Shell Rotella T synthetic 5w-40

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double vanos

double vanos

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I got this bit of info off of a diesel truck enthusiast web site; supposedly this quote is from a Shell engineer..

"It is true that ROTELLA T Synthetic is Group III (not PAO) based, but you must keep in mind that not all Group III base oils are created equal. ROTELLA T Synthetic is made with Shell's XHVI base oil, which unlike other Group IIIs does not begin as distilled crude oil, hence of all Group III base oils, XHVI is truly the only one that can legitimately be called "synthetic." XHVI is a wax isomerate, meaning that it is made from the slack wax removed from distilled crude in normal solvent dewaxing. This slack wax is catalytically transformed (isomerized) and hydrofinished into a chemically pure base oil which rivals PAO in virtually every category. There are other "synthetic" oils out there based on Group III, but Shell's is unique in that it uses XHVI base oil. Chevron and Petro-Canada produce Group III base oils that come close to XHVI, but even though these oils are all hydroprocessed and utilize the same type of isomerization technology employed in the making of XHVI, they are not the same thing. Only XHVI is made from pure petroleum slack wax and its CAS number is 92026-09-4. The CAS number for the more typical all-hydroprocessed Group III base oils is 64742-54-7. If you want to know what your "synthetic" oil is made from, take a look at the MSDS and look for these numbers. (The CAS number for PAO is 68037-01-4).

In brief, don't be so quick to dismiss Rotella T Synthetic as just another "synthetic pretender." It's made with the same base oil as Shell's Helix Ultra, and everytime you see Ferrari win a Formula 1 race, that's the oil in the engine.""

I'd love to try this stuff in my 330ci and my Mazdaspeed 3 as it is cheaper than most other synthetics and sure sounds good here. I believe in the Used Oil Analysis section someone posted a good UOA in a MS 3 with this oil.

Am I crazy? Do I need a doctor for even thinking of using a diesel oil in some of my cars?

Really just looking for a cheaper way to get really good oil performance. At Walmart this oil is cheap compared to the other synthetics. Are there any negative aspects to my line of thinking?

Putting on flame suit...
 
If it's crazy to use a dual-rated HDEO that meets both API CJ-4 and SM specs. in some gas engines, then I need a doctor because I use M1 5W-40 Turbo Diesel Truck oil in my BMW 135i, VW GTI 1.8T, Infiniti G35, and my piddly lawn mower. :)

When used in some gas engines, one negative could be a small fuel economy loss compared to thinner and more friction modified PCMO.
 
Lots of people like myself use or have used this oil in gassers, including BMW's, motorcycles, and small industrial gasoline engines. It does have a lot of bang for the buck. Price used to be even better, but seems to have settled out at $19/gal around here. It will protect a gasoline engine better than some other thinner synthetics during periods of high stress due to its SAE 40 viscosity and potentially higher level of AW additives, being an HDEO. TBN will start out higher than most retail PCMO syns, so extended drains should be covered too, if desired.
 
I've seen that exact post on several boards before.

If I had an engine that could use 5W-40, the Rotella T synthetic is all I would buy.
 
Any oil is going to harm your cat if enough is being consumed and sent through the exhaust. I'm thinking you would have to be burning a quart every 250-500 miles, though. I've used oils with higher phosphorous than RTS for years and never failed a smog check, if that says anything about the condition of the cats. I think this possibility of cat damage is a rare occurrence, and people worry about it too much and keep spreading these warnings over the internet.
 
I was always under the impression that Zinc and Phosphorus harmed the cats, and that that was why they've kept lowering the levels of it in gasoline engine oil over the years, and why they've lowered in CJ4 diesel engine oils with the DPF's on newer trucks.
 
Originally Posted By: afoulk
So this stuff is safe to use in a gas engine then? It wont harm your cats over time?
SL rated oil is higher in ZDDP and might have a cat issue(I haven't in 4 years of use)but SM rated oil is the most current and lower in ZDDP in MOST oils that are SM rated so cats are safe.
 
API SM does not limit ZDDP. It's ILSAC GF-4 that does. Heavy duty oils like Rotella and Delo are speced for diesel engines and also API SM certified for gas engines, yet they still have well over 1,000 ppm zinc/phosphorous.
 
Originally Posted By: afoulk
So this stuff is safe to use in a gas engine then? It wont harm your cats over time?


Phos and zinc attack cats. That said, I think all of the paranoia is mostly that. I think that the reduction in those elements is (probably) due to FUTURE stricter cat failure criteria for catalyst efficiency. That is, instead of whatever the former standard was for the phase relationship between upstream and downstream O2 sensor readings will be cut by some amount to declare them inert. The basic cat design hasn't changed ..and millions of miles on millions of catalysts have been completed on SJ and SL oil without being rendered (under the current or perhaps former standards) junk.

Also keep in mind that the damage is (or so I reason) a TWA of zddp passing through the engine. That is, you can (my speculation due to the inherent volatility of the elements) do 3k OCI with less zddp and pass MORE poison through your cat. While someone doing extended OCI's (or more rational OCI's) can be doing less damage with higher levels of the element(s).
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
API SM does not limit ZDDP. It's ILSAC GF-4 that does. Heavy duty oils like Rotella and Delo are speced for diesel engines and also API SM certified for gas engines, yet they still have well over 1,000 ppm zinc/phosphorous.


API CJ-4 limits phosphorous to 0.12%
 
FWIW, the best UOA I've had so far is with Rotella T syn. Delo 400 came in a very close second and Havoline 20-50 and 10-40 were much worse.
 
I just switched my 86 F-150 to it. I have a thread on it in this forum. I would link, but then I may seem like an attention whore. All in all, I've only got one day on it, but I like what I've seen so far. I don't think you are crazy for wanting to switch to it. I kinda felt that way at first, but then said "screw it, I want all that zinc and phosphorous!".
 
i'd really like to use rotella t 5W-40 in my truck (below in my sig) with the 4.3 engine. owners manual says to use 5w-30, or if not available, 10w-30 is acceptable. specifically states not to use 10w-40, so i'm a little hesitant to use the rotella t. i'd like to be able to use 1 oil in all my stuff. makes things a lot easier. aside from this issue, i'd be ok with rotella or the mobil 1 tdt. anybody know why the general says not to use a 10w-40 oil in there silverado's?? will it flow satisfactorily on a cold winter morning start here in michigan??
 
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
API SM does not limit ZDDP. It's ILSAC GF-4 that does. Heavy duty oils like Rotella and Delo are speced for diesel engines and also API SM certified for gas engines, yet they still have well over 1,000 ppm zinc/phosphorous.


API CJ-4 limits phosphorous to 0.12%


Which is almost twice what ILSAC GF-4 limits it to.
 
Funny, double vanos, we must share a brain. I've been thinking/posting this now for months. Finally found someone to use it in their MS3 and post a UOA, and dangit can't seem to find where it is. Can't remember if it's on BITOG or mazda3forums.com. Please link if you see it again. It was pretty good if I recall correctly... 18k miles until my spin-on conversion gets installed.
 
HM12460, go ahead and use the Rotella 5W40 in your truck. It is a great choice.

The GM prohibition of 10W-40 is a carry over from the 1980's, when they called for that grade in their light duty passenger car diesels. The group 1 base oils and the large amounts of viscosity index improvers used resulted in ring sticking in the diesels. Base oils and viscosity index improvers have gotten much better, the [censored] GM diesels are gone, yet they have continued that warning in every owner's manual since they got burned with that recommendation.

Ed
 
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