Rotella 15w40

[yellow rose]

Well, I'm old and cheap. I was gifted two cases of excellent old (loaded with zinc) racing oil, some vr1, some pennzoil. Problem is, its mostly straight 50 wt. I'm still gonna figure out a way to use it.
And since ive got two diesel trucks, i buy diesel oil everytime its on sale, 25 qts to do oil change on both. So, ive got LOTS of diesel laying around.
So, breaking in a fresh 440 with a .557 purple shaft, ive got five qts diesel, two and a half qts 50wt vr1, and a bottle of lucas breakin.
No problems with breakin, great oil pressure, (no surprise there, lol), and ran elevens for a couple passes before i pulled the breakin oil out.
Thought i had about 80 qts of oil in stock till i started to clean out and organize the garage. Turns out i had 180.

View attachment 1715746644

When the dyno is up and running I’ll test some oils. Zinc is needed, but too much zinc is a power killer. Testing oils is pretty expensive, but the data will be mine so I can post it.

 

[fishmens67]

When the dyno is up and running I’ll test some oils. Zinc is needed, but too much zinc is a power killer. Testing oils is pretty expensive, but the data will be mine so I can post it.

I'd like you to test TORCO head to head with VR1.
Consider yourself a salesman.
You are right I am old, but I'm willing to learn still.
I'll even buy you a ginger ale.
Seriously I'm looking forward to any testing you do.

 

[yellow rose]

I'd like you to test TORCO head to head with VR1.
Consider yourself a salesman.
You are right I am old, but I'm willing to learn still.
I'll even buy you a ginger ale.
Seriously I'm looking forward to any testing you do.

I will. But you have to tell me if you want me to test the VR1 against Torco straight mineral oil, synthetic blend, full synthetic or the race oils. I’ll try to make it fair, because the race oil grade to grade will kill it.

I will call Torco when we are ready and ask them. I suspect they will say to test it against their cat safe full synthetic. But I’ll have to ask.

Hopefully the dyno will be up and running by mid July. I have to head over to Astoria to pick up the water tank and water pumps so I can set that up and get it all plumbed. Then I have to get some sort of trolley system so someone can pull up next to the shop and unload an engine, trolly it through the wall and onto the dyno.

I hate carpentry with a passion, but not nearly as much as I hate automatic transmissions.

 

[mgoblue9798]

Its simply a little more barrier on parts versus oil alone !!
* I run 3 of them in my 7.3L P.Stroke per oil change
16 qts and anything I own with an oil pump
They have helped keep my jewels rolling on.

Anyone that has torn down an engine that used STP consistently knows the stuff has a thick film that sticks to everything. I think one big advantage for using it is reducing dry start wear on a car that sits for extended periods between start ups.

 

[greymouser7]

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.

a point of observation (not intending to contradict yellowrose, or anyone)
Is that there have been knuckle heads that have replaced their oil with automatic transmission fluid and driven for weeks or months...”I never had any problems running X, Y, Z motor oil whether for diesel, or nonsynthetic, or whatever oil doesn’t represent but a sliver of real estate.

those previous mentioned knuckle heads with automatic transmission fluid in their didn’t have any initial problems either.

what we all understand is the rate of wear regarding particular oil, rings, machine-finishes is the REAL question

and without SCIENTIFIC data, personal experience,

unless you basically are a race team or can measure cylinder bore wear with a measurable method of oil use

-is just a shot in the dark, it isn’t significant evidence.

 

[NCmtnDWELLER]

in the 60's and 70's my dad and uncle would build their race engines with a quart of 30 wt, a jug of STP and wheel bearing grease.
They never flattened a lobe or lost a bearing.
Come to think of it, neither have I. lol

Neither have I # we must be doing something right or either we just Lucky & and Im good with either of those .

 

[yellow rose]

a point of observation (not intending to contradict yellowrose, or anyone)
Is that there have been knuckle heads that have replaced their oil with automatic transmission fluid and driven for weeks or months...”I never had any problems running X, Y, Z motor oil whether for diesel, or nonsynthetic, or whatever oil doesn’t represent but a sliver of real estate.

those previous mentioned knuckle heads with automatic transmission fluid in their didn’t have any initial problems either.

what we all understand is the rate of wear regarding particular oil, rings, machine-finishes is the REAL question

and without SCIENTIFIC data, personal experience,

unless you basically are a race team or can measure cylinder bore wear with a measurable method of oil use

-is just a shot in the dark, it isn’t significant evidence.

Yep. You can be pretty abusive to the engine with oil and it will still live.

It is very difficult to see the difference in oils without accurate dyno testing and that’s dang expensive.

One thing I found is that the better oils significantly increased my valve spring life. By a pretty wide margin. At one point at 75 runs I had to shim the springs and at 125 runs they were used up. With a quality oil, I could go nearly all year (sometimes over 170 runs) before they needed a shim and then I could get another 75-80 passes out of them, as long as I played nice and shifted at 8500. If I stretched it out to 8800 or a bit more trying to make a hero run if I had Disney land conditions it would cut spring life by about 35%. And that is costly when youare dirt poor like me.

 

[famous bob]

Anyone that has torn down an engine that used STP consistently knows the stuff has a thick film that sticks to everything. I think one big advantage for using it is reducing dry start wear on a car that sits for extended periods between start ups.

back yrs ago , old timers used it in their old oil burners that were worn out . its nothing but an ultra hi viscosity additive . I used to have an uncle that blended oils for dx sunray , he knew a but load about oils and additives.