Getting ready for 1st oil change, brand of oil to use???

[jwduke]

I'm getting close to changing the oil in my truck for the first time (7,500 miles), and was wondering what kind of oil everyone is using?



A tech at Cummins Great Plains (Omaha, NE) told me not to use Rotella 15W-40, as there is a foaming problem in our engines. He recomended Delo 1300, until 20,000 miles, then switch to Devlac 1.



Any thaught to this??? Thanks!

 

[klenger]

I use Delo 400 that I get from Costco. Main reason why I use Delo is because I like the pretty blue bottle.

 

[Buffalo]

Never heard that about Rotella!!! It is one of the most popular, if not THE most popular, heavy-duty engine oils (HDEO) available. I ran it for years in my '91. 5 W-250 with no problems, at all. I, also, read in the TDR about a guy & his wife that towed trailers for a living and accumulated 1,153,000 miles, without an engine rebuild, using Rotella with 5000 oil change intervals (OCI's). Back then (early 2nd Gen. ), you had to change the oil more often.



I am now running Chevron Delo-400 15wX40 because, it is supposed to be slightly better. I have no proof of that claim other than some of the Amsoil advertising shows how a number of oils tested, compared to theirs and the Chevron Delo 400 tested a bit better. Not a great difference. Also, I've heard that Chevron now has Moly & Boron in it which is supposed to make it "slipperier". Apparently, the "conventional oils" have improved so much, in recent years, that there no longer is a big difference between conventional & synthetic oils. I think synthetics are still better, though. But, quite a bit more expensive if used normally.



From what I've read, the synthetics work exceptionally, and you get more value from them, if used in conjunction with an "oil bypass filteration system". This system filters the oil extremely well and allows for extended oil drain intervals. The systems are generally a few hundred bucks & are not approved by DC. Could jeopardize your engine warranty.



I would also recommend the use of the Fleetguard oil filters from Cummins. Mopar filters are the same thing.



You may want to go onto "bobistheoilguy.com", where you will find more information than you could probably ever want about anything "lubrication related". Lots of good reading.



Basically, if you chose Rotella, Chevron, Mobil Delvac 1300 or any of the major HDEO products with a "CI-4+" rating, you should be just fine.



Hope this helps.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[vdub]

I use Delo 400 15w-40w, but not for any particular reason. Mostly because I had 10 gallons of it on hand when I traded in my F-250 PS for my 3500 and because I can get it a Wal-Mart for a pretty reasonable price.

 

[Bertram65]

Delo 400, I have tried all three, Delvac 1300 and Rotella, the Rotella stinks and I had read the Delo has the least wear on the three ball test, whatever that is, they are all fine oils, but with the smell of the Rotella and Delo having lower wear, that is what I have been using for the last 20K miles.

 

[nickleinonen]

i've got 0w40 xd-3 in my sump... might be a little early to change to a synthetic if you are only on your first oil change. . i switched to synthetics at a little over 10,000km

 

[mberry]

I have used Delo-400. Just as good or better than Rotella and the plus is that there is less smell after the change with the Delo.



I would wait a good 20K miles before switching to synthetic. After a few thousand more miles I am switching BACK to Delo-400 for another 10K miles. I didn't wait long enough before switching over to synthetic.

 

[dhill]

Use what you want as long as it meets the "CI-4+" rating and is the correct weight as the owners manual says.



My '97 had 224,000 when I sold it. I changed oil and filter 72 times, that's about every 3000 miles. I used (and still use in my '05) Delo 400 15w 40. When I bought the the '97 I asked about synthetics and was told I could use any oil in the truck I wanted as long as I changed it every 3000 miles.

I suppose if you were going to keep your truck for 400 - 500 k miles then synthetics probably the way to go, however most of us won't keep our trucks that long. I know there a few of the TDR members that run up those kind of miles, but for the most part that just doesn't happen. The hardest part of the oil change is the filter change out anyway, so why not just dump the oil too.

By the time you change the filter and add a quart and do the oil annallyas,(?) for me it just doesn't pencil out.

If you decide to switch to synthetics you will need to wait until about 20,000, and by then you would have made up your mind about the oil and no-one would change your mind anyway.

 

[Tim]

I use Rotella. Wal-Mart has it, it meets specs, and the price is reasonable. I'm not picky about oil brand.

 

[Bschneider]

I've always used Delo and thought it was an excellent oil. Judging from what I've read since using it, Delo keeps ranking at the top for quality. To top it off, it's cheaper than Rotella in my area.

 

[KBennett]

Delo 400. I used Rotella once and the blowby smell is very strong after the first oil change but they are both very good oils. From what I have read you should wait until after the initial break in to run a synthetic... . Amsoil, etc.