2011 LML Duramax, Delo or Delvac

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buddy of mine got a 2011 Dmax, ive been running Delo 15W40 in it,(i do all his maintenance) but ive always heard Delvac is better at viscosity retention, soot holding capacity, etc. is one oil better than the other? was thinking of using rotella in the 2.5 gallon jugs, since thats exactly how much oil a dmax takes, but never been a big fan of rotella. currently has Delo and a Napa gold filter, and he'll be doing a UOA at 15,000 miles. truck has EGR, which puts a good amount of soot in the oil, but we will be doing EGR/DPF delete and 5 inch exhaust soon. so, which oil is better, or is neither better than the other?
 
I always found in my MB diesels that MPGs were slightly better with delvac than rotella or delo. That said, im running nothing but 5w-40 oils in my 30 yo MB diesels.

IMO only comparing UOAs will tell you if viscosity retention is an issue in this engine. To me they are all more or less the same, though iirc rotella has had the most recent major refresh.
 
Delo, Delvac, you can not go wrong.

5" exhaust? Is that really an advantage, or just for braggin' rights? Has anyone documented an advantage?
 
Why don't you like Rotella? It shares a 45% market share in the big truck market with Delvac while Delo has only about a 9% share. Rotella is also #1 in the retail market, not saying it's the best but a very good oil that is easy to find and priced well.
 
Originally Posted By: Flying_A
Why don't you like Rotella? It shares a 45% market share in the big truck market with Delvac while Delo has only about a 9% share. Rotella is also #1 in the retail market, not saying it's the best but a very good oil that is easy to find and priced well.


Interesting because where I hail to in the Caribbean, Chevron (Texaco) Ursa is the 99% choice.
 
5 inch exhaust, for sound. i definitely do not go around bragging like most people lol.( I for instance, wont say my diesel truck is the baddest truck around, until i build it up and know, for a fact, that it is) 5 inch isnt shown to have an advantage till about 600+hp. im a high performance diesel fanatic, i usually recommend 4 inch exhaust for anything from stock to 500 hp, but a variable vane Duramax sounds sick with a 5 inch straight exhaust.

I like rotella, its just not my first choice. i run it in my 12 Valve cummins, no problems. its just every single person i talk to, swears by it, just wanted to try a different oil cause i knew there were other good ones out there.
 
Based on the great reports I've read, Mobil Delvac 1300 Super works great in the Duramax. The Duramax is very easy on oil and you can't go wrong with Mobil. I just changed the oil today in my parents '07 LBZ Duramax with a Napa Gold oil filter.
 
Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
buddy of mine got a 2011 Dmax, ive been running Delo 15W40 in it,(i do all his maintenance) but ive always heard Delvac is better at viscosity retention, soot holding capacity, etc. is one oil better than the other? was thinking of using rotella in the 2.5 gallon jugs, since thats exactly how much oil a dmax takes, but never been a big fan of rotella. currently has Delo and a Napa gold filter, and he'll be doing a UOA at 15,000 miles. truck has EGR, which puts a good amount of soot in the oil, but we will be doing EGR/DPF delete and 5 inch exhaust soon. so, which oil is better, or is neither better than the other?


What is the OCI plan? What is his UOA committment? What are the condemnation levels?

If he's going to run with the OLM (or less), then any CJ-4 fluid will do an equally decent job. I've seen a LOT of Dmax UOAs, and I can assure you with no uncertainty that it simply does not make any difference. I have seen great UOAs from Delo, Delvac, Rotella, Premium Blue, Tection Extra, Long Life Gold, etc. Don't fall into an oil-brand-biggotry trap. The Dmax is one of the best wearing light-duty diesel engines around; it simply does not care what goes in the sump, as long as you use a properly spec'd fluid. You might as well buy whatever spec'd fluid you can find on sale.


If he is into extended OCIs, then there are plenty of good synthetics from those companies, and others such as Amsoil and Schaeffers.
 
