Discovery 300tdi - What Engine Oil

All the V8's for comp safaris always ran that oil or Unipart turbo D with slick 50 oil is similar spec as many other top brands similar to farm supplies but I've not found or really looked into getting any from a farmer person to be fair. All the TDI's we have had in the family and series motors. I have had one engine go bang but that was due to some twot putting a wrong oil pump gear in big hole small spitot pin. DONT BUY SECONDF HAND ENGINES FROM CUUNTS! Ran that for 2 or 3 years without knowing with no sign. Goes to show how under stressed the 2.5Na engine is finally gave up after blocking up the rad at a comp driving home towing a trailer got far too hot which was my bad shoulda cleaned out the rad better. but not surprising it run its bearings after looking at the oil pump gears.

Reason my engine went bang, Running it like this for 2 years without knowing any probs:

Imageshack - 17022007023 - Uploaded by jai_unleashed

just having a search on here as to what oil is best for my disco 1997 300tdi

so what does everyone use ? is tractor universal the best ?? or .. OVOLINE 586 Super Universal Tractor OIL ?

what grade do i use ? anywhere local is best to get it from ?? ie can it be bought in motor factors or what ?

this place is not too far away ? is that the sort of oil mentioned in this thread ? what one/grade would i need ?

Vintage and Modern tractor oils Southern Counties Tractor Spares Vintage & Modern Tractor Oils

or theres this place ?

Used Farm Machinery for Sale Sussex : Honda Garden Tractors : Lawn Mower Repair : Dowdeswell : Lemken : Stiga : Briggs and Stratton Parts: Chichester Farm Machiner

polsta said:

this place is not too far away ? is that the sort of oil mentioned in this thread ? what one/grade would i need ?

Vintage and Modern tractor oils Southern Counties Tractor Spares Vintage & Modern Tractor Oils

or theres this place ?

Used Farm Machinery for Sale Sussex : Honda Garden Tractors : Lawn Mower Repair : Dowdeswell : Lemken : Stiga : Briggs and Stratton Parts: Chichester Farm Machiner

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have you no got any agricultural suppliers near you, i don't mean a garden centre either ?

Wynnstay ? bit like a supermarket fer farmers

Sean said:

have you no got any agricultural suppliers near you, i don't mean a garden centre either ?

Wynnstay ? bit like a supermarket fer farmers

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isnt that what the 1st link in my post is gives a list of the oils they do, is one of them what i need ?

google mole valley farmers very cheap and a few branches about.

polsta said:

isnt that what the 1st link in my post is gives a list of the oils they do, is one of them what i need ?

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nope - that's where people who use tractors for fun would go - you need to find where people who use tractors for a living (farmers) buy their oils from

and buy in bulk if your really wanting to save money - there must be a local oils supplier round there, who sells heating oils ?

what grade oil do i actualy need ?

and no mole valley around this way , im located between chichster-portsmouth, theres lots of farms and fields around here (chichester) and plenty of food farm shops, so there must be somewhere local

I read CharlesY a while ago and tried it, tractor oil is better than the rip off main stream stuff and the disco runs on it like a dream, its so cheap I change it twice a year.
I used to put Millers in 6 litres £40 plus, 15-40 tractor oil 6 litres £9.00 twice a year £18
and I pull a caravan all over for holidays, no trouble.

so i need 15/40 tractor oil ? any particular type or anything else ? i do i just phone up and say "got any/how much is 15/40 tractor oil?"

whats the capacity of the disco ? how much do i need per complete change ? so as i know how much to get bulk wise to do a few

polsta said:

so i need 15/40 tractor oil ? any particular type or anything else ? i do i just phone up and say "got any/how much is 15/40 tractor oil?"

whats the capacity of the disco ? how much do i need per complete change ? so as i know how much to get bulk wise to do a few

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In my opinion, especially as we are talking about winter operating, would be to use any good quality 10w-40 semi synthetic oil.

