Perkins Diesel Engine Oil VDS3?

[NordicCruiser]

Hi,

Perkins recommends their own motor oil (of course) to their engines. As the Volvo D2-55 is a Perkins engine, I am in no doubt, that this oil is suitable, and a very good one for the engine.

However, there is not sign of a VDS3 specification on the Perkins Oil Can. Probably, as they only produce and sell it primarily for their own engines. And Volvo sells also their own oil.

But does anyone know if the Perkins Oil also officially is the same as the Volvo Oil? In the car industry, you often see the oil specs on the can so that you can see a specific manufacturers requirements are fulfilled.

Happy Easter
NordicCruiser

[Lepke]

Perkins isn't an oil company any more than Volvo. Their "Perkins" oil is refined and packaged under contract by a real oil company. Any oil that meets the spec they require is ok.

[NordicCruiser]

The Security Sheet says it is from ExxonMobile so probably it is their Delvac 15W40 which also has VDS3.

I am just wondering if there is a special marine additive in Volvos oil where it may not be in the Perkins one, as it is primaritly for contruction engines and power generators. But Volvo is using the VDS3 specs also for land engines and passenger cars i think.

[DougR]

To answer your question, in all likelihood the official “Perkins” branded oil is not the same as the “Volvo” branded oil. Volvo goes to the oils companies and sources private label oil, same as Perkins.

VDS 3 (Volvo Drain Spec 3) is an oil specification developed by Volvo trucks quite some years ago, and has nothing to do with Penta...... no special good stuff because of marine applications. Volvo Penta merely piggybacks on that spec because Volvo Trucks is the big brother.....

In today’s world of on-highway (and off highway also) emission controls, VDS3 is a rather benign spec....good but not exotic. I just walked into my garage and looked at a gallon of Shell Rotella 15/40 T4 oil and it is labeled VDS 4.5 and Rotella 5w/40 T6 synthetic is VDS 4. So, different horses for different courses. Low ash oils for engines with DPFs (diesel particulate filters), etc.

Luckily MOST oil ratings are backward compatible so you can substitute a more recent rating for an earlier application with no problem.

DougR

[NordicCruiser]

Hi DougR,

thanks for you comprehensive answer - as always

So, if the VDS3 spec is nothing special to marine, could it then probably be, that the Perkins oil is even better than the Volvo oil to the D2-55, as it basically is a perkins engine and they just pick the additives that are optimum for their machinery?

I was just ordering some oil filters from Perkins as they are exactly the same as the Volvo ones but to a better price and so the engine still looks like everything is original. I ordered the Perkins oil as I anyway needed some and this gave me a better price for the order.

Best regards
Christian