Engine oil question

[oldpilgrim]

Can you use syth?.... yes without a doubt.

Should you use synth? if you like better cold weather starting, better cold start lubrication, longer times between oil changes, better hi temp protection.....yes.

Most new cars now come with and recommend synth.

Many truckers use syth in their trucks.


Here's a place to read stuff from regular people about Rotella T6. LOTS of good reading there.

Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

My 2 Toyotas use synth. I just put Rotella T6 in my new Mahindra. I will be putting it in my Cub Cadet, my log splitter and my generator.

T6 can be used in gas engines too.

The 5w-40 vs 15w-40 or 10w-30 is not an issue.

I've been told NOT to use in in 0w-20 engines.

 

[KubotaToy]

It is all snake oil, pun intended.

Interesting experiment, I have been using wally world 15w40 in my 97 F350 7.3 since the first oil change. Change oil every 5k and 297k later, still doing fine, no repairs to motor internals yet...quit doing UOAs on this truck a while ago, they always came back fine.

 

[arrow]

How does the oil know the car is halfway down the track?
How does it know the engine is making its maximum power?

Huh? This is when these dynamics occur. The oil doesn't "know" a thing. Maximum power is designated by engine dynamics not distance traveled. The greatest dynamics occur at certain rpm's that happen to coincide with where the car is on the track. As torque always comes in before hp, the torque is also happening "before" available hp.This knowledge is gained by computers as no dyno goes up to 10,000 hp.

 

[ch1ch2]

How does the oil know the car is halfway down the track?
How does it know the engine is making its maximum power?

If you have to ask you would not understand.

 

[Soundguy]

It is all snake oil, pun intended.

Interesting experiment, I have been using wally world 15w40 in my 97 F350 7.3 since the first oil change. Change oil every 5k and 297k later, still doing fine, no repairs to motor internals yet...quit doing UOAs on this truck a while ago, they always came back fine.

I run store brand oils in all of my tractors. I have never experienced a lube related failure. I have a couple engines I have done top end work on and I converted those to syn, but it is the cheap store brand syn.. like kendal or walmart.

The 6.0 PSD I drive for work I used to run that motorcraft branded 15w40 walmart sold.. but got hard to find and about that time i was switching to the valvoline ultra blue syn anyway, and I run that in both my 7.3's My old 450 sets alot and I like the film strength a syn offers for startup lube.

In the end, oil changes with clean oil that meets the manufacturers minimum specs, and changed before the oil tests out bad or via usage chart is way better than neglect.

I have opened up old tractors that had their oil filter can and engine dipstick painted over soo many times that I know they were just topped off for 50 years... scarry..

 

[davesl708]

It is all snake oil, pun intended.

Interesting experiment, I have been using wally world 15w40 in my 97 F350 7.3 since the first oil change. Change oil every 5k and 297k later, still doing fine, no repairs to motor internals yet...quit doing UOAs on this truck a while ago, they always came back fine.

It is interesting. On API's test page Wally oil scores very well compared to the name brand stuff.

 

[Soundguy]

Since wally doesn't make any oil, but rather buys it from custom bottlers / refiners.. ( as do all others that don't have refineries and oil wells in their back yards ).. it's not a huge surprise..

 

[Paystar]

My 2015 power stroke and my m59 kubota that I recently sold both specified 10-30. I think my two rtv-900x's want 10w30 as well. They all get 5w40. I buy the delo because it was slightly cheaper vs rotella when I went there and I buy pallets at a time. I think the delo and rotella are very similar quality wise. I buy whichever is on sale.

My older and larger diesels like my 1980 4440, my 98 kenworth, 98 international, all get 15-40 because they have thousands of hours on it so why change now and some of them take upwards of ten gallons of oil so it is costly to change them. I don't see the benefit of switching at this point on a machine that ran 8000 hrs already on 15-40 but when I buy something new I spring the extra for the synthetic.

After I wrote that out it doesn't make much sense because if the 15-40 got my old machines 8000+ hours why do I need something better in the new ones? I probably don't but it makes me feel good. I do notice in my pickup it turns over faster on cold mornings.

Rotella and Delo are both very good choices. I do SOS oil sampling through Toromont Cat's labs and those two oils always tested out the best in my big trucks and Powerstroke.

 

[JRobyn]

I've used Rotella T6 5-40w full synthetic in my L4330 since its first change. Got about 450 hours now. Engine seems to really like it, no matter if it's cold or hot. From the Shell website:

IMPROVED HIGH/LOW TEMPERATURE PROTECTION

Shell Rotella® T6 provides extra protection against breakdown by heat and offers up to 70% better oxidation resistance, compared to conventional Shell Rotella® T3 15W-40 API CJ-4 oil. Shell Rotella® T6 5W-40 provides excellent low-temperature flow, even at -30ºF. MAINTENANCE SAVINGS

At lower temperatures, using Shell Rotella® T6 5W-40 can help your engine start more easily than using a 15W-40 viscosity- grade product.

Shell Rotella® T6 5W-40 can help protect the durability of the starter and battery in harsh winter climates.