15w-40 is too thick for early morning cold starts. If you can find it, for going through your first winter with the car put in 5w-40 semi synth - don't use fully synth.

If you want to get the best out of your TDi 300, use good quality oil with frequent oil and filter changes.

This first oil change (in your care) I would be doing the following:

1. Buy at least 7 ltrs of 10-40 plus the filter

2. Go for a drive to warm up the engine before doing the change;

3. Get your oil pan ready then open up the sump plug being careful to protect your hands from hot oil;

4. Leave it to drain for a long time - at least 30 mins, an hour is better. What you are trying to do is to get out as much as poss of the old oil.

5. When draining is finished replace the sump plug and remove the old oil filter and replace;

6. Put 6 ltrs of new oil in and start the engine, allow it to tickover for a minute, then stop the engine, leave it to settle for at least 5 mins then top up as necessary until you get a top mark reading on the dipstick.

7. Run for 1000 miles then do it all again. After that you'll be good for 6,000mls.

Don't forget that you'll need to do the main gearbox (3 ltrs of MTF94), the trans box (2.5ltrs of EP 80-90) and both axles (3.4 ltrs of EP 80-90).

Exactly the same principal of warming everything up to ensure a good drain, then replace.


Dave

CharlesY said:

That doesn't matter much either unless you are off to Siberia for the winter, or the Sahara desert for the summer. We don't have these extremes, so our climate falls happily withing all the grades. Take your pick.

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15W/40 is only good down to -10°C, and 10W/40 good for -15°C. So with the early cold snap, you'd be outside the specifications (in some areas of the country):



For this reason, I align my services to spring and autumn, this way I don't need to do any servicing in the winter time. For the autumn service I put in 5W/30 oil and for the spring, 10W/40 (although if one of the other suitable grades is cheaper, I'll go for that instead).

top stuff mate

so you reckon not to use the tractor oil talked about and just normal semi synth ?

any idea rough price on all the oils you mention there ? and are them last ones easy to do for a 1st timer or should i seek a mechanic mate to give me a hand to ensure its all done properly ?

paul_c said:

15W/40 is only good down to -10°C, and 10W/40 good for -15°C. So with the early cold snap, you'd be outside the specifications (in some areas of the country):

For this reason, I align my services to spring and autumn, this way I don't need to do any servicing in the winter time. For the autumn service I put in 5W/30 oil and for the spring, 10W/40 (although if one of the other suitable grades is cheaper, I'll go for that instead).

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dont think it get below -10 down south here,i only plan on doing 5-6k topps in the disco in the next 12 months as its a 2nd car, and like mentioned a lot i dont trust the garage to have done a proper service like this, and the dirty air filter proved right !! im thinking about maybe going back n saying look its taking the **** to say youve done a full service when the air filter is dirty and clearly not been changed ...and saying ive got the filters, il settle for you to do the oil,diff and gear oil, and il stand there n watch !!!

If you can get 5W/30 tractor engine oil (at the right spec) it would be fine, but I've personally never seen it. You'd need to check your local motor factor for prices you can achieve but I bought 5l of 5W/30 semi synthetic engine oil for £14 recently. And I passed by the same place and it was still at that price. Remember, that's for 5 litres, not 25l or 210l at a time (which needs storage etc).

so what spec is it ? whats actualy best to use ? 5w40 tractor, or 10w40 semi synth ?

I just done a full service on mine and I used ASDA 5W/30 its cheap and its sold in 5 liter and 2 litre cans also it's great for these early morning cold starts, I will change it for a better oil in about 3000 miles time.

puppysandwich said:

I just done a full service on mine and I used ASDA 5W/30 its cheap and its sold in 5 liter and 2 litre cans also it's great for these early morning cold starts, I will change it for a better oil in about 3000 miles time.

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That sounds like a perfect strategy to me.


Dave

and if yer only doing a few miles a year who really cares how much the oil costs (within reason)