I don't see the point in comparing tarter sauce to cocktail sauce when we're seasoning a ribeye steak.
T6 5w40 vs Pennzoil Plat Euro 5w40
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Factory clearance (oem calls for 5w30) as it hasn't been rebuilt before, naturally aspirated, 7300 rpm max rpm, 94 E10 fuel, gets stored from November to April, hydraulic roller cam, 3 to 4 days a week it sees many full throttle pulls from 1st to 4th, oil capacity is 11 litres, stock cooling.T6 is the last oil I would recommend for that engine. No FM, 12% Noack, foams like a, poor PDSC, and so on with no redeeming qualities.
Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W-40 is a better choice, but your engine is still outside the scope of its formula.
For your application, there's no oil off the shelf that's going to be ideal. What other specs do you have for this engine?
Rod and main bearing clearance?
Any power adders?
Max RPM?
What fuel?
Does it see long-term storage more than a couple months? (ie: winter storage)
Is the cam a hydraulic or solid roller?
How much racing does it see?
Oil capacity and cooling?
Without that information, we're playing chess in the dark.
In regards to fuel dilution, these heavily modded NA LS7s (I'm at 12:1 CR) want a rich afr at full throttle which is the equivalent to 0.82-0.83 lambda depending where it's at in the rpm range, so that's in the high 11s afr range. However, with how frequently I change the oil, I assume this won't be a factor to worry about here.
Thank you to all that have posted thus far. Although I didn't see it, I've accepted that T6 5w40 foams and won't be considering it anymore.
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What would cause the engine oil to foam in the first place?
Secondly, how many people posting on your thread own, or have owned big block Chevs?
I've hinted on what I run, but since you only run your BBC in warm weather, I wouldn't rule out an SAE 30 or 40 monograde.
Oh btw, that's another hint.
I did not see Rotella T6 in that video at all. Why did you label that example on the left as being Rotella T6 ?
Crank windage aerates the oil causing foam. I've owned 2 BBCs, have built several, along with a few LS engines.
That won't be an issue. Factory clearances are in 30 grade range, but going up to a 40 grade isn't a bad idea. I'd want an oil that doesn't foam, is shear stable, and loaded with friction modifier.
HPL Bad @$$ 5W-40
Red Line HP 5W-40
Driven DT40 5W-40
Change it once a year before going into winter storage.
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Mechanical churning as seen in the Gale Banks diff cover videos also causes foam.
The crankshaft or connecting rods in an engine is another cause.
Imo, mitigating the cause is more important than the cure.
The BBC in topic has a 11L oil sump which will allow the oil level to be well below the crank & rods.
If it's a dry sump system, all the better.
I'll assume rod & main clearance @ .0025", which dictates minimum oil viscosity.
It's not a skirted block like a 440 Mopar, so controlling flex and harmonics is important and factors into build clearances.
I'll also assume the engine has forged pistons in at .006" give or take with a little extra top ring clearance.
A little extra rod & main clearance along with the appropriate engine oil grade also protects from high cylinder pressure from
preignition, detonation, over revving and the addition of power boosters like NOS to name a few.
In short, building a "tight" BBC would be a fool's errand.
Edit; A 1970 454 LS7 BBC with a 3.76" 427 crank is a 427 LS7. Me so old school.
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How many miles has Rotella served semi drivers over the years? Millions????
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Precisely why Rotella belongs in big diesel engines and not it personal vehicles. We did 1.2 million miles on Rotella T4 in one truck. But I would never use it in a gasoline engine, or even in a light duty diesel engine. Semi truck engines live their lives at a constant 1200~1500 rpm. There just isn't much opportunity for foaming in a gig Diesel engine. People need to stop comparing apples to potatoes and drawing the conclusion that bananas are good for preventing arthritis.
Remember there are facts, and there are BITOG facts. I'll bet you could run any API oil from 0w-20 to 15w-50 and be fine as long as it was full and oil changed at regular intervals.
Bitog expert response in 5.....4.....3.....2....
Bitog expert response in 5.....4.....3.....2....
Here we are with the foaming argument against HDEOs again.
If an engine oil passes CK-4/SN or CK-4/SP as Delvac 1300 Super does, then that oil must also pass the more stringent PCMO
foam sequences 1-4.
