Rotella question??

Typhoon · Jul 24, 2003

I have a NH TC29D, and was wondering if Rotella products would be ok to use in it?? Im talking about engine oil, hydraulic fluid, and coolant. I have always heard great things about rotella, and my local NAPA store carries their products. I know the manual suggests New Holland lubricants.. But it would be much easier if I could use the Rotella products. Thanks for any input...
-Brad

5030 · Jul 24, 2003

"Rotella" is Shell oil's name for a motor oil. Other Shell lubricants have other names like Rimula, Donax, Spirax, etc.

I have used 15-40 Rotella T in just about everything from Diesel tractors to my Honda powered trash pump.

I also use Spirax 85-140 GL5 gear oil and Tellus e.p spindle lubricant in my machine tools.

Recently, I switched on the recommendation of a ASC certified mechanic friend of mine to Delo 1200 15-40. He told me that the Delo causes less varnish in a diesel internally than Rotella. It's also a little cheaper here in Michigan. As far as oils go, regular changes and filters along with using the proper API certified oil to match the engine manufactures specifications will keep you out of trouble.

OkeeDon · Jul 24, 2003

When I had my 50 hour service done, the service manager at my New Holland dealer asked if I would be changing the oil in the future. When I said "yes", he said he had used Rotella for the 50 hour change, and strongly recommended Rotella for my changes. I used the Rotella 5W-40 Synthetic at the 150 hour change, and plan to stay with it.

By the way, coming up on 4 months of ownership (in about 4 days); will pass 200 hours by then.

Henro · Jul 24, 2003

Don,

Just to make me feel better...or worse...does your hour meter clock actual operating hours or is it tachometer hours?

My Kubota clocks tachometer hours...so I only get one operating hour for each hour that I run at full rear PTO rpm. That means to get one hour clocked for each actual hour of operation I need to have the engine running at about 2600 rpm.

Normally I run 2,000 to 2,200 max. Often less. So with a lot of use over the last year I only have about 210 hours on the hour meter...while actual hours of use in human time was much more...

You are sure making me feel like a tractor wimp! Tell me it's not true! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

OkeeDon · Jul 24, 2003

From the NH manual: "Proof Meter - records the hours and portions of hours your tractor has been operated based on an average engine speed of 1833 RPM. Engine speeds below 1833 RPM accumulate eninge hours at a slower rate than clock hours. Engine speeds above 1833 RPM accumulate engine hours faster than clock hours."

I tend to run most of the time around 1800 RPM, so the hour meter should be fairly close. Since we're still developing the property, we don't do much mowing, which is around 2400 RPM or so to get 540 PTO RPM on the TC18. I do boost the RPM's when I need some extra "oomph". Just today, I was stretching about 400' of pasture fence, and kicking it up to about 2600 let me pull it another 6" or so - then quick on the brake - that fence is really tight! I don't run very often below 1800, so the hour meter is probably running a little "fast" - my guess is about 10% - so my clock hours are probably around 180. That's only about 45/month, or a little more than 11/week. That's not so much. It gets used for something almost every day. If you count the hours it was useful, like today, sitting still and holding the fence tight for several hours while we stapled it all, the time would be much higher.

Henro · Jul 24, 2003

Don,

That is REALLY interesting!

This is the first mention that I have ever seen of an hour meter clocking operating hours faster than real time hours!

OkeeDon · Jul 25, 2003

Bill, it makes sense, if you think about it - the NH manual recommends an average working RPM of 1800 or so. If you run it slower, you're not working it as hard. If you run it faster, you're working it harder, so the proof meter should run up the hours faster, so you get it serviced sooner, due to the harder use.

soarkrebel · Jul 25, 2003

I run chevron delo 10w-30 in my engine. and mystik jt-7 in the frt end.
i do use kubota UDT for transmission.

i am probably going to go to rotella 15w-40 after the next oil change just because it's easier to find.

frank_f15 · Jul 25, 2003

never heard of that also? mine goes by pto speed, at pto speed it is pretty accurate but below that it clocks slower.

