Castrol GTX Diesel 15W-40

I have been using shell rotella in my pickup for 13 years. I will use it in my new to me DP also.

I don't think Castrol was even in the Diesel oil market until maybe 5 years ago, at least I never saw it on there web site. Please correct me if I'm wrong

I use Shell Rotella T6 full synthetic in the Ford F-250 6.4 liter diesel. The VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI gets Castrol at the VW dealership. It's one of the very few oils you can use in a VW diesel. Both the Shell and the Castrol are good products and you should have good results with either.

Castrol is now BP's oil brand. BP blends the same range of lube products, using the same additives in pretty much the same proportions as all the other major downstream operators: ExxonMobil, Shell, ChevronTexaco, Phillips66. Industry standards require the brands to be compatible and interchangable for equivalent products.

One or the other of these blends the products for manufacturer brands like Honda, Motorcraft, Toyota, etc. I know the Ponca City lube plant was blending for Honda and Ford ten years ago, but those contracts may have gone elsewhere.

The only reason I have for avoiding BP products when I can is that I worked 22 years in the industry, more than twelve of those on industry-wide joint projects, and hated the way BP tried to do business whenever I worked with them. So I would rather not give them my money to help keep them solvent.

Bird Freak wrote:

superk wrote:
I believe the diesel trucks in the fleet for the company I work for all use castrol.

Is there some reason why we shouldnt be using it? I know its a lower-grade oil, but apparently it was better than most of the 'bought in bulk' oils.

You are dead wrong on Castrol being a low quality oil. We have used it for years and it was a highly recommended oil By VW and Porsche back in the day. It could handle the high heat of air cooled engines with out break down. :R

Yeah,
I too wondered where the idea of Castrol being a "low quality" oil came from too. I'm by far, no oil expert but, as far as I know, Castrol's been used widely in a zillion cars, trucks, motorcycles and more for decades and, with a good following too. I use Delo 400 15-40 as a choice for our C-7 CAT.
Scott

superk wrote:
I believe the diesel trucks in the fleet for the company I work for all use castrol.

Is there some reason why we shouldnt be using it? I know its a lower-grade oil, but apparently it was better than most of the 'bought in bulk' oils.

You are dead wrong on Castrol being a low quality oil. We have used it for years and it was a highly recommended oil By VW and Porsche back in the day. It could handle the high heat of air cooled engines with out break down. :R

I use Motorcraft 15-40 Diesel in a Cat C7, change once a year.

If it meets the mil-specs of your engine, you can certainly use it.

BUT, one of my criteria for choosing oils is that I can find it as Walmart, auto parts houses, truck stops, etc anywhere I go.

So, that means Shell Rotella T and Delo 400

It seems on the East Coast Shell is very popular. On the West Coast Chevron Dello is the preferred. I have been around Cat and other heavy equipment for most my life and Dello was the oil to use.
In the motorhome I use Delvac. That is because that is what Freightliner shop uses. In my personal cars I used Castrol for years, it seamed to keep the engine internal parts cleaner.
As long as you use an oil that meets your vehicle specs you will be fine.

I have never seen an engine fail when using the speced oil. I have heard of kickbacks to auto manufactures for promoting a certain oil or other products.

Now for my personal cars I use whatever brandname that is on sell.

Just use the tried and proven Chevron Delo 400, my brothers Peterbilt has over 3 million miles running it. You can get it anywhere Costco, Walmart, and every truck stop in the USA.