Shell Rotella T6 5W-40... God Send?

[HarryN]

Just because it does not have detergents does not make it a "dirty" oil. I am not even saying that detergents are better. I am just saying that you should understand that it does not have any cleaning agents. That means that if you have a lot of carbon deposits, it will not help with that like many other oils. If you have a long OCI you will want to clean things out occasionally.

 

ZDDP has no effect whatsoever on cleaning. It is an antiwear additive. It does that job very well. Some people seem to think it is a miracle additive that will do everything. It just creates stronger protective films over a larger range of temps than other antiwear additives.

 

KIM that a 2% loss in MPG is worst case scenario when comparing 2 oils, one with friction modifiers and one without. It does not mean that rotella is 2% less efficient than other oils. Either way that equates to less than half an mpg. I've been using rotella and have seen no difference in my mpg.

 

Harry you are again missing the point. That is that it is a good oil, but it is not the be all end all of oils. You are making a good oil out to be the best oil ever invented in the history of oil. That, it is not.

 

Also don't forget that just because people on forums race their cars...doesn't make them experts.

 

@DrSpeed the loss of efficiency is probably being converted to heat, but not necessarily wear. In the SAE tests, it showed that there was no correlation to oils coefficient of friction and wear. When I say friction, I'm talking about friction between oil molecules, not between metal parts. Similar to how a 5w40 oil will have a higher cof than a 5w30. Just saying that the addition of friction modifiers in oil is solely to increase efficiency. If cof was related to wear, then we would all be using a straight 10 weight oil because of it's low cof.

 

I don't know how I am missing any points when I am doing an investigation on this. I am just spurting out what I am reading and have been told by more than 8 people in different areas and tracks. If you feel it is wrong, state your opinion, which you have. Definitely a good topic to bring over and discuss.

 

And no. If I said Rotella T6 5W-40 was the best oil ever in history, my topic would not have had a question mark. This is all investigative. Pure and simple.

 

As far as OCI, I stick to 3000 miles. I do this work myself. I've had more than one occasion where the dealer would re-use my old crush washer, and once a dealer I no longer do business with, left my old oil filter on my car!! I could tell since it was a K&N oil filter that I was going to do a UOA and flow test on. I was shocked when I didn't get the filter back to send it in, since they said it was thrown away on accident.

 

I will be doing my own UOAs to track how my engine is breaking in. I have also decided to try out the Rotella oil first, do a UOA on that (after the factory oil), then go Motul and do a UOA on that. I have thought about sending the OEM Honeywell/Fram filter in as well. Perhaps I should. I think the results will start shutting people up about it and comparing it to the Tokyo Rokico filters of yesteryears. Though I can understand why people are raising questions on why if the black filter was fine, go with the blue one. But some of the comments made just make me.

[rao]

See? It cannot be stopped.

[HarryN]

See? It cannot be stopped.

 

Of course not.

 

It will be an infinite loop.

[doccrowley]

I am also wondering if I should go as far as to remove the oil pan on the car, clean it out completely, then slap it back on again before using the Rotella T6.

 

yeah, good luck with that. It is not an easy pan removal (on the 06LGT). Just had my pan replaced after a barrier incident at the track. Strut tower bar removal, TMIC removal, pitch stop removal, motor mounts completely freed to lift the motor approx 2" to get to the back 4 oil pan bolts. I wouldn't consider the oil pan a serviceable item, unless pan is damaged.

 

BOT: i've run T6 Rotella for almost a year now, (approx 20,000 miles) after I began to track the car once a month, (80,000 miles so far). 3,000 miles OCI, factory filter. Always go thru one quart in between OCI, tuner and mechanic say that is typical subie performance. As of last week for the new oil pan, oil pickup tube, etc, I had zero shaft play in the stock turbo and banjo filter was removed, clean as a whistle.

 

Started using Rotella after a suggestion to run it in my '06 Suzuki LTR-450 race quad. Has hundreds of hours on the piston and rings when typical is 30 hours before tear down and piston/ring service.

 

Good luck on your search for the optimal oil for your new car. I like what I've found.

[thefultonhow]

yeah, good luck with that. It is not an easy pan removal (on the 06LGT). Just had my pan replaced after a barrier incident at the track. Strut tower bar removal, TMIC removal, pitch stop removal, motor mounts completely freed to lift the motor approx 2" to get to the back 4 oil pan bolts. I wouldn't consider the oil pan a serviceable item, unless pan is damaged.

 

Yeah, I found out the hard way you need a hoist to get the pan off. Good thing I needed the hoist for the engine swap afterwards, too. Good job, Subaru.

 

The hard part is not removing the IC (2 hose clamps and 3 bolts), the pitch stop (one bolt), or unbolting the motor mounts (one bolt each). All you need is a flathead screwdriver and/or 8mm socket, a 12mm socket, a 12mm box-end, a 14mm socket, and a good pair of pliers. But hooking up a hoist is a total PITA, especially if it involves a trip to Harbor Freight.

[HarryN]

yeah, good luck with that. It is not an easy pan removal (on the 06LGT). Just had my pan replaced after a barrier incident at the track. Strut tower bar removal, TMIC removal, pitch stop removal, motor mounts completely freed to lift the motor approx 2" to get to the back 4 oil pan bolts. I wouldn't consider the oil pan a serviceable item, unless pan is damaged.

