As a layman, it sounds like the eco diesel is a poorly designed motor and that God himself would have to design an oil to keep this motor running long term. Stated differently, not a lubricant quality issue but simply one of poor or inadequate design.
Why is rotella hated by some?
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That has been my conclusion too for awhile with the engine and rotella oil products, thank you @Invisible for a sane elaboration.
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You do realize they have a much larger global presence than any other major on earth right now, correct?
Just saying.
A friend of mine was a VP of supply chain for one of the largest drilling companies on earth. Bidding out lubricants globally - where you’re off the coast of Ghana, in the GOM, off the coast of England, or in the South China Sea, or perhaps floating off the coast of Australia - you have one choice.
Shell.
The end. They’re the only major that can do that. For better or worse. It’s a testament to their global presence. Not so much quality or lack of quality.
You can’t prove that is from the oil hell you could have taken that photo from the internet. This isn’t evidence. Where’s your maintenance records for each oil change? Proof of purchase of the oil and so forth.
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I'd be more interested to know how Shell got to this point. They must be doing something right.
There’s a few books on the O&G industry history I can recommend, if you want. They’re fairly dry reads but that info is out there.
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I'd love to read them. Please go ahead. Thank you.
Crude Volatility by Robert McNally
The Seven Sisters by Anthony Sampson
The Prize / The Quest / The New Map all by Daniel Yergin
Helps explain the 7 sisters… as well as the rise and fall of them. Really, supporting production / exploration is how Shell has such a global presence. They want to support themselves globally, in that field. So once they do that, they just keep expanding. They also have had great partnerships / branding support around the world. Where they may not necessarily “do it themselves” - they have other companies do it, under their flag.
By no means do I hate Rotella, but I have lost all love for T6, 5w40. I just shears too quickly for my taste. I've never experienced a thinner oil pour out of my EcoDiesel, including a variety of 5w30's I have used over 10 years and 170,000 miles. Any motorcycle rider with experience, can clearly feel the degradation in shifting and operation in a shared sump engine when it is in there.
Now, I flippin love T4, 15w40 and 10w30. I also like the T5's in the same weights probably more.
Jury is out with me regarding T6, 15w40. I have not run it in a cage, but it seems to do well in my BWM and KTM motorcycles.
Now, I flippin love T4, 15w40 and 10w30. I also like the T5's in the same weights probably more.
Jury is out with me regarding T6, 15w40. I have not run it in a cage, but it seems to do well in my BWM and KTM motorcycles.
I remember when I had my 2002 F350 7.3 Power Stroke, I used the Motor Craft 15w40 with no issues at all. I remember seeing the Motor Craft 5w40 at a Ford Dealer Years ago, it was pricy compared to the 15w40 I purchased at WM.
Presently, I've been using the Rotella T6 5w40 in my 2011 Ram 3500 for many years with no issues at all.
Every transportation company I ever worked for back in the day used Rotella T4 15w40 bulk oil. I personally used Rotella T4 back in the day in my class 8 trucks with 400 big cam Cummins engines with a 44 qt sump capacity and 12,000 mile OCI. I have used T5 in my OPE for decades as well and never had an oil related problem in either application. There’s a reason Rotella is the number one selling diesel oil and it’s not even close.
I have it in my 02’ Dakota without issues. Got bunch of it at Wal Mart blowout $8/gallon
Rotella is the #1 selling oil because Shell spends $55-60 million/yr marketing it. It's the same way Taylor Swift is the biggest name in music despite not having remotely close the widest range, depth of lyrics, or technical backing instrumentation. Marketing is highly effective when 99% of the population isn't educated in the technical aspects of the product.
My dad was a mechanic for one such company. Bearing wear and turbo coking problems weren't uncommon. The oil was never blamed because it was believed to be a great oil. Thus, it wasn't remotely considered to be the culprit. My dad was blinded by this belief as well. The company didn't even look into the cause, just wrote it off as "cost of business". A friend of mine started working for a competitor who was using Amsoil and not having any of the issues experienced by the fleet my dad worked for. This was around the time my interest was first peaking around lubricants, having recently to then seen power increases switching oil brands and viscosity in a drag car. I really wish I would've looked into it further at the time. Sadly, my dad and that friend are no longer with us, and the company my dad worked for closed the doors in 2010. My brother is now the terminal manager for the competitor company who still uses Amsoil and still has hardly any problems.
T6 5W-40 is a great motorcycle oil. My Ninjas shifted like butter with it.
I used the T4 15w40 flavor in my 2008 Suzuki DL 1000 with great results as well. Transmission shifted like butta!
I see some cavitation damage. it could be from lugging. Could be from the oil as well, I suppose. But quite the mix of l wear patterns.
Funny to read this... I keep refering to Lake speed the oil geek. What he burns in you is chemistry dictates application. What is great for one engine, may not be sutable to another. Meaning some need more zinc but have a shorter OCI Some need more Moly or friction modifiers but at detrement of grade stability. This is interesting.
That’s only personal information and isn’t factual in the way one can site sources to validate what you’re saying. It’s a nice antidotal statement but nothing more.
