Engine Oil: Let’s discuss some important facts.

[Henry W]

Yesterday I was going over  engine oil recommendations that Kubota posted in the EB300 user manual. I'm preparing the EB300 for the warmer days that's coming soon. One thing that caught my attention is Kubota recommends an API oil classification above CC. And at 68 degrees fahrenheit or above a mono grade oil of SAE 30 is recommended.  I started thinking what oil manufacturers still make an SAE 30 diesel oil.

I started started looking and came up with one that caught my attention. It is: Chevron Delo 400 SAE 30 with an API service category CF rating.

As I started looking at the Product Data Sheet I realized that this specific oil has a fair amount of ash and zinc. Chevron claims that this oil is recommended for older diesels. I thought for a second and thought, is this outdated data?  Years ago I've read that a fair amount of zinc was used in oils to help protect the cam from accelerated wear with flat tappet lifters. I also read that ash helps neutralize acids from burning high sulfur fuels. Well, I got on the phone and called Chevron Tech Support in the lubricant department and I found the Product Data Sheet is current. He mentioned that it's made for older non emission compliant engines. I thought that this is the oil that many of us need. And I want to pass this info to all that are able to run a mono grade oil.




Must be logged in to open the pdf attachment below.

[Henry W]

Now it's time to share my experience purchasing the Chevron Delo 400 SAE 30 with an API service category CF rating.

Last night I read many documents on the Chevron site and found an important document that I never seen before with any oil brand.

This is: Product Specific Shelf Life.

I read that the Chevron Delo 400 SAE 30 with an API service category CF rating has a shelf life of 60 months from the date of manufacture listed on the containers. I did not think much of this until I went to NAPA auto to purchase 2 one gallon jugs. The parts person brought two jugs out and set them in front of me. Well, I looked at them and asked how long have they been on the shelf? He said he did not know. I had to take a rag and wipe off the dirt and I noticed the dirtiest one did not have a date and the jug. The other one was a bit cleaner and it had a date of November 2013. Another thing is the jugs did not look current. I looked at the parts person that these jugs of oil have an expired shelf life by at least 2 years. I mentioned that I will not be purchasing any oil today.

I also went to Autozone, Advance Auto and O'Reilley Auto Parts. And, all the jugs were expired. I tried West Marine and they had three jugs. One was expired and two had a manufacture date of March 3rd, 2020. So I bought both of them.

When I got home, I called Chevron Tech Support in the lubricant department again and ask about the shelf life of 60 months. The reason the shelf life is put in place is because the additives will come out of suspension. Once this happens the oil loses its effectiveness to protect engines.

We talked about shaking the additives back into suspension and he said once the additives are out of suspension, the chemists feel it's best that the oil should be discarded. But I read that it's possible to mix oils back into suspension if the not to much past the shelf life. The catch is an oil sample must be sent to a lab to have an oil analysis done. If it fails testing it should be discarded.

We have to ask ourselves, is it worth taking a chance using oil with an expired date?

After the discussion he ask me for the auto parts stores that have outdated stock on their shelves and ask for my number and email address. He is forwarding all information to some department. It seems like Chevron is taking this matter seriously.

So I learned something new. All oils have a shelf life. Look for a manufacture date and if the product is over the shelf life do not buy it.



I attached two pdf's from the Chevron web site about shelf life of many products. Good information to know.


Must be logged in to open the pdf attachments below:

[Tom Reed]

Thanks Henry, that's good info. Swepco has oils and additives for flat tappet engines too. Although at a lot more $.

[DKMC]

Wow who knew? Good info. I will add that I have a Kubota D1402 3 cyl. in a 1983 skid steer. Manual recommends 30wt in warm weather.
I thought I'd be nice to it and put in Rotella syn 15-40. It didn't leak any place but it disappeared out of the engine in short order. Changed
it again, went back to simple 30wt and consumption stopped, save for usual old engine seeps and blow by.

[Henry W]

Tom and DKMC, I was surprised that all the major auto parts stores in my area tried selling oil with expired shelf life. But who knows about it or looks for it?

But on a positive note, Chevron Delo 400 30wt looks like a good oil.

Henry

[vdubnut62]

It woild have never crossed my mind that motor oil would have a shelf life!
Think that is what I am seeing in the bottom of jugs of Rotella that I have had for a while?
Makes me wonder.

Ron.