Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:53pm

Hi Tony, I have a Nanni 3 cylinder engine in our 2007 canal boat. The engine has covered 1300 hours ..... mostly canal cruising use. The engine only idles when used in a lock. Seldom run to charge batteries. I have used the 15W40 api Cd rated oil from new but have a chance to buy 20 litres of Mannol api CF 15W40. Is this likely to be too higher a spec for a 1300 hour engine ? (The boat has summer use only ). Many thanks, Mark.

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 6:34am

The first question is what do Nanni say? I can not advise anything contrary to the manufacturer's recommendations. The last time I looked on the API website it said that grade was obsolete and superseded but canal use is highly unusual in that our engines rarely have to produce much more than a few HP. Diesels by and large prefer to work under a reasonable and varying load so a lower garde oil is often advised. Yours is a 3 cylinder so of more modest power than many. This means it will be working harder than the larger engines. This is NOT advice. I have been trialling API CF oil in my 3 cylinder Bukh for several years but it is an ex hire boat so very well run in and worn - so far with no discernible problems.

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:49am

Thanks Tony, Nanni advise api CD. I will give it some more thought. Regards, Mark.