Semi-synthetics and Full-synthetic oil is also well known for making a vehicle use oil. When they reach high temperatures or run at constant speeds they will attribute to bore glazing in a motor.
Wrong.
A good synthetic like Mobil Delvac 1 will reduce or eliminate the chances of bore glazing. Bore glazing is caused by engines running hard before they get to operating temperature, idling too long, etc.
The detergents/dispersant's in the additive package in the oil is what determines whether the soot that causes the glazing is suspended or deposited, not the base oil. Full synthetics are also far less volatile than a straight mineral oil, meaning they don't flash off as readily in the ring area, and generally have superior deposit control in high temperature spots like the turbo bearings.
Caltex Delo 400, Castrol RX Super, Mobil Delvac MX Super , Fuchs Titan Ultralube have very robust additive packages and are excellent oils. The additive package, as well as the operator is what what reduces/eliminates bore glazing, not the fact they are mineral oils (although Delvac MX Super is now a semi-synth 10w-40)
A bloke I know runs his entire interstate fleet on Delvac 1 in Detroit's, and they are getting virtually no wear over the 700 000-1 000 000km life of their rigs. The mandatory valvetrain adjustments at 250 000km are now not needed. They recently stripped a million km engine and the unit basically measured up within new tolerances with no sludging or wear where these engines are prone to. These engines use a 100 000km oil/filter drain period, using Mann Hummel centrifugal by pass filters and Donaldson ELF full flows and the oil is regularly tested.
Used oil analysis has shown the full synthetic Delvac 1 to be superior to RX Super in wear and long term cost with far less maintenance/breakdowns. (RX Super's maximum drain period was 30 000km, then it was spent)
This bloke bloke runs full synthetic oils, including the gear boxes and diffs (Mobil or Castrol, depending on application) because he's in front big time on a straight cost analysis over the life of a vehicle. If they caused the problems you've attributed to them, he wouldn't be using them.
What's with the sulphur comment ? It's been reduced dramatically. BP's diesel is under 50ppm, and the others will be soon if they aren't already.
As to the original post, I agree with Adsman that a 15w-40 would be a lot better, and that a heavier oil could be detrimental.
BTW, did any of you know that on new Nissan diesels, an oil with a more modern spec than CF-4 (a spec that dates from 1990) will void the warranty ?
True.
Nissan claim that the more modern dispersant packages up to and including the latest CI-4 + keep too much soot in suspension and it prematurely wears out high load surfaces such as the camshaft. This has been thoroughly disproved by the oil manufacturers with testing in their own fleets, but Nissan wont budge. They also refuse to acknowledge multi rated oils, including JASO and Global DHD 1 spec oils that carry newer certifications as well as CF/CF-4.
Rick.