hi I have a 2001 2.5crd voyager with 126k on the clock, I have only had the vehicle a few weeks and doing my own service, what oil do you guys recommend for its age and mileage?

 

Whatever it says in the handbook is the best. P.A.O. synthetic is the best of the best, costs more but has a longer life. Where there is a turbocharger (as in all diesels nowadays) at least part-synthetic should be used, with full-synthetic being the best. This is because the turbo bearings can run very hot indeed being in the hot exhaust stream. Mineral oil cokes up when used here.

Leedsman.

 

- you have hot / cold and thick / thin and some numbers - understand the numbers
- the 'W' is in the middle
- the number before the W is the cold viscosity
- the number after the W is the hot viscosity
- so your 6 litres of 10W40 Semi Synthetic is your best fit for the UK

The ideal would be an oil that never thins when hot more than it thicks when cold - so a 5W40 is excellent when it does not thin more than the 40 in the 5W40.

If you live in Ecuador or Alaska you might want to change the cold or the hot number. Example in the UK we rarely stay below 5°C for more than a day or two and above 30°C for long, so using a 5W40 semi-synth will be three times better at reducing engine wear than mineral but not as good as fully-sinth but will still give a good rate of protection for the first 10-20 minutes till the engine warms up. Fully-sinth will be better MPG , starting ability and all round protection but at an increased cost, I use fully-synth. I would never ever consider putting any 'Paul Daniels' kind of oil additive in an engine oil, nor would I consider the smoke and mirrors of overpriced premium grade diesel from a UK forecourt, equally I would not put mineral oil in anything but a banger.

Best of luck.

 

I did some oil research myself and my conclusion was that for a CRD diesel like our 2.5 semi-synth 5W40 would be sufficient, but full synth will be better for a CRD and far more durable.
Like already said, dont go for Wallmart oil but there is also no need for very expensive Premium AA oil. I was lucky to buy Valvoline 5w40 synthetic for a very decent price so I used that brand.

 

Nothing wrong with Valvoline -- good old american manufacturer.

Leedsman.

 

Some ASDA oils are cheap in the UK for example the current 5/40FS is £3 a litre in 5 litre sizes or £4 a litre in the single litre size. The UK's best known trade place sells to the retail market at £7.50 per litre [twice the ASDA price].

I view the fully synth or not as in the same way as the gold injections in my rheumatoid knees years ago. It did not change the fact that the joints were worn nor did it make the joint surfaces themselves better but it did make me move easier and smoother with considerably less pain. So if it was a treat for the knees why not treat the old car just because you can, if it makes the cars surfaces easier to move on I'll settle for that. By the way I never subscribed to the American commandment on oil change frequency when using modern FS/SS oils. This ludicrous gospel preached by the quick-lube industry in the UK and America about changing engine oil every 3,000 miles is and has been myth and has been since the 1950 Chrysler Woodie's happily endorsed by Chrysler and other makers. If you put good modern oil in and don't use the vehicle as a taxi a 10,000 mile interval is good enough form me.

 

Indeed, when synth. oil was first sold in Britain a' la retail, it was commonly advertized as 10,000mile oil -- that was in a petrol engine of course. Not many diesels around then, except a few Peugeots (outrageously copied from the Morris Oxford Farina) and the odd LH. drive Mercedes ex-taxi.

Leedsman

 

In my 1986 Mercedes 190 2.3E I use Valvoline Semi Synth 10W40 and change it every 20K km (~13 K miles) and the old oil comes out like new. Done that the past 125.000km.
In my 2002 Voyager 2.5 CRD I use Valvoline full synth 5W40 and have planned to do the same. Change filters and oil @ around 13-15K miles.
Although.... Since it will be my first change of this car I might do it at 10K miles and see how the oil and filter are keeping up. If ok, Ill switch to 15K miles maintenance.

 

For me it's Mobil 1 0w-40 every 8k change with either a Hengst or Mann oil filter! Manged to buy a load of the stuff from Costco for £15 for 4Ltr cans. Great TBN numbers and very high VI and Flash point...

 

That's an early oil change with very good oil, your engine will be very clean inside I think
Personally, with A class oil like that I would change at 10-12.5K miles, but more often is always better of course.