Oil & Fuel Chevron Delo 400 LE oil

   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #1  

westbrooklawn

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Apr 22, 2005
Messages
649
Location
North Carolina
Tractor
kubota L3400HST
In searching for information on diesel oil there were several threads about Rotella, Mobil, and Amsoil, but I found nothing on Chevron Delo 400 LE 15w-40, which is API rated CJ-4. Costco sells this oil for $62 for 6 gallons... does anyone have any experience or knowledge of how this oil performs?
 
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   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #2  
I have been using Chevron Delo 400 oil for the last twenty years or so with good results. I use it for all of my diesel engines, this is a top quality product. The current 15w 40 is a good choice for moderate climates.


Thats a good price too!
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil
  • Thread Starter
#3  
The price is what really caught my attention also... that is why I thought it warranted some more info. I have always bought Kubota oil or Rotella, but at slightly over $2.50 a quart, I am going to stock up on the Delo if I can determine that it is a quality oil. Apparently the "LE" (low emission), is a newer version of the Delo 400. It supposedly is backwards compatible with previous API standards.
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #4  
I have never heard anything bad about it. I personally use Delvac but would not hesitate to change over to Delo. Many of the Ford Powerstroke guys around here use it.

While the price is fair its not great. My local hardware carries the Delvac for $8.99 about once a month on sale and they have Rotella for about the same. Both are usually $10 per gallon.

Chris
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #5  
I have never understood why some folkspay double the price to use Kubota, John Deere or New Holland oil because they think it is better than oil company oils meeting the same specs. Last time I checked none of the tractor manufactureres had a refinery so that means they are buying someones standard oil and having it packaged under their name which accounts for the high cost. I think many years ago, at least in the USA, they made it illegal for a vehicle manufacturer to require use of their branded product oils to meet warranty requirements. They now specify the required type and weight and that is all. Some still put in the Kubota , New Holland, xxxx etc. as the first choice but they all must then give the API class that is also acceptable. Any name brand oil that meets the API specs for your tractor should give you the same service. Folks swear by a particular brand because they all get good results. They get good results from Chevron, Shell, Exxon or whoever because they all have to meet the same API specifications for load bearing and wear resistance and all the other requirements that go into certifying their oil to a specific API classification.
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil
  • Thread Starter
#6  
While the price is fair its not great. My local hardware carries the Delvac for $8.99 about once a month on sale and they have Rotella for about the same. Both are usually $10 per gallon.

Chris

Chris,

Thanks for the input... that is a great price you can get on Delvac and Rotella... neither are anywhere near that price in my area, and that is why the Delo seems like such a good deal.
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #7  
Us lowly Dodge Cummins folks use Delo 400 and Rotella T, too, along with Fleetguard Stratapore filters.... please don't ask me why...don't like arguing about which is prettier..blond, brunette, or redhead... [allthough, we all KNOW that brunettes are great ! ]
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #8  
Was at WalMart tonight to get some oil. Noticed they had all the Ford Oils in 5 qt jugs for $10.50. The 15W40 is dyno while all the others grades are synthetic blends. I have heard the Ford oil is made by Conoco Phillips. Either way we run a lot of this oil. Even in my neighbors Dmax. I tell him its like kissing his sister.

In reality its the best value in oil.

Chris
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #9  
I use Shell Rotella T 10w-40 in every diesel I own.

Chevy Duramax, Kubota 2350, and a JD 4310.
Also use it in my Honda Goldwing.

Never had any problems
 
   / Chevron Delo 400 LE oil #10  
Gary is right on. Truth be told, virtually all the HDEO mineral base oil for the N. American market is made by one refiner..... Motiva (partly Shell owned). The majority of the add packs in the US are made by one producer.... Infineum. And the API specifications regarding something like CJ-4 is so tight, that there is very little difference between brands. The big name brands, you are paying for all their advertising, race car sponsorships, etc. The OEM brands are the same as the off the shelf brands. Most, if not all, of the OEM brands are packaged by one of the largest blenders in the US..... Warren Distribution.

I will concede that engines and oils are similar to .22 rifles and ammunition. While all .22 ammunition is made well, some rifles just plain tend to shoot best with a particular brand compared to another. Engines are much the same way. For some reason, an engine might favor a brand of oil. it is just one of life's little mysteries.

Shop for any brand of quality oil and get the best value you can. Doubt you will go wrong.

For the record, my engines, including the ISX in my semi, seem to prefer Mystik 15w40 I get at my local farm and home in 5 gal pails for roughly $11 a gallon over other brands I have used in the past. But to the OP point, I would have no problem using Delo 400 LE in my engines. As a side note: Delo 400 LE is meeting the 50,000 mile OEM recommended oil change intervals of the new Detroit DD15 engines. It must be a decent product.
 
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