Full Synthetic or Blend - only +.68c more / gal

[Blue-Fox]

I normally run Delvac 10w-30 in my stuff here in Alaska, it starts good in the cold of winter months and stays decent at 200-250hrs even in my old crusty cat stuff.
The Local supplier has dropped Delvac for the Guardol line and has the XT 5w-40 full synthetic for .68c more a gallon than the blended Guardol 10w-30 ECT oil. I’m tempted to go full synthetic for the fact it’s just better engineered oil, and I believe it’s superior to Dino blends

but there’s still that old story how synthetic oil makes engines leak and nothing I own has less than 5000 hrs on it.
How many people have truly witnessed this leak story and can prove it was the synthetic oil??

GUARDOL XT® FULL SYNTHETIC DIESEL ENGINE OIL - Phillips 66 Lubricants

Phillips 66® Guardol XT Full Synthetic Diesel Engine Oil is a premium quality, full-synthetic engine oil developed for use in 4-stroke cycle diesel engines operating under severe duty service or extreme temperature conditions. It meets API CK-4 performance requirements for use in modern...

phillips66lubricants.com

 

[1693TA]

I don't see, or work on near the number of vehicles as in the past when that rumor was prevalent, but I've not seen a direct correlation, or corroboration between the argument of whether synthetic engine oil causes leaks in older engines. I remain neutral on the subject as between the five oil change outfits I was involved with using both conventional, and synthetic oils, there was no consistency and this was tracked for a spell. An older engine tends to have seepage leaks no matter what is installed in the crankcase. The more modern synthetics are engineered to do their respective jobs yet thin down faster as the temperatures rise to increase fuel economy in my opinion. They too foul just as much as conventional oils and must be changed at a respectable interval to avoid damage. This "thinning" of the fluid film is probably where the underlying complaints originate. An aged engine that has seen numerous hot and cold cycles has more sealing problems than a newly built, or rebuilt engine with soft and supple sealing materials. As engines age, the rubber products tend to harden doing their respective jobs less effectively.

Where I'm going with all that is I don't believe the oil is the culprit but rather the physical integrity of the engine's ability to seal itself is degraded with age. Six of one, half a dozen of the other I think. I typically run straight conventional, or semi synthetic oils in my engines with a 5K drain interval on gasoline engines, 10K on diesels, and once a year on the small engines. Nothing I have has an active leak, but everything seeps.

 

[Tinkerer]

The mix ratio of synthetic blended oil has always been a mystery to me.
What I mean is it 5% synthetic or some other amount ?
I have been using full synthetic in everything I own, with the exception my John Deere lawn mower.
As soon as the warranty expires on it, it also will be have full synthetic in it.

 

[Old Doug]

From the leaks i have seen from synthetic used in older engines there is no way i would use it.

 

[Nige]

One question. Do the engines in your equipment actually NEED synthetic.? in other words does the engine oil specification in the O&M Manual actually REQUIRE it to be used.? If not then IMHO there is no reason to use it, especially if you are currently changing oil at 200-250 hours. You're pi$$ing money down the drain in that case. Now if you were doing scheduled oil sampling and running your oil to 4-500 hours and changing it condition rather than on hours run then a full synthetic MIGHT just help you stretch oil change intervals even more.

TBH it doesn't matter to me if an oil is Dino or something 21st Century, but provided the oil is branded (major oil company product in other words) and on their spec sheet it says "meets or exceeds the requirements of" something like API CK-4 or Cat ECF-3 (in the case of Cat machines) then I'd be happy to use it. Guardol oil is good BTW. I have plenty of experience with it. In fact on a job site we did the same switch from Delvac to Guardol a number of years ago, but the climate conditions were a lot different (tropical temperatures).

The major factor you have to consider would appear to be cold starting performance. That might indicate the need for "tweaking" the oil requirement in order to achieve that, and that's out of my pay grade TBH.

 

[Blue-Fox]

One question. Do the engines in your equipment actually NEED synthetic.? in other words does the engine oil specification in the O&M Manual actually REQUIRE it to be used.? If not then IMHO there is no reason to use it, especially if you are currently changing oil at 200-250 hours. You're pi$$ing money down the drain in that case. Now if you were doing scheduled oil sampling and running your oil to 4-500 hours and changing it condition rather than on hours run then a full synthetic MIGHT just help you stretch oil change intervals even more.

TBH it doesn't matter to me if an oil is Dino or something 21st Century, but provided the oil is branded (major oil company product in other words) and on their spec sheet it says "meets or exceeds the requirements of" something like API CK-4 or Cat ECF-3 (in the case of Cat machines) then I'd be happy to use it. Guardol oil is good BTW. I have plenty of experience with it. In fact on a job site we did the same switch from Delvac to Guardol a number of years ago, but the climate conditions were a lot different (tropical temperatures).

The major factor you have to consider would appear to be cold starting performance. That might indicate the need for "tweaking" the oil requirement in order to achieve that, and that's out of my pay grade TBH.