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Originally Posted By: mobilaltima
5 inch exhaust, for sound. i definitely do not go around bragging like most people lol.( I for instance, wont say my diesel truck is the baddest truck around, until i build it up and know, for a fact, that it is) 5 inch isnt shown to have an advantage till about 600+hp. im a high performance diesel fanatic, i usually recommend 4 inch exhaust for anything from stock to 500 hp, but a variable vane Duramax sounds sick with a 5 inch straight exhaust.

I like rotella, its just not my first choice. i run it in my 12 Valve cummins, no problems. its just every single person i talk to, swears by it, just wanted to try a
different oil cause i knew there were other good ones out there.


I have friends with tuned diesels,boost pressures that are similar to the psi required to fire my air guns,with 8 inch lifts that run 12s or better in the quarter. What guys are doing with these diesel trucks are unreal these days. They have come a long way,even since 2003 or 2004 when the new mandated diesel pollution stuff went through. They are just amazing.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Flying_A
Why don't you like Rotella? It shares a 45% market share in the big truck market with Delvac while Delo has only about a 9% share. Rotella is also #1 in the retail market, not saying it's the best but a very good oil that is easy to find and priced well.


Interesting because where I hail to in the Caribbean, Chevron (Texaco) Ursa is the 99% choice.


And here in the Bay Area, Chevron's backyard, it is much of the same as your observations. You might find pockets of Chevron lubricants being used but by and large, Mobil and Shell have a lock down on the diesel oil market.

Originally Posted By: adamrc
Based on the great reports I've read, Mobil Delvac 1300 Super works great in the Duramax. The Duramax is very easy on oil and you can't go wrong with Mobil.


FWIW, the Mobil Delvac 1300 is also the factory fill and in- service fill in the Duramax diesels.
 
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clevy,it definitely is amazing. ive been wrenching on diesels ever since i got my first common rail cummins back in '06, im probbaly gonna go into the high performance industry, lets just say im hooked! lol
 
If it comes down to Rotella, Delo and Delvac...get which ever is cheaper. They all work very well, especially in a dmax.
 
Whenever I go to a truckstop, I cruise the lubes aisle, and there are always the the Big 3 dino's available: Rotella, Delvac, and Delo. Lately, I've been seeing a 4th: Kendall Super D XA with Titanium, which is a syn-blend. Still a 15w40, it's consistently $1/gallon cheaper than Rotella.
 
I've seen the Kendall Super with Titanium advertised on the Internet/ Diesel sites. I would think it is a good oil for the Duramax, Powerstroke and Cummins.
 
I would be careful going 15,000 miles without first doing a UOA a bit earlier. Especially on these newest diesels with EGR. I would follow the oil life monitor first, then send away a sample when it indicates it is time to change. Then let your UOA with TBN reading and soot percent guide you. By the way..I have asked this same question before about rotella,delo, or delvac. I was basing my opinion on what I have "heard", and also by reading the VOA's on this websites, and also researching the specification pages on the manufacturer's websites. I had it in my mind that delvac would be the best because it had the highest flashpoint,etc...but instead I choose to run a batch of rotella last summer (and run it hard) in my slightly modified duramax,and then UOA. The results came back awesome to say the least after a 9,000 mile run. I am now aiming for 1 once a year interval with the rotella T6 synthetic..I average around 20,000 miles per year. Good luck with your decision...the duramax is easy on oil.
 
I'm not exactly clear on the OPs statement. I presume what he meant was that (because it's a new 2011 truck) that his buddy will be doing a UOA at 15k miles of total vehicle mileage, but not necessarily 15k miles of oil use ... ???? If I'm wrong, then please correct me.

Use the OLM; run some "normal" OCIs first with conventional oils. Establish a base line. Then do a UOA and make sure everything is OK (most likely is). Only then can one look at alternatives with a clear view.


As for the OPs quest, I think many of us Dmax owners can certainly attest that we've seen a LOT of brands do very well, and it really does not matter which oil you use, if the OCI is going to be at OLM limits, or less.
 
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