I normally run Delvac 10w-30 in my stuff here in Alaska, it starts good in the cold of winter months and stays decent at 200-250hrs even in my old crusty cat stuff. The Local supplier has dropped Delvac for the Guardol line and has the XT 5w-40 full synthetic for .68c more a gallon than the blended Guardol 10w-30 ECT oil. I’m tempted to go full synthetic for the fact it’s just better engineered oil, and I believe it’s superior to Dino blends but there’s still that old story how synthetic oil makes engines leak and nothing I own has less than 5000 hrs on it. How many people have truly witnessed this leak story and can prove it was the synthetic oil?? GUARDOL XT® FULL SYNTHETIC DIESEL ENGINE OIL - Phillips 66 Lubricants Phillips 66® Guardol XT Full Synthetic Diesel Engine Oil is a premium quality, full-synthetic engine oil developed for use in 4-stroke cycle diesel engines operating under severe duty service or extreme temperature conditions. It meets API CK-4 performance requirements for use in modern... phillips66lubricants.com
I don't see, or work on near the number of vehicles as in the past when that rumor was prevalent, but I've not seen a direct correlation, or corroboration between the argument of whether synthetic engine oil causes leaks in older engines. I remain neutral on the subject as between the five oil change outfits I was involved with using both conventional, and synthetic oils, there was no consistency and this was tracked for a spell. An older engine tends to have seepage leaks no matter what is installed in the crankcase. The more modern synthetics are engineered to do their respective jobs yet thin down faster as the temperatures rise to increase fuel economy in my opinion. They too foul just as much as conventional oils and must be changed at a respectable interval to avoid damage. This "thinning" of the fluid film is probably where the underlying complaints originate. An aged engine that has seen numerous hot and cold cycles has more sealing problems than a newly built, or rebuilt engine with soft and supple sealing materials. As engines age, the rubber products tend to harden doing their respective jobs less effectively. Where I'm going with all that is I don't believe the oil is the culprit but rather the physical integrity of the engine's ability to seal itself is degraded with age. Six of one, half a dozen of the other I think. I typically run straight conventional, or semi synthetic oils in my engines with a 5K drain interval on gasoline engines, 10K on diesels, and once a year on the small engines. Nothing I have has an active leak, but everything seeps.
The mix ratio of synthetic blended oil has always been a mystery to me. What I mean is it 5% synthetic or some other amount ? I have been using full synthetic in everything I own, with the exception my John Deere lawn mower. As soon as the warranty expires on it, it also will be have full synthetic in it.
From the leaks i have seen from synthetic used in older engines there is no way i would use it.
One question. Do the engines in your equipment actually NEED synthetic.? in other words does the engine oil specification in the O&M Manual actually REQUIRE it to be used.? If not then IMHO there is no reason to use it, especially if you are currently changing oil at 200-250 hours. You're pi$$ing money down the drain in that case. Now if you were doing scheduled oil sampling and running your oil to 4-500 hours and changing it condition rather than on hours run then a full synthetic MIGHT just help you stretch oil change intervals even more. TBH it doesn't matter to me if an oil is Dino or something 21st Century, but provided the oil is branded (major oil company product in other words) and on their spec sheet it says "meets or exceeds the requirements of" something like API CK-4 or Cat ECF-3 (in the case of Cat machines) then I'd be happy to use it. Guardol oil is good BTW. I have plenty of experience with it. In fact on a job site we did the same switch from Delvac to Guardol a number of years ago, but the climate conditions were a lot different (tropical temperatures). The major factor you have to consider would appear to be cold starting performance. That might indicate the need for "tweaking" the oil requirement in order to achieve that, and that's out of my pay grade TBH.
Nige I’m dealing with three separate cases but my most recent equipment is calling for CK-4 and if you use. CJ-4 you actually can go to 500 as long as you run ULSD which I have only got ULSD available anyway. I’m setting up with sample points (have a big Cat pump unit) but take my newer stuff and go synthetic and go to the extended drain, based on sampling. My older machines and trucks will get the blend and likely drain at 250 but sample as well.
Curious who that dealer is. I work for the main Chevron/P66 distributor in AK. If you are somewhere cold, I'd run 5w40 or 0w40
I’m happy with the P66 Guardall 5w-40 for easy winter starts in South -Central and the Interior. Especially, when something doesn’t get plugged in. Used it in a mixed fleet with regular sampling and great performance. Even when a rig accidentally went way over the scheduled maintenance interval. Availability of P66, during the force majeure, became a problem and I moved over to Delo. 5w-40, in any flavor, is still a problem to source. A customer may order 40 drums and only receive 12. But, the situation is getting better, I’m told.
How is current availability trending for 5w-40, today?
No worse than 15w40 now.
Shoreside? I usually buy from AOS and it was cold for 3.5 weeks here which is unusual. But the 5w-40 covers up to 80*F which it’s rarely ever that hot here.
Fine. Just not in a drum.
Sad thing is I have Espar heaters on these things but they are giving me trouble. I’m setting up for sampling. I just got my first box from Blackstone yesterday.
If Blackstone doesn’t treat you well, Chevron has a lab in Portland that does a good job. Inlet Energy can sell you the kits, locally.
I recently had a discussion with my bulk oil provider. I was running semi synthetic Guardol 15-40 and I needed a refill and we went with Delvac 15-40 semi. I considered going full synthetic as well. The guy asked if I go extended intervals on anything. My answer is no. Actually I change early and seldom go to recommended hour interval. He stated that in that case there really is no advantage to paying for full synthetic, I am now using a different brand but I doubt there is any real difference that is noticeable. His reason made sense to me.
Way cheaper too.
