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Shell Rimula R4 X 15/40 in a 200Tdi Defender?


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Hello there,

Three months ago I was in Pretoria South Africa with my Landy for a engine oil change (travel through Africa for the last 29 years, on and off, 1.200.000 km's and 4 engines) I asked the workshop (not a Landrover workshop) to change the engine oil and filter. Mostly used Castrol Magnatec but asked for a very good engine oil, 15W/40. They had no Magnatec in stock but Shell Rimula was a very good alternative, that's what they said. Came back after an hour and noticed that they had used Shell Rimula R4 X 15W/40 specially made for heavy duty trucks. After 4.000 km's I noticed (suprise, suprise) that there is hardly any oil consumption (before about 0,5 liter on 1.000 km's), only going up-hill for a long time it will use a little bit. Checking the specifications, it does not give me an idea if it is bad for the 200tdi engine:

Specifications:

SAE viscosity grade: 15W-40

API: CI-4, CH-4, CG-4, CF-4, CF. SL; ACEA: E7, E5, E3; Global: DHD-1; Caterpillar: ECF-2, ECF-1-A; Cummins: CES 20078, 77, 76 ,75, 72 ,71; DDC: 93K215; Deutz: DQC III-10; IVECO: T1 (Meets requirements);JASO: DH-1; Mack EO-M+, EO-M; MAN: M3275-1; MB-Approval 228.3; MTU: Category 2; Renault Trucks: RLD-2; Volvo: VDS-3;

Like to know if it harms the engine with the specs. above. Specially the lack of oil consumption is a question mark.

Thanks for any idea.

 

 

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7 hours ago, western said:

LR recommended specs for diesel engines is RES22 OL PD2 or CCMC PD2 or RES 22 OLD5 or CCMC D5 or API CD, taken from my defender workshop manual, doubt that Shell rimula 15/40 oil will do any long term harm. 

 

Hey Ralph, those specs are so old, out of date and superseded I wouldn't use them as a reference for anything these days.

Not having a crack, just a FWIW.

 

To the OP, just keep driving and don't overthink it.

It's a heavy duty engine oil, ie blended for heavy duty over the road and off road diesels.

The US API CI-4 spec is a few years old now but a very high spec.

European ACEA E7 is a current spec, E5, E3 are a few years old now but all these specs are so much more advanced than what was originally specified.

The API CD spec is decades out of date, most dual rated petrol biased oils are at a minimum API CF or ACEA B4 but personally I prefer dedicated diesel oils, our little diesels are highly stressed and wear metals drop with real diesel engine oils.

 

If oil consumptions is reduced, that's a bonus, I'd say that oil suits your engine better than what you've been using, although ultimately used oil analysis over a number of oil change periods between the old and new oils is the only way to really now what's going on.

Edited by rick
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Thanks guys for tbe replies. The engine is now almost 25 years old, second owner and did 250.000 km, in total 450.000 km. Try to change the oil and filter every 5.000 km. Except for the valve stems it's still a very reliable engine, never let me down through Africa. That's the reason why I was a bit worried with a engine oil that is not on the LR list but specs have change during the last 25 years so will use this oil in the future if I can get it. And the extra plus that oil consumption has reduced. Engine oil in truck engines, Volvo, MAN etc are changed nowadays every 100.000 km so 5.000 km must be ok.

And I love that noisy 200tdi, simple but very reliable.

Edited by dutch-pete
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5 hours ago, dutch-pete said:

Not with the conditions in Africa. 

What does that have to do with the oil?  The reasons for changing a modern diesel engine oil are soot concentrations.  These are set by the engine design and condition of the injection system.  I've done a lot of oil testing and a with normally tuned 200TDI the oil should be good to 20000 km.  10000 is a very safe place.

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As Red90 says.  The conditions in the engine should not be significantly different in Africa than in the arctic, assuming that the thermostat is working correctly.  Having a good, efficient air filter will be far more important in Africa, since fine dust ingestion is rarely a problem in the arctic, but this is not affected by the choice of engine oil.  Minimising dust ingestion itself is a good justification for fitting a high level air intake/snorkel, even if wading is not contemplated.  

Apart from soot contamination the other possible contaminant is unburnt diesel fuel which will degrade the oil performance, but this should not be a problem with good condition FIP and injectors.

Mike

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That oil is all I use in my landys. If it would go in my motorbike Id put it in there too! I have done over 200,000 miles in my 300tdi and still uses no oil. I change every 5000 miles.I was recommended it by a haulage operator in the UK who ran over 1000 trucks. When you buy in bulk its not much more than buying it off the shelf in motor factors.

Hugh

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One needs to remember that in African diesel has a higher sulfur content than in Europe which explains dutch-pete's oil change philosophy. As  sulfur in diesel fuel contributes to increased acid levels in the engine and causes serious damage on engine and emission control systems. Not too worry about the emission control systems on a 200tdi but the acid wear on the engine.

In South Africa, since Jan 2006, 2 grades of Diesel fuel have been available:

 
  • Standard Grade diesel – 500ppm Sulphur (max) Standard Diesel 500ppm
  • Low Sulphur grade diesel – 50ppm Sulphur (max) Low-Sulphur diesel 50ppm

Compared to The UK sulphur content not exceeding 10 parts per million or 0.001% by weight

 

 

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Thanks guys for all the replies. Was off the line for a while. Good to know HPLP that you are using he same oil. If they use Rimula oil it's always the 15/40 for cars and not the truck type. Will use it again in the future (if I can get hold of it).
Was in Nigeria two years ago with my Landy and everybody is changing the engine oil after 3000 miles, quality of the diesel is very bad (oil exporting country?!?). In South Africa is the diesel quality much better (soutie) and I will always go for the 50ppm sulphur but further north it's the dirty diesel, sometimes 50ppm available (Nairobi-Kenya). I change the diesel filter every 10.000 km and the timing belt every 50.000 km. Overdone? maybe but it gives me a peaceful mind, same with changing the engine oil every 5 to 6.000 km's.

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