoke , and as such , is highly likely to be water . This is often cause when the engine is run in cold weather . Once the engine is switched off , the exhaust cools , and as it does so , it condenses . Often leaving a pool of water in the exhaust , to be burnt off during the next run . I can't explain why it's only using oil in cold weather , this is highly unusual , in fact , i've never come across this before , but i will add something that has happen to me in the past ;
I was given a motorcycle . Now although the engine ran well , it smoked worse than me , and drank oil like it was going outta fashion . I soon found out , the oil had being changed for a fully synthetic racing oil , after it had been recommend to the previous owner . This was totally incorrect for the age of the vehicle , as it should have been , a full mineral ! . I had been topping up with such .
I did a full oil change , and it not only stopped smoking on the spot , but stopped using oil as well .
What i suggest you do is a full oil change , with filter , fill with the correct oil , and give it a good long run , then go from there . I would normally also recommend flushing the oil , but in this case i won't just yet . At this point , i suspect , it may cause further problems .

 

[jollyrodger]

A good 10/40 semi synthetic is what I have used and regular changes is what I have always done.
Never mind the good for
50 000 jargon
Oil and filter much cheaper than another engine .

I would suggest you may have a leak

 

[steve69]

If you are storing the van at home for any length of time, why don't you just disconnect the fully-charged battery? If it doesn't hold the charge for more than a month it is probably on it's way out anyway.

 

[Figaro]

The correct oil is 10/40 , synthetic based multigrade ,

I think the recommendation is for 10/W40 semi synthetic, whether it makes any difference I don't know ?

 

[Manic]

I use 10/40 semi synthetic in my 2001 B584.

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[airwave]

I think the recommendation is for 10/W40 semi synthetic, whether it makes any difference I don't know ?

I'm gonna be straight up here , your quite correct , however , i quoted direct from the owners manual . It states a "synthetic based" which i take to understand as a semi-synthetic . No where is just the word synthetic used , which i would conclude means fully . Maybe i should have made that clearer , but like i said , it was a direct quote from my owners manual .
It's far more important that the oil is a 10/40 viscosity , meeting acea B3 , and api cd specifications , or better . A lower viscosity oil is listed for temperatures below minus 15 , but this has a limited higher range of 30 degrees . The acea remains the same , however the api becomes a higher spec .
The juries out as far the any difference is concerned , it can be used , and is sometimes seen to benefit the engine in some cases . However , if you read my first post fully , you will see , it has caused me problems in the past , so i wouldn't recommend it .

 

[stephsol]

Thanks for the detail guys, much appreciated.
What's the difference between W10/40 and W15/40, I found the elusive handbook, however, it is 20 years old

 

[airwave]

Thanks for the detail guys, much appreciated.
What's the difference between W10/40 and W15/40, I found the elusive handbook, however, it is 20 years old

Very basically , thickness , it's what's called viscosity . Older engines have bigger tolerances , than the more modern stuff , and by that i mean gaps . A thicker oil can travel larger gaps more easily , were by modern engines have smaller gaps . Thicker oils struggle to pass the smaller gaps , so a thinner oil is required to maintain travel . The travel part is often referred to as oil pressure , and a simple way to think of this is , the higher the oil pressure , the more oil passing around your engine . A thinner oil can be used in an older engine , but not the other way round , however a thin oil in an older motor can result in the vehicle using more oil . As i said thin oil can pass through smaller gaps , so it is possible , for it to get past the piston rings , and into the combustion chamber . Resulting in the engine smoking as the oil is burnt . That a bit extreme , but it does show the point .

Question , you mentioned your vehicle is a 2001 , that is correct ent it ? .

 

[stephsol]

Yes 2001 in permanent use

 

[Figaro]

I'd go with what the book says, 15/W40 mineral oil, ie not semi synthetic
Get an oil and filter change done and see how you go on from there

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[airwave]

Yes 2001

And it's a Fiat 2.8 duke ,

 

[stephsol]

Fiat decato 2.8 -B584.
Manic is using W10/40 on the same model.

 

[airwave]

Manic is using W10/40 on the same model.

Yeah , so am i . Year 2000 , Fiat Ducato , 2.8 idtd , 584 .
Not a very good photograph , but ,

To be honest , i dunno what to suggest . I think , personally , i would check with a Fiat service centre . You are sure the owners manual is for your van , because to me , if anything , it's for a 2.5 , which probably would have used a 15/40 . Especially if it was naturally aspirated , which a lot of 2.5 were .

 

[stephsol]

I phoned the fiat dealership here as suggested and they confirmed 10w/40 so thanks guys I'm happy with that.
And....it never crossed my mind that this hand book might be from another vehicle! ???
Thanks for the solid advice and interesting, additional information, I always learn something on these posts.
Thanks again.....Steph