Shell Rotella® T6 5W-40 provides unsurpassed protection against shear-stability degradation, compared to the leading competitive API CJ-4 5W-40 products. An extremely shear-stable product helps maintain consistent viscosity and oil pressure in the engine.

- Jay

 

[oldpilgrim]

I went to TSC today and noticed there was only one 1 gallon jug of T6 on the shelf. No qts or 2 gals. The clerk says they can't keep up with the demand.

 

[jaydee325]

The first number of a motor oil is the oils WINTER rating, it is not an abbreviation for "weight" and it relates specifically to the oils cold-flow properties and measured resistance at a specified temperature and into sub-zero ranges. Winter scale specs can go into more detail than a standard SAE test @ 0C.

A 5w40 offers superior cold-flow properties compared to a 15w40, but at operating temperature both oils provide the same viscosity and will protect the same AT TEMPERATURE if they have the same additive pack (same brand oil). The colder it is outside the slower your oil is going to pump.

Anyone who has started a vehicle in cold temperatures have experienced a slow start and have probably heard someone say the oil is "almost like honey". That means it is more viscous.

5w40 is more viscous below freezing, the winter rating is specifically relating to cold flow characteristics. This means a 5w40 flows like 5 weight oil would flow if it were chilled to 0C. It is "40 weight" at 100C. It does not mean it is a "5 weight" when cold. Many are confused about this.

Synthetics change the game and you can get away with running a heavier winter number. The improved flow characteristics of synthetic allow the oil to be run year round.

 

[GManBart]

I am thinking of using Shell Rotella Diesel engine oil.

My Kubota manual calls for 10w-30 engine oil.

I see the Rotella T6 Diesel oil in a 5w-40.

Can I use the 5w-40 in place of the 10w-30 oil/what is the difference?

I live in CT, so I operate in all 4 seasons, including cold winters.

I just looked at a Kubota B7800 manual, and it lists a range of temperatures and shows that both 10w30 and 10w40 are acceptable in all of them. Substituting a 5w40 won't hurt anything because the only difference is that it will flow better at low temperatures (a good thing).

I'm switching all of my newer machines over to T6 in the next month or so...before it gets cold.

 

[DarkBlack]

So much information and misinformation...
I love oil threads

 

[arrow]

The first number of a motor oil is the oils WINTER rating, it is not an abbreviation for "weight" and it relates specifically to the oils cold-flow properties and measured resistance at a specified temperature and into sub-zero ranges. Winter scale specs can go into more detail than a standard SAE test @ 0C.

A 5w40 offers superior cold-flow properties compared to a 15w40, but at operating temperature both oils provide the same viscosity and will protect the same AT TEMPERATURE if they have the same additive pack (same brand oil). The colder it is outside the slower your oil is going to pump.

Anyone who has started a vehicle in cold temperatures have experienced a slow start and have probably heard someone say the oil is "almost like honey". That means it is more viscous.

5w40 is more viscous below freezing, the winter rating is specifically relating to cold flow characteristics. This means a 5w40 flows like 5 weight oil would flow if it were chilled to 0C. It is "40 weight" at 100C. It does not mean it is a "5 weight" when cold. Many are confused about this.

Synthetics change the game and you can get away with running a heavier winter number. The improved flow characteristics of synthetic allow the oil to be run year round.

Not to confuse the issue but 30w or 90w applies to the "weight" of the oil. The "w" in multi viscosity I've heard as both "winter" and "weight".with the implication that it is 5 weight at early flow or that it is a "winter" designation at cold temps. There are some who still believe Husqvarna is owned by Electrolux if I had to be analogous to the subject.

 

[arrow]

So much information and misinformation...
I love oil threads

Which is which?

 

[Sodo]

The ones that say differences between oils are barely detectable is information.
The ones that say differences are significant (in normal engine usage) is misinformation.

Not referring to hot-rodded engines.

Two things are for sure.

1) Clean oil is better than dirty oil.
2) enough oil is better than not enough oil.

 

[TomSeller]

I'm switching all of my newer machines over to T6 in the next month or so...before it gets cold.

Same here. Switching to Rotella T6 from T5

 

[Soundguy]

The ones that say differences between oils are barely detectable is information.
The ones that say differences are significant (in normal engine usage) is misinformation.

I disagree.

There are measurable differences in pour point and flow characteristics between different grade oils.

You should be able to take a sae 30, 15w40 and 5w40 into a lab, and in a blind test, be able to show which oil is which due to pour and flow characteristics and viscosity index.

The differences are quite detectable, quantifiable, and measureable.

 

[TSO]

I'm moving away from Rotella T6 and back to Mobil 1. My PowerStroke doesn't seem to like the T6, as the injector noise is noticeably higher with the Rotella.

I actually just picked up a bunch of Mobil Delvac ESP 5w40 synth... I'm due for an oil change in my Massey, so I'm looking forward to seeing how she likes the Delvac.

 

[GManBart]

I'm moving away from Rotella T6 and back to Mobil 1. My PowerStroke doesn't seem to like the T6, as the injector noise is noticeably higher with the Rotella.

How is it in the Massey?