Delo 400

[Blewbyu]

I have for years used Valvoline motor oils.Read a consumers(I believe) report about two years ago that put Havoline at top of tests-Valvoline about #4.I switched to Havoline acct same price.Now I'm hearing rumbles that Delo 400 30W is the holy grail.
You guys got any input here?I just changed the oil in the X-18, and the Delo 400 30W seems to start with,and hold it's oil pressure higher and longer than the 20W50 Havoline I had been using.Higher initial viscosity of course-but what izzit that everyone swears by it?Because it's diesel rated?C'mon,lemme in on the secret!

[Ralph Savarese]

I never use anything other than the cheepest oil i can find with the highest API rating I beleve SJ is now the highest. I change my oil once a season and after 5 years of hard abuse i just took my motor apart for the first time.I disassembled it for a 5 year inspection like i always do. I found absolutly no wear on the bearings or the cylinders
Ralph

[BERTRAM BOY]

I've been using Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil. I've noticed a slight drop in operating temp, and believe it or not the engine actually seems to run quieter. I know most people aren't willing to pay the extra money
(and it is alot!!!), but I think it's worth it.
Blewbyu, I actually use DELO 400 in my Mercedes diesel, Absolutley no complaints.
BERTRAM BOY

[This message has been edited by BERTRAM BOY (edited 10-20-2000).]

[Stromer]

I'm with Bertram Boy - Mobil 1 and no complaints!

[GeneD]

I couldn't bear to buy Mobil One.
I've been a Valvoline guy for years.
I used the Valvoline Synthetic. But it doesn't seem to come in any type of race formula and I was stuck using the multiviscosity, I think I'm running the 20-40W.
I haven't noticed any difference in RPM, fuel consumption, or oil pressure. But I'd like to think I some kind of piece of mind. I was sick and tired of the oil always turning dark after a bit. This does not happen any more. The oil seems to last longer.
But, really, I haven't noticed any difference. Of course, in the last motor, I did spin 1 main and 2 rods, and the thing still was able to get up to 60 MPH on the speedo! Maybe there is something to this new stuff!

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

[Ralph Savarese]

At one time i tried using valvoline synthetic
and i did find that the engine started using oil .From what i hear the oil is too slippery for some engines. It reduces too much drag on the rings causing the oil to go by and burn.When i went back to normal oil that problem stopped

[GEOO]

After break-in, I run Amsoil 20-50 wt http://www.go-synthetic.com/ and I change my oil every 25 hours. At least twice a season; in the fall while winterizing and one time during the summer. Oil is cheeper then rebuild's. GEOO

[This message has been edited by GEOO (edited 10-21-2000).]

[BigGrizzly]

I have done oil test with Aamerican Honda and we found all name brand oils work about the same. I will spear you the details but brands like pennsoil valvolene castrol etc. are all good. The only thing I will tell you is stay away from any 10w40 oil and I don't care who makes it! In 1984 GM put out a service bulletin that the warranty would be void on any car using it.

I use Amsoil in my race bike and all my high performance stuff and noticed a cooler oil temp on all applications.

[Ralph Savarese]

I worked for GM back then and remember that bulletin it stated that it would cause varnish build up resulting from the temperature vs viscosity change. Ill see if i can still pull it up in Mitchell on Demand

[GeneD]

Who knows who makes a racing formula in a synthetic?
I want one that I can buy in my local discount auto store.
Perferably 30W.
Too slippery Ralph? Very interesting!
I haven't notice a lot of blowby yet, but I hardly have any time on this new motor, that I am considering selling by the way.
I saw a 350 Magnum (high rise, roller cam) in parts sitting in my local rip-you-off shop. I think this should be on my motor stand getting the GeneD treatment.

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

[Barry Phillips]

Big Grizzly: Why not use 10-40. I usally
use it in the warm months and 10-30
in the winter, Castrol or Valvoline semi-
synthitic. I change my oil every 3,000
miles. I have put well over 1,000.00 on
all my vechicles, never had a problem.
I am with GEOO on boat maintainence,
I change it in the fall at layup and once
during the season. I have been using
Mercury marine oil 20-45 since I
purhased the boat. I have been told that
marine motors do not run hot enough
to run synthetics plus I have not seen
one that is rated for marine use. I thought
a synthitic would be a good thing
because the motor tends to sit between
startups the oil would tend to cling to
cylinder walls better, what do you think?
I used to have VW bug during college
which I modified with a Weber, header
mechanical advanced distriuter etc. I
ran 50wt Valvoline raceing oil in the
summer and 20wt in the winter, I put
19000.00 on this car and it had
compression when I sold it.
SO-SLO

[Forrest]

GeneD, there are a number of synthetic oil companies making a "racing" grade single weight synthetic engine oil. Check out Redline Oil (http://www.redlineoil.com/), Royal Purple (http://www.royalpurple.com/), and Amsoil (http://www.amsoil.com/).

