2000PewterT/A

Just curious on what everyone's thoughts are about it, who uses it, who doesn't why etc. PLEASE I do not want this to be another oil brand war which seems to happen here allot, just wanted everyone's opinions on Rotella T6

SlowBurn

iTrader: (7)

I've been using T6 and a Pure One filter for quite a while, no issues. I guess I'd have to do a UOA to be sure, I just have never gotten around to it.

eteller

I used to be in a Mercedes club, one of the members was a former Shell engineer. He was a big fan of Rotella T full synthetic and used it in everything as did a lot of the club members. I use it in most stuff, but in the LS1 I've been using 5w20 full syn.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

I think it's a solid break-in type of oil with lots of ZDDP. However, it doesn't perform as well as other oils in sheer/compression testing. It's about as good as Mobil 1 there.

redtan

iTrader: (5)

Where are you getting this information from?

WS.SIX

iTrader: (3)

All I use is T6 with mobile 1 or k&n oil filters.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Couple of links:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...-thoughts.html

http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30483

I can't find the one where the Speedtalk tests were done on Diesels, but the Rotella was about 68k PSI. The CF thread tells you why - the polymers found in Shell Rotella break down under duress.

redtan

iTrader: (5)

So basically it's one of the worst motor oils out there in terms of protection where 40 out of 44 oils tested on CF were >70k, including some crappy no name conventional oils.

Beave

I would and do run the Rotella T 15w40. It seems to do well on a lot of LS builds ive seen.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

It's weight is due to the polymers used, which break down. So, in a word, yes.

As I said, I'd use it for a break-in oil, since it's cheap and full of ZDDP. It is a diesel oil and has way too many detergents and additives for a conventional gas engine.

There are better options.

trik396

iTrader: (4)

I use shell rotella T6 in my Ram with Cummins Turbo Diesel. I put down 617 rwhp on a dynojet. Torque maxed at 1200 rwtq because thats all the dyno could read up to. I made 58psi boost on that run. My oil analysis has always been excellent. I dont really know how much more or less shear occurs in an LS engine but if it can handle that kind of boost in my Cummins, I feel safe using it in my TransAm. HotRod mag I believe did an article on the benefits of running diesel motor oil in our cars a few years back. My bro in law started using a 15w40 in his 65 impala with my 431 fuel injected BBC with great results also. The additive pack and detergents in diesel oil are a good thing and overkill for a gasser but for good reasons. If it can handle the amount of soot in diesels and keep it suspended it will keep a gas motor that much more clean and lubed. Earlier Ford diesel that used a high pressure oil pump to pressurize the fuel system were notorious at sheering oils and T6 runs good in them also.
I have been reading about and studying oils on bobistheoilguy for about ten years now. Not an expert but am an oil junky.

redtan

iTrader: (5)

I've never heard of a motor oil having too many detergents and additives. If anything, I would want a motor oil with more of that suff than less of it.

I'm doing an oil analysis when I drain my oil next time and we'll see how the Rotella is doing after 5k miles of beating the absolute **** out of the car for a majority of those.

Blackbird-WS6

iTrader: (15)

iv used rotella in all my Diesel motors. never once had a problem.

trik396

iTrader: (4)

Brother please post those results and I'm gonna predict they will be fine. At the minimum!!! I will do the same if I ever get my damn car back on the road.

2000PewterT/A

Please keep up posted on your results.

88mmrocket

I use it in both of my diesels and also in my race car. After 150+ passes in the 8.60-9.2x range at over 150mph my bearings looked perfect. I also used Wix filters on that motor.

I will run it in my new LS build also.

bmwman528e

iTrader: (3)

Ran it in my BMW til 200k miles and the internals were perfect and compression test showed the same results as what it should have read when it was new.

Always2Slow

iTrader: (8)

Shell Rotella isn't bad but results of one test can show the oil is good or as bad as the above poster showed you with the links. What is the best solution for you would be to change your oil more frequently rather than what oil to run and just because a oil is not name brand or seems shitty because its conventional in reality its probably not. That's probably castrol GTX in that crap bottle or Pennzoil rebadged in another bottle.

redtan

iTrader: (5)

Bumping this back up...some of you guys wanted to see the oil analysis report that I had sent in to Blackstone. This is after 4200 miles on the oil and 95000 on the engine.

I'm happy with the results given how hard of a life it lives...multiple cold starts on a daily basis (ranging in temps from 0* in the winter to over 90* in the summer) and lots of fun on the street and 1/4 mile track.