Rotella Synthetic Oil --- Bad?

[Dargo]

I wouldn't call Rotella bad by any real measure. However, after seeing 4 different lab tests on it, I would call it a decent oil in the cheap price category. If you qualify it with "for the price", I'd say it is a good oil. Otherwise, there certainly are much better choices but they will not be as cheap.

 

[marco246]

I have a JD 4610 with Yanmar engine and I'm running Shell Rotella T synthetic 5W-40 in it. Only 275 hours on the engine, and the last 75 of that is with the Rotella. No oil leaks, and the operating temp of the engine is the same as with the previous oil, the JD SAE 30 gifted me by the dealer. Oil usage seems about the same, too; maybe about a half-pint down at this point. I expect to do another 125 hours on this oil and then have it analyzed. My only concern is whether using high-sulfur diesel will affect the oil's lubricity over a 200 hour period. We'll see.

 

[Lockport]

Synthetic can 'dissapear', as the stipulations it causes leaking will testify, because it is finer and obviously flows through smaller gaps than dino. Especially if your air cleaner is dirty and the engine is having trouble obtaining a sufficient air intake. This state can draw synthetic right past the piston rings and burn it off.

As for the heat, different schools of thought subscribe to different beliefs in a sufficient break in period for switching to synthetic. Unlike a high end AMG or Prosche that is built to tolerences where it is factory filled with synthtic, our tractors are constructed under different standards. Perhaps the excessive heat has something to do with it not yet sufficiently broken in to switch over, yet. Just guessing as I am a true believer in sythetic and have never experienced anything like that.

 

[Desertdweller]

I can not say much for tractors but every single vehicle (cars & trucks) I have switched over to synthetic including my own vehicles run cooler. I switched everything on my car, tranny, diff, engine even p/s over to synthetic.
On the same note Donaldson filters are the best on the market right now.

 

[NewToy]

How long should you use conventional oil to breeak in the engine? Is it considered taboo to run synthetic from day one? Will the engine ever break in properly? I switched over at around 50 hours to Rotella Syn and haven't encountered any unusual oil comsumption or temperature fluctuations.

John

 

[3RRL]

New Toy,
I wondered the same thing.

Go to this link to see what has been discussed regarding the topic. Very interesting and informative. Several things I did not know that opened my eyes.

http://ctocf.proboards54.com/index.cgi?board=preferredoil&action=display&thread=1146544522

I changed mine out to synthetic after 65 hours and have had nothing but a great running tractor (now approaching 200 hours). After having much concern whether doing the right thing, after reading more I'm glad I did.

 

[john_bud]

Unlike a high end AMG or Prosche that is built to tolerences where it is factory filled with synthtic, our tractors are constructed under different standards.

Oh REALLY???

!!!WARNING WARNING WARNING!!!

;Engaging Rant Mode augmented by Soap Box Mode;

How many brand new unrun Kubota, Porsche, AMG or M-Benz engines have you torn down and measured tolerances on? Don't take this the wrong way, but I doubt that you have a gauge accurate enough, nor a sample size great enough to make that statement. If you tore down 100 engines fresh from the factory from each MFG all made on different shifts/days/weeks across a 2-4 month period and you have a gage able to repeatably detect one micron dimensional differences, then possibly you would be able to report statistically valid tolerance differences. I doubt that the Kubota engines would be the worst of the group. In fact, I suspect that the Kubota engines would be near or at the top of the list, given that the engines are expected to last for 10,000 hours all operated at or near peak output. The other engines are also expected to operate for 10,000 hours, but at 15% or less of rated output. (A 400 hp Porche needs less than 40 hp at 65 mph). How long would you expect an automobile engine to last if EVERY time it was used the throttle was at 85-90% and held it there for hour after hour?

;Disengaging Rant Mode, Powering down Soap Box Augmentation;

TWEEEEET! (Sounding the ALL CLEAR!!)

Oops! looks like there was some fall out from all those 6 sigma classes ...and this is a personal Hot Button. No offense intended!!


jb