There--I was running behind on the like button, get caught up on that. * Or can be like Penske and change oil on a heavy haul tractor at 55k, 80,000 lb tractor 65 to 70K. Imagine that change oil once a year on a OTR, {Well the sample says we can} Yup that's the used truck to buy-a Penske Pile, only get one grease job every oil change. ******* snake oil.
My company runs 25000 on semi with a grease job at 12500 have seen a few issues with cams but I think that’s mainly to doing overheads on our 60 series and having mechanics who are nothing but parts changers haven’t seen any big end issues
25 to 30k is not out of range with synthetic, and greasing every 12 or so is on par. But running 50k plus on oil is---one issue that's never included-idle time. About 7 years ago I had a discussion with a cat oil testing lab {technician, hostess pie magician} at that time he never saw a oil including there's that hadn't started reaching it's max at 30k.
I’ve ran 10w-30 Delvac 1300 in my stuff year round for over a decade and no issues. I’m told they aren’t handling Delvac anymore so I’m switching (back) to the Guardol, what we ran before the Delvac anyway. We also ran Delo 400 for a long time. Once the fuel changed and Delo changed we changed.
I have to use Rotella 10w-30 in my old stuff all flat tappet cams . I didnt always use it and have had 2 cams fail lobes went flat and i bought a 1982 Chevy that had a bad cam. I dont think there are very many oils with the zinc that can be used in a flat tappet engine. I guess i am behind the times thinking there are alot of these old things steal being used.
I was skeptical when Delo made the PC-11 HDMO formula change in 2016 for the FA-4/CK-4 requirements. But, eight years later, it appears to be OK. Fun fact. Dutch Harbor is the largest combined customer account for Delo, in Alaska. Those salty dogs love the big blue.
Thing about Shell, they spend more money on marketing Rotella than they do on product development. The T4 product does have a large following, for sure.
It's fun being the only one to not go down the oil sample rabbit hole. Remember this parts counter {TOY} to keep under & over weight mechanics happy while waiting for their turn to be told their parts didn't show. Grown men setting at a parts counter like apes cranking a phony *** SNAKE OIL TOY. Do a oil sample on the toy. Funny thing is this pos toy is still available for gullible people. *
I never understood people using this stuff. If you can make up some kind of a demonstration you can sell anything.
Well almost----. *
I haven’t seen one of those Lucas cranky things, since forever. Too funny.
Ebay has all kinds for all prices so does Amazon.
Fun fact: Back in the early days we were an exclusive Chevron contractor - you better not be caught with anything but a blue bucket (empty or not) or some other product. I literally watched a crew get black balled from the field for having a Unocal bucket on their welding truck. It was full of grinding wheels but those Chevron bosses didn’t care.
Egotistical and way over paid, people like that in those positions need the rug pulled out, then ever so lightly b!tch slapped about the head and neck.
Look pretty sweet in my single-wide. Jus, sayin’.
Better get the ball bearing burner to go with it.
I've used Schaeffers 15/40 7000 series for the last 17 years in my excavating iron and dump trucks and now I'm a Schaeffer rep so just throwing this out there in case you're interested. IMHO, you won't find a better oil.That is para synthetic, we also have a 5/40 full synthetic for diesels. I sell wholesale, NOT those inflated prices you see on Amazon or Ebay.
I've been running 5w40 T6 for about 20 years in almost everything. I'd use 5w40 Delo XSP but it's pricey stuff.
Especially, once it gets shipped to the far corners of the globe. I just popped the cork on a fresh drum of XSP.
If you don't mind me asking, what do you pay for that drum ? I sell wholesale and new customers get free shipping with a $500 order or more and you get a case of grease with 6 test tube's if you elect to do oil analysis when you buy a drum. Lower 48 states it pertains to.
I l’ll take a look and get back to you. I used to work for a Chevron distributor before branching out on my own in 2020. So, I’m a little biased towards their product. And P66.
It's around $1400 in Anchorage.
Thanks Icehole. A drum of Schaeffers 9000 5/40 OTR is just South of $1,800.
Schaeffer still has a few oils with extra zinc for flat tappet cams. I use their 20/50 racing oil in my old Jaguar. You can get it from 30 to 70 straight weight or from 5/50,10/30,15/40, or 20/50. Conventional, semi synthetic, or full synthetic.
Better pics
Just checked. No drums in stock. All I can get is 3/1 cases at $88 each. Crazy eights. It’s barge season and tons of product is being containerized and shipped. To all the major projects going on in the state. To add to the mayhem, our tides this summer just suck. We don’t have another series of high tides until August.
Plus one of the 2 TOTE barges broke down.
I misspoke on that, that's about my price (employees get it slightly above cost. I'm probably the only one that buys much. Guess no one else has a small fleet of elderly iron that have the incontinence) Customer price is around $1700-1800ish.
I see the M/V Northstar is still stuck in Tacoma. That’s going to mess things up for awhile.
I used to work for Delta Western in high school, I worked the dock and tank farm in Nikiski at OSK. I see they were bought out by what became Inlet Energy?
Saltchuk purchased Delta Western. Then, saltchuck purchased Inlet Petroleum Co.and changed the name to Delta Western, then again to Delta Western Petroleum, then to Inlet Energy. But, the other Alaska terminals remained Delta Western Petroleum under the NorthStar Energy Umbrella. NorthStar Energy The responsibility begins with us Our Purpose www.nsenergy.com
The Wrangell terminal was sold to Petro. The Dillingham terminal was sold to BBA. Northern Oilfield Services was sold to NorthStar Energy and then sold to Colville.
Glad someone could keep up with it! I got a call to get water delivered the other day... nit even sure last time we had a water truck. Maybe 2019. At one point NOSI was Nana too.