Featured Technical Good Zinc Oil - Rotella T4

Anyone running the Rotells T4 for their older flat tappet motors? I believe it has enough zinc, but asking for other input.

 

Use VR1 or Brad Penn or some other oil made for gasoline engines that has zinc.

 

Define older

Ben

 

1964 SBC 283.

 

(3 pack) Valvoline VR1 Racing 10W-30 Motor Oil 5 QT - Walmart.com

$5.39 a quart at Walmart on the shelf is what I use.

 

I know lots of guys running Rotella in flat tappet cam hot rods. Its good oil, no issues. The owner of the shop I work at even runs it in his older ford explorer, and now it does not burn near as much oil.

 

I use it in my flathead. Some oil changes I even throw in a bit of that zinc additive, even though some guys say it’s not necessary after the engine is broken in.

 

Oh no
Oil thread


( I use it. So far so good)
Whisper mode.

 

Delo is better

 

I run Kirkland synthetic 5w30 and a bottle of hyperlube zinc additive in my y block.

 

I always recommend using oil




Oil is good

 

> >Rotella T4 > > believe it has enough zinc, but asking for other input.

I believe calamine lotion has even more zinc.

 

Why are you asking this? Rotella is formulated for diesel engines, not car engines. By coincidence, it may have adequate zinc, but what about all of the other ingredients? They may be included in the formulation in a way that is harmful to spark ignition engines. As to zinc, do you have any idea of the zinc content of the current version of Rotella that is now on the dealers shelves? You should at least check the API rating on the container and find out the zinc content of what you are actually buying, certainly not what someone told you 6 years ago. If diesel oil is anything like regular automotive oil, zinc content has been greatly reduced over the last few years.

And to those of you who are complaining about "another oil thread" it will probably continue for as long as some stubborn people insist on using the wrong oil in their cars.

 

It very well may be; I wouldn't know. However, your statement is meaningless as neither is suited for automotive use. You should not be using it in your Hot Rod as there better choices in the vast array car oil available. If your hot rod has a Cummins turbo diesel, you can disregard this advice.

 

This was brought up in the last week or so. Please use the search feature/google.

 

Question - If you use diesel oil in your crank case do need to use diesel fuel in your tank? Just kidding.
Why use diesel oil in a flat tappet cam engine when there is oil made specifically for these engines? I don’t understand.
Dan

 

Like my father in law used to say, “ any oil is better than no oil.”

ps... I run it in one of mine.

 

I’m out. Ugh!!!!

 

You’ll be back

 

Diesel oil will damage spark plugs


That’s why it’s designed for diesels

I ran gas oil in my diesel tractor and spun a glow plug

 

I've been using Castol Classic in my flat tappet SBC for awhile. I like it.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...e-classics-castrol-gtx-classic-20w-50.339113/

 

You’d have to be “CRAZY “, to run that stuff in your engine!

 

This seems kinda timely. Just read this the other day.

https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-t...l-actually-worse-for-your-performance-engine/

I just use VR1 racing oil. Has all you need.

 

61 283 came out of 72000 mile car, been running it for the last 4 years.

 

Lucas Hot Rod…..everything needed for our flat tappet engines. If you don’t drive much 1000 miles a year …change any oil you use every year!

 

Rotella has a cool name, like a pasta or some type of tasty cheese.
It’s also easier to find and cheaper than hotrod or racing oil.

I’ve personally never seen a confirmed case of damage to a gasoline engine that can be attributed to using diesel oil.
Often we hear stories like “my used engine that I don’t know the history of threw a rod shortly after I started using diesel oil” or “the engine in my hotrod was knocking and diesel oil didn’t make it better”.
These prove nothing against diesel oil.

however there are many people that have used diesel oil in gasoline engines with no problems reported.

The only advice I will follow is from my engine builder. If it’s a used engine or a used car either use the factory recommended oil or take your chances.

 

How much lift and valve spring pressure you have determines how much additive you need.

My 250 has a stock cam with stock valve springs so it gets standard 10w30 synthetic , been that way for 24 years now.

 

Yet another link to the diesel oil conspiracy theory being peddled by that funny-looking funny-talking nerd again. Gotta be sorta weird yourself to believe a guy who thinks, talks & looks like him. Doncha think?

 

I’m no scientist but years of my independent testing has concluded that oil is good