Last of dino stash used, Rotella T6 next time

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I just changed the oil/filter with dino for what I think is the last time in my 2004 chevy silverado 5.3L (uoa's posted here). 115000mi and going to 120000 with this change. I had a 48 qt stash of "old" havoline to go through then a stash of Formula Shell from the Walgreens sales - all stuff I bought for $2 or less a quart. Most at $1 a qt or $1 a gallon believe it or not. Anyhow I only had 4 qts of the shell left, so I had to buy 2 qts for this change at full price - went for Advance Auto 5w30 SN at $4 a quart! The "good" stuff was like $6 a quart. Holy cow! I don't see the point of using dino when I can get Rotella T6 for the same price? Less? And I will only have to change it when the OLM says too, or at 1 year, whichever is first. I never hit the OLM limit before, we will see what happens with the T6. Maybe I will only have to change my oil once a year too. That's nice. My plan is to go to the T6, run it for as long as I can, then go to T6 again and then have a sample analyzed so it will be about 2.5 years before I post a uoa on my chevy again, assuming the olm lets me go a year. I think it will as my use is only as a daily driver. It will probably have about 145000 miles on it then. Just felt like venting.
 
Not where I live but you should be OK in FL with the T6. I dont think the GM lifters would like thick oil. They have a specific blead down rate. Maybe you could use at least 1 qt of the remaining FS 5w30 with the T6 sump. I use to run triple protect 10w30 in the subaruy and it wanted to habvve at leat 1 qt of that the good old SL or SM 5w30 Formula Shell in there . ENGINE WOULDNT RUN QUITE RIGHT WITHOUT IT. OppS ... CAPS lOck was On by aCCiDnet.
 
T6 5W-40 is way heavier than necessary for your Chevy.
A good oil in the wrong application is basically a bad oil choice.
It's great that you got a deal on the stuff, but cut it 50/50 with any cheaply acquired 0W/5W-20. This will at least give you a 5w30 oil with a more appropriate viscosity.
 
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
T6 5W-40 is way heavier than necessary for your Chevy.
A good oil in the wrong application is basically a bad oil choice.
It's great that you got a deal on the stuff, but cut it 50/50 with any cheaply acquired 0W/5W-20. This will at least give you a 5w30 oil with a more appropriate viscosity.



Very well said caterham.
 
Originally Posted By: Stephen_G
Rotella 10W30 would work great in that truck and supply the benefits of a HDEO without being far out of spec.

What benefits are those? A longer OCI possibly but you could make that case for any 30wt PCMO application.
No the negatives such as heavier than necessary, low VI and potentially shortened CAT life due to the high ZDDP levels make this less than an ideal choice.
I'd recommend the cheapest API 5w30 instead.
 
All pistons need zddp or moly to provide boundry lube at TDC or BDC. Moly is prob a better choice for cat life - but not ring sticking. ZDDP gets used up under stress but the converted product still shows in the sump and on a UOA - even though its non functional.
 
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Originally Posted By: Stephen_G
Rotella 10W30 would work great in that truck and supply the benefits of a HDEO without being far out of spec.

What benefits are those? A longer OCI possibly but you could make that case for any 30wt PCMO application.
No the negatives such as heavier than necessary, low VI and potentially shortened CAT life due to the high ZDDP levels make this less than an ideal choice.
I'd recommend the cheapest API 5w30 instead.
Cat,
Why do you think VW are still spec'ing high HTHS oils for use in its understressed 5 cyl apps?
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Cat,
Why do you think VW are still spec'ing high HTHS oils for use in its understressed 5 cyl apps?

HTHSV is simply an accurate measure of how thick or thin an oil is in an operating engine.
If an application needs a heavier oil (i.e., an oil with a higher HTHSV rating) to maintain adequate oil pressure at high oil temp's then that would be a reason.
 
HTHS specs were invented in the 1980s because some thin oils caused engine failures.
We do not know exactly what we need. We can only trust the mfr, who specs a certain viscosity and type.
Marginal engine designs [bearing wise] have special needs. Most engines do not.
 
All engines have a viscosity requirement and therefore a HTHSV requirement. It's simply a lot more precise to specify a specific HTHSV rather than the much less precise SAE grade which can have a range of possible HTHS viscosities.

Here in NA if a manufacturer specifies a 0W/5W/10W-30 grade a HTHSV of at least 2.9cP but more likely 3.0cP-3.2cP is what's expected but nothing heavier than that.

Same goes for the 0W/5W-20 grades. A HTHSV of 2.6cP is what's required.
 
I have the same dinos purchased between 05-07 plus lots of Pennzoil HM 10W40 and after some consideration (and mpg loss n the Si), am cutting all my 10W40s with 5w20 supertech from now on... I saw some serious mpg loss in my Si running 10W40 dino. Would't hae thought it would have mattered in a 201 hp engine when it never bother my little Fit....

Yes, I know its spec'd for 0W20....
 
What about T5 instead? I can get 10w30 in that, which is fine year round in FL where I live. Would you go with QSUD or Rotella T5? Thoughts/opinions appreciated. I have a few months before my next change. Again my intent is to now rely on the OLM or the 1 year limit. I am guessing I will make it to the 1 year limit before the OLM tells me to change it.
 
I've got T6 in everything I own now. I just put it in my power equipment too.

Is it perfect? No. But, it's a good solution for me. I like not having to stock 15w40 for the diesel, 5w30 for the Taco, 0w30 for the snowblower, and sae 30 for the mower.
 
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