Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/734262
58 | Overdrive | October 2016 EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT Synthetic engine oils BY DEAN SMALLWOOD AND TODD DILLS W isconsin-based own- er-operator Jenson Lawrence recognizes one of the most- touted benefi ts of synthetic diesel oils – improved fuel mileage with gener- ally reduced friction – in his recently overhauled 1990s Cummins 370-hp M-11 engine. He also lauds the oil he uses for helping enable better cold- start performance. He's currently not performing oil analysis with a goal of extending lubricant changes, but he does have a specifi c oil use strategy. Lawrence says synthetic use, cou- pled with a bypass fi ltration system, relieves him of the stress of having to be prompt about his typical 20,000- to 25,000-mile changes. He often prioritizes other preventive mainte- nance needs on his 1996 Freightliner FLD and knocks out an oil change if it's close to the right mileage for one. "I don't really try to stretch it," Lawrence says. Lubricant suppliers off er a variety of synthetic oils, both blended and full. Synthetic blends are conventional motor oils mixed with synthetic base stocks that are formulated to provide additional performance and protec- tion. Full synthetic oils use a synthetic base stock mixed with a variety of additives formulated to boost the oil's performance. While all fully synthetic oils are formulated to off er a higher level of protection than conventional or synthetic blends, each synthetic brand uses a mix of high-performance fl uids and additives that provides various protection attributes and levels. Chevron Delo Chevron's Delo 400 XSP SAE 5W-30 full synthetic diesel engine oil meets the latest API CK-4 specifica- tion and is formulated for improved fuel economy, better low-temperature performance and the lon- gest drain interval in the Delo 400 product suite. The 5W-40 version is also a full synthetic meeting API CK-4 specification and is formulated to offer improved oil oxidation resistance and reduced wear. Chevron, DeloPerformance.com Mobil Delvac Mobil Delvac's full synthetic 1 ESP high-performance heavy- duty diesel engine oil is designed to help extend engine life while providing long drain capability and added fuel economy for mod- ern diesel engines operating in severe applications. These include on-highway engines operating in both high-speed/high-load and stop-and-go conditions, as well as off-highway engines in severe low-speed/heavy-load conditions. The oil is formulated to perform at high temperatures and to be compatible with conventional oils. Mobil Delvac, MobilDelvac.com Shell Lubricants Shell Rotella's T6 Full Synthetic Heavy Duty Engine Oil features an multifunctional low-ash additive technol- ogy designed to provide highly responsive protection that adapts continuously to driving conditions. Selected low-viscosity synthetic base oils are used to help energize the oil's protective capability and promote improved fuel economy with no compromise in durability. The lubri- cant also is formulated for extended drains, added engine cleanliness and wear protection, extreme high- and low-temperature protec- tion and improved low-temperature flow. Shell Rotella, Rotella.Shell.com diesel engine oil meets the latest API CK-4 specifica-