Delo 400

gsxr1100 · Oct 16, 2005

Jim-

I am not being negative here but I hope you do have heat for the engine since the pour pt is -40.

I would take into account your own low temps up in Vt and add a few degrees to it. Then look at the pumping (not pour as I noted a few pages back) and I hope you are above it.

JimMorrissey · Oct 16, 2005

I use my block heater whenever it gets anywhere close to 0 degrees anyway. The engine is nice and toasty within 15 minutes or so. I'm glad we had this discussion and I'm pleased that I've got the synthetic 5/40 going into the winter. It'll be fine with just a little heat in pretty much any temp we get in VT.

Now stiff hydraulic fluid can be a serious problem for the hydraulic system at those frigid temps. So there's more to look at. Idling for at least 15 minutes is necessary. I'll be interested to see what Sky comes up with when he gets the multi-weight hydro fluid he was talking about.....

SkyPup · Oct 17, 2005

Jim, I just picked up my 55 gallon drum of Amsoil 5W-30 Synthetic Hydraulic Oil at the freight shipment office last Friday, **** thing weighs over 400 pounds! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I found it near impossible to get ahold of 35-50 gallons of Kubota's Super UDT as the cost with shipping was almost twice that of the Amsoil product??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Ended up only paying $70 in shipping for the Amsoil, almost one fifth of what the shipping on the Super UDT was going to cost me....

_RaT_ · Oct 17, 2005

Check out Chevrons All Weather, all synthetic hydraulic oil. It is orange to boot.

SkyPup · Oct 17, 2005

I would have liked to try it out Rat but would have had to hunt up a supplier, I'm sure it is a great product (hey it even matches my paint job too! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ).

I really like the idea of a multi-viscosity hydraulic oil that is thin at start-up and thickens up as you reach operational temperatures so as to be easy on the pumps and filters, especially with the high flow and dual filters on the L-39.

_RaT_ · Oct 17, 2005

I'm with you, I want what is readily and easily available. I can get Super at my dealer, Chevron right down the street by ordering it with a phone call. The Chevron is about $1.50 gallon cheaper then Super UDT as I recall.

IH3444 · Oct 18, 2005

Wow, just checked the cost of Amsoil 5w-30 HDD and find it has gone up quite a bit. Am wondering now if the group 3 Rotella T synthetic 5w-40, even at $14.22 gal is a better buy? I have amsoil dealer status, and am questioning the cost now, verse the benifiets. Low pumping temp, and ashless?? Can't find any info on the ash content, have found plenty other oils that tell ash content. They usually are anywhere from 1.35, to 1.47. Is that really all that much, I understand zero is great, but where does the cost over ride the point of dimenishing returns? Mobil 1 at Walmart is now $27 for the 5 qt. jug. That's over $5 qt. now. Now have New Holland Ambra 10w-30 in my tractor, but was looking for a better oil, for a reasonable cost. The amsoil is extremely pricey now, and the Rotella doesn't look much better than the Ambra, and I can't find it in the 10w-30 weight.

awlchu · Oct 18, 2005

IH,

Not sure what part of the country you're from but I just yesterday purchased 5qt M1 SUV for $20.xx US ea. And they had 1 qt bottles too ($5.xx/ea US).

First time in a long time my Wally's World had SUV oil in stock. Oh, 5W40 blend too.

gsxr1100 · Oct 18, 2005

IH3444-

I know Amsoil went up as of 10-1 due to higher “everything” all around. It is really not a huge surprised since they go up every year around 11-1 or 12-1 anyways. Plus the increase is not that much, about $1.XX.

For $14.22 Rotella is still too high I feel. You can get Amsoil 15w-40 for a few dollars more and get more. You are also looking at Amsoil best 5w-30 HDD oil they make compared to other oils. Fantastic detergency, best BN control and viscosity control, and a great anti-wear package. Now the question is do you need it. I used Amsoil 15w-40 for years in my powerchoke (with long drains- 11 to 12K) and now my bx22 (1year). I am trying there Series 3000 right now. I have about 7 months on the oil and about 72 hours. I will test this oil and compare. It is not the best way to compare but it will at least give me an idea on if the higher price is worth it. The oil test will be completed in April 2006. If it comes out better (lower wera, high tbn, no shearing, low TAN etc) then I am switching all my auto over to it (except my bike).

There is more to Amsoil then pumping temp and it being an ashless oil .Some people think amsoil is high in price. I do (1) oil change per year on my bx, my auto’s etc. The price is cheap when you weight in all the benefits & protection here. There series 3000 again has the best add pkg they have. And yes there diesel is ashless since they use highpriced AW/EP adds and friction modifiers. Again it comes down to do you need it? Without test, you will have no clue here. You would need to test and see what happens. That is what I am doing since without this process, people are guessing. If the results are like 20 to 25% better.

Why not use there 15w-40???Compared to Rotella 5w-40, you get no ash, higher TBN, lower pour/pumping temp, higher flash, more VI & higher HTHS. I can look up ZDDP, Ca, mg and moly if you want. Again, for the increase in price you are getting more.

Yup most oils have ash and the 1.47 is on the very high side. Other oils are down near 1.0% and even that, you can do better but it cost $$$$$. Plus the ash does stick to items in the engine.

If this oil is too high then I would do with Mobil synthetic or if that is too high, a blend is the next chapest thing.