Aftermarket Exhausts

Black Diesel Engine Smoke

Conventional Engine Oils

Diesel Fuel Additives

Diesel Engine Basics

Synthetic Diesel Engine Oils

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Conventional Engine Oils

Engine oil, the lifeblood of our engines. Without it our diesel engines, not to mention ourselves, would be stranded on the side of the road with a engine block that has ocean front double hung windows in it.

There are relatively few engine oil manufacturers that make diesel rated oils. The brands that do make the proper oil for diesel engines are Shell Rotella T 15w40 and 5w40 synthetic, Chevron Delo 400 with ISO SYN 15w40 (not a true synthetic, but I am told the oil is blue), Mobil 1 Delvac 15w40, and the OEM oil manufacturers, Motorcraft, AcDelco, and MOPAR. There is also Amsoil, and Royal Purple, which are addressed in separate articles titled:

'Extended Oil Drains, Why, When, and How' in the Lubrication section. And Also: 'Synthetic Motor Oils'

Every one of the above oils will meet your needs, as they are all chemically the same, although some do have advantages over others.

We'll start with Rotella T first.

Rotella T is probably what you think of first when you say 'hey I need oil for my truck', and this is partly why Rotella T is easily the most popular oil made in recent history. The oil seems to really shine in engines equipped with HEUI (hydraulic electric actuated unit injector) fuel injection systems. Rotella T 15w40 is a good, all around oil, not too expensive, but very high quality, and you will not go wrong with it. It is also what I use in my personal 1999 7.3L powerstroke diesel. I also switch to the synthetic version (5w40) for the winter driving season, to promote easier/smoother cold starts. Others have done the same with very good results. Rotella T conventional 15w40 is the most economical out of all of the oils, due to it's cost. It is less expensive than most others (really depends on OPEC, etc.), but is still a great product. This Oil is a group II oil.

Chevron Delo 400 seems to have a big following with the Chevrolet Izuzu Duramax crowd for some reason. I personally have never ran the oil in my PSD, however, I have heard very good things about this oil. It is a little more expensive than Rotella T and is an iso-parrafinic oil. It is not hydrocracked like other oils, but is hydroisomerized. The Chevron product is dewaxed using this process. So technically... it is a synthetic, but it is not a synthetic in the normal way. Thus the marketing name 'iso-syn' This oil is also a Group II oil.

Mobil 1 Delvac is probably the most expensive, but least regarded oil out there for our trucks. Engines that use the oil to fire their injectors do not seem to fair very well with this oil. It's not that the oil will damage this type of engine, however, most people experience a louder engine with more pronounced missing, knocking, and smoke with this oil. Mechanical diesels that use an injection pump on the other hand seem to LOVE Mobil 1 Delvac.

All of these oils are available for purchase through us.

The OEM manufacturer oils are made from different oil companies' oil, whichever is cheapest at the time, this is not to say you will get a bad product with OEM oil, however, you are paying more for the same product that you can buy elsewhere for cheaper.

Conventional Engine Oil Products and Reviews

»Rotella T 15w40 Oil -Quart Size-

Description : Shell ROTELLA T 15W-40 with Advanced Soot Control is ShellÆs highest quality mixed-fleet heavy-duty engine oil. It meets the warranty requirements of virtually all diesel and gasoline engine manufacturers that recommend a multigrade oil. Recommended especially for all on-highway service applications, it may also be recommended for off-highway applications. ROTELLA T Multigrade exceeds the requirements of both cleaner-burning new engines and earlier models.
Keywords : Rotella T, Shell, 15w40
Price : $2.89 USD [Add to Cart | Buy This ] [Review]

»Mobil 1 5w40 Full Synthetic Motor Oil

Description : Its wide viscosity range provides outstanding protection consistent with an SAE 40 grade oil at high temperatures, combined with the easy cold-start performance of a 5W rated oil.
Meets CI-4, CH-4, CG-4, CF-4 and CF.
Is recommended for diesel-powered pickup trucks built by Ford, General Motors, GMC and Dodge.
Meets diesel engine requirements of Cummins, Powerstroke, Duramax and Navistar

Keywords : Motor Oil, Mobil 1, Synthetic
Price : $6.99 USD [Add to Cart | Buy This ] [Review]

»Rotella T 15w40 Oil -Gallon Size-

Description : Shell ROTELLA T 15W-40 with Advanced Soot Control is ShellÆs highest quality mixed-fleet heavy-duty engine oil. It meets the warranty requirements of virtually all diesel and gasoline engine manufacturers that recommend a multigrade oil. Recommended especially for all on-highway service applications, it may also be recommended for off-highway applications. ROTELLA T Multigrade exceeds the requirements of both cleaner-burning new engines and earlier models.
Keywords : Rotella T, Shell, 15w40
Price : $11.95 USD [Add to Cart | Buy This ] [Review]

»Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 Motor Oil - 1 Gallon, Pack of 4

Description : Mobil 1 Delvac has superior low-temperature sludge control in stop-and-go service. Features reduced oil consumption in your diesel and outstanding control of high-temperature deposits, along with oil oxidation.
Keywords : mobil 1 diesel engine oil,mobile 1 delvac 1300 super 15w-40
Price : $50.76 USD [Add to Cart | Buy This ] [Review]