Is the Shell Rotella T6 5w-30 Multi vehicle oil any good?

[FTTSHO]

Just want to know if I should just use the 10w30 version of the T6, or use the 5w30 multi vehicle API SN version?

Is the 5w30 the same of quality as their non API SN rated T6 like the 10w30, 5w40, and 15w40?

Asking because they are all the same price.

 

[JavierH19]

It's more lspi friendly and has a tad bit anti wear additives it seems. I'd be ok using that in a turbo gdi engine except I wouldn't buy it in the first place at least at regular price because there's no reason to spend $26+ for 4 quarts of that when I can get 5qts of QS euro 5w-40 for 23 or castrol 5w-40 for 25.

Z

Thread 'Shell Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30'

Jan 9, 2018

Since I got a bunch of free oil from Shell to try, I felt it was only right to have this done. A prior post puts TBN at 11.

• ZZman
• Replies: 44
• Forum: Virgin Oil Analysis - PCMO/HDEO

Y

Thread 'Rotella T6 15W-40'

Apr 9, 2019

This oil is so new, even Blackstone Labs doesn't think it exists

• yahtzee

• 

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

No moly = no likey

 

[THORROMIG]

I have been using that oil since it came out. Actually got 9 free gallons of it from on here back in 2018 when it was first introduced when Shell Rottela had a participation opportunity. Been using that stash up in multiple vehicles of 5KOCIs and my JD Zero Turn annually with zero issues.

 

[FTTSHO]

No moly = no likey

I know people on Bitog love molybdenum, but what are some of the downsides to using an oil with zero molybdenum? Seems like the T6 has no moly, but has a decent amount of boron.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

I know people on Bitog love molybdenum, but what are some of the downsides to using an oil with zero molybdenum? Seems like the T6 has no moly, but has a decent amount of boron.

I think moly is a great anti wear additive and it’s pretty cool how it works and gets activated with heat. However, there’s more than one way to skin a cat when formulating an oil. Keep in mind like 10-15 years ago, lots of oils didn’t even contain moly. I think the most important part is to see if the oil meets the specification of your vehicle and not sweat the small stuff.

 

[OVERKILL]

I know people on Bitog love molybdenum, but what are some of the downsides to using an oil with zero molybdenum? Seems like the T6 has no moly, but has a decent amount of boron.

Moly is a popular FM because it's synergistic with the most popular AW compound/additive, ZDDP, which means you can get away with using less ZDDP (good for API compliance, that restricts phosphorous) while maintaining acceptable AW performance. Some blenders (like HPL) get really creative and use not only different versions of moly together with ZDDP (dimer and trimer) but also other FM's that can bring in other synergies, depending on the rest of the formula.

Some formulas don't use FM's, we see this with some power sport, motorcycle and heavy duty engine oils.

Other FM's used as alternatives to moly are titanium and tungsten. Most labs don't check for tungsten.

 

[FTTSHO]

Moly is a popular FM because it's synergistic with the most popular AW compound/additive, ZDDP, which means you can get away with using less ZDDP (good for API compliance, that restricts phosphorous) while maintaining acceptable AW performance. Some blenders (like HPL) get really creative and use not only different versions of moly together with ZDDP (dimer and trimer) but also other FM's that can bring in other synergies, depending on the rest of the formula.

Some formulas don't use FM's, we see this with some power sport, motorcycle and heavy duty engine oils.

Other FM's used as alternatives to moly are titanium and tungsten. Most labs don't check for tungsten.

So I’m assuming friction modifier (in this case moly) is mostly used in passenger car motor oils for fuel economy reasons, with less zinc but more moly?

 

[OVERKILL]

So I’m assuming friction modifier (in this case moly) is mostly used in passenger car motor oils for fuel economy reasons, with less zinc but more moly?

Yeah, FM's are primarily used to, as the name would suggest, reduce friction, and improve fuel economy. And yes, that's why they are in PCMO's. Of course they are also in PCMO's that don't fall under the phosphorous restrictions like the Euro 0W-40/5W-40's, because reducing wear is also always good.

 

[Merek]

If you can even find it, I haven't really looked online for the Multi-Vehicle but supposedly Napa was a specific vendor at least back then and was like $40 jug.... no thanks. I noticed at the Walmarts in my area they don't even stock the T5 10w30, it's all 15w40 now. I purchased a few jugs of Valvoline Euro XL-III 5w30 and their 10w30 diesel oil on sale directly from them but haven't used yet.