I have found that when looking at oil company web sites, their recommendation for ZD30 engine oil differs between the early ZD30 engines and the 2007 – 2011 model CRD engine. Is this a marketing ploy or does it have merit?
Anyway, it is for this reason that I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread dedicated to engine oil options for the CRD ZD30.
Inspired by whitie’s thread Oil's ain't Oil's I decided to look at what makes an engine oil suitable for the CRD ZD30. Here goes.
As has been discussed the Nissan service book calls for a CF, B3 or JASO DH-1 spec oil and states that a 5W-30 oil is recommended or chose from the SAE table. What does all this mean and is this information current.
For info see the following links:
API SAE Motor Oil Guide 2010
http://www.api.org/certifications/engineoil/categories/upload/MOTOR_OIL_GUIDE_2010_120210.pdf
JASO list of DH-1 oils
http://www.jalos.or.jp/onfile/pdf/DEO_EV_LIST.pdf
DH-1 is the classification used for light duty passenger car four stroke diesel engines and is allowed to be used for diesel fuel having more than 0.05% sulfur content.
Note: Delo 400 does not appear on the current revision list. (Delo 400 was on the last revision and by all accounts is an excellent CI-4 oil at a great price).
ACEA
http://www.acea.be/images/uploads/files/2010_ACEA_Oil_Sequences.pdf
Ok first up, I use BP Ultimate.
http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/australia/corporate_australia/STAGING/local_assets/downloads_pdfs/d/BP_Ultimate_Diesel.pdf
BP Ultimate has a Cetane rating of 46 min and typically 52. (Cetane is to diesel as octane is to petrol engines). My Nissan service book says to use a min Cetane rating of 51. BP Ultimate is the best spec I can find.
Secondly, note the Sulfur content of BP Ultimate at min 10 mg/kg and typically 5 mg/kg. This has a bearing on what oil spec is appropriate.
10 mg/kg = 10 ppm = 0.001% and 5 mg/kg = 5 ppm = 0.0005% respectively.
Armed with the above information let us look at the oil specifications.
The API CF rating is now obsolete. Introduced in 1994. For off-road, indirect-injected and other diesel engines including those using fuel with over 0.5% weight sulfur. (BP Ultimate is now rated at 0.001% weight sulfur).
CI-4 was introduced in 2002. For high-speed, four-stroke engines designed to meet 2004 exhaust emission standards implemented in 2002. CI-4 oils are formulated to sustain engine durability where exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is used and are intended for use with diesel fuels ranging in sulfur content up to 0.5% weight.
Next is the ACEA standard. B3 is a light duty diesel oil spec and is recommended for severe driving conditions. The B4 is suitable for direct injection diesels and the B5 for extended drain intervals.
Basically it comes down to choosing oil that meets the CI-4 API standard and at least a ACEA B4. As Chaz said in another post the SAE oil viscosity number is a basic indicator and a more accurate way to compare engine oils would be to look at the oil characteristics, namely the cSt at 40 deg C and at 100 deg C.
When I get the time I will put together a list of oils recommended by the oil companies and table their specifications.
I am keen to learn more so feel free to correct or add to this post at any time.
Steve.
Anyway, it is for this reason that I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread dedicated to engine oil options for the CRD ZD30.
Inspired by whitie’s thread Oil's ain't Oil's I decided to look at what makes an engine oil suitable for the CRD ZD30. Here goes.
As has been discussed the Nissan service book calls for a CF, B3 or JASO DH-1 spec oil and states that a 5W-30 oil is recommended or chose from the SAE table. What does all this mean and is this information current.
For info see the following links:
API SAE Motor Oil Guide 2010
http://www.api.org/certifications/engineoil/categories/upload/MOTOR_OIL_GUIDE_2010_120210.pdf
JASO list of DH-1 oils
http://www.jalos.or.jp/onfile/pdf/DEO_EV_LIST.pdf
DH-1 is the classification used for light duty passenger car four stroke diesel engines and is allowed to be used for diesel fuel having more than 0.05% sulfur content.
Note: Delo 400 does not appear on the current revision list. (Delo 400 was on the last revision and by all accounts is an excellent CI-4 oil at a great price).
ACEA
http://www.acea.be/images/uploads/files/2010_ACEA_Oil_Sequences.pdf
Ok first up, I use BP Ultimate.
http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/australia/corporate_australia/STAGING/local_assets/downloads_pdfs/d/BP_Ultimate_Diesel.pdf
BP Ultimate has a Cetane rating of 46 min and typically 52. (Cetane is to diesel as octane is to petrol engines). My Nissan service book says to use a min Cetane rating of 51. BP Ultimate is the best spec I can find.
Secondly, note the Sulfur content of BP Ultimate at min 10 mg/kg and typically 5 mg/kg. This has a bearing on what oil spec is appropriate.
10 mg/kg = 10 ppm = 0.001% and 5 mg/kg = 5 ppm = 0.0005% respectively.
Armed with the above information let us look at the oil specifications.
The API CF rating is now obsolete. Introduced in 1994. For off-road, indirect-injected and other diesel engines including those using fuel with over 0.5% weight sulfur. (BP Ultimate is now rated at 0.001% weight sulfur).
CI-4 was introduced in 2002. For high-speed, four-stroke engines designed to meet 2004 exhaust emission standards implemented in 2002. CI-4 oils are formulated to sustain engine durability where exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is used and are intended for use with diesel fuels ranging in sulfur content up to 0.5% weight.
Next is the ACEA standard. B3 is a light duty diesel oil spec and is recommended for severe driving conditions. The B4 is suitable for direct injection diesels and the B5 for extended drain intervals.
Basically it comes down to choosing oil that meets the CI-4 API standard and at least a ACEA B4. As Chaz said in another post the SAE oil viscosity number is a basic indicator and a more accurate way to compare engine oils would be to look at the oil characteristics, namely the cSt at 40 deg C and at 100 deg C.
When I get the time I will put together a list of oils recommended by the oil companies and table their specifications.
I am keen to learn more so feel free to correct or add to this post at any time.
Steve.