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Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 10-23-2000).]

[Ralph Savarese]

I found that i didnt have blow by but had oil consumtion with synthetic both in my cars and boat.I found out from a GM engineer that it is caused by a lack of friction on the oil rings preventing them from scraping properly. But in a boat you are better off with a straight weight because of the minimal temperature variation .Rememember that all oils get thinner when they get hot! So a 10w-30 acts like a 10 weight at 0 deg. and a 30 weight at 200deg . So that means if you use a straight weight it will always maintain the characteristics of a 30 weight.
Ralph

[wbateman]

Gene D,
Amsoil has Series 2000 racing oil. Pretty sticky stuff. Ask Big Grizzly about that one.
They have a catalog that allows you to order it direct. Some parts stores are starting to carry it as well. Not cheap but is the best!
I have 3 Cars, 10 bikes and Little Red on it.
Bill

[Blewbyu]

Thanks Ralph-that answered the question.I must have been obtuse in my original question.Wasn't looking for brand validation as much as I was wanting to know the REASON for single weight.I had assumed from someone elses earlier thread that nearly everyone on the Registry swore by Delo 400,and also assumed that I must have been a dummy for even asking.Wow!Was I wrong!Glad I asked-and thanks for your input guys.Whenever you assume-you always......yadda yadda yadda...
For those of you too young to remember-when multi weight oils first came out,only THEY had detergentss.The single weights were all NON detergent.Pennzoil and Quaker State were both parifin(sic?)based-and therefore scorned by marine motor owners.All this happened of course-before dirt.........

[Blewbyu]

Guess I should have noted that Penn AND Q State recognized the evil of their ways-and succumbed to producing petroleum based oils.Now both spend almost on R&D as they do on advertising.
I have avoided using the synthetics simply because I change frequently-and the syn oils seem to be able to leak thru a crack that others don't.The tests I had read had also stated as someone did above-all major brands oils are so close in quality to each other that brand is merely a personal preference thing nowdays.
Sooooooo....I tells my son"Ya buy cheap crap,ya gets cheap crap.Nobody to blame but yerself!"
Saith the Wiseman......(read http://www.donzi.net/ubb/redface.gifld fart.

[Blewbyu]

Scot-Where did that littl e red thing come from?I didn't type it.Does it only appear when the word "old" is combined with the word "fart"?

[Blewbyu]

No!I meant the OTHER other Scot with only one t!The one who should be watching to see that I don't say "fart" after the word "old".
Aha-looks like you have to say 'em together!

[BillG]

Gee, I guess I'm stupid. After using Quaker State 10-40 in my engines for 28 years without any mechanical failures, I guess I should change to one of these superior oils.

Bill G

[BigGrizzly]

Ralph, slippery is a old wives tale- what happens is it cleans carbon deposits from the rings and leaves what is called a standing proud ring and doesn't seal. The 10w40 was just 10w30 with more polimers which caused a varnish like color around the rings. What we found is it did not lubricate and increased wear. A 10w30 did much better then the 10w40. brigs and Stratton released a bulletin stating that 50w oil burns because it is so thick it slides past the rings, but 10w30 is pushed back down in the cylinder, same theory but the other way.
GeneD no one makes a true 30w synthetic, closest you will com is red line20w50 or Amsoil 20w50.

In the eailer paragraph I explained the palomer deal. I the test we compaires Castrol 10w30 against castrol own 10w40 and it lost after a 150 hours. however their 30w blew the multis away. Igave all my 10w40 away after that

Rember that 10w30 means, At operating temp it has the viscoity a 10w but lubricates like a 30w. this was told to us/ American Honda by all the oil companies. I have cooled and heated oils to test that 0-200 theory, and it doesn't work.

As for as 10w40 not giving a problem and not having any problems I feel this is true, but I will bet BillG takes care of his stuff, and it may not be stressed, even then it may work just fine in the real world. However the test doesn't lie, and I will not use it in any thing that I own!

Blewbyu, I do not use semisyn** oils, I only us Amsoil. In my race bike it saved my but, before i used it i had alot of cam chaign problems , excessive heat and tensioner wear, with no other changes it stopped the problem. Yes the motor os stressed --103hp for 750cc or 45 inches which ever you like. and yes all name brands are so close, that it realy doesn't matter as long as the API standard is the same.


