Chevron helps Nashville fleet reach 70,000 mile drain intervals

Chevron Products Company, maker of the Delo brand of engine oils, lubricants and coolants, released a case study demonstrating the performance of Delo lubricants for R.E. West Transportation. According to Chevron,tThe Nashville, Tennessee-based company was able to safely achieve 70,000 mile drain intervals* – an increase of 20,000 miles over the OEM recommendation – due to the durability provided by Delo 400 LE SAE 15W-40.

R.E. West Transportation is a nationally recognized contract and dedicated carrier with a fleet of 120 trucks and 300 trailers. A family business, R.E. “Bob” West founded the company in 1969, and has used Chevron Delo Lubricants and Delo Extended Life Coolant for its fleet since the company’s early days.

With a keen eye on its oil analysis program, R.E. West decided the engine durability Delo 400 LE SAE 15W-40 provided meant they could safely extend the oil drain intervals on their Detroit Diesel DD15 engines – from the OEM recommended 50,000 miles to 70,000 miles. “Even with the extension, the company continued to see clean engines in top condition with minimal wear,” said founder and CEO Bob West.

The company recently dismantled one of its DD15 engines with 400,000 miles of service using Delo 400 LE SAE 15W-40 to see the effect of the extended oil drain intervals. “The protection Delo offers was clear,” said R.E. West Maintenance Manager Dustin Stricker as he examined the engine. “With the extended drain intervals we’ve seen great wear [protection.]”

Inspecting the engine, Chevron Mechanical Engineer Keith Narasaki said that despite the severe service the engine had seen and the extended drain schedule, its piston deposits were minimal and wear on liners and bearings was low. “It’s very exceptional,” said Narasaki. “On a scale of zero to 10, many of these parts would be 9.5, 9.6, which is almost like a new engine.”

Delo oils incorporate ISOSYN Technology, which combines premium base oils with high performance additives, helping to deliver extended service protection, maximized engine durability and minimized operating costs for companies like R.E. West.

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“The 70,000-mile drain interval was more of a dream than it was reality when we started. And today I can tell you that it’s reality,” West said. “We were really surprised how well it’s worked. It’s worked as good as you could absolutely want it. We’re thinking about going longer than 70,000 miles.”

*When extending oil drains, always follow OEM recommendations and utilize used oil analysis

Print and Video Case Studies Available
The full R.E. West case study can be downloaded on the ChevronDelo.com website. A video of the inspection can be viewed on the Delo YouTube channel at: https://bit.ly/19eaKP1