Motorcraft & Rotella for 6.0 Ford

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Thought I'd post my experience with both these oil on my 2007 6.0 with now 18,500 miles. I was running the new CJ4/SM 15-40 Rotella with a Motorcraft oil filter. While running that oil I started noticing hard starting conditions. I had to crank on it longer than I'd like. You'd only notice it on the first startup of the day, or when "cold". On my last oil change at 17k I went back to MC CJ4/SM 15-40 and MC filter. with 1,500 miles on it now... I can deffinately notice it starts better with the MC. Noticable difference. Without a doubt. Engine fires up much easier with the MC. Much less cranking time.
 
Originally Posted By: Toy4x4runner
Thought I'd post my experience with both these oil on my 2007 6.0 with now 18,500 miles. I was running the new CJ4/SM 15-40 Rotella with a Motorcraft oil filter. While running that oil I started noticing hard starting conditions. I had to crank on it longer than I'd like. You'd only notice it on the first startup of the day, or when "cold". On my last oil change at 17k I went back to MC CJ4/SM 15-40 and MC filter. with 1,500 miles on it now... I can deffinately notice it starts better with the MC. Noticable difference. Without a doubt. Engine fires up much easier with the MC. Much less cranking time.


Can't think of why. Unless you meant to type in 10W30 MC (which you were discussing some time ago) not 15w40 MC. Viscosity is viscosity and the differences in specs (cSt@100, cSt@40 and cp@ 30) between the RT and MC 15W40 oils is minimal and not enough to show much of any differences noticeable to the driver. If that was the case, any changes in startup would be very hard to understand.
 
Central FL. Not very cold at all. 15w40 CJ4/SM Rotella & Motorcraft. Both with the same Motorcraft Filter. No it's not the placebo effect. This is a legitamit issue I had. I could care less about brand loyalty. and I have the mentality of oil is oil.. just run the cheapest oil that is approved.. Telling you right now... my 6.0 cranks up faster/easier with the Motorcraft compare to the Rotella I had in there. FYI the motorcraft costs me LESS than the rotella.

The other thing I noticed running these 2 oils is the Rotella gets blacker quicker. Which in my book is a good thing. the MC seems to be staying cleaner longer which might mean it's not doing it's job? Not sure.
 
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IMO, Rotella never seems to perform as well as some others in HEUI apps. Delo seems to kick Rotella's butt in 7.3s; maybe the Motorcraft would as well?
 
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
IMO, Rotella never seems to perform as well as some others in HEUI apps. Delo seems to kick Rotella's butt in 7.3s; maybe the Motorcraft would as well?


What about Amsoil? From what you have seen, how well does that do in 7.3's?
 
I won't debate the "good for HUEI" aspect of Shell vs MC. I haven't seen enough evidence of that yet one way or another, but it's certainly open to debate. But none of that's really to the point of this discussion, or at least it's a separate one.

But D-Roc, how can you say there's a BIG difference?

cSt @ 100C- 15.2 vs 15.7 (MC vs Shell) +.5 cSt
cSt @ 40C- 114 vs 120 (MC vs Shell) +6 cSt

pour point- -38 vs -40 (MC vs Shell) +2 deg.F

CCS is difficult to compare because the MC chart doesn't list the same specs (-30 vs -25) as the Rotella one. They look close, however (6500 cP @ -30 for the MC vs 6400 cP @ -25). I would like to know how these can be contrasted better given the difference in rating temps?

Anyway, my only point is that the specs seem way too close to have any noticeable effects on a Florida startup (a bone-chilling 70 degrees F perhaps, you lucky so and so). If someone can explain how such small differences could have such dramatic effects, I am more than willing to be convinced.

And Toy4x4runner, I'll take the extra precaution of saying (just to rise above the harsh way posts can sound) I intend no insult to you. If it's not the placebo effect (which is real and we've all suffered from it), then there have to be other factors involved and that what I'm interested in finding out about.

Finally, I just looked through the used oil analysis on HUEI engines and don't see a great deal of difference, on average, between Chevron and Shell used oil analysis? I'll grant that DELO is a probably a half-step above Rotella in many respects, but there's not dramatic difference in performance that I can see... factoring in the odd anomaly.
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
I won't debate the "good for HUEI" aspect of Shell vs MC. I haven't seen enough evidence of that yet one way or another, but it's certainly open to debate. But none of that's really to the point of this discussion, or at least it's a separate one.

But D-Roc, how can you say there's a BIG difference?

cSt @ 100C- 15.2 vs 15.7 (MC vs Shell) +.5 cSt
cSt @ 40C- 114 vs 120 (MC vs Shell) +6 cSt

pour point- -38 vs -40 (MC vs Shell) +2 deg.F

CCS is difficult to compare because the MC chart doesn't list the same specs (-30 vs -25) as the Rotella one. They look close, however (6500 cP @ -30 for the MC vs 6400 cP @ -25). I would like to know how these can be contrasted better given the difference in rating temps?

