Technical Who runs Shell Rotella

And, just to show that I didn't just pull all of that out of my rear end, here is a brief description on detergents in engine oils: https://www.bcl.co.za/news/detergent-dispersant-additives-oilchat36-2/

And here's discussion on the lubrication regime of piston rings: http://www.ijmerr.com/uploadfile/2017/0427/20170427065120679.pdf

And I don't mean to discourage the discussion, please keep it coming. We all can benefit from learning about this stuff.

 

I can only comment on my experience. Delo 15/40 for over 300k in one DD and over 80k on the other. No issues. I just started using it because I had cases of the stuff and I’ve never stopped. Most important thing to remember is to change the damn oil.

 

Better to change it early and often, oil is cheap! compared to a rebuild of anything, engine, differential, trans. I have 2 trucks , 1 over and one near 400 k, always change oils before or at manufacturers recommend interval and no issues, dropped the pan on the ranger just to have a look and nearly spotless inside, use what’s recommended and do it on schedule, it works.

 

https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28576/comparing-gasoline-diesel-engine-oils-

 

Thanks for the link. The author is Jeremy Wright. So this is what he wrote:

"Diesel engine oil has more additives per volume. The most prevalent are overbase detergent additives. This additive has several jobs, but the main ones are to neutralize acids and clean. Diesel engines create a great deal more soot and combustion byproducts. Through blow-by, these find their way into the crankcase, forcing the oil to deal with them.

When you put this extra additive load in a gasoline engine, the effects can be devastating to performance. The detergent will work as it is designed and try to clean the cylinder walls. This can have an adverse effect on the seal between the rings and liner, resulting in lost compression and efficiency."

He's correct about diesel engine oils containing higher levels of detergents, and diesel engines do create a lot more soot than gasoline engines, some worse than others, but dispersants are more important to handle soot than detergents. Dispersants surround soot particles and keep them suspended in the oil; more importantly they prevent the individual soot particles (which are sub-micron in size) from agglomerating and forming larger particles which can cause the oil to thicken and can plug oil filters. So, he gets some things right and some things not so much. But that comment about the detergents having an adverse effect on gasoline engines, I call ********. He's flat out wrong on that. I think he's repeating some urban legend he's heard somewhere along the line. As I posted earlier, if that were true it would also affect diesel engines, right? How does cleaning of the cylinder walls reduce compression? Does he think lacquer deposits on the cylinder walls helps to seal the rings to the cylinder? Yeah, that makes no sense.

But let's take a step back, you wrote: "washes the lubrication film off of the cylinders promoting faster wear. " Jeremy wrote: "The detergent will work as it is designed and try to clean the cylinder walls. This can have an adverse effect on the seal between the rings and liner, resulting in lost compression and efficiency." Not quite the same thing, eh? He said it will cause a loss of "compression and efficiency", you said "faster wear". Two very different conditions. And he didn't say the detergents wash the oil film off the cylinder walls, which would be impossible, the detergents are solubolized in the oil film itself, they can't wash the film off the wall.

I think Jeremy has done a big diservice with his article, if he is refering to some factual findings from some SAE paper or other reference he should've noted it so we could fact check him. Basically, he's wrong, and I think maybe you mis-interpreted what he wrote; which I don't mean to criticize you, I ***ume you aren't in the business, just pointing out that what was in the article doesn't say what you think it does. But thanks for posting the link, that was good and it brought up what I hope is a good discussion. I am going to write to Noria and call out the problems with that article.

 

BLUES4U, I thought the same. Thank you.

Ben

 

I use Traveller brand Tractor Supply oil in fresh older engines. I like the additive package as it relates to our old junk. Almost all oils are listed somewhere in the PIA or other petroleum industry fact pages. I thank @Blues4U for that. Scare alert, you'd surprised how well "cheap Walmart" oil stacks up. Whomever is refining it for them it's actually a good product. Traveller is sometimes almost 1/2 the price of Rotella and again I like the additive package insofar as I can understand it. I've learned that ZDDP only is not the end-all do-all in oils.

Want another scare alert? All you fellow motorheads who run cars in really hot weather might like to think about higher viscosities. I had a Packard 9 main 356 in a 47 Super Clipper. It had miles on it. It ran about 185-190 in the heat of summer and the oil pressure would drop at red lights. Not to a scary level but on some really hot days and after an expressway exit some of the hydraulic lifters would tick a little. That ain't Packard. The previous owner ran Valvoline 10W30. I put Walmart SuperTech 20W50 in it. Yeah, I said it, I did. The issues went away. The car ran better. The car didn't use oil. The pressure only dropped from 45 to 25 instead of hovering around 10. The engine was never apart and had 80K miles on it. Did I **** it up or give it what it needed? And yes I looked it up for additives and it was a good choice. Now, about those Pertronic gigs...

 

I ran it in my Pete, in my 51 Olds and my '56 Fairlane and am happy with it.

 

I've run the Tractor Supply 30W diesel oil, it is a good winter oil down here.

Recently though I changed to Rotella T4 and the only thing I noticed is the detergent must be much more efficient because the oil has turned back much more quickly and more gets past the valve stems. I don't mind that, means at least the valves are getting well lubricated.

Re the Mason-Dixon comment, I guess putting this in my Chieftain makes it Injun Earl?

 

I use 15w-40 Rotella in my tractor. Glad this thread came up, as I need to pick some up for an oil change soon.

 

I personally believe if you can reduce pig fat down to an oil viscosity,
change it regularly it will work work.
Might be a little stiff when cold
but seriously
I run T5 in my model A banger, V8 flatty, and 312 Yblock
Change it regularly - key