Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Engine Oil

[DavidC]

Running out of Rotella CI-4 and not looking to use the new alternative as I have read stories of increased wear especially on cams and lifters. Anyway during my searches I came across this at XDP Diesel power. Anyone have any info on this brand of oil ?.

Here is the complete link with info
https://www.xtremediesel.com/championblueflame15w-40-syntheticblend.aspx
The next alternative may be Amsoil unless you guy's have some other alternatives

Dave

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

CAT DEO 15W-40 is still CI4+

 

[RonaldLarson]

I use Valvoline synthetic 5-40 with very good results. I also add a bit of Energy Release at each change. ER treats the metals, not the oil. Good stuff.

 

[Tinman]

About 6 months ago I bought a 55 gallon drum of Delo 400 CI-4+. You should still be able to get it.

 

[DavidC]

Thanks guy's
I will have to check Cat, they have a facility a few miles from the house. I will also check a petroleum distributor in Phoenix to see what they carry

Dave

 

[CM_Guest]

John Deere Plus-50 II. It's under the radar because it's "farmer oil" but it's as good as anything out there and better than most. Deere doesn't put junk in $350,000 machines under warranty. It's approved to a 500-hour drain interval in John Deere equipment with John Deere filters. I run it 10,000 miles between changes in my '94 Ram 2500. It's good enough that they don't put it in brand new tractors and we can't use it in engines we overhaul because it's too slick to allow break-in.

 

[DavidC]

John Deere Plus-50 II. It's under the radar because it's "farmer oil" but it's as good as anything out there and better than most. Deere doesn't put junk in $350,000 machines under warranty. It's approved to a 500-hour drain interval in John Deere equipment with John Deere filters. I run it 10,000 miles between changes in my '94 Ram 2500. It's good enough that they don't put it in brand new tractors and we can't use it in engines we overhaul because it's too slick to allow break-in.

Thanks, Have a dealer 8 miles away. Ball park price per gallon ?. I know it will vary by state,region.

Dave

 

[SnoKing]

The John Deere Plus=50 II is a CJ-4 spec oil. Chris

 

[DavidC]

The John Deere Plus=50 II is a CJ-4 spec oil. Chris

UH OH. That is a no go then. Thanks

Dave

 

[JR]

UH OH. That is a no go then. Thanks

Dave

The sky won't fall, I promise! :-laf

 

[DavidC]

The sky won't fall, I promise! :-laf

I have often heard of the flat tappet and cam wear associated with non CI 4 oil. True or not. Anybody know what Cummins did differently in that area for CJ oil ?. Do they still have flat lifters ? do anything special with the cam ?. Or am I totally off course. I am now 60 and this truck hopefully will still be around long after I am gone (the Daughter has her eye on it and I would like to do what I can to cause as least damage as possible).

Dave

 

[Regcabguy]

My '98.5 ran on CI oil. My '07 has run on CJ for years now with darn near identical Blackstone results. Does all this stated wear on CJ oil take a long time?

 

[JR]

I'm certainly not an engineer so I am the wrong guy to be asking, but IMO there is nothing wrong with running a quality CJ 4 oil. It may have been an issue when the CJ oils first came into play but how many engine failures have you seen period, let alone where engine oil was believed to be the culprit. the technology has come a long way that I just don't believe the flat tappet concern is valid anymore, they have developed other wear additives aside from the zddp additive found in CI4 oils. The CJ 4 test standards are more severe than the old CI4 requirement's and are superior in wear protection, soot related viscosity control (important even in non dpf equipped diesels) and viscosity retention from shearing, low temperature pumpability, and thermal protection To name a few.
I don't think there is necessarily a right or wrong answer as to which oil to run, but I think of it like this. Technology has come a long way since my 98.5 and your 99 has rolled off the assembly line. Take a look at the new Rams and how advanced they are compared to our trucks. Same as anything else, cell phones, appliances, medicine, etc. No way would I want to run an old Microsoft with windows 95 today. Fluids are all in the same boat, the technology has evolved so much I just don't see it being an issue. I don't have anything to back it up but I bet an overwhelming number of people are running CJ4 oils in their pre emissions trucks. Where are the failures? 9 Times out of 10 the engine will outlast the truck anyhow :-laf

 

[JR]

My '98.5 ran on CI oil. My '07 has run on CJ for years now with darn near identical Blackstone results. Does all this stated wear on CJ oil take a long time?

I run a CJ4 synthetic on extended drain intervals and have excellent results as well.

 

[DavidC]

I see what you are saying JR. I have not seen or read any failures on this site. The John Deere statement of 10k oil changes is interesting and there is nothing wrong with extended oil changes but I believe I read in the quarterly TDR mag not to use extended servicing with CJ oil. Wish they would just offer CI oil at Oreilly's, Auto Zone, Wal Mart etc. so we could just get back to arguing about who makes the best oil. LOL. Since Cat and John Deere are so close to the house I will still swing by and see what they have to offer.

Dave

 

[jgillott]

For what it's worth, my oil samples fine on CJ-4 also. I've been running Mobil Delvac for years and didn't see anything worth noting when it went from CI-4 to the CJ-4.

 

[SnoKing]

I see what you are saying JR. I have not seen or read any failures on this site. The John Deere statement of 10k oil changes is interesting and there is nothing wrong with extended oil changes but I believe I read in the quarterly TDR mag not to use extended servicing with CJ oil. Wish they would just offer CI oil at Oreilly's, Auto Zone, Wal Mart etc. so we could just get back to arguing about who makes the best oil. LOL. Since Cat and John Deere are so close to the house I will still swing by and see what they have to offer.

Dave

I think there is a lot of Fed pressure on the oil companies not to do that! You will find that Cat has done the same thing as JD, and Delco. Delc 400 15-40 CI-4+ is available from distributors in 5 gal pails, but it is around a 100 dollars for the pail.

Chris

 

[JR]

You may be thinking of the early days when 500 ppm fuel was still available, IIRC it was recomended in the early days of CJ4 that shorter service intervals MAY be necessary if you were running anything other than 15ppm fuel. Not an issue anymore.
Lots of people run extended drain intervals with CJ4 oil. Like anything else oil anaylisis is a must whether running CJ4, CI4, dino or synthetic.
I probably started another oil war, my apologies

 

[DavidC]

The more real world analysis the better. It is good to see with oil analysis and extended drain intervals the readings from CI to CJ has not varied. All this helps my old age paranoia.

Dave

 

[JR]

I know Amsoil also carries a CI4 oil but it is either a full synthetic or a synthetic blend, probably more than what your looking to spend (compared to dino)