Henro · Jul 25, 2003

<font color="blue"> Bill, it makes sense, if you think about it </font>

Don and all,

By the NH definition that you gave it certainly makes sense.

But I am not sure if it does in the world of tractors that I preceive...then again I've never been accused of living totally in the reality that most other's live in... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

To this point I had only heard of hour meters keeping accurate real time, or running slower if engine rpm was less than what was needed to drive the rear pto at 540 rpm. At first THAT was strange to me, but it started to make sense and I accepted it as reasonable...

Now why you would want to accelerate hours on a tractor that was running an implement at design speed...well, that one is going to take more time than the first one did to seem reasonable in my mind!

slowrev · Jul 25, 2003

Henro,
Could this be explained by the higher reving engine wearing out sooner. Older tractor engines ran about 1800-2000 RPM for PTO speed. The newer engines on CUT's run more RPM's to achieve PTO speed. It would seem that the hours numbers are being tinkered with to make the engine seem to last more hours than it really does. Just a thought....

BillyP · Jul 25, 2003

This is just my opinion. I think an hour meter should register and hour in an hour, regardless of RPMs.

Which would be worse, 100 hours of idling or 100 hours of running at PTO speed? I know you're not going to idle for 100 hours. I just used that scenario to make my point.

As I said, this is just my opinion. It's not worth anything but hey, it's free /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hambone · Jul 25, 2003

I work on a fleet of heavy trucks and tach hours are clock hours.
We use Exxon(Mobil) XD-3 Extra 15w40 in all of our trucks and off road equipment from compactors to dozers. We oil sample at every service of 250 hours. The samples always come back good as far as the oil is concerned. Might be a good idea to get an oil sample on occasion. I pay $7.50 per sample, but buy in bulk. I would say you could expect to pay $12-13 for a single sample. That would tell you if the oil you are using is getting the job done. We did use Amoco several years ago, the Exxon is lots better by comparison.
The off road equipment, Cat, Deere, Komatsu, all run clock hours. They are all construction equipment and not ag, so there might be a difference there.

Mrwurm · Jul 25, 2003

I just bought some Rotella 15W40 for my tractor. Funny thing, its the only diesel oil I can find around here (other than the dealer).

fivestring · Jul 25, 2003

"I have always heard great things about rotella, and my local NAPA store carries their products. I know the manual suggests New Holland lubricants.. But it would be much easier if I could use the Rotella products."

Nothing wrong with Rotella; it's all I've ever used and like you said, it can be found at NAPA, along with TSC, auto parts stores, truck stops, etc.

zuiko · Jul 25, 2003

It would be interesting to see a performance comparison of all the different oils out there. There sure are a lot of them (including different ones made by the same manufactuer) and most of them are pretty close to the same price.

shady1701 · Jul 25, 2003

I posted earlier on performance reporting jd did. It's interesting to note that most OEM's use mobil products. Alot of info came out when the ch-4 was in the PC-9 stage chevron put out a video and did alot of research i use to have a tape and it had extensive testing of products it was amazing the info they got out of otr engines in different countrys and different product specs.

In short my money's on mobil or chevron.. rotella is too weak too many reports and articles i've seen.

cowboydoc · Jul 25, 2003

Shady,

Which reports have reported problems with Rotella? Everything I have ever seen had Rotella ranked right up there at the top.

5030 · Jul 25, 2003

Bill:

The hour meter on my 5030 is electrical. It records actual time. I never heard of a speeding up slowing down hour meter either. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

5030 · Jul 25, 2003

Mrwurm:

If you want Delo, go to a truck stop near you. Speedways, TA's and Pilots all carry it. It should be cheaper in a truck stop or diesel fuel stop than at the auto parts store.

By the way, don't use it in your HARDLEY DAVISON. It's not heavy enough, it will probably run out on the ground!!!!