Preferred Diesel Oil

[Jeeper6]

I have put my VM diesel on a diet of Penrite Enviro 10w 40 for now as well. It is CJ4 compliant as well as ACEA E9 so meets both US & Euro specs.

Nulon 10w 40 HD Diesel Engine oil meets same CJ-4 specs as above.
The only 5w-40 oils I can find that meet CJ-4 is Shell Rotella T6, and Amsoil Synthetic.

The Penrite has a Sulphated Ash content of 1.0, the Nulon oil has 0.9. Shell Rotella which was recommended is dear, but same Sulphated Ash content as the Penrite 1.0.

(The Penrite has a higher TBN (Total Base Number) of 13.4, the hihest of all the suitable oils, which is good apparently as the higher the TBN the better the oils ability to nuetralise contaminents....TBN is a measure of alkaline additives so a higher TBN improves against corrosive reactions and longer oil life.)

I read that the Sulphated Ash content was an additive that is good for bearing life, and the challenge faced by oil manufacturers was lowering the Sulphated Ash enough to reduce effect on DPF's, but retain enough to assist in protecting bearings.

Chrysler's advice to upgrade the oil in the VM diesel reads in short;
API CJ-4 or ACEA E9/E7 or ACEA A3/B4 engine oil category is required.

[SouthernComfort]

Penrite's oil guide doesn't list Enviro+ 10w40 as compatible for the GC, but they do for the RAM, same engine. But then, they still list 5w30 as the preferred grade for 2011-13 GC's...
Anyhow, I'm keen to switch to 10w40 and get the benefit of the higher CJ-4 spec.

[drover]

Originally Posted by Jeeper6

Chrysler's advice to upgrade the oil in the VM diesel reads in short;
API CJ-4 or ACEA E9/E7 or ACEA A3/B4 engine oil category is required.

Ive seen that as well, surprised that they still say ACEA A3/B4 as it shouldn't be with a DPF fitted its at least a C3, with E9 or CJ4 more listed for heavy duty machinery so I imagined they are playing safe with the flogging the engine gets in RAMs which is when these specs all seemed to change...................Shell and Amsoil would be okay if you can source the stuff easily.........
Watering down with diesel from the soot oven wouldn't help much I imagine.

[67HR]

Over 70k on Penrite Enviro+ 5W40 full syn and no issues with regens or any others.
I've done difs, transfer case and now 8spd trans with Penrite.
@110k my 2014 is running sweet.

[Wkoz]

170ks penrite enviro 5,40 has been my oil.
Still the awesome car it always is.
Cheers

[Jeeper6]

Originally Posted by drover

Ive seen that as well, surprised that they still say ACEA A3/B4 as it shouldn't be with a DPF fitted its at least a C3, with E9 or CJ4 more listed for heavy duty machinery so I imagined they are playing safe with the flogging the engine gets in RAMs which is when these specs all seemed to change...................Shell and Amsoil would be okay if you can source the stuff easily.........
Watering down with diesel from the soot oven wouldn't help much I imagine.

Interesting stuff really. Of course Chrysler imo only bought out the Bulletin advising a change to oil viscosity for post 2015 diesels, as that was when the VM Diesel was available in the RAM and Jeep models in the US. If they had recommended a change to viscosity for ALL VM Diesels, can you imagine the number of claims for spun bearings due to wrong oil they might have got.

Anyway, I emailed Penrite last year querying a couple of specs on their Enviro 10w-40 as I was already using it in my Jeep. I pointed out that the VM Diesel was available in export models before the US, and the Bulletin from Chrysler to upgrade oil should have been directed to earlier VM's as well.

To the question I asked what they thought of using their Enviro 10w-40 in lieu of a 5w-40, they responded:

"For out or warranty application it is not a big issue for Australian conditions. A 5W gets tested at -30°C whilst a 10W gets tested -25°C. Both grades are very fluid in Australia’s mild environment and so will quickly get to the top of the engine on cold starts.
Also, as noted above, CJ-4 spec became recommended for 2015 models which appear (as you note) to be the same engine.
From our perspective, our recommendations rely on the OEM specs so the decision to move to a CJ-4 rated oil for your model remains yours."

[SouthernComfort]

Originally Posted by Jeeper6

Interesting stuff really. Of course Chrysler imo only bought out the Bulletin advising a change to oil viscosity for post 2015 diesels, as that was when the VM Diesel was available in the RAM and Jeep models in the US. If they had recommended a change to viscosity for ALL VM Diesels, can you imagine the number of claims for spun bearings due to wrong oil they might have got.

Anyway, I emailed Penrite last year querying a couple of specs on their Enviro 10w-40 as I was already using it in my Jeep. I pointed out that the VM Diesel was available in export models before the US, and the Bulletin from Chrysler to upgrade oil should have been directed to earlier VM's as well.

To the question I asked what they thought of using their Enviro 10w-40 in lieu of a 5w-40, they responded:

"For out or warranty application it is not a big issue for Australian conditions. A 5W gets tested at -30°C whilst a 10W gets tested -25°C. Both grades are very fluid in Australia’s mild environment and so will quickly get to the top of the engine on cold starts.
Also, as noted above, CJ-4 spec became recommended for 2015 models which appear (as you note) to be the same engine.
From our perspective, our recommendations rely on the OEM specs so the decision to move to a CJ-4 rated oil for your model remains yours."

So there you have it. I see it as a craftily worded response to say 10w40 is fine in the VM diesel, but without making an outright commitment. Penrite sticks with OEM specs entirely to protect themselves from litigations. That's why they insist on still listing 5w30 as the recommended oil for 2011-13 models, it didn't dawn on FCA until 2014/15 that 5w40 was more suited, and they never changed it for export only vehicles built in the earlier years. Many of us with 2011-13 models have been using 5w40 for years.