Featured Technical Good Zinc Oil - Rotella T4

Of course, however, I currently live about 40 miles southeast of St. Louis on the Illinois side and we get these goofy city bugs that I can’t identify. This is like a train wreck and dumpster fire all rolled into one giant Clusterfuck. At work, we call things like this, a Fuck X. A Fuck X is something fucked up times the Roman Numeral X.

 

I've known guys that have run it, I've known farmers that run it in all their vehicles, both gas and diesel because it was easier keeping 1 oil type on the farm vs several.

I was told I couldn't run valvoline 20-50 race oil on the street because it would wash the bearings, too high oil pressure, blow oil filter seals in the winter etc but I ran it for 10 yrs in my 68 firebird as my daily driver. It seen everything from 100° days to 0° days.

Never blew a filter seal, never washed the bearings and oil pressure was only about 6 pds more at 2000rpm (65 to 66 psi) all on a motor that had less than 12,000 miles on it to start with.

I believe there are some oils that are better at doing certain things than others but not using them isn't that detrimental to the engine. Especially when some of these cars see less than 2500 miles a year.....

....

 

I use a bottle of ZDDTplus. Recommended by Delta Cam's

 

What's the best way for positioning a 4 or 5 quart jug of oil in your own bare hands so as to avoid a mess without the aid of a funnel?

 

So glad I run roller cams now.....

 

This stuff has the magical ZDDP in it...works for my junk.

 

There are two things that are being said by me (and others)

1. There is more than one type of ZDDP and how much and what type varies when comparing diesel and gasoline needs.

2. There are a lot of other additives such as detergents and anti-foaming agents included in oils and they also vary when comparing diesel and gasoline needs. Too much or the wrong kind can be detrimental to an engine.

ITS NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.............but it also may not produce noticeable problems immediately, and may work sufficiently that wear or other problems aren't initially problematic. By that I mean an engine may appear to be working fine but the longevity of the engine may be less. In the cam problem situation, there is obviously immediate concern if choosing the wrong oil.

K13, I think if you take the time to read it yourself, you will see that it specifically states that there is more than one type of ZDDP and that there are reasons for using one instead of the other depending on what the engines type and use.
Quote from YOUR post :
A recent study has been conducted to investigate the difference in wear performance between NEUTRAL and BASIC .... ZDDPs in the Sequence VE engine test. The NEUTRAL ZDDP performed better in valve train wear protection than the BASIC ZDDP.

Just reread the paragraph that's above "7 APPLICATIONS" , then read "7 APPLICATIONS" and you will see that it describes the need to use different additives for different engines. That's the other thing I am saying.

Further, the document itself was written prior to 2004. It clearly states on the last page that the new oil regulations are scheduled for implementation in 2004, and they are still studying what they can improve.

Lets address one more thing. The oil companies are apparently saying that people who have both diesel and gas applications CAN use many of these new oils in both without major problems.

Reading between the lines............What they didn't say was that they "recommend" only using one type of oil in both applications. The point as far as I'm concerned is that there are specific blends of oils for specific engines that provide the best results for that engine. It doesn't mean that the other oil won't work at all, it will in many cases.

Since you are a specialist in "Paint", has the paint manufacturing industry made any significant changes in the last 20 years ? Is there one paint thats perfect for all applications?

 

Rotella threads are like discussing liver and onions as a meal. Some love it, some hate it. A few on either end have actually tried it and can articulate why they feel the way they do. The majority don't really know why they love or hate it, they just heard something somewhere at some time. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. If fixed or used properly, both are good. If you don't pay attention to what you're doing, they both can be pretty bad. And yes, I've tried it and liked it and will try it again.

 

This is strictly to make people cry.....I buy the cheapest oil at walmart on put it in all my old cars with flat tappets, no additives, no idea on the zinc content of it. I put miles on my cars.

 

Same here.

I’ve put a zillion miles on cheap oil in old beaters.

Don’t even remember using assembly lube building engines back in the day. Motor oil and a touch of STP sometimes

 

You can believe what ever you want. I will believe the long standing member here who does this everyday for a living and has ZERO ulterior motive to provide us with misleading information (in fact he actually has the exact opposite motivation) over an article that clearly has advertising influences. To each his own.

