Chevron Delo 400 LE vs 400 SDE

[Sundodger]

I have been running Chevron Delo 400 LE in my 1999 Ford Superduty with a 7.3 for a while now and pretty happy overall.
At my last oil change I found it a little challenging to find LE, most have been replaced with SDE. A quick look at the specs and I am a little worried to switch over with its lower zinc and phosphorus content.

I was working at a hot rod shop when they were dropping zinc content from automotive oils and saw the impacts onto older hardware (flat tappet cams with aggressive ramp rates and high spring pressures), so I might be a little paranoid here.


What are you guys doing? I am leaning toward changing brands...

LE Specs:
https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=415568&docFormat=PDF

SDE Specs:

https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=481951&docFormat=PDF

 

[BrocLuno]

Looks like the same graphic for both ...

 

[Sundodger]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Looks like the same graphic for both ...


You are right, I screwed up and it's not letting me edit it.

Sorry about that

Here is the SDE graphic:

 

[bullwinkle]

Anybody in your area carry the Delo SD 15W30? It was on clearance here a while back & I picked up some for my (older IDI) 7.3, I would think in non-arctic conditions it would be good in a Powerstroke engine.

 

[Sundodger]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Anybody in your area carry the Delo SD 15W30? It was on clearance here a while back & I picked up some for my (older IDI) 7.3, I would think in non-arctic conditions it would be good in a Powerstroke engine.


To me it looks to be a little low on viscosity, but I have never run it. Have you sent any samples in to be analyzed?

Mobil Delvac 1300 is kind of where I am leaning right now.

 

[dustyroads]

Originally Posted By: Sundodger
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Anybody in your area carry the Delo SD 15W30? It was on clearance here a while back & I picked up some for my (older IDI) 7.3, I would think in non-arctic conditions it would be good in a Powerstroke engine.


To me it looks to be a little low on viscosity, but I have never run it. Have you sent any samples in to be analyzed?

Mobil Delvac 1300 is kind of where I am leaning right now.


Delvac 1300 has also gone to the lower phosphorus add-pack. The Delvac Elite is still a higher phosphorus oil, but I don't think that it's available in Walmart for a nice price like the 1300 is. Just FYI. I'm personally fine with the new oils, regardless of the brand and additive strategy.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: Sundodger
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Anybody in your area carry the Delo SD 15W30? It was on clearance here a while back & I picked up some for my (older IDI) 7.3, I would think in non-arctic conditions it would be good in a Powerstroke engine.


To me it looks to be a little low on viscosity, but I have never run it. Have you sent any samples in to be analyzed?

Mobil Delvac 1300 is kind of where I am leaning right now.
No, not yet. My IDI 7.3 is actually rated for 10W30 (or straight 30), and given the HEUI/Powerstroke 7.3/6.0/6.4 engines tendency to shear 40 weight oils into 30 weights, why not start with a 30? The Big 3 has been telling everyone that the CK-4 oils are better than the CJ-4 ones, only Ford with the 6.7 has had any issues at all AFAIK.

 

[Garak]

Note that low phosphorus Mobil Delvac 1 LE 5w-30 has Ford's previous specification, their E spec. So, if they thought that one low phosphorus lube was good enough for the 7.3 and most subsequent engines, I wouldn't worry in the least about a CK-4 in a 7.3.

 

[claluja]

Originally Posted By: Sundodger
I have been running Chevron Delo 400 LE in my 1999 Ford Superduty with a 7.3 for a while now and pretty happy overall.
At my last oil change I found it a little challenging to find LE, most have been replaced with SDE. A quick look at the specs and I am a little worried to switch over with its lower zinc and phosphorus content.

I was working at a hot rod shop when they were dropping zinc content from automotive oils and saw the impacts onto older hardware (flat tappet cams with aggressive ramp rates and high spring pressures), so I might be a little paranoid here.


What are you guys doing? I am leaning toward changing brands...

LE Specs:
https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=415568&docFormat=PDF

SDE Specs:

https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=481951&docFormat=PDF


Stick with an oil that meets Ford's new spec. Plenty out there. They know more than we do, and have now done extensive testing on the issue. I stick with high phosphorous flavors, given the premature valve train wear some lower phosphorous CK4s have caused to 6.7s.

 

[Garak]

That still doesn't answer why Ford okayed a low phosphorus 5w-30 HDEO on their previous E spec, which encompassed all the diesels up to the present, excluding the current one. That hardly gives me loads of confidence in them knowing "more than we do, and have now done extensive testing...."

 

[Sundodger]

My experience of when the auto oils started reducing zinc content in their oils and the resulting impact to old hardware is enough for me to call into question "They know more than we do".

Although to be honest, as an engineer myself I can tell you it's always about compromises and weighing them out. If you are trying to make something for a huge range of applications, it will not be optimized for any one and will probably have a few that it's very bad for. Unfortunately old hardware is usually very far down on the weighted priorities.


So with all this concern, what would you guys think is a safe bet for an oil that's not super pricey and relatively easy to come by?

 

[Garak]

I would use any ordinary HDEO of the appropriate viscosity in a 7.3. There really has only been cause for concern with one Ford engine, period, and Ford won't even say much beyond that, but used a sky is falling approach for all legacy Ford engines. Do recall that the original specification for HDEO when the 7.3 came out was nowhere near as robust as it is now.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: Garak
I would use any ordinary HDEO of the appropriate viscosity in a 7.3. There really has only been cause for concern with one Ford engine, period, and Ford won't even say much beyond that, but used a sky is falling approach for all legacy Ford engines. Do recall that the original specification for HDEO when the 7.3 came out was nowhere near as robust as it is now.


Which one? The 6.4? That engine needs needs new rocker arms after about 150,000 miles anyways. Maybe they're just testing and finding their engineering issues and blaming it on the oil. lol

 

[Garak]

He he. I've been saying that for a while.

This is the "foaming" Ford was complaining about back in the late 1990s all over again, to get us to buy Motorcraft oil. Is there a specification problem, or are the big players' oils simply too cheap right now, or is the engine just loused up?

 

[Sundodger]

The 7.3 mechanical assemblies are known to be pretty durable, especially in the high wear areas (cam, crank, etc.) So I guess my concern is more on the fuel injection system, HEUI’s demand a lot of the oil.

Some older CAT and other International engines use HEUI systems, my google fu seems week today, does anyone have specs on CAT DEO oil or anything similar International recommends?