By Truck Parts & Service Staff
Chevron Delo announced this week that after extensive laboratory and field testing in heavy-duty engines, its Delo 400 LE SAE 10W-30 oil has demonstrated an ability to provide fuel economy improvements over the more commonly used 15W-40 grade diesel oil. Delo 400 LE 10W-30 showed a 1 percent fuel economy improvement over 15W-40 oils and a 0.5 percent fuel economy improvement over 5W-40 grade synthetic lubricants, according to the company.
The use of the lower-viscosity Delo 400 LE 10W-30 does not come at the expense of engine durability, according to the company, which said that extensive laboratory and field durability tests show the product provides wear levels and oil drains that fleets have come to expect from 15W-40 motor oils.
Chevron Delo said durability tests were conducted on a number of diesel platforms, including Detroit Diesel DD15, Cummins ISX, Mack MP7 and DAF 12.9 liter, and that it also tested its Delo 400 LE 10W-30 on 2010 engines from Volvo and experienced similar durability and fuel economy results.
According to the company, the combination of fuel economy and engine durability results from its proprietary ISOSYN technology that combines highly refined base oils with advanced additives to create products that rival synthetic lubricants in critical performance tests while maintaining costs similar to mineral-based oils.
“This unique Chevron Delo technology makes synthetics and synthetic-blends unnecessary from a cost and performance standpoint in all but the most extreme environments,” said Len Badal, commercial enterprise manager for Chevron Global Lubricants, based in San Ramon, Calif. “We have years of data to substantiate this claim. Regardless of the economic climate, most fleets can’t afford to throw away money. Delo 400 LE 10W-30 provides excellent performance at an optimal price point.”
