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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 02:17 PM
  #1  
beretzs's Avatar
beretzs
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From: Camp Pendleton
oil recommendations

Got a question I will probably get an reply from all of you fellers with. What kind of oil/filter do you run in your trucks. I have been using Castrol Synthetic Blend 15W40 and the standard 6.9 filter. I am wondering if there is something better or any additives that could be used in the old girl. Everything looks great with what I have been using, I am just wondering what you guys run. I really like the qualities of synthetic so I would like to stick with it but if you guys have some arguments I am willing to listen to them all. When I bought the truck it was using a quart or two every 1500, now after I have changed over to Synthetic it has been trouble free for over 3000K and the oil is still brown instead of black. I have been running it about 6000K before changing and the oil stays nice and brown and is only using a quart or so in between changes. Well hope to hear some good feedback. Scotty
 
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Old Oct 4, 2003 | 08:26 AM
  #2  
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dieselzen
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From: Alabama Gulf Coast
Hey Scotty,

While getting oil for my next change, I looked at the Castrol Synthetic blend at Walmart but all they had was 10W-40. I looked at the API rating and saw it only had the gasser rating of SJ, SL. Does your Castrol 15W-40 have both the gasser rating SJ, SL and the diesel rating CH-4, CI-4? Diesel rated oil is supposed to carry both API designations.
The P.O. of my vehicle used Chevron Delo 400. I figured if it got the engine 180K, it was good enough to continue with. R.A.
 
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Old Oct 4, 2003 | 11:50 AM
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Spectramac
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From: Monroe, WA
I was running Napa's 15-40 oil because it was cheaper, but this last oil change I went back to the Delo 400 30w. It went quite a while before it lost any. Now that it has some miles on it, it's back to using a little bit. My motor is approaching 200k so I guess it can eat a little if it has to.
 
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Old Oct 4, 2003 | 02:16 PM
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dieselzen
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From: Alabama Gulf Coast
Hey Malcolm,

Let me ask you a couple of things. My vehicle is at 197K. It eats about a quart every six months. Is that a normal rate of consumption considering the mileage of the engine? Also, do you find the Delo 30wt lubes effectively in the colder climate of Washington state? Does it have the same API ratings as the 15w-40? I live in more moderate climate and would really like to change over to the 30wt. Thanks, R.A.
 
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Old Oct 4, 2003 | 02:31 PM
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Spectramac
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From: Monroe, WA
Wow dieselzen,

That's great! Do you drive it every day?

In six months mine would eat a couple gals. That's driving it every day to work, although I'd have to change oil before that. I put 15-40 in it last year before a big boat trip to AZ, and every morning it was 2 quarts down. This year we loaded up and went to CDA, Idaho, but with 30w in the pan. I forgot to check the oil till we were on our way back. I was surprised to find out we hadn't burnt a drop all weekend. It was a couple weeks later when it finally burnt a qt.

And actually WA doesn't get all that cold, it was close to 80* last weekend.
 
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Old Oct 5, 2003 | 09:00 AM
  #6  
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dieselzen
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From: Alabama Gulf Coast
Malcolm,
Maybe I should have used mileage instead of months for the oil consumption. I put about 4 to 5K on it every 6 months and eat about 1 quart.
Also, on gasser 30 wt, I've never seen the API SJ, SL rating. If that particular oil doesn't have the rating, I've always wondered if it has the detergent/additive package used in multi-grade oils.
So further, do the diesel rated 30 wt oils have the detergent/additive package their multigrade cousins have? R.A.
 
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Old Oct 5, 2003 | 12:04 PM
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Spectramac
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From: Monroe, WA
Sounds like you have a good dry motor there. On oils, I never look at the gas stuff, but on the diesel stuff I just look for the CG or whatever letter they're up to at the moment. I know that Delo400+ has a very high detergent and the same additives whichever weight you buy.
 
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