• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Preferred engine oil for 3126b

GeneralDisorder

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,007
5,144
113
Location
Portland, OR
I run Amsoil 15w40 Max Duty full synthetic. The expensive HEUI pump and injectors relies on clean oil.

As for rattling like rocks in a can - I have nothing like that. Engine sounds great.
 
Last edited:

kblazer87

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
904
314
63
Location
southeast Indiana
Just run whatever is available. I have run Delo, Mobil 1, Rotella, Delvac, Traveller, etc... not in that particular motor but have had new and old diesels for over 20 years. Full synthetic, synth blend, full dino and switch back and forth willy nilly. They don't really care what it is or how it is made they just want something in the belly.
 
Last edited:

GeneralDisorder

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,007
5,144
113
Location
Portland, OR
Thing is - unless your engine is a leaking, oil burning mess you'll save money with synthetic and bypass filtration. I put in Amsoil 15w40 MAX and a bypass filter and I have no intention of ever changing the oil again. What's your time worth? What's your HEUI system worth? Do the math and decide for yourself. Will it run on anything? Yes. And probably for a long time if serviced regularly. But I'm lazy and also prefer the peace of mind. I do use the oil analysis ports for their intended purpose as well.

Most of these trucks have engines that are barely even broken in. They are essentially still brand new inside. I build race cars and high performance street machines for a living and it's definitely made me a believer in the protection synthetics can provide. I'm also not one to blink at a $350 oil change on an engine the military paid $45k for in a truck they paid $320k for adjusted for inflation and which I could sell at market prices currently of ~$65k. The math of saving $150 on an oil change (that I'm not ever going to do again remember) is easy.

But this is a very divisive issue and I recognize that. This is just one perspective and you should do the research and not take my or anyone else's word for it.
 
Last edited:

87cr250r

Well-known member
1,267
1,988
113
Location
Rodeo, Ca
Hoo-boy. The HUEI Cat engines are good until they aren't. The repair costs are astronomical. They run forever for some and are nightmares for others. Clean, high quality oil is essential. The injectors are so expensive one failure will offset any savings running cheap oil. I would use a high quality synthetic if it were my engine but the OEM oil is a good next best. Whatever doesn't leave deposits. Also use OEM filters. Cat offers a few efficiency options for oil filters on some of their engines. I don't know if they do for the 3126 engine.

Change your oil often. Don't get tricked into the sampling routine. The inexpensive oil samples offerings don't tell much of the story. You need to do infrared Fourier spectrum analysis to compare the condition of your oil. It's a comparison test which means you have to run this expensive test twice to compare old oil to new.
 

spankybear

Well-known member
879
900
93
Location
WA
Shell Rotella or Chevron Delo 15W40 are both excellent oils. My only advice is pick one and stay with it. The additive packages may not be comparable. I run Rotella T4 in my LMTV. The reason for T4 as opposed to T5 or T6 is T4 is approved oil for the transmission. Rotella as opposed to Delo is Rotella will not break down as much as Delo over time. But this is splinting hairs as the engine has low miles and not driven a ton.

Approved trans oils

 

serpico760

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
658
1,653
93
Location
San Diego, CA
Thing is - unless your engine is a leaking, oil burning mess you'll save money with synthetic and bypass filtration. I put in Amsoil 15w40 MAX and a bypass filter and I have no intention of ever changing the oil again. What's your time worth? What's your HEUI system worth? Do the math and decide for yourself. Will it run on anything? Yes. And probably for a long time if serviced regularly. But I'm lazy and also prefer the peace of mind. I do use the oil analysis ports for their intended purpose as well.

Most of these trucks have engines that are barely even broken in. They are essentially still brand new inside. I build race cars and high performance street machines for a living and it's definitely made me a believer in the protection synthetics can provide. I'm also not one to blink at a $350 oil change on an engine the military paid $45k for in a truck they paid $320k for adjusted for inflation and which I could sell at market prices currently of ~$65k. The math of saving $150 on an oil change (that I'm not ever going to do again remember) is easy.

But this is a very divisive issue and I recognize that. This is just one perspective and you should do the research and not take my or anyone else's word for it.
What type of bypass filter do you have and where are they available?
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,122
9,366
113
Location
Mason, TN
What type of bypass filter do you have and where are they available?
Puradyn are good systems. They used them on the C7s in the cougars.

@Suprman has the whole kit.

His ebay listing

 

GeneralDisorder

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,007
5,144
113
Location
Portland, OR
Got a M1165, ideas of where to mount the Amsoil heavy duty bypass oil filter?
IDK - I hated working on HMMWV's in the Army. There's no access to anything, they stuffed the engine up under the firewall and they were unreliable shit heaps. Wouldn't own one except to resell it. The Amsoil filter is very large and I can't think of any space you could easily stuff it other than above the rear wheel wells where they stuck the RedDot condenser on the AC equipped trucks or in the passenger compartment or maybe under the truck somewhere. The engine bay in those trucks is pretty full already.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks