Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Delo 400

[zues]

How many miles can I go on an oil change. I do mostly freeway driving. I Tow a 28ft 5th wheel once every other month.

 

[bmoeller]

Using an oil analysis would be the best way to find out.

 

[zues]

what would the oil analysis tell me. Do I drive the truck and take a sample of the oil after a certain amount of mileage.

 

[Diesel Gunner]

Nothing in your sig or profile so I will assume that you are stock. Barring any problems that may exist you would be well within the oil change envelope if you did oil and filter every 5000. This is entirely up to you though. How long do you intend to keep the truck? It is kinda like letting the turbo cool. If you plan on a new truck every year or two, why wait for the turbo to cool? Let the next owner deal with it.



If you are like me and plan on driving the truck after the cab rots off, you change oil often and let the turbo cool down.

 

[Deezul1]

If you are interested in the best mileage on your oil then have an anyalisis done. Run it for 5000 miles and send a sample in from that batch when you change it, and when the results are in you can judge whether to go for 7000 miles or drop back to less. I was running synthetic with a dual bypass system and at 50,000 miles it finally came back as time to change it and that is on a 400+hp engine.



http://www.oaitesting.com/



http://www.oilanalysis.com/

 

[illflem]

Since we have oil analysis equipment at work and my tests are free I experimented with 1k tests with Delo, at 10k it was still good to go. Never tried going any longer but multiplying the rate out showed it should still be good at 15k.

I change at 8k now to be way on the safe side.

 

[Diesel Gunner]

Keep in mind that each engine is unique to itself. Operating parameters are different and operators are different. I don't doubt that we all could go longer on our oil changes (except for the guys that are extremely overfueled and running on drugs, who may need to change after just a few 1/4 mile runs, due to soot)



I find Illflems's 1000 mile analysis strategy very interesting. This very definately gives a trend snapshot during a short period in the life of his engine. And, this truly is data that can be used in arguement. Visual observations like the color of the oil when drained or how it feels are really not good indicators of oil condition. Oh, that we would all be able to establish a baseline, as Illflem did, and set our oil change interval based on it. We would surely reduce our operating cost (oil and filters) and make all of the Earth First ilk love us like brothers and sisters for not poluting Mother Earth needlessly.



I assure you that "most " people change their oil far too often. The major products available are far better than anyone wishes to give them credit for. But, hey, oil is cheap compared to overhaul!

 

[24V-DSL]

Good points, Diesel Gunner... .



But, it was almost painfull for me to decide to go from 3K to 5K change intervals with Delo... . just "programmed" at 3K all these years. Now, I like the 5K 'cause it ties to tire rotation, and fuel filter every second (10K).

 

[illflem]

One thing that many of us fail to realize is that the change intervals for our "old" 12 valves were written using old technology oil. Advances in oil quality and longevity have increased tremendously in the last five years. Cummins isn't about to go back and retest engines to change a few lines in the book. A large part of the increase in factory recommended change intervals on newer rigs is due to improvements in oil.



I have no doubts that dino oil quality will equal or exceed synthetic oil in the very near future.

 

[drrhoades]

illflem,



Are you using the regular Delo 400 15w-40. Do you use it all year round?



Thanks,

Doug

 

[moparguy]

I'm gonna second illflem's post. While I've only had 2 samples analyzed at 10k, they both came back as OK for additional mileage. This was with Delo 15w40.



I now change at 7 to 8k, but if I run over a bit, I don't worry.



RJR

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by drhoades

illflem,



Are you using the regular Delo 400 15w-40. Do you use it all year round?



Thanks,

Doug

I used synthetic Delo one winter just for the heck of it and didn't notice much difference.

Since I buy Delo 15w-40 in 55 gal drums for the other trucks and farm equipment it's a pain to have something else around.

Thought of adding an oil pan heater for the winter but found with my temp gun that the stock block heater keeps the bottom of the oil pan in the 40s even when it's below zero so never did. We do have the luxury of cheap power in my area so I don't use a timer on the block heater, whenever I'm not driving the heater's plugged in. Also since I live where I work I never really know when I'm going to drive, there are sometimes weeks where the truck is plugged in continuously.

If I had high cost power and had to run the heater for a limited number of hours I'd probably use an oil pan heater wired together with the block heater and still not mess with lighter or synthetic oil in the winter.



All of this depends on your situation though, everybody is different. If you're driving the truck just a short distance to work then parking unplugged all day I'd use lighter oil for the winter. I feel if you drive at least 20 miles the engine will retain enough heat to keep the oil flowing good even after parked for eight hours on all but coldest days.



Found this to be an interesting article that breaks down what type of people go with what type of oil-

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/article_detail.asp?articleid=529&relatedbookgroup=Lubrication

 

[Howard Durand]

What is the cost of a routine oil analysis for these engines?

I have 100k miles on my truck and have used Cummins/Valvoline Premium Blue since I took delivery.

I checked the web site Deezul1 posted and saw a list of tests and their associated prices.

Which tests would be needed?



I would like to change to Delo 400 due to availability and cost but think maybe an analysis might be a good idea before doing that.

I have changed oil at 3 to 4 thousand mile intervals since it was new.

 

[illflem]

Howard, most labs offer a standard test with just a few options, make sure TBN is one of them.

It's usually better/cheaper to get it done locally. Since you're close to a large ag area I'd see what John Deere or Cummins in Moses Lake has to offer.