Anyway, my only point is that the specs seem way too close to have any noticeable effects on a Florida startup (a bone-chilling 70 degrees F perhaps, you lucky so and so). If someone can explain how such small differences could have such dramatic effects, I am more than willing to be convinced.

And Toy4x4runner, I'll take the extra precaution of saying (just to rise above the harsh way posts can sound) I intend no insult to you. If it's not the placebo effect (which is real and we've all suffered from it), then there have to be other factors involved and that what I'm interested in finding out about.

Finally, I just looked through the used oil analysis on HUEI engines and don't see a great deal of difference, on average, between Chevron and Shell used oil analysis? I'll grant that DELO is a probably a half-step above Rotella in many respects, but there's not dramatic difference in performance that I can see... factoring in the odd anomaly.




I felt there was a big difference due to the fact that the Rotella was tested at -20C for 6400 and the MC came in at 6500 for -30C....Being from a much colder area I usually look for oils that have good cold weather characteristics. Most 15W40's are tested at -20, and its odd (although) a benefit in cold temps I'm sure for the MC to come in at -30 with the same (or very close to the numbers that the Rotella does at -20.
Look closely, the Rotella 15W40 is tested on that pdf at -20, and the 10W30 at -25 (like most 10W30 HDEO's) Shell's pdf is not the most user friendly in that aspect, but I do believe the 15W40 is for the -20 number....
 
Who knows, maybe there is mistakes in those pdf's....possibly the info is inaccurate on both sheets.
Hard to say I guess....
 
Yeah, I misquoted, using the -25 instead of -20 figure. Still, not a huge difference. The problem in the 6500 vs 6400 figures is we don't really know which test the MC number represents. Likely the standard CCS, but...? T

I'd guess most of the "cold" starts in Florida occur at 60-70 F (15.5-21C). If you plot the viscosities at those temps on a calculator, they remain very close. I'm not sure how the CCS at -20 or -30 applies when you are talking about 60 or 70 degree temps?

Is there any way to contrast CCS when you have two different test temps? If the Rotella is 6400 at -20, what would it be at -30? I'm not sure the CCS produces linear data. Or does it? To plot it like viscosity in cSt, you'd need two data points on each oil anyway. Does anyone know?
 
Biggest reason I said a big difference was due to the fact the Rotella appears to have numbers related to conventional 15W40 while the MC has a numbers closer to that of a 5W40...
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Finally, I just looked through the used oil analysis on HUEI engines and don't see a great deal of difference, on average, between Chevron and Shell used oil analysis? I'll grant that DELO is a probably a half-step above Rotella in many respects, but there's not dramatic difference in performance that I can see... factoring in the odd anomaly.


I wasn't referring to used oil analysis, but rather fuel economy and starting.

I have heard that Delo resists "foaming" better, but I don't know how true that is. I just know what I've seen in the 7.3, Delo outperforms Rotella.
 
Ben: Delo or MC will do a great job in your 6.0L... just don't go past 5K OCI. I've seen quiet a few good looking UOA with rotella but more with Delo-MC-Delvac. My 7.3L just didn't like rotella.
 
Ok, we'll do this hillbilly way:

MOTORCRAFT 15w40 CJ4/SM- Used it multiple times. Performed great. Great cold starts. Easily lasts the 5k intervals I do. Great price & availability. For warranty reasons, not an inch the dealer can give up due to oil.

Castrol 15w40 CJ4/SM- Used it once. Ran fine until about the 4k mark. MPG's were horrific! I was about to cry on the way home looking at the fuel I used for the week and what the meter was reading. Changed oil, MPG's came back. Never use it again.

Shell 5w40syn CI4+/SL- Great cold starts. MPG's were great. Lasted the 5k interval. Bit costly now at $22/gal!! Probly won't use again.

Rotella 15w40 CJ4/SM- Used it once. Only complaint is on cold start ups you have to crank the engine over a bit longer than with say MC. No running issues. Won't use it again due to longer cold cranking issue.
 
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Toy4x4Runner: Now we need to get you to try a 10W30 HDEO, which is offered by both MC and Shell! (:< ) And it's hard to argue with you over the warranty point!

Like you, I always factor cost and availability into my oil choices. My choice of 10W30 over 5W40 was based on those factors. My local WalMart just started carrying the MC 10W30 HDEO. They don't carry Shell 10W30 at Walmart but the MC there is not quite as cheap as I can get the Shell in other venues, namely Menards.
 
I'm gonna have to talk to my local walmart and see if they can order me in some 10-30 MC or Delvac. I can't find it anywhere. and the prices at the dealer and online for conventional 10w30 is almost as much as Mobil 1 5w40 at walmart.
 
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