Nige I’m dealing with three separate cases but my most recent equipment is calling for CK-4 and if you use. CJ-4 you actually can go to 500 as long as you run ULSD which I have only got ULSD available anyway. I’m setting up with sample points (have a big Cat pump unit) but take my newer stuff and go synthetic and go to the extended drain, based on sampling.
My older machines and trucks will get the blend and likely drain at 250 but sample as well.

 

[IceHole]

Curious who that dealer is. I work for the main Chevron/P66 distributor in AK.

If you are somewhere cold, I'd run 5w40 or 0w40

 

[Coaldust]

I’m happy with the P66 Guardall 5w-40 for easy winter starts in South -Central and the Interior. Especially, when something doesn’t get plugged in. Used it in a mixed fleet with regular sampling and great performance. Even when a rig accidentally went way over the scheduled maintenance interval.

Availability of P66, during the force majeure, became a problem and I moved over to Delo.

5w-40, in any flavor, is still a problem to source. A customer may order 40 drums and only receive 12. But, the situation is getting better, I’m told.

 

[Coaldust]

Curious who that dealer is. I work for the main Chevron/P66 distributor in AK.

If you are somewhere cold, I'd run 5w40 or 0w40

How is current availability trending for 5w-40, today?

 

[IceHole]

How is current availability trending for 5w-40, today?

No worse than 15w40 now.

 

[Blue-Fox]

Curious who that dealer is. I work for the main Chevron/P66 distributor in AK.

If you are somewhere cold, I'd run 5w40 or 0w40

Shoreside? I usually buy from AOS and it was cold for 3.5 weeks here which is unusual. But the 5w-40 covers up to 80*F which it’s rarely ever that hot here.

 

[Blue-Fox]

How is current availability trending for 5w-40, today?

Fine. Just not in a drum.

 

[Blue-Fox]

I’m happy with the P66 Guardall 5w-40 for easy winter starts in South -Central and the Interior. Especially, when something doesn’t get plugged in. Used it in a mixed fleet with regular sampling and great performance. Even when a rig accidentally went way over the scheduled maintenance interval.

Availability of P66, during the force majeure, became a problem and I moved over to Delo.

5w-40, in any flavor, is still a problem to source. A customer may order 40 drums and only receive 12. But, the situation is getting better, I’m told.

Sad thing is I have Espar heaters on these things but they are giving me trouble. I’m setting up for sampling. I just got my first box from Blackstone yesterday.

 

[Coaldust]

If Blackstone doesn’t treat you well, Chevron has a lab in Portland that does a good job. Inlet Energy can sell you the kits, locally.

 

[KSSS]

I recently had a discussion with my bulk oil provider. I was running semi synthetic Guardol 15-40 and I needed a refill and we went with Delvac 15-40 semi. I considered going full synthetic as well. The guy asked if I go extended intervals on anything. My answer is no. Actually I change early and seldom go to recommended hour interval. He stated that in that case there really is no advantage to paying for full synthetic, I am now using a different brand but I doubt there is any real difference that is noticeable. His reason made sense to me.

 

[IceHole]

If Blackstone doesn’t treat you well, Chevron has a lab in Portland that does a good job. Inlet Energy can sell you the kits, locally.

Way cheaper too.

 

[Truck Shop]

There--I was running behind on the like button, get caught up on that.
*
Or can be like Penske and change oil on a heavy haul tractor at 55k, 80,000 lb tractor 65 to 70K.
Imagine that change oil once a year on a OTR, {Well the sample says we can} Yup that's the
used truck to buy-a Penske Pile, only get one grease job every oil change. Facking snake oil.

 

[4x4ford]

My company runs 25000 on semi with a grease job at 12500 have seen a few issues with cams but I think that’s mainly to doing overheads on our 60 series and having mechanics who are nothing but parts changers haven’t seen any big end issues

 

[Truck Shop]

My company runs 25000 on semi with a grease job at 12500 have seen a few issues with cams but I think that’s mainly to doing overheads on our 60 series and having mechanics who are nothing but parts changers haven’t seen any big end issues

25 to 30k is not out of range with synthetic, and greasing every 12 or so is on par. But running 50k
plus on oil is---one issue that's never included-idle time. About 7 years ago I had a discussion with
a cat oil testing lab {technician, hostess pie magician} at that time he never saw a oil including
there's that hadn't started reaching it's max at 30k.

 

[Blue-Fox]

I recently had a discussion with my bulk oil provider. I was running semi synthetic Guardol 15-40 and I needed a refill and we went with Delvac 15-40 semi. I considered going full synthetic as well. The guy asked if I go extended intervals on anything. My answer is no. Actually I change early and seldom go to recommended hour interval. He stated that in that case there really is no advantage to paying for full synthetic, I am now using a different brand but I doubt there is any real difference that is noticeable. His reason made sense to me.

I’ve ran 10w-30 Delvac 1300 in my stuff year round for over a decade and no issues. I’m told they aren’t handling Delvac anymore so I’m switching (back) to the Guardol, what we ran before the Delvac anyway. We also ran Delo 400 for a long time. Once the fuel changed and Delo changed we changed.