Rotella 15w40

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There's plenty of data out there. Bob's the oil guy, etc. Rotella has as much zinc as most shelf street (non-race) oils. I've never had a bearing, lifter or any other type of issue that would be considered "oil related" and the motor's always look good if you take them apart. Race car will be a different story. Everyone has their preference. It's worked well for me, even on air-cooled motorcycles in the heat of summer.
 
:realcrazy::realcrazy:
yellow rose said:
False. Any ENGINE oil must have zinc in it. It’s the level of zinc that changes.

Again, an engine oil that is formulated for Diesel engines isn’t good for a gas burning engines. They use more detergents, different detergents and other additives that affect almost every facet the oil must meet.

You (not you particularly but anyone wanting to know) can spend a day on the web looking at a multitude of webinars and such on oils, oil formulation, lubrication, tribology and a host of other oil related topics can find this information.

We have long since passed the day when engine oils are mass market junk. We have a multitude of quality oils to choose from, to the point that there is no reason to run on the shelf oil.

I’m still baffled that guys will spend money like water on their engines and then throw Walmart or some other cheap assed oil at it.

Hopefully by the end of the year I’ll be able to test oils. The data will be mine, so I’ll be able to publish the results. It should open some eyes as to how garbage some of these oils really are.
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I agree! Spend thousands on an Engine and cry about $7 a quart oil!
 
Since this also goes back to the original question posted.

From Shell's Rotella T 5W-40 data sheet 2008 we can see that oil met both API Diesel and Gasoline engine specifications
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and same for Rotella T-6 circa 2012
upload_2021-5-27_13-6-20.png


Here's someone's used oil analysis from 2012 (posted the web)
upload_2021-5-27_13-10-27.png


And here's the results from the last oil analysis I had done on the Jeep's original engine.
I was using 5W-40 because it got winter use and short trips, yet it consumed 30 at a faster rate. That engine was very worn out.
upload_2021-5-27_13-18-23.png

upload_2021-5-27_13-19-12.png


With respect to latest API Diesel specifications CK-4, the latest version of Widman's paper has the following
upload_2021-5-27_13-30-8.png


and that Rotella T 15W-40 was, as of the time he last checked, still permitted to have up to 1200 ppm since its API CJ-I.
It also still met gasoline engine API: SM
upload_2021-5-27_13-34-48.png



2018 Analysis of T4 15W-40, API CK-4 (does not appear to have been tested to gasoline engine API)
PETROLEUM QUALITY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA TEST PROGRAM
and 2020
https://pqia.org/shell-rotella-t4-sae-15w-40-heavy-duty-diesel-engine-oil/

2020 Analysis of T5 15W-40, API CK-4 (does not appear to have been tested to gasoline engine API)
https://pqia.org/shell-rotella-t5-synthetic-blend-sae-15w-40-heavy-duty-diesel-engine-oil/

2016 Analysis of T 15W-40, API CJ-4, CI-4/SM
https://pqia.org/shell-rotella-t4-sae-15w-40-heavy-duty-diesel-engine-oil/
 
I have put a crap load of miles on my gas engines with 5w40 Rotella T6 in them. never an issue on one oil related. when we pulled the valve covers off the Impreza my buddy a life long Subaru mechanic said he had Never seen the inside of one of those engines so clean.
 
thesiren74 said:
:realcrazy::realcrazy:
I agree! Spend thousands on an Engine and cry about $7 a quart oil!
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Right. People can buy Pern Grade, Driven and the other quality oils from Summit for about 10-15 bucks a quart depending on brand. I think of motor oil like I think about motorcycle helmets. You have a 15k bike and a 100 helmet. Must have 100 dollar grey matter....
 
VR 1 20W/50 for me since the 70's. not one wiped cam and there have been dozens of them.
I won't change to anything different. Every engine maintains 45# hot idle pressure and climbs to 70 at RPM
 
I read that the Rotella didn't past the last flat tappet or shear? test and the ford oil did. I think this was about 2 years ago so I've been using the ford stuff in the lawnmower and old cars. 15w40. But back in the day I ran Sunoco 10w40 in my race cars, everyday cars and everything and never had any problems. I've also heard Mobil 1 15w50 is really slick and great for race engines. I buy it at Walmart for like $23.00 for the big jug.
 
With soooooooooo many oils to choose from, why would you use a diesel oil in a petrol engine....or vice versa.
 
diesel oil use to be good for flat tappet cams back when a cummins had 300+ lbs on the injector lobes of the cam but that faded out in the early 90s and ecm controlled injectors and roller cams are the standerd now in every engine mfg and the heavy zinc ant used no more, with accordance of epa mandates on oil! the few folks that still trying to run the older diesels looking at oils just as hard as us hotroders, alot use the lucas hotrod high zinc oil some using valvoline blue or delo 400 still, mobil 1 has been detroits go to since the 60 series came out in late 80s with extended drain intevers upwards of 50,000 to 70,000 miles! thats some damn fine oil but is that what a race motor needs or a street strip motor??? no it ant! brad penn, joe gibbs, scheffer, royal purple what an all out race motor needs,..rest be some wheres in the middle....
 
