Extended Oil Drain Performance Capabilities of Diesel Engine Oils

This paper describes the results of a comprehensive field-testing program conducted in modern low-emission heavy-duty diesel engines to evaluate the extended oil drain capabilities of several diesel engine oils of varying performance levels. The data generated in the 59-truck trial, which was conducted over a two to three year period, provide support for extension of engine oil drain intervals when a premium mineral diesel oil is used rather than a fighting-grade mineral diesel product. The field trial results also document the performance of a premium fully synthetic engine oil at four times conventional oil drain intervals. Engine inspections conducted after 500,000 test miles confirm that the extension of oil drain intervals with premium diesel engine oils has no negative impact on engine durability. In addition to the extended oil drain interval performance, the fully-synthetic SAE 5W-40 oils evaluated were found to provide approximately a 3% reduction in fuel consumption relative to conventional SAE 15W-40 mineral oil based products in the applications tested.