It's easy to search..... API CK-4 foam sequence.
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Plenty of folks lost that bet, like KIA/Hyundai customers that played the OCI/Viscosity roulette and lost... badly. I've seen what happens when the rod bearings let go because the owner changed their oil when they remembered or got a coupon. And then they used whatever cheap 5W-20 the shop sold them, when those engines clearly needed higher viscosity & better oil with more frequevent changes. I owned a few Theta I and Theta II engines, and not one grenedad on me, but I took good care of them. Unfortunately, you would loose that bet in a heartbeat.
If the shoe fits.....
Plenty of folks lost that bet, like KIA/Hyundai customers that played the OCI/Viscosity roulette and lost... badly. I've seen what happens when the rod bearings let go because the owner changed their oil when they remembered or got a coupon. And then they used whatever cheap 5W-20 the shop sold them, when those engines clearly needed higher viscosity & better oil with more frequevent changes. I owned a few Theta I and Theta II engines, and not one grenedad on me, but I took good care of them. Unfortunately, you would loose that bet in a heartbeat.
Plenty of folks lost that bet, like KIA/Hyundai customers that played the OCI/Viscosity roulette and lost... badly. I've seen what happens when the rod bearings let go because the owner changed their oil when they remembered or got a coupon. And then they used whatever cheap 5W-20 the shop sold them, when those engines clearly needed higher viscosity & better oil with more frequevent changes. I owned a few Theta I and Theta II engines, and not one grenedad on me, but I took good care of them. Unfortunately, you would loose that bet in a heartbeat.
I have been a Rotella fan forever... but recently, when you compare prices with a jug that has 4 quarts vs a jug that has 5 quarts, it causes you to ..... shop.
Just a trip into wally world and compare Rotella 4 qt to all the other 5qt is an eye opener. I am finding myself going to the 5qts......
.....
Just a trip into wally world and compare Rotella 4 qt to all the other 5qt is an eye opener. I am finding myself going to the 5qts......
.....
I have scanned this video a few times, nowhere is T6 tested.
Can you link exactly in the video where T6 is shown?
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That was my bad, as I thought the Rotella foaming was in that video. It's not, I went over it second by second as well. Sorry about that.
You were not the only one to misrepresent the video, fake screenshot, and the product comparison with T6 that @High Performance Lubricants lab was doing with Lake Speed Jr. Now that information has been taken and spread across multiple threads, false arguments even with a mod over the past few months. That is the real travesty.
Pennzoil products, which includes the Rotella brand is a well respected product on this forum, and was showcased by Pennzoil themselves on their podcast with members on this forum participating. Stop the hogwash folks.
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I must clarify that the image in question is not a fake screenshot. It was posted by @RDY4WAR from the @High Performance Lubricants lab. My error was assuming that it was a screenshot taken from the Lake Speed Jr. video, which it was not. However, @RDY4WAR has access to the HPL lab and is a highly respected member of this community. The Rotella T6 foaming test was indeed conducted and is legitimate.
It's important to note that Rotella is not produced by Pennzoil; it is a Shell brand. I advised the original poster (OP) to use Pennzoil Euro or Quaker State Euro 5W-40, and explicitly recommended against using Rotella in their sports car. Highlighting that Rotella is prone to foaming is not a disrespect to the product. The nickname "Brotella" is used humorously due to some misconceptions and inappropriate applications of the product. We have successfully used Rotella T4, T5, and T6 in semi-trucks, primarily with D60 engines, where it performs well without issues. Rotella has heavy-duty diesel OEM approvals and is best suited for such applications—not for passenger cars or light-duty diesel engines. The fact that it operates effectively in a diesel engine, which runs mostly between 1200–1500 RPM and idles at 650 RPM, does not make it suitable for a passenger car or track application. If you consult Shell directly, they would advise the same. The fundamental message here is simple: "DO NOT USE THE WRONG OIL FOR YOUR APPLICATION."
Everyone is entitled to make their own decisions regarding their equipment and vehicles. The OP sought advice, and I was one of those who responded. I believe our discussion should focus strictly on the technical aspects of the motor oils in question and maintain a light-hearted tone. Unwarranted comments, such as those made by @userfriendly, should certainly be avoided.