Is deisel oil different from regular oil? Can I just buy a barrel of oil and use it on all my vehicles?

 

DIESEL motor oil is different,
Diesel engine oil has more additives per volume. The most prevalent are overbase detergent additives. This additive has several jobs, but the main ones are to neutralize acids and clean. Diesel engines create a great deal more soot and combustion byproducts. Through blow-by, these find their way into the crankcase, forcing the oil to deal with them. When you put this extra additive load in a gasoline engine, the effects can be devastating to performance. The detergent will work as it is designed and try to clean the cylinder walls. This can have an adverse effect on the seal between the rings and liner, resulting in lost compression and efficiency.

So how do you know if an oil has been designed for gasoline or diesel engines? When reading a label, look for the API (American Petroleum Institute) doughnut. In the top section of this doughnut will be a service designation. This designation will either start with an “S” (service or spark ignition) for gasoline engines or a “C” (commercial or compression ignition) for diesel engines.

 

I wouldn't just buy a barrel of oil and use it for all your vehicles...

 

Can't use a regular oil for a diesel but you can use a diesel oil in a gas engine...if it meets the specs. That's harder to fine with your late model..2011 and on, but there are diesel oils out there that meet API SM and previous. So..if you had vehicles that could all use the same weight and it meets the specs, then you probably could bet by with buying a barrel. There aren't many places you can use a 40 weight in a later model gas engine, but you can use a 5/30 or 10/30 in most diesel engines, so if all the stars line up..it's possible