 

Lane, I’ve used Walmart brand oil in my 3 year old Silverado with the Turbomax engine. I see nothing wrong with Super Tech oil. If I didn’t get 15w-40 from work for such a good price, I’d use Super Tech oil in everything around here.

 

Shell Rotella® Multi-Vehicle 5W-30, also known as Rotella T6 MV 5W-30, is an oil that performs well in both diesel and gasoline engines. It uses fully synthetic base oils and advanced additive technology to provide protection against wear, deposits, and oil breakdown. The T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30 is suitable for use in all on or off highway engines requiring an API CK-4, CJ-4, CI-4 Plus, CI-4 or CH-4 diesel oil, and gasoline engines requiring an API SN quality oil in this viscosity grade. It has around 1200 PPM of Zinc in it.
Shell Global+4

Then there is stuff that is said to work on every thing . Its the factory required oil in Yale fork lifts that run a Yanmar LP or gas engine .
its as much as the racing oil so I don't bother except I get it free sometimes and use it in my modern cars

 

ZDDP Content Chart - High Zinc Oil List - Brand Breakdown (speedwaymotors.com)
Sort of interesting to someone maybe

 

I don't really understand why some people believe that the oil companies are making this stuff up. People have to purchase oil from them, so why should they care whether someone purchases a diesel specific oil or one that they created to fit a gasoline engine ? Either way we all have to purchase oil from the same sources. I could understand some skepticism if it was some small company that was trying to tell the world that their new formulation was superior to all the established multi billion dollar oil companies, but this is the established multi-billion dollar companies saying they have a better product.
Makes no sense for them to lie to the public, and if the product didn't perform well as advertised, there would be claims of failure all over the internet.

So, like you said, I will believe what seems logical to me and you can believe what seems logical to you.

It's kinda like when people didn't want to give up their HPHV suction feed spray guns in favor of HVLP Gravity fed spray guns.

 

Amsoil says I can as long as I own both dirsel and gas powered stuff
If it meets specs for both.

A breakdown for Lucas hot rod oil found on the internets. We all know it’s fact then


looks kinda more like break in oil

according to the experts this would be worse than diesel oil if these numbers are correct

I’d like to see a breakdown for some vintage 30 weight.

 

ZDDP Content Chart - High Zinc Oil List - Brand Breakdown (speedwaymotors.com)[/QUOTE]

One of the things that has been mentioned is that the Conventional Shell Rotella oil is preferred because it has higher levels of ZDDP in it. If you look at the chart above, and compare the ZDDP level in the

Shell Rotella Diesel Oil, its 1450 ppm conventional oil

Royal Purple Break In Oil 1150 ppm conventional oil
Lucas Hot Rod Classic Oil 2100 ppm conventional oil
Comp Cams Break In Oil 2660 ppm conventional oil
Champion Break In Oil 2700 ppm conventional oil
Lucas Break In Oil 3630 ppm conventional oil

This is what the chart says the manufacturers specs are . It seems logical that without getting distracted by ZDDP types or additive types, if someone only wants to hang their hat on ZDDP ppm, this might be interesting . You can see that most of the break in specific oils have quite a bit more ZDDP in them. The Lucas HR Classic oil also contains more (2100ppm) than the Shell Rotella (1450 ppm).

BUT..........my personal belief is that the the amount/level of other additives are also important. It's pretty obvious that even the experts at different oil companies have different opinions on what and how much of any ingredients provide best results. Maybe they wish to place their emphasis on different areas of an engines break in process..........rings more important than bearings or vice versa, spring pressures and cam/lifter wear rather than rings and bearings......or maybe the best compromise to provide suitable lubrication to all areas. I feel they must have tested and made a decision on where they thought the emphasis should be and adjusted the oil mixture to reflect that. So even the oil companies differ on what ingredients and quanities work.......but one obvious trend you see in the list above is that during initial break in most tend to elevate ZDDP levels even higher than Rotella diesel oil.

 

Yes. Oil is good

well, maybe not this one


if detergents are killing old gas engines the Lucas classic fans should be upset

you can dig up oils not labeled as “diesel” that have detergent levels similar/higher than Rotella.

 

Wide side horizontal, with the end of the handle that is farthest from the spout slightly elevated, for return air flow.

