Heavy equipment fleet operators in the Middle East are confronted with challenging situations such as high operating temperatures, high-sulphur and ultra-low sulphur environments and the different ages of the vehicles in their fleets. One of the effective methods to reduce the maintenance costs of diesel-powered heavy-duty vehicles, both on-road and off-road, is the use of multigrade engine oils which are specifically formulated for longer engine durability and extended oil drain intervals. For example, the Delo range of engine oils from Caltex Lubricants can increase the oil drain intervals of vehicles from 5,000 km to 10,000 km, delivering a significant decrease in the oil’s total cost of ownership.
Caltex Lubricants introduced its ‘Delo FleetPro’ brand of multigrade engine oils in the GCC in 2017, replacing its Delo Silver monograde series in line with the regulations of the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) and Gulf Standards Organization (GSO) that made the API CG-4, CF-4 and CF standards obsolete in favour of the API CH-4 standard.
The Delo range of heavy-duty commercial vehicle engine oils, driveline lubricants, greases and extended life coolants are formulated to meet stringent API, OEM and ACEA specifications and environmental requirements. The Delo FleetPro multigrade engine oil, in particular, complies with the API CH-4 standard (1998) and is available in two variants – SAE 15W-40 (1L, 5L, 20L, 208L and bulk sizes) and SAE 20W-50 (5L, 20L, 208L and bulk sizes).
Delo FleetPro engine oils are recommended for mixed fleets of diesel engines (high speed, four-stroke, turbocharged or naturally aspirated) in commercial road transport vehicles, marine vehicles, off-highway construction and agricultural equipment.
Why upgrade from a monograde to a multigrade engine oil?
The new generation of Delo FleetPro multigrade diesel engine oil delivers significantly higher, ‘all season’ performance over the Delo Silver monograde series.
Benefits of multigrade engine oils include:
Wide temperature operation: The Delo FleetPro SAE 15W-40 multigrade oil provides good low-temperature startability and high-temperature protection, allowing its use over a wide temperature range. The Delo FleetPro SAE 20W-50 variant maintains a thicker oil film when operating under higher ambient temperatures, providing more protection for metal parts.
Extension of oil drain intervals: Multigrade engine oils are formulated with a proven metallic detergent additive system to neutralize harmful acids and prevent corrosion. They also provide better pumpability at start-up, which limits the wear and tear inside the engine. All of these enable fleet operators to double their oil drain drains resulting in less wastage into the environment.
Improvement in engine life and performance: Multigrade engine oils are formulated with advanced additives and premium base oils to provide good wear protection, deposit control and soot dispersancy, which protect the engine and keeps its running smoothly. Reduced internal friction losses in the engine lead to better fuel economy.