This is slightly off-topic because it is not my Ford, but here are the results from my latest oil analysis.

Tested by Blackstone.

Chevron Delo 400 15W-40 + Purolator filters
1992 BMW 325i
6200 miles on oil (8 months)
114200 miles on engine
1 qt makeup oil

ppm:
aluminum 1
chromium 1
iron 6
copper 9
lead 6
tin 0
moly 1
nickel 1
manganese 0
silver 1
titanium 0
potassium 0
boron 2
silcon 3
sodium 5
calcium 3472
magnesium 23
phosphorus 1124
zinc 1439
barium 0

SUS viscosity @ 210F 74.0
flashpoint 415F
fuel <0.5%
antifreeze 0%
water 0%
insolubles 0.3%

TBN=8.0

I did the TBN test this time because I wanted to see if the drain interval is too long. It looks like I could safely go one year. I have the F-150 on a one year schelule, but it accumulates only 4-6k miles and leaks enough that half the oil is replenished in that time, so it seems like a waste to do oil analysis on it.

Jim

 

Jimandmandy,
6200 miles over 8 months. Anybody out there using a 15w-40, here's your oil. Almost a picture perfect analysis. I will assume this was in the engine over the winter months which would have included cold weather starts. I wished I knew someone with a 325i that was using synthetic. I'd bet the farm their analysis wouldn't be even close to being this good. The only recommendation I have for you is don't change a thing, it's not gonna get much better.

 

WOW !!
Those are some impressive numbers. How could ANY oil do better than that ???
I started out, long ago, dubious about the blanket "synthetic is better" position. Results like yours just continues to reinforce my feelings.
Thanks for posting the numbers J&M.

 

I'm sure somebody from the pro-Amsoil, or pro-Mobil 1 camps
will come through with an explanation for us!!!

 

Wow, those are awesome numbers! Look at the silicon, that is one clean motor. You will wear out the frame and the body before the motor goes south.

 

Hello, off topic a little but how much does it cost to do the analysis and where do you take it or send it??

 

OK, the numbers are excellent, and it is obvious that Jim has been taking very good care of his Beemer by using a good oil and good filters (way to go Jim! ).
Now, if only someone could explain why the Delo performed so well! Is it because of the BASE STOCK or the ADDITIVE PACKAGE?

If you read through the following detailed description of Chevron Delo 400 15W-40 you will notice how little Chevron has to say about its basestock:

"....ISO-SYN™ base stocks, which rival synthetics in critical
engine tests...."

(I think it was Flash who noted that the ISO-SYN™ label is more of a marketing thing than a value rating.)

compared to how much emphasis is put on the additive package:

"....an optimal blend of the latest technology in dispersant, detergent,
oxidation inhibition, antiwear, corrosion
inhibition, viscosity improver, and defoaming additives..."

".....Its high level of ashless dispersants keeps fuel soot
in suspension and, thus, avoids filter plugging, heavy cylinder
head sludge, abrasive polishing wear, high viscosity
increase, and oil gelling. These problems can result in
excessive engine wear and bearing failure on startup,
without prior indication to the operator..."

".......the combination of high base number and
excellent dispersancy allows the potential for longer drain
intervals in on highway service..."

"......Specially selected oxidation inhibitors control oxidation,
sludge, and undue thickening during oil drain periods.
The high level of extreme pressure antiwear additive protects
against valve train wear and scuffing of highly
loaded parts operating under boundary lubrication. A
specially selected viscosity index improver ensures easy
flow at low temperatures and excellent film protection in
hot engine areas. A defoaming additive prevents air
entrapment...."


Based on what Chevron has to say about its own product, it sounds a lot me like the additive package, not the base stock, is what makes this oil perform so well.

 

What's all this about Chevron Delo? Isn't that a diesel oil?

I don't remember where, but I read that diesel oils although high quality can harm gasoline engines in the long run.

I am probably uninformed, please help?

Thanks.

