Originally Posted By: Dak27
I ran 10W30 Delvac Elite in place of my usual Delvac Super 1300 15W40 last winter in my Detroit Series 60. It definitely made cold starts noticeably easier.
I just had a pm service done last night, as a matter of fact. It's been getting colder in the mornings, so I switched from Delvac Super 1300 15W40 over to semi-syn 10W30, but the shop was fresh out of bulk Delvac Elite 10W30, I have very little downtime between loads, so I had them put in bulk Delo 400 semi-syn 10W30.
I've never swapped brands in my Semi, so I'll be watching my dipstick closely for any change in consumption. I've used nothing but Delvac oils in it since it was new, and with Delvac, my motor consumes very little oil between pm's. I'm nearing 200,000 mile on the odometer at this time. Fingers crossed Delo 400 performs as solidly.
If the Delo 400 XLE 10W30 shows no increase in consumption, I plan on running it over 2 OCI's, then I'll send in a UOA. Then I'll switch back to Delvac Elite 10W30 for 2 OCI's, and send in a UOA, and compare the numbers between the two brands.
I may just switch over to Delo 400, if it's numbers are as good as what I've seen using Delvac. Finding Delvac at my local Walmart's has been really tough lately. But they always have Delo 400 15W40 on the shelves. The XLE 10W30 is always on the shelves too, and at a very good price. The only place I can find Delvac Elite 10W30 is at Truck Stops, at a disgustingly marked up price. I even inquired with my local Mobil Delvac Distributor, and their price wasn't cheaper.
So, if all goes well using Delo 400 in my motor, over the next few UOA's, I may be changing over to Chevron's HDEOs altogether.
Dak, I would wager a cup of coffee that the XLE does fantastic in your Series 60. XLE does seem to be a little lower viscosity (KV100) than the Elite but it still has to be a minimum 3.5 HTHS which is what Detroit requires, so you're good to go.
The TBN was always lower after 22k -25k mile oci's when using the XLE vs Elite but that may have changed. The emails I've gotten from Chevron say that XLE has been CK-4 ready since September, so maybe it's a little better now. Who knows how long ago that shop (that you used) refilled their bulk tank, though.
Last winter I started my truck unaided at minus twenty-something Fahrenheit after being shut off over twelve hours. With XLE in the sump and four fresh batteries, it was a non-issue. The needle on the oil pressure gauge didn't move for a few seconds but it made a smooth, clean sweep once it did move. I did that two days in a row since I had the safety of a truckstop if it failed to start. I'm not about to try that in the middle of nowhere.
By the time you change your oil again (or maybe the time after), the new formulas should all be on the market. No matter which brand you go with, you're bound to be using something "different", as in a different formulation within the same brand/viscosity of oil.
