Changing oil with an oil change system and oil reccomendations

[Steve500dancer]

1996 Detroit Diesel 6v92's
I noticed after just 10 hours on the boat since my last oil change, the oil is a little black again. I want to get all the old crappy oil out of the DD engines that was left in the boat since 2007 before I bought her. I have never changed the oil on diesels before let alone with an automatic oil change system. Any things I should be aware of? Look out for? Be careful with? Avoid? Any additive reccomendations? Any oil reccomendations. I also need to top off the coolant levels a little. Any reccomendations on coolant?

Any information is greatly appreciated

Steve

 

[just me]

i've never seen a diesel eng that didnt have black oil

 

[fwebster]

Good luck on getting that black out of the oil................

Oil change systems are very striaghtforward.......pump the old oil out; pump the new oil in. One thing I prefer doing is to pump the crankcase empty, then add one quart of new oil and pump it thru the oil change pump system before pumping the new oil in. I also find that working in 5gal pails is more time and cost effective than buying the oil in gallons. Don't know if that is going to get the black out of your Detroits, though.

 

[docofthebay]

It is normal for oil to blacken very quickly after an oil change. I think it has something to do with the high compression and blow-by of combustion gases.

 

[docofthebay]

uh-oh!! I answered a diesel question and didnt see that Frank hit the post button with a response before me. I hope I was right!!!

 

[Steve500dancer]

Great...thanks guys....I was a little concerned that it got black so quickly. That makes perfect sense and makes me feel much better. I read that it should take about 9 gallons of oil including the filters. What about a oil reccomendation and additive Frank.

Thanks
Steve

 

[Summer Fun II]

Rotella T 15w-40w if your boat calls for this oil weight ??. :smt001

I played the role of a truck driver for 34yrs. :lol:

 

[fwebster]

I am always loathe to correct an MD, because they are never wrong, however, in this case Darrell, I'll make an exception. You are partially right. The black in the oil is just soot from the diesel combustion process. It happens with all diesels, both high and low compression ones and is carried to the oil in the blowby that gets past the piston rings.

Steve - I use only Shell Rotella T oil in all my engines and I have Cats, Cummins, Kubotas, a Yanmar, a Perkins, a GM, and a Ford/New Holland. I don't use oil additives in anything. However, everything I own is a 4 stroke diesel. Your 6V92's are 2 stroke engines and they most probably have a special oil requirement. You need to check your owner's packet or contact a Detroit dealer in Nashville for advice on lube recommendations and additives.

 

[twyant]

Chevron Makes A 40 wt two stroke diesel oil for detroit diesels.

 

[Steve500dancer]

Great thank you guys. I appreciate the help. Gas engines have always been my thing. I am a bit of a car nut and have spent a great part of my 44 years building street rods and restoring corvettes as a hobby. Stick a diesel in front of me and eventually I will figure out how and why it works. I know you guys are going to ask to post a few of my car pictures so I will give it a try on tap talk.

Steve under this post

 

[just me]

Yeah, show us the MOPARS first :grin:

 

[docofthebay]

Disclaimer:
No actual diesel engines were harmed in the production of my partially correct response.

 

[alnav]

Rotella is now sold in 2.5 gallon containers. Available at West Marine but also at WalMart for 2/3 the price of WM. This size is perfect for the capacity of my engines and I find it a good balance between horsing around one big container or dealing with lots of small ones.

 

[First_Mate]

Diesel oil gets black almost instantaneously. Not sure exactly why, but it does. As for pumping a fresh quart of "flush oil" in after draining 5 gallons, that IMHO is only wasting that fresh qt of oil. What little remains in the reverso lines is only 2-4% of the total of the new 5 gallons that are put in.

Also, I just changed the oil in my Cummins 480CEs after TWO years and about 140 hours (probably half at 1200 rpm and half at 2300 rpm). Sent samples to Blackstone labs for analysis and they suggested I wait until at least 175 or 200 hours between change - regardless of how many months that takes. I went with Rotella T, but Mobil Delvac 1300 is great too.