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Me_Again's avatar
Me_Again
Explorer III
Feb 10, 2014

Done with Delo 400

I have been an oil loyal most of my life. Growing up in a Texaco Distributor family I was weaned on Havoline motor oil. In 1994 I bought my first (93) Dodge/Cummins and used Delo in it and in 1996 I bought a yacht with two Cummins B150's and used Delo in those. The 2001.5 Dodge/Cummins lived on Delo 400 for years.

Then in 2007 the Delo 400 LE hit the market for the 07.5 trucks. So it became a chore to fine Delo 400 15W-40 in 5 gal pail of the old CI-4 Plus.

Well today I threw the towel in after getting a quote with tax at a couple pennies under 100 bucks for a 5 gal pail of Delo CI-4Plus. And I would have had to drive another 20 or 25 miles round trip to pick it up.

So I went to AutoZone and bought a 2.5 gal jug and a quart of new Rotella T 15W-40 for $43.16 with tax, $3.92+ per quart vs the Delo for 5 bucks a quart plus the extra fuel cost.

Despite all the claims I do not think that the CJ-4 is that good for older diesels, so I will have to decide again when the boat engines are due for their next oil change.

Sometimes progress just suck$!

Chris
Tow Vehicles
  • Cummins12V98's avatar
    Cummins12V98
    Explorer III
    Feb 11, 2014
    Me Again wrote:
    I have been an oil loyal most of my life. Growing up in a Texaco Distributor family I was weaned on Havoline motor oil. In 1994 I bought my first (93) Dodge/Cummins and used Delo in it and in 1996 I bought a yacht with two Cummins B150's and used Delo in those. The 2001.5 Dodge/Cummins lived on Delo 400 for years.

    Then in 2007 the Delo 400 LE hit the market for the 07.5 trucks. So it became a chore to fine Delo 400 15W-40 in 5 gal pail of the old CI-4 Plus.

    Well today I threw the towel in after getting a quote with tax at a couple pennies under 100 bucks for a 5 gal pail of Delo CI-4Plus. And I would have had to drive another 20 or 25 miles round trip to pick it up.

    So I went to AutoZone and bought a 2.5 gal jug and a quart of new Rotella T 15W-40 for $43.16 with tax, $3.92+ per quart vs the Delo for 5 bucks a quart plus the extra fuel cost.

    Despite all the claims I do not think that the CJ-4 is that good for older diesels, so I will have to decide again when the boat engines are due for their next oil change.

    Sometimes progress just suck$!

    Chris


    Been buying the AMZ/OIL 15-40 Diesel Marine oil for years by the 55 gal drum. But the new Cummins can't use it!

    Make you a great deal on what I have left.
  • FishOnOne's avatar
    FishOnOne
    Nomad
    Feb 11, 2014
    I've looked at a lot of UOA's from engines using CI4+ and later with the CJ4 API rated oils. When using Ultra Low Diesel fuel and the same OCI from both type of oils, I cannot see any significant difference when it comes to wear metals and TBN from the two API rated oils and I would challenge anyone to show were one is better than the other on their UOA, even though Shell Rotella claims their current CJ4 oil reduces iron wear by 25% compared to their CI4+ oils of the past.

    There was a lot of fear when the latest API CJ4 oil came out that it would wreak havoc on the older engines so some oil companies continued to offer there CI4+ oils relabeled as a new line, but there hard to find. Here's Mobils Delvac API CI4+ now called Delvac MX, but good luck finding it off the shelf.

    Bottom line... Use any API CJ4 rated oil with confidence, but if you have to use a CI4+ rated oil find a marine rated diesel oil, but you'll pay a premium for it.
  • jmtandem's avatar
    jmtandem
    Explorer II
    Feb 10, 2014
    So I went to AutoZone and bought a 2.5 gal jug and a quart of new Rotella T 15W-40 for $43.16 with tax, $3.92+ per quart vs the Delo for 5 bucks a quart plus the extra fuel cost.


    Rotella 15-40 is an excellent oil. The first fifty or hundred miles it has a sweet smell to it. That goes away. I have used it in my 91.5 Cummins, '01 Cummins, and now in my '05 with absolutely no issues. I also was a previous Delo user.
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Feb 10, 2014
    That is right Chevron is charging a premium for the older CI-4+. The price I got today was from the Chevron Distributor in Sedro Woolley, Wa.

    I started buying it in 2007 at my local NAPA store in 2007 for around $65 for a 5 gal pail and now it is around $89.99. Walmart web site list CJ-4 for $12.57 a gallon(out of stock). Seems they are trying to price people out of buying CI-4+.

    Chris
  • RAS43's avatar
    RAS43
    Explorer III
    Feb 10, 2014
    352 wrote:
    :h


    Me too! Sounds like the Delo supplier was high to begin with. Or they charged a premium for the CI-4+ which is being phased out. Around here I can get DELO for the same or a bit less then Rotella. In fact, Walmart carries both in 15w-40 and 5w-40 syn. and the Delo is a bit less. They are both CJ-4 and to me they are fine. I prefer the Delo as that is what we used in our fleet shop and it worked fine in any engine.

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