300SD 269000 miles

Mobil
delvac
1300
Super
15w40
ASTM D-445 @ 100C 15.5
ASTM D-445 @ 40C 117
Visc Indxs 140
Pour point c -33
Flash Point c 230
TBN 12


Chevron
Delo 400
15w40
ASTM D-445 @ 100C 15.6
ASTM D-445 @ 40C 116
Visc Indxs 134
Pour point c -39
Flash Point c 230
TBN 12.5


Caterpillar
DEO
15w40
ASTM D-445 @ 100C 14.2
ASTM D-445 @ 40C 104
Visc Indxs 139
Pour point c -33
Flash Point c 224
TBN 11


Thanks
Mike

Delo 400-because you can get it almost everywhere. RT

__________________
When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

Delo 400, because it is easy to find, and most truckers would recommend it.

Delo 400-because you can get it almost everywhere.

Ditto

RT

__________________
When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

Delo is our friend

Delo is my hero.

Delo since it is competitvely priced and available at most retail outlets including WalMart.

__________________
99 E300 133K
98 ML320 99K
87 Saab 900 Turbo Conv 123K

Like the others availability and cost. As far as the oil itself goes I would be as comfortable using one as either of the others, but availability makes the difference.

Good luck,

Dumb question on my part: why Delo over Shell Rotella 15W40?

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daBenz - 1970 220D

Rotella T is the same thing. Rotella has a little higher parafin content than the other three, but if you're changing it often enough this won't cause a problem.

Rotella is probably almost as easy to find as Delo, but I started wtih Delo many years ago and have stuck with it. I don't like changing oil brands. I would rather keep the engine seeing the same stuff. Just my anal retentiveness I suppose.

Have a great day,

Thanks all, I went with the Delo 400. I use Caterpillar synthetic 5w40 in my VWJetta TDI and change it every 10k miles per VW. The 300SD I will change every 3k miles.

LarryBible, thanks. daBenz used Pennzoil and Rislone until the C-rated oil became expensive and hard to find. Changed to the Rotella when the last barrel ran out, and daBenz seems to like it, as well as the road trucks. I won't willingly change brands, but price and availability won that battle. And I still use the Rislone.

__________________
daBenz - 1970 220D

Delo, preferred by more trucks and buses running Detroit, Cummins, or CATs. I'm using it in an gas W126, and loving it, it's better than what my parent's former mechanic used, Pennzoil 20W-50

Todays oils have been developed to an incredible level. A very high percentage of this development has to do with the additive package. The universal grade oils that we are talking about in this thread have evolved to an incredible level for their specific purpose, diesel engines.

This additive package is a very carefully developed BALANCE. Using any additive beyond that in the oil can disrupt this delicate balance. I believe the Rislone is a waste of money and possibly even detrimental since it disrupts this BALANCE.

Good luck,