That’s fine. Im sharing my second hand information just like your folks
Why is rotella hated by some?
- Thread starter Redhawk454
- Start date
All the buses here run Chevron Delo 400 XLE/600 ADF from what I know. Doesn’t hurt it’s also made in Richmond and eligible for FTA subsidies.Unscientific survey of walking many job sites with heavy equipment seems to indicate Rotella is very popular with those actually running said equipment. Well, there are jugs on the ground. Maybe there throwing it away its so bad
Rotella/Penzoil/QS - all from Shell PLC. Do you need to hate them all?
Personally I prefer Mobil or Chevron - purely because there US companies. Shell is Netherlands. My choice there is 100% political - buy from the home team.
My guess is jealousy that their favourite oil is not one of the best sellers.people generally pick on best sellers... for no real reason