 

BOT: i've run T6 Rotella for almost a year now, (approx 20,000 miles) after I began to track the car once a month, (80,000 miles so far). 3,000 miles OCI, factory filter. Always go thru one quart in between OCI, tuner and mechanic say that is typical subie performance. As of last week for the new oil pan, oil pickup tube, etc, I had zero shaft play in the stock turbo and banjo filter was removed, clean as a whistle.

 

Started using Rotella after a suggestion to run it in my '06 Suzuki LTR-450 race quad. Has hundreds of hours on the piston and rings when typical is 30 hours before tear down and piston/ring service.

 

Good luck on your search for the optimal oil for your new car. I like what I've found.

 

Have you done any UOAs? If so, can you post?

 

BTW, if anyone has UOAs to post comparing their old oil before going with Rotella, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Also, if anyone is interested in doing their own UOA here is some information on where to go:

 

Blackstone Labs

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

 

They do a variety of tests. Order a free sample kit.

 

Dyson Analysis

http://www.dysonanalysis.com/servicelist/premiumkits129.html

 

Terry Dyson is a well known name amongst the semi-pro to pro racing community.

 

Anyone else running Rotella, please chime in. UOA posts a plus.

[dockratt]

im usimg mobil 1 and the oil after 1kmiles is coal black ...what gives? HELP idont like that

[seabass07]

That's not the oil. Rotella does that as well. But if you search around you'll find that mobil 1 will make your engine explode sending the pistons through the sides of your car.

[thefultonhow]

That's not the oil. Rotella does that as well. But if you search around you'll find that mobil 1 will make your engine explode sending the pistons through the sides of your car.

 

 

Used oil always turns black. Usually within the first few hundred miles. Nothing to worry about.

[HarryN]

That's not the oil. Rotella does that as well. But if you search around you'll find that mobil 1 will make your engine explode sending the pistons through the sides of your car.

 

It can also make your car transform into a robot that has intelligent life. You forgot to mention that part as well. Man... some people...

[Garandman]

I use it in both my motorcycles, but not cars. It is extremely popular for bikes.

 

New bottle on Left - T6.

http://dervish.smugmug.com/photos/1044676926_v7Z6y-M.jpg

[HarryN]

I noticed that too, a lot of the motorcycle forums, especially the sport bike racers, use diesel oil as well.

 

I am still boggled why this is preferred over conventional oil. Before Seabass chimes in, cost was one issue, engine protection was the main issue.

[seabass07]

Someone rang?

 

One reason that it is used in bikes is the lack of friction modifiers. That makes the oil friendly to wet clutches.

[LegacyGTBiggie]

What doesnt this man know about oils? I bet you he is on Mobil1s payroll! LOL

[Garandman]

Someone rang?

 

One reason that it is used in bikes is the lack of friction modifiers. That makes the oil friendly to wet clutches.

Ding ding ding ding!

[HarryN]

Anyone else that runs this in their car? I know JoefromPA posted on another forum about telling others that drive Legacies to use this oil as well. So I hope he can chime in as well.

[LegacyGTBiggie]

I use it. What else do you need ?

[Sydtron]

I run it, ran it in my Mazda as well. It's cheap and has a ton of UOAs on it, especially amongst the Subaru community. There's easily several million miles of it being used in some EJ25 engine or another.

 

Although Rotella is marketed as a diesel oil, it's certified for use in gas engines as well. 5W40 ain't going to hurt any engine that ain't already hurting. And, ~$20/gallon.

[katalyst]

i run this in my car

 

but just started using it recently which is why i had the question about the cats earlier but if it's good to go then i'll keep using it.

 

previously had motul and pennzoil platinum 5w30 but found the 40 to cut down some of the mechanical noises from the boxer engine. otherwise the two were good oils as well.

[underground000]

Used it on my last oil change, never checked in the past if my car consumes the oil I used before (synthetic mix) 2k+ on this oil and no consumption, 31k on car

 

Synthetic mix was because thats what my dealer used. Once I used dino oil then I changed to Rotella.

[bluesubie]

Someone rang?

 

One reason that it is used in bikes is the lack of friction modifiers. That makes the oil friendly to wet clutches.

At one time diesel oils did not contain friction modifiers, but you'll see in a VOA/UOA of Rotella that it contains molybdenum which is used as an anti-wear additive/friction modifier. It also contains a good amount of detergents (referring to an earlier point in this thread) in the form of calcium and magnesium.

 

VOA here.

 

-Dennis

[seabass07]

Hmm. I must have gotten that from the old formulation then. Thanks for the correction. It is still pretty low in moly, so still suitable for wet clutches. I'm glad to know that there is calcium.

[HarryN]

At one time diesel oils did not contain friction modifiers, but you'll see in a VOA/UOA of Rotella that it contains molybdenum which is used as an anti-wear additive/friction modifier. It also contains a good amount of detergents (referring to an earlier point in this thread) in the form of calcium and magnesium.

 

VOA here.

 

-Dennis

 

Thanks for the input, bluesubie!

[phenryiv1]

Just had my first OC in the '11 WRX (at 1300 miles) and went straight to the T6. Only bought 1 bottle and had to add .5 qt from another bottle that I bought after I realized that they were 4 qt. and not 5.

 

I SWEAR it seems to idle more quietly after the change.

[HarryN]

Well, I did my OC at 1500 on the '11 STI, and decided to go with Motul 5W-30 until 3K miles (1500 more miles). Then do a UOA of that. Then after 3000 miles, I will be going with the Rotella T6 5W-40. And do a UOA of that as well. I figure why not. $75 total to get some numbers for how MY engine is working with the oil.