 

https://pqia.org/lucas-hot-rod-classic-sae-10w-40-motor-oil/

https://pqia.org/champion-classic-muscle-sae-10w30-synthetic-blend-motor-oil/

Maybe diesel guys should run these

 

I get a chuckle of guys using 50 weight racing oil in there 90HP Flatheads because 'ZDDP!'
Save your money and aggro, M1 FS 0W-40 'european car' oil is available just about anywhere and will most likely cover all your concerns for cheaper.

What is this, 5th grade?
Kinda weird to be talking smack about a fella who has been around more engines/gear train/vehicles/drivers than you probably even knew existed.

Engineers get to be a bit quirky, normal people don't advance our quality of fun.
A course on statics, alone, will do that to ya.

One of my best friends has, over the years, gone from Mark Donohue to Jim Cornette, engineers shouldn't directly deal with customers

 

Hayseed tobacco spittin logic sez we all run old ass engines. They have shitty crankcase ventilation, their sloppy low compression innards tend to allow more oil into the combustion process, they're all pretty much glorified farm implements. Ok a little better,more parts too. If our pages were dedicated to modern shit like Coyote Ford and GM LS we would never yack about this. Those fuckers can make power on a thimble of gasoline and our shit needs a full squirt from the oil can! "So what's the point Jocko?" The point is our shit is a sloppy mess that leaves a lot behind. So to get off the business route and back on the freeway the choice for diesel oil can make sense. Somebody said phospho content disqualified the use of diesel oil, yet even in the listings shown the phosphorus is WAY higher in some of those specialty oils than in diesel formulas. And if diesel oil is good for managing soot and other combustion byproducts not found in modern engines, why is it now a bad thing for the sloppy, sooty, stanky, AND compromised engineering of our beloved old shit?

"Too much detergent!" as if yer gonna see soap suds on the dipstick? Detergents in oils is a generic term for the additive package that helps manage the messy leftovers. Is there better? Sure, maybe. I'd rather run race oil in a fire breathing 12:1 big block Chevy or even a restored CJ FE. Surely in anything vintage HEMI, solid lifter nervous RPM small blocks, etc. Show of hands, who here is running a DOHC 10,000 RPM race engine in their Deuce hiboy? Anyone? Wait, I might see 1 hand way in the back but I think he's an engineer so no worries. He's covered.

Ok, 1 more show of hands. Did y'all get the point I was trying to make? Humming along at 2500 RPM down the freeway in slightly warmed up flatty, I think the little twit texting in the next lane is a way bigger problem than the microscopic ingredients of the bio sludge we pump from the ground to lube the said glorified farm implement under your right foot. High zoot modern engines need not apply. Yer fine, and it's your turn to bring donuts.

 

This entire thread falls under the phrase , " much ado about nothing" ...

 

I just bought couple 5 gal jugs Valvoline ZR1 20-50 at Wallymart off da shelf

.

 

Ask Fryburger..... cept he always pours it all over the valvecover, intake, header, and lets it puddle on the floor

 

When I was researching Schaefer oil before using it in my car I came across info on multiple oil. Rotella oil used to have high zinc but as a result of stricter diesel engine emissions regulations they dropped the zinc level....a lot. Now it's not much higher than regular white bottle Castrol GTX

 

I can't believe how often this Rotella topic gets brought up again!

 

I know, right? I think those who bring it up are hungry and confused

 

Great Post Anthony..............A recognized independent oil tester (Blackstone) says that the conventional oil identified as Lucas HOT ROD OIL "should work well for it's intended purpose" and provides the actual report to substantiate the basis for their recommendation. A lot of people always resist change, but they should also be open minded and listen to new ideas rather than reject them . I think anyone over fifty has probably used some type of oil that they had on hand but was made for the specific purpose we needed some for. I've got jugs of oil that are left overs from different things and use them as needed with no problems.

My son called the other night and we were talking about the newer Chevy V8 engines. (Moderators, please give me a little latitude here). Anyway as reliable as the original versions of this new engine are, apparently the newest versions are having some real problems . This is not the problem caused by the DOD crap which is bad enough, but actual engine seizures. Apparently GM has issued a recall on 600,000 of them. One of the issues suspected by GM is that they recommended the wrong viscosity of oil........... OW-20 and are now going to a thicker viscosity.

Now the above info is hearsay and I have not verified it. If true, it does kind of highlight that choosing the wrong oil can eventually lead to problems.