A marine diesel cylinder is lubricated using a lubricant having a total base number (TBN) of at least about 25, comprising an oil of lubricating viscosity and a metal-containing detergent component. Forty to 90 percent of the TBN derived from the metal-containing detergent component is provided by calcium detergent; 5 to 40 percent of the TBN by sodium detergent; and 5 to 45 percent by magnesium detergent. At least 50 weight percent of the total detergent substrate is sulfonate and less than 50 weight percent is monomeric or oligomeric substrate comprising one or more units of alkyl-substituted phenol having an alkyl group of 8 to 14 carbon atoms. The lubricant is useful when the marine diesel engine is fueled with a liquid fuel containing at least 2 ppm vanadium.