Technical Engine oil advice

[warriors1976]

Hi,

I just bought a Fiat Ducato 1.9 Diesel 2001 motorhome and really want to do an oil change on it as the last owner said they have never changed it in the 3 years they have had it. My question is i need to know if it's safe to put Semi or Fully synthetic oil in it instead of the 15W/40 mineral multigrade engine oil which it says in the owners manual? Thanks

 

[Communicator]

Hi,

Welcome. Due to delays in conversion, and sale, motorhome engine manufacturing year can be earlier than first registration. Be sure that you know the exact model of your engine. I find this Wikipedia article useful in this respect.

For further info regarding oil compatabiity, just scroll down the page, and browse the similar threads, and more threads.

 

[theoneandonly]

Get the oil/ filter changed soon as.
Oil has been changing over the years, for new engines very much for the better.
There was a time when synthetics were not preferred for old engines as they hardened oil seals, but not anymore. Your engine is also later than Zn reductions so Don't worry about that.
The problem with modern synthetics is they were designed to be used not stuck waiting around for 6 months to be used like a motorhome, ie 30000 in 24 months at least 750miles per month.ie a hot run is required once a fortnight and change every year Forget the 2 Yr nonsense.
Use a mineral oil or semi synthetic of the same viscosity as hand book 15/40. Change oil every year 6000 miles, whichever first . She's an old girl pamper her , don't spoil ship for happorth o tar.

 

[warriors1976]

Thanks for the advice. I think i will try the semi synthetic 15W/40 and hope it will be fine. I now have a another problem as i went out today to make sure i know where everything is to do the oil change as I've never done one on something this old but for the life of me i can't find where to put the new oil in. I've looked it the manual but the diesel engine diagram looks different from the engine. The only thing i can see is the dip stick whole thing can be unscrewed to take out the dip stick and large cap, is this the right place to put in the new oil? as never seen it done that way before but like i said i can't see anywhere else to put it. I have uploaded a photo to show you what i see. Thanks again

 

[theoneandonly]

I've no experience of ducatos that age, if no other obvious filler then use what you've identified.

 

[cjmackie007]

Is there no yellow oil filler cap on the top ?

 

[warriors1976]

Is there no yellow oil filler cap on the top ?

None that i can see, man this is really weird as i've never seen oil going in where the dip stick comes out. I am waiting the oil to be delivered and hopefully i can do the oil change this weekend if it turns up.

 

[cjmackie007]

Wired what car makers do these days, I've heard of cars without a drain plug on the engine sump, but never heard of one without a filler cap.

 

[Anthony489]

Hi warriors1976

It looks to me as though your engine is the PSA group XUD9 1905cc Turbodiesel, which was used in a range of Peugeot and Citroen cars as well as vans. The oddball Dipstick cum Oil Filler tube is a typical French concoction.

When looking for spares and technical data, it might be worth checking out the Peugeot 406 HDi.

 

[Ralf S.]

15W40 Semi-synthetic oil will be good. Most petrol engines of that age used 10W40, but for a tractor engine, I can see they might have specc'd a slightly heavier cold weight to deal with the extra knock when the engine is cold.

Semi- or full synthetic doesn't make any difference... although full synthetics tend to be newer, so lighter grade (e.g. 5W30), as more recently car makers have been building engines to use thinner oils, in order to meet tightening fuel economy standards. If you found a fully synthetic 15W40 (not sure they exist) then the engine wouldn't complain.

The main thing to look for on the packaging/in the manual is the API spec' which is a S/... followed by a letter, such as G, H I... etc. The engine will want something like API S/G or S/H which was cutting edge back in 1988 or something. Any oil you buy will be several increments higher.. semi synthetic is around S/L and fully synthetic is S/N... so it's virtually impossible to buy oil that is less spec' than your engine needs.

The other standards (ACEA) you might see are, as above, almost a given. I think your semi-synthetic will be B4/C4... the engine probably only needs C3.. so "more or less any oil" will do the job. The bigger numbers means more ingredients.. mostly detergents.. so these oils can go longer and still absorb carbon (soot) compared to the mineral oils. If you do 10,000 miles a year, I would change the oil again then. otherwise once a year.

Since it's been sitting a while, if it was mine, I'd use an engine flush in there before you drain the oil. Drop it in, run the engine around for 100 miles or so, taking it reasonably easy and then drain the oil. The flush collects extra gum and varnish.. and your beast has had old oil it for a while, so may benefit.

The French looking dipstick doodah is probably also the filler neck. Does the piece that the dipstick drops through unscrew in its own right?



Ralf S.

 

[warriors1976]

Thanks for all the info. I ordered Shell Helix HX5 Engine Oil - 15W-40 from Eurocarparts as it was recommended by them and the Shell web site so hope all goes well with it. I will be doing a engine flush like you said just to make sure everything is clean enough for the new oil going in.

As for the dipstick you are right it does unscrew in its own, so looks like a filler neck for the oil to go in, i've never seen anything like it before that's why i wanted to make sure it was a real thing as don't want to make a mistake by putting the oil in the wrong place and looking daft lol

 

[Ralf S.]

My new 500X (left) 1.0ltr Firefly has the dipstick inside the filler cap, so yours isn't too different. On mine when you unscrew the cap you find the dipstick attached to the inside of the lid, so essentially the whole lid is the dipstick.


Ralf S.