Help - I'm an oil idiot.

[NewToy]

I'm using the Rotella 5w-40 as well. I tried a 15w-40 once when changing the oil in the winter. It was below 10*F outside (I used my heater in the barn) and the oil poured like cold molasses. It didn't impress me as being good lubrication on cold winter starts.

I had a similar experience with the 15-40 doing a cold weather oil change. I was really surprised at how thick that stuff got. That was enough for me to opt for the synthetic stuff.

John

 

[dmccarty]

Dan, even though the Group III semi-synthetic 5W-40Shell Rotella T has a relatively low TBN, it still is a moderately decent oil for diesel service as long as it is changed out routinely prior to the TBN getting lower than 5, the soot level getting over 1%, or the oxidation-nitration getting too high.

My UOA shows the insoluables at .2% and the lab said it should be under .8%. .8% and 1% are close enough.

Since I have never seen the TBN below 10 and the insoluables have always been good it really is a waste to change the oil at 7,500 or 8,500 miles. I'm NOT trying to do extended oil drains but I use the 5w40 so I don't have to worry about changing at 5,000 miles. I get to it when I get to it. Now the flip side is why throw away the oil when it still has quite a bit of use left? But I do it anyway.

For ME the 5w40 is worth the added cost since the truck does start better when it gets colder, I saw a slight increase in mpg, AND I don't panic if the oil has over 5,000 miles on it and its not changed.

Why spend even more dollars for oil and then throw it out before its time? I'm already doing that with the 5w40....

Later,
Dan

 

[RalphVa]

I use 5w30 Mobil 1 in my tractor and most all my engines except the Benz. It calls for 40w when hot. Last change before this one was with 5w40 Mobil 1 "SUV" oil. This change, I used 5w40 Rotella simply because it was available at a lower cost; whereas, the 5w40 Mobil 1 wasn't available.

Got the Rotella at Walmart.

Get the lowest initial number oil you can get without paying an arm and a leg for it, e.g. 0w40 is better than 5w40 is better than 10w40 in synthetic. In dino oils, if you go with a wide ratio oil, you'll get a lot of additives in it that tend to break down over time. Not so with synthetics. Even a 0w40 will be heavier at startup in the summer time than at operating temperature.

Most wear occurs on startup. The lower initial weight oil will be picked up much quicker with your oil pump and get it going around quicker.

Ralph

 

[Marcussen]

I agree with RalphVa that in a synthetic the lower the W number is the better the oil will flow a start up. I would not go over a 20 point spread on a mineral (dino) oil due to the amount of additives needed. I have not seen any lower the 5w in the 40 weight oils. a 5w-40 oil should pour and lube at very low temperatures.

 

[TrippleT]

"I wouldn't. However, after spending some time at the public library I would certainly say that I trust information gathered from labs, chemistry books, and lab test results much more than claims made by any particular seller of petro products."

Dargo, would you mind listing the names and publishers of these books? I doubt that the small library here would have them. But, they can get books from other libraries. Do you accept the ratings of the API? I would hate to think that I would have to become a petroleum engineer before I could change the oil in my tractor. I think that the tractor manual, as a rule, covers what the maker requires in their equipment, and usually give and API rating. Of course they recommend their own brand, of which most do not make at all. I am not so naive as to think that oil companies don't present their products as the best. I guess this could go on infinitum. LOL

 

[Dargo]

Dargo, would you mind listing the names and publishers of these books? I doubt that the small library here would have them. But, they can get books from other libraries.

That I can do when I get back from this trip. I think I have notes as to the books I'd checked out. Since I an not trying to "sell" anyone on any brand or type of oil, I won't recommend a brand. However, I have spent quite a bit of my hard earned money on a couple hundred thousand dollars of vehicles and powered equipment and I'm darn sure not going to take a chance by trying to be cheap and save a buck on buying cheap oil. Believe it or not, not all oil is the same.

Some people want to get cheap on their oil. That's their choice; they paid for their equipment and can do what they feel best for them. Some cannot understand that most everyone at some time will stress their engine and, therefore, oil with a tractor and when towing heavy. It's only the very naive and the fool who think that you only stress your oil if you run at full throttle at all times under a load. The short bursts or hot EGT achieved pulling a trailer up a long grade at speed that can cause the lower quality oils to break down. That break down is the beginning of sludge. It's kind of like a heart attack. Most people who have heart attacks have built up issues over time, not any single quick problem that caused them to have the heart attack, and possibly die. I'm more interested in making sure that I'm covered at those few times I'm demanding my tractor/truck etc. to deliver all it can that I need the appropriate protection.

 

[Soundguy]

Wow.. big thread.. 'bout the only thing i would add is that I'd not use a spark rated oil in a compression engine.. past that.. it's just arguing over oil life.. right?

Soundguy

 

[N80]

Wow.. big thread.. 'bout the only thing i would add is that I'd not use a spark rated oil in a compression engine.. past that.. it's just arguing over oil life.. right?

Soundguy

Heck, I don't know and all I wanted to know when I started the thread was if it was okay to use 15w-40 in my tractor vs the 10w-40 recommended by the manual. I only mentioned it was Rotella because that is all I could find at the time and that my B-I-L uses it.

I remember a story my aunt told me about my cousin when he was a child. He came to her with a scientific type question of some sort and she asked him why he didn't ask his dad who was a very particular engineer type. My cousin replied "because I don't need to know _that_ much about it."

Out of my ignorance I'll assume this 15w-40 isn't going to kill my little tractor if I change it at the proper interval.

My B-I-L recommended getting the cheapest Rotella I could find at Walmart. Everything he has ever taught or told me about tractors might be utter BS, but he has more old tractors than I can count at any given time and the majority of them get used on a daily basis and they run just fine and have for many many years. And he uses the cheapest Rotella he can find. All the text books might be intersting and cerebral but you can't argue with success. So, as fools will, I'll make another asumption out of my ignorance: If I use any decent diesel spec oil at or near the weight and viscocity recommended by the manual I should be able to expect my tractor engine to last as long as his. Is that totally wacko?

 

[Soundguy]

I use a diesel spec oil, for instance napa fleet or valvolene fleet. They are the latest spec. I change them at or before recomended intervals.. I pretty much don't worry about it past that. They are not the cheapest, and by far not the most expensive.

Soundguy

 

[HOGAN]

George,

You'll be fine with the Rotella. Don,t forget to clean that air filter and keep breather fittings checked and tight. I,ve seen far, far more engines die from dirty air than wrong choice of oil.

J.M.H.
-----------27 years of 40wt. Chevron Delo 400 use---- still going!!