Barry who ever told you boats run too cold for synthitic just doesn't sell them. Merc oil-well merc doesn't make oil they job it out to a oil vendor like kendal, valvoline etc. The key is change it often, i chang oil in my boats 4 times a season, unless I run it hard then more often. My race bile gets new oil each race. As for marine use, thats a catch word. I bet everbody on Donzi net uses only marine use only oil in their engine-Ha, as do all the offshore raciers!


I'm not saying what oil to use , I'm just stating facts. Oil is a personal thing, like a Donzi, if there were a better boat you still would not buy it!! If it works for you fine. I know what works for me and I test my stuff, I don't use sompting because sombody wrote a artical on it in some mag..

Forgive spelling and gramer but just got back from Mom's 90th birth day, aam a little tired.

[This message has been edited by BigGrizzly (edited 10-24-2000).]

[Blewbyu]

BillG-You live too close to Pennsylvania.Get the hell outta there-and change that oil as fast as you can!You are ONE LUCKY GUY!

[Blewbyu]

Griz-That 10W40 thing is really BIZARRE!Real strange that grade only is bad.Thanks for your test info.I never did believe the 10W @ startup would become essentially a 30/40/50 or whatever when it warmed up-don't believe it now,and never will.I was delighted to finally have someone say after many years-that single grade oil is a GOOD thing!Good points throughout your thread.
Regards-Jeff

[rayjay]

I have to agree with BigD, but have my own $.03 to add. My ex had an Audi Turbo which I ran on AMSOIL 10/40 that is "turbo" rated, whatever that means. All AMSOIL products are constantly being improved and carry a number of ratings including a rating for motorcycles. She got rid of the Audi with over 170,000 on the clock and with the original turbo still working fine, which is more than I can say for the Audi electric's. Must of had a British EE (don't say anything as I still have a TVR and my old Triumph bikes cause I love them). Typical life span on that turbo in America was 40K to 70K, this from a friend who was the service manager for Porsche/Audi Manhattan, which is owned by the factories and as such got access to different data than most dealers. This is the same oil we have been using in our race bikes, air/oil and water cooled, since the late 70's with no oil related failures.

Good synthetics should work better than non-synthetics when cold and are more resistant to heat caused problems, at least from my experience. But nothing beats changing the oil a lot and making sure your oil and filter system work as good as possible. I ran dual LF-1's on my Mustang to get enough oil flow for the engine, and made sure my engine operating temps (coolant and oil) were high enough to work efficiently but not so high it caused problems. Oil should get to just over 200F, and at most 240F (if synthetic), a little less if non-synthetic. Synthetics can take higher temps, but I like to maintain a cushion to protect my "expen$ive" engine(s). rayjay

[This message has been edited by rayjay (edited 10-26-2000).]

[This message has been edited by rayjay (edited 10-26-2000).]

[BigGrizzly]

Blewbyu, I was surprised at tht 10w40 thing also, which was one of te things I was trying to prove wrong. Well it is true the extra viscosity improvers don't lubricate well. This is true of all oils. each test showed it,and we did more than 50 different brands.

[BillG]

You can talk all you want about different oils, but if you change it often they all work well.
My '89 5 liter Mustang has 190000 miles on it and a 140 HP nitrous system. Believe me when I say it is run hard. It still does not burn any oil and has never had a mechanical
failure.
As far as living too close to Pennsylvania, maybe you are right.

Bill G
.

[Blewbyu]

Rayjay-Agree that frequent changes are the answer regardless what you use.I too had a hi mile Audi-an 86 5000CS Turbo Quattro with (for the last two years)260HP!That puppy had 324,000 mi on the original engine and turbo,and still didn't use oil between 3000 mi changes.Used Valvoline all the way!Went thru 4 heater motors, and about 30 window switches,and the climate control was always bizarre!Had a mind of it's own!Thought for sure that Lucas had built the electrical stuff.If a mechanic hadnt left the crank pulley nut semi-torqued after replacing the lifters-that engine would still be going strong.....Damn that was a good car-WENT LIKE STINK!But uuuuugly tho.

[rayjay]

...and an AUDI heater core every other year. Couldn't believe that it was only half an hour to replace the heater core. Audi must have known they would go as there was a panel under the hood right over the core. Also add thermostatic fan controls...

My favorite factory "we know we didn't engineer this right so..." is the YAMAHA V-twin Virago. Nice bike, with a bad starter. Instead of redesigning the starter engagement (or rather dis-engagement) drive, they mounted a magnet under the drive to catch the pieces so they wouldn't (most of the time) go through the motor and destroy it. No amount of oil changes will help that one. rayjay