 

Another quote:

".....Chevron Delo 400 Multigrade is a mixed fleet motor oil
recommended for four-stroke gasoline engines and all
naturally aspirated and turbocharged four-stroke diesel
engines operating under severe service and subjected to
wide variations in climatic conditions."

 

As others have said, those are excellent numbers - I'm sending in a sample out of my F150 to Blackstone this week, and I can only hope the numbers come out anywhere near that good.

Actually, I don't expect my numbers to be very good - my main reason for doing the test is to see if I have high wear metals because of the piston-slap problem. If the numbers are bad, I'll take them to my dealer and see if they'll do anything before I'm out of warranty...and if they're good, then I guess I'll just ignore the noise and hope for the best. Maybe I just need to turn my radio up louder.

I think the Delo 400 is an excellent oil - when I bought my old diesel it was a tough call between Delo 400 and Delvac, as both are great oils and they cost about the same (at least around here). I ended up using Delvac - not because I thought it was any better, but because more stores in the area carried it. From my own results with Delvac and your results with Delo 400, I think that either one would be an excellent choice for a higher mileage or older gas engine. I'm not sure why these diesel oils aren't more popular - they really don't cost much more than a cheap 'normal' oil, especially if you buy them in a gallon or 2 1/2 gallon jug.

LK

 

I'd have to say that these Diesel oils are so good because of the hard-nosed market they sell to. Truck fleet managers will pay more for better oils because they use their vehicles hard and long enough to get the benefit. But they won't pay four times as much to get 10% better results!

We should probably get on that wagon!

 

I'd also like to defend my use of Mobil 1. I use it primarily because I believe it maintains most or all of its characteristics despite great temperature change.

Of course since organic chemistry is pretty much the assembly of various "tinker toys", I fully accept that any base stock could be built up or broken down to achieve the same results. In fact, it looks like that's just what these Diesel rated oils have done. Iso-Syn (Same as Synthetic?) indeed!

Are there any Iso-Syn or "CI-4" rated 5W30 Oils? As one of my customers used to say, "the only reason I would stop buying from you, ....and this is from the bottom of my heart, ...is if somebody came in here and gave me a better deal!"

 

I "discovered" this oil because of the BMW. 15W-40 is the recommended viscosity for this car and Delo was the only 15W-40 carried my my nearest auto parts store at the time. Since my Ford has over 100,000 miles, 15W-40 is a good choice as well.

Later research has proven it an exceptional product for the money. "Universal" oils are much more popular for gasoline cars in Europe than here because there is more of a mix of diesel cars in the overall fleet, so more consumers are aware of the product.

Here in North America, thin "energy conserving" oils that we are hyped to change way too often are the norm. Europeans use more robust oils and change them less often. Mercedes allows up to 45,000 km with Delo in diesel cars. How much are we really helping the environmnent if we get an extra .25 mpg but dump 2-3 times as many gallons waste oil and used filters?

Jim

 

What do we think would happen if we used (for example) a 15W40 where a 10W30 was recommended?

I guess the clearances would quickly open up to the presumed wider clearances in the European cars, and the only detriment would be that you couldn't go back to the "thinner" oil. But maybe it wouldn't be very consistent.

What do you think?

 

What do we think would happen if we used (for example) a 15W40 where a 10W30 was recommended?

I can answer that.

It would not have any detrimental or permanent affect on the engine, change clearances, increase oil consumption rate or otherwise prohibit any future choices in oil viscosity weight.

How do I know? Easy.

I'm the original owner of a vehicle with 210,000 miles on it. The recommended oil was 10w30 or 5w30. I started out with DELO 15w40 because I always had plenty on hand for the diesel. I ran DELO for the first 100,000 miles. After that, I decided to switch over to 10w30 for all my vehicles because I no longer owned a diesel. So I switched everthing to Chevron Supreme 10w30.

So the second 110,000 miles it ran with 10w30. It still goes 5,000 miles between oil changes and doesn't use any oil between changes.

Scott