It’s a consumable and most here are on short oil change intervals I’d theorize. The marketing involved to get you to buy in the first place of any particular premium brand over any another is nonsense IMO “when”: any long term benefits are never going to be realized when you drain your oil often, or when your adding quarts to an engine that uses or leaks it. Nobody in the hot rodding world is concerned with how many miles they get out of an oil. Me? When it starts getting darker and I’ve got a few thousand miles on it it’s out of there. I want oil that lubricates and a filter that filters up until I dump it out for more that lubricates and filters. Haven’t found an oil or filter that hasn’t done those things yet. Warren Oil up to high $$$ synthetic Silkolene and everything in between.
 
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12many said:
It’s a consumable and most here are on short oil change intervals I’d theorize. The marketing involved to get you to buy in the first place of any particular premium brand over any another is nonsense IMO, pay close attention to this word here> “when”: any long term benefits are never going to be realized when you drain your oil often, or when your adding quarts to an engine that uses or leaks it. Nobody in the hot rodding world is concerned with how many miles they get out of an oil. Me? When it starts getting darker and I’ve got a few thousand miles on it it’s out of there. I want oil that lubricates and a filter that filters up until I dump it out for more that lubricates and filters. Haven’t found an oil or filter that hasn’t done those things yet. Warren Oil up to high $$$ synthetic Silkolene and everything in between.
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I think u guys are over thinking it to start with.
I raced a 426 hemi for about 14 yrs., used all kinds of name brand oils , a few diff. weights , mostly the ones furnished by small time sponsers -------------
guess what , " the hemi didnt much give a dam what kind or weight was in it "--never had an oil related problem in those 14 yrs . .
 
famous bob said:
I think u guys are over thinking it to start with.
I raced a 426 hemi for about 14 yrs., used all kinds of name brand oils , a few diff. weights , mostly the ones furnished by small time sponsers -------------
guess what , " the hemi didnt much give a dam what kind or weight was in it "--never had an oil related problem in those 14 yrs . .
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I had my fill of oil discussions 20+ years ago with motorcycles. All the talk of viscosity index numbers, boiling points and ball wear etc meant nothing when oil and filter changes occurred about every 1500 miles. All that mattered was that gearshifts were smooth and there was no clutch slip. I’ve owned quite a few exotic Italian and German motorcycles that all supposedly required high dollar synthetics. Problem was most of them shifted better and had better clutch action with cheaper Walmart bought oils. So buying gallon jugs of exotic synthetics for $50-60 only to be changed out at 1500 miles or so made absolutely no sense. Of course there was the psychological aspect brought on by marketing and the mindset on all the various forums that expensive exotic motorcycles required expensive exotic oil’s! I found that all to be nonsense
 
diymirage said:
not talking about using diesel in a gas engine (i tried it once, didnt work out well, long story)


I meant to say diesel oil. I used to use Rotella, Delo 400 or any brand when I got it free...usually in my pickup or beater stock cars. But the chemistry has changed souch its no longer suitable for extended use. Im a pinch its better than no oil to be sure.
we are talking about running diesel grade oil in a gasoline engine

(im sure thats what you meant too, but cant be too carefull nowadays)
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My old (and older by 20 years) racing partner Louie used Valvoline Racing oil in his FE 427 sideoilers. We would run that 40W three nights then drain it and filter it thru cheese cloth.

Louie would then use it in his personal cars, lawnmower and even chain saws ( chain lube).

He used DA Speed Sport oil once in his dirt car ...the engine blew immediatly so no more SS brand oils! You only got one chance!

And he loved Fram oil filters!!!! He got them free at work... He bought the purchasing clerk dinner in return.for buying filters they would never use in their equipment!
 
Krooser said:
My old (and older by 20 years) racing partner Louie used Valvoline Racing oil in his FE 427 sideoilers. We would run that 40W three nights then drain it and filter it thru cheese cloth.

Louie would then use it in his personal cars, lawnmower and even chain saws ( chain lube).

He used DA Speed Sport oil once in his dirt car ...the engine blew immediatly so no more SS brand oils! You only got one chance!

And he loved Fram oil filters!!!! He got them free at work... He bought the purchasing clerk dinner in return.for buying filters they would never use in their equipment!
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See I won't run Fram in anything I care for personally. I run either Wix on Napa Gold (made by wix) filters
 
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