My experiances with rebuilding the VM motor

thermorex · **Posted:** Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:04 am

Mike92104 wrote:

If there isn't a block heater, you may be able to find an oil pan heater like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Kats-24150-Watt-U ... B000I8TQD6

I would almost think these are superior to the coolant style block heaters since they heat the oil. The aviation guys love them since most of the engines are air cooled.

Mike

That was what I was thinking to suggest too. And heating up the oil is the best prevention in cold weather (and any weather for this reason) an engine can get, no matter what oil uses.

Regarding fluidity at cold, from what you can easily buy in us, the best is Mobil 1 0w40 that Chrysler recommends. This oil, with gde tune to keep it clean, is probably one of the best winter choices.

When I am not at home in the winter, I let the jeep idle till oil moves past 100F degree mark, then I start driving. Definitely flooring the car as soon as is cold started will do more harm than good. I think a dedicated diesel good oil, plus gentle oil warmup process will keep this engine running for a long time.

lacabrera · **Posted:** Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:45 pm

Yeti wrote:

lacabrera , what oil gradation you suggest for a cold start in the morning ..........I live in the Alps ......for give a right pressure?

my brother have found in other engine the connecting rod are near to failure at 90k km

I've see the 0w40 take much more time to shut off the oil light compred with a 5w40 like a Penrite HPR 5

I use 5w-30 fully synthetic at the moment but I do find that the oil pressure at tick over fairly low. Before winter sets in, will change to 0w-40 and see if the oil pressure improves. However here in the southwest of the UK rarely see temperatures much below freezing.

thermorex · **Posted:** Wed Sep 23, 2015 4:48 pm

I am not clear why you want thicker oil when operating in cold temperatures, and especially starting cold in low temperatures. You should look for the thinnest oil approved for this engine, unless you use the crd on a race track, which I'm sure you don't. Just remember that high pressure does not translate in high flow/lubrication. It's like pushing thick honey through a straw, it needs way more pressure than water. Heat the honey and things change.

Yeti · **Posted:** Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:48 pm

thicker oil separate well metal part and resist well , prevent oil become burned at cold temp when the tollerance is greater , and you do not carbonize piston and GP's , less vapor etcc , the ideal oil is a 0w40 or 5w40 with high flow at first cranck but high viscosity when temperature increase, with high HTHS for resist at our turbo and prevent shear , I have an heavy foot and tuned car , that imply a stronghest oil , and every mod you do like tire size ,lift , ecu etcc increase load and usury , plus I drive in mountain road not cleaned in the winter ..............heavy duty service , and here in Europe the mayor oil called Synthetic is a Hydrocracked group 3 oil ..........our law admit a 25% of Pao and the rest of group III for a synthetic label , if you drive down the 2000 rpm is ok but if you stress the engine I think you want the best you can afford like a pure PAO or a Pao /Easter base

but is my idea , and I have an open mind and I can change my thinking if I have evidence to the contrary

lacabrera · **Posted:** Thu Sep 24, 2015 2:50 pm

thermorex wrote:

I am not clear why you want thicker oil when operating in cold temperatures, and especially starting cold in low temperatures. You should look for the thinnest oil approved for this engine, unless you use the crd on a race track, which I'm sure you don't. Just remember that high pressure does not translate in high flow/lubrication. It's like pushing thick honey through a straw, it needs way more pressure than water. Heat the honey and things change.

I do agree the 5w-30 is better in cold climates on cold starts but when the motor is up to temperature I think maybe its to thin? I recently found out why 5w-30 is used widely here in Europe due to the use of exhaust particle filters on modern diesel engines and not necessary to help improve protection.

thermorex · **Posted:** Thu Sep 24, 2015 3:36 pm

Yeti, what separates the parts is not the thick oil, it's the pressure of the fluid. You can use water in your engine and with enough pressure it does the same job, from the point of view of separating the components and preventing them to rub on eachother. But water breaks down easier than oil, and it also corrodes the engine components. The general consensus is to use the thinnest oil that does the required pressure for a particular engine. It's pretty much an ideal combination of flow and pressure that should be achieved. And the specs of an oil don't mean much either, for example 0w40 Mobil 1 is thinner at cold and at hot than some 5w30 oils, and one is a 40 weight oil and the other is a 30 weight oil, so in theory, 40 weight should be thicker.

thermorex · **Posted:** Thu Sep 24, 2015 3:38 pm

lacabrera wrote:

thermorex wrote:

I am not clear why you want thicker oil when operating in cold temperatures, and especially starting cold in low temperatures. You should look for the thinnest oil approved for this engine, unless you use the crd on a race track, which I'm sure you don't. Just remember that high pressure does not translate in high flow/lubrication. It's like pushing thick honey through a straw, it needs way more pressure than water. Heat the honey and things change.

I do agree the 5w-30 is better in cold climates on cold starts but when the motor is up to temperature I think maybe its to thin? I recently found out why 5w-30 is used widely here in Europe due to the use of exhaust particle filters on modern diesel engines and not necessary to help improve protection.

Do you have low pressure when the engine gets hot? If it's still over the minimum approved, I think it's no harm in using it.

lacabrera · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 4:12 pm

lacabrera wrote:

thermorex wrote:

I am not clear why you want thicker oil when operating in cold temperatures, and especially starting cold in low temperatures. You should look for the thinnest oil approved for this engine, unless you use the crd on a race track, which I'm sure you don't. Just remember that high pressure does not translate in high flow/lubrication. It's like pushing thick honey through a straw, it needs way more pressure than water. Heat the honey and things change.

I do agree the 5w-30 is better in cold climates on cold starts but when the motor is up to temperature I think maybe its to thin? I recently found out why 5w-30 is used widely here in Europe due to the use of exhaust particle filters on modern diesel engines and not necessary to help improve protection.

I thought I would add to this old thread for others trying to purchase 30 weight motor oil.
I have recently replaced my 5w-30 oil with 5w-40. I have to say I feel much happier in doing so, the oil pressure has increased by as much as 5 psi on tick over (18/19 psi) I was also getting a tappet sound from within the cab and now this has almost gone. I do agree that a thinner oil is better for cold starts but with the motor at running temperature, I feel the thicker oil is better.

thermorex · **Posted:** Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:24 pm

lacabrera wrote:

thermorex wrote:

I am not clear why you want thicker oil when operating in cold temperatures, and especially starting cold in low temperatures. You should look for the thinnest oil approved for this engine, unless you use the crd on a race track, which I'm sure you don't. Just remember that high pressure does not translate in high flow/lubrication. It's like pushing thick honey through a straw, it needs way more pressure than water. Heat the honey and things change.

I do agree the 5w-30 is better in cold climates on cold starts but when the motor is up to temperature I think maybe its to thin? I recently found out why 5w-30 is used widely here in Europe due to the use of exhaust particle filters on modern diesel engines and not necessary to help improve protection.

I thought I would add to this old thread for others trying to purchase 30 weight motor oil.
I have recently replaced my 5w-30 oil with 5w-40. I have to say I feel much happier in doing so, the oil pressure has increased by as much as 5 psi on tick over (18/19 psi) I was also getting a tappet sound from within the cab and now this has almost gone. I do agree that a thinner oil is better for cold starts but with the motor at running temperature, I feel the thicker oil is better.

I noticed also that with 0w40 I can hear the tic-tic-tic noise more pronounced that with the 5w40, both Mobil 1 but the 0w40 is definitely thinner in cSt than the 5w40, per Mobil 1 sheets. This is noticeable even in the winter, with engine warmed up. Difference at 200F is about 2psi at idle.

But that doesn't mean one is better than the other. I guess whatever fits your boat works, as long as you maintenance the vehicle with approved oil and within schedule.

turblediesel · **Posted:** Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:59 am

Glad the thread resurrected, good read. Interesting what you found on your rebuild. I'm glad to have switched to a thicker 5w40 oil early on. Odd to hear of the floating play in the oil supply system. Thought all of the bottom end complexities only related to the counterweight shafts. Is there room on the block and the floating carrier to machine for an o-ring or seal. Seems it would need a small tube to contain the oil pressure. Bummed to hear the bottom end is not as strong as I expected a diesel would be. Anybody put an Opel or Peugeot diesel in one of these???

For winters here in warm south Alaska I have the block heater,(best), electric heat pad siliconed to the oil pan,(usefull), and an extra heat pad I had under the battery,(helpfull). I don't plug it in at all parked outside until temps are in the mid twenties F,(about minus 2 C). It only gets a few hours plugged in before driving even if it hasn't been driven for days regardless of how cold. I let it idle a few minutes summer or winter. Seems to work. Never warmed up idling enough to be warm or get good defrost. Hoping TurboDieselFreak's fantastic thermostat will improve that.

The lazy thing has been occupying my shop for the last few years for the slowest timing belt change in the world. It guzzles money like I drink beer just sitting there not being transportation. Someday it will run again and be banned from my shop. Currently I'm mudding and painting around the lump. Life must go on.

Thanks for your input Lacabrera!

lacabrera · **Posted:** Tue Mar 01, 2016 3:27 pm

I was expecting to see the oil pressure to increase but I did not expect to see a dramatic drop in engine oil temperature? under typical driving oil temperature was reading around 72c with 5w-30 since replacing it with 5w-40 it now reads around 65c. That's baffled me I may have expected a slight rise? due to it being under a higher pressure.

My experiances with rebuilding the VM motor

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