1970s Perkins 6.354 oil change

[Lomax]

Hi all,

I'm about to change the oil in a 1970s Perkins 6.354, and found I have an unopened 5L can of Valvoline All Climate 15W40 mineral oil sitting in the engine bay. Given the cost of oil (~£30 for 5L) I'm wondering if I could mix this with another 5L from a different brand? Specifically, I'm looking at Millers Oils Multifleet 15W40 Mineral Heavy Duty Engine Oil. Where these differ is in the API/ACEA ratings: the Valvoline is API SL/CF and ACEA A3/B3, while the Millers oil specification states (amongst other things):

Performance Profile:

• ACEA E7
• API CI-4

Suitable For:

• ACEA A3/B4, A3/B3
• API CH-4, CF, SL

My guess is it would be fine, but I only have a vague idea what these ratings mean, so would be grateful for advice!

 

[tillergirl]

I cannot comment on mixing but I use Morris Golden Film 20w/50. It meets MIL-L-2104B but I have no turbo. If turbo the manual says those oils should have the oil change period halved. It is described as:

"Golden Film SAE 20W-50 Classic Oil is recommended for use in veteran, classic and vintage cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and tractors, where engine design and tolerances prohibit the use of modern high additive level oils. Modern dispersant additives keep combustion chamber contamination suspended in the lubricant, allowing full flow cartridge filters to remove it. Early oil filtration, usually in the form of a mesh gauze or strainer, is not efficient enough to remove this suspended material. Golden Film SAE 20W-50 Classic Oil is a low dispersant oil and allows the suspended matter to harmlessly settle into the sump.


The multigrade properties of Golden Film SAE 20W-50 provide improved cold start circulation whilst maintaining good working oil pressure.

Characteristics	Morris Golden Film 20W-50
SAE Viscosity	20W-50
Viscosity Index (VI)	130
Performance Level	API: SF / CC MIL-L-2104B
Zinc as ZDDP (ppm)	700
Base Oil Group	Grp I
Detergent-Dispersant Package	Low

 

[burgundyben]

The 6.354 has flat tappets do you need an oil with adequate ZDDP, not a modern low ash oil.

 

[Lomax]

Thanks guys, but I already ordered the oil. Hopefully going 50/50 with the Valvoline won't mean it's a disaster. Would be interesting to know what oil I should get for the next oil change!

 

[Boater Sam]

I have run race engines on Valvoline, my oil of choice.

 

[Lomax]

Thanks guys, but I already ordered the oil. Hopefully going 50/50 with the Valvoline won't mean it's a disaster. Would be interesting to know what oil I should get for the next oil change!

I don't think my order has shipped yet, so I've requested to change the Millers Multifleet oil to Millers Classic 15W40 which says it's "Formulated with ZDDP (zinc/phosphorus)". This costs an eyewatering £8 per liter though - and I already thought the Multifleet at £6 per liter was quite pricey... Some decent wine costs less. Still, a lot cheaper than an engine rebuild!