Rotella 15w40.

[Dan77CJ7]

I'm thinking on switching to Rotella 15w40, this is a question for those running this brand and weight, is there anything i need to do special before i say good buy to 10w40? and will 15w40 be a good winter oil?

 

[IOPort51]

the biggest reason I have found to run 15W 40 Rotella is that it is almost impossible to find 10W 40 or 10W30 for that matter. Rotella is very popular with the diesels and they prefer a heavier oil. I do not see a problem with the heavier oil, there are members from the far north east that swear by it, all winter long. the draw, from what I have read, is that the additives reduce the lubrication to a point where the lifter will spin on the cam lobe to prevent un even wear. the newer oils do not have these additives because of the damage they cause to the Cat. the cam design on newer engines is different to allow for the slicker oil.

 

[Petescj]

I didnt do anything out of the ordinary when I switched. I just warmed her up a bit to let the old oil drain easier. I filled a napa oil filter and spun it on then filled the engine itself. No issues this Winter whatsoever , and it was a rough one.

 

[Torxhead]

I like the high detergent cleaning ability of the Rotella oil. The thicker oil is good for the older engines also,I hope it still has zinc in it too.

 

[mstar]

I like the high detergent cleaning ability of the Rotella oil. The thicker oil is good for the older engines also,I hope it still has zinc in it too.

ten-four on the zinc. Rotella was the recommended break-in oil by
Comp Cams when I rebuilt the Dauntless Buick 225 V6 engine in my '69 CJ5 .
It is a non issue with modern roller lifter(roller cam) engines.

mike starck

 

[Aaron]

I just switched to rotella 15w40 last saturday and I am getting alot of lifter noise that wasn't there before. I have read multiple threads that say that rotella is the way to go and I have a lot of faith in the information I get from this forum as it hasn't steered me wrong yet. So do you guys think I should switch my oil back and see if it helps or is my motor just sick of life?

Also my oil pressure seems to be all over the place. When I start it it is around 50 then after it warms up it is about 5 or ten at the max, sometimes it is at one or two. Is this the symptom of a bad gauge or sending unit or is something messed up with the pump? I am not sure how to diagnose oil pressure problems.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Aaron

 

[gutthans]

Before you choose an oil...go here: Synthetic Oil | Has Zinc Been Removed from Mobil 1

and search out the zinc chart ( click the word 'table' at the bottom of the article) for Mobil oils.

If you have a flat-tappet motor (hydraulic or mechanical) you will need more than 1000 ppm to keep your cam from self-destructing. Your cam life will be cut in half or less. Higher is BETTER.

AMSOIL and MOBIL-1 are hands-down the shizzle when it comes to available zinc.

BUT, IF you have a favorite brand??? Just make sure it is rated C4, SL, or SN

And NO, zinc additives to weak oils do not actually work that well...some can actually help kill the cam.

 

[007]

I use Lucas Oil Magnum 15w-40 plus 20% Lucas Oil stabilizer in E V E R Y T H I N G I have. Where I work we have over 90 KW's and Peterbilt's and we've done the sample testing and it's awesome stuff.

As for Zinc - http://www.lucasoil.com/images/medialibrary/Zinc_Values_MotorcycleOil.pdf

Also, if you've just switched to a high detergent oil, it's can be a good idea to change it shortly thereafter to drain out the crud it cleans (new filter too). In time, oil pressure issues settle out and you usually wind up with a bit higher pressure.

We change the trucks at 35k, I change all my stuff at 10-15k.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

How cold does it get where you live in Co? 15W40 may not be a good Winter oil for you.
Just get a Wix(NAPA)oil filter and change over.
BTW-I know how cold it gets in Denver. I was born in Denver and raised in Cripple Creek.
LG

 

[Dan77CJ7]

How cold does it get where you live in Co? 15W40 may not be a good Winter oil for you.
Just get a Wix(NAPA)oil filter and change over.
BTW-I know how cold it gets in Denver. I was born in Denver and raised in Cripple Creek.
LG

Im in Denver gets cold the weather is funny 0- for 2 days then 50 then back to 15 then 75....... i never drive when is super cold maybe for a blizzard...Maybe! always around 50 when i take her out in the winter, she doesn't see daily duties in winter or summer really just crusing and 300+ mile trips on the weekends.

 

[tarry99]

I'm thinking on switching to Rotella 15w40, this is a question for those running this brand and weight, is there anything i need to do special before i say good buy to 10w40? and will 15w40 be a good winter oil?

Depends on what you were previously running...........on older motors going from a low or non detergent to a high detergent oil it can cause accelerated ring and cylinder bore wear...........although bearing wear seems to remain unchanged.

If your just changing brands just to save a few bucks........and your motor is already happy continue to use the same oil or at least compare the analytical between the two before making the change...........

Keep in mind there are only a few Oil refinery's that make the majority of all oil feed stock going to individual brands........once hauled by rail or truck to these companies they add there own proprietary ingredients and stick there label on the can......Since most if not all have to meet standards set forth by the American Petroleum Institute (API) you would be surprised to find that most oils on the shelf only differ slightly. Its all about marketing!

 

[drawk]

I run 15w40 rotella with the lucas engine break in additive for the zinc. I live in oregon though so the winters are not really winters. But so far no issues. If you notice it getting dirty black really quick don't worry it doing its job. I changed mine way early when i first switched. like every 1K the first three times. Expensive overkill…. probably but i got the out of my AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l . piece of mind

 

[Dan77CJ7]

I'v had Rotella in for about 600 miles its still clean, my motor has around 7k-10k maybe prolly less. i like when i check my oil its a little thicker on the stick not not as runny like Valvoline 10w-40. its a great oil dont get me wrong i use it in all my rigs and have for years with out issue, my motor screams at 55...seems like, so i feel the heavier oil will help in the long run. and if the motor blows...then dam, i get a stroker!!!!:drool: and will use my trusty valvoline

on a second note im more worried about finding me a wide ratio T18a that will blot right in......................

 

[007]

How cold does it get where you live in Co? 15W40 may not be a good Winter oil for you.

Just get a Wix(NAPA)oil filter and change over.

BTW-I know how cold it gets in Denver. I was born in Denver and raised in Cripple Creek.

LG

Ah...Cripple Creek...pre-casinos....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[duffer]

I use 15-40 in just about everything also. Winter and summer and have been using it for about 25 years. Just make sure what you buy has a rating sufficient for the application. This is not usually a problem with 15-40 as most of it goes into diesels and has a rating higher than what you actually need.

The zinc content is most critical when breaking in a new flat tappet cam. Once broke in, most modern oil will suffice without additives if you don't have some whoopty do high rate valve springs.