Tescos diesel oil

[Anonymous]

Has anyone bought Tescos diesel oil for their marine diesel? Any views? It seems very cheap at around £5.99 for 5 litres and claims to be suitable for all diesel engines - I couldn't see any exclusions on the can when I looked.

 

[Toutvabien]

It is what I use in my Perkins 4108, and previously in Beta 20 and Yanmar YSE12. No problems at all, you can paint your own anchors on the can and people will think it's "dedicated" marine diesel oil.

 

[silverseal]

Sorry to sound a bit dim, but is this lubrication oil at £5.99 for 5 litres, or fuel oil?
If it is lubrication oil there is no such thing as "diesel lubricating oil" Lubricating oil for petrol engines, and for diesel engines are exactly the same, except that the ph control of the oil when used in diesel is less long lasting, because diesel oils contain more acid radicals, so to achieve the same degree of ph control the oil has to be changed more frequently. This is why many car makers recommend 12,000 miles for petrol engines and 6000 miles for diesels.
Whether the Tesco oil is a bargain is going to depend on the API classification. The system works on the letters A to K with the K product having much better performance than A, and having much better ph control, meaning lower acid wear
For example an oil with API SJ/CF designation means that it achieves J status in petrol engines and F status with diesels.
With the Tesco stuff check the API status, and compare with branded other oils, to see if it is a bargain.
Finally be aware of "diesel wash" which is caused by unburnt diesel penetrating past the compression rings, resulting in dilution of the lubricating oil in the sump - another reason why diesels need the oil changed more frequently

 

[Anonymous]

I've just done a google search on groups and in October someone reported that the Tescos spec from the bottle was API CH4 ACEA A3/B3. Can you comment on that?

 

[brianhumber]

Basically agree Silverseal but would also add with today's better quality gas oil available for cars and now marina pumps (lower sulphur, higher Cetane numbers etc) you can extend the traditional service changes. Remember these reccommended changes take into account the worst possible user patterns. I don't change the company's diesel engine oils unless the analysis suggests I should and i double my own car changes. My car engines last just as long and I do not change cars until well over 200,000 miles

 

[Anonymous]

Do you happen to know the diesel fuel sulphur levels we can expect when cruising around UK and Europe? In the UK that would be for red diesel. I have found a seemingly trustworthy website that states CH 4 as being the highest current standard for up to 0.5% weight sulphur and CF for fuel over 0.5% weight sulphur.

 

[Guest]

Standard Red Diesel is 0.2% Sulphur as was all road diesel till Low and then Ultra Low sulphur appeared. At present City / Ultra Low is at 50ppm (0.005%) and will soon be reduced even further to 35ppm (0.0035%) - in fact many outlets are already putting out 35ppm EN590 ULS.

Back to Tesco - when it comes to fuel and not Lub-oil - this is Greenergy product and a search on Greenergy in your browser will lead you to their site explaining the Diesel on the Tesco pumps .... one is part Bio-Diesel, other is normal.

 

[brianhumber]

Re: Red diesel oil

When I was working for one of the severn sisters we just used to add the dye as we pumped to make it red or not if it was going to a DERV tank. Same for paraffin, just add blue and hey presto Esso Blue (even though we certainly not Esso!)
Point is even with the 2% sulphur most people do not do enough hours in several seasons to degrade their lube oil. I have always used basic oils in Ronhilda and she is still going strong after 16 years and many thousands of engine hours.

Nige - saw your post re trip to Baltic are you going via Skagen or through the Kiel?

 

[brianhumber]

Re: Back of the class for me

Oh dear, missed a decimal point out and can't spell 7 /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[TonyR]

I only have a two stroke outboard but I have used Tesco/Asda lube oil in my Citroen Xantia diesel for years and have just clocked up over 237,000 miles in it so it can't be too bad, if I did have a diesel inboard I would have no concerns about using this oil

 

[LittleShip]

Some marine diesels dont run well on multigrade oils check with the engine manufacturer before changing to a cheap multigrade??

 

[silverseal]

Not a clue!

 

[silverseal]

If the API is "H" for diesel with the highest sulphur levels level the Tesco stuff is quite good, well worth the money

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone - a really useful response. I shall be using Tescos - why pay more?

 

[Avocet]

Don't know if its relevant but I now have a new(ish) Peugeot diesel and in the handbook it explains that its OK to leave oil changes until 12,000 miles AS LONG AS you use synthetic oil (OK, they recommend a French oil brand, but then they would, wouldn't they?!). I was really surprised at this - even the first service (which I would have expected at 1000 miles) was, in fact, 12,000 (although they do a "level check" at 6000).

 

[Guest]

Re: Back of the class for me

Mmmmmmmmmm dunces hat ?? Noticed the 2 instead of 0.2 !!

Baltic trip - haven't decided yet ... some say beware over top Denmark, others say its a drag via Kiel .... at moment I'm taking advise .... boats only 25ft as well - so safest and quietest route is best !! Then I don't spill my beer.

As regards marine diesels ......... I don't actually see the point of all the fuss about what you put in the thing unless its a high performance power boat job etc. ... average raggie boat is a low revs, high thrust plomk engine that is hardly ever pushed to its limits or really worked hard enough to worry that much ..... my boats have put up with my misuse and lack of maintenance on the engines for year after year ....

Oh OH .... here comes the flak !

 

[ex-Gladys]

The status with many modern diesels (especially turbos) is that in order to get the service intervals at the same level as petrol, they use synth oils. All VAG diesels do. The only issue I personally have with this is that it really deoesn't help ring seating etc. Our old Skoda Fabia drank over a litre of oil in the first 3000 miles, then didn't drink a drop for the 70000 miles until we chopped it in.

 

[Anonymous]

So are you saying that the Tescos oil is inferior to synthetic oil? If it is in any way inferior to the recommended oil then I shall not use it - after all, I don't expect to pay more than a hundred or so in a year of heavy cruising on oil so a saving of £75 isn't interesting if there is a risk of engine deterioration as a result.

 

[andrewbritton]

It is always advisable to use the recommended oil from the manufacture of you engine. You should only use a fully synthetic oil if it is recommended for that engine. Others will be simi-synthetic and mineral.
And you have to watch out when buying the cheaper brands that it has the correct SAE value suitable for your engine and also has correct specification.

 

[Guest]

Cheap oils ....

Are often reconstituted / reclaimed oils that have a load of enhancement chemicals addeed to bolster the viscosity etc.

The only real difference it makes to you the user is normally the life expectancy of the oil and its 'cleaning' properties are less. But often the oil-change intervals are very safe margined - so keeping to the rec'd changes shouldn't be a problem.

Merchant shipping have for years centrifuged lub-oil on board to extend its life ..... tells a story ??

As I have opinioned many times before - average yot engines are slow revving / hardly ever really pushed hard .... and IMHO pretty safe bet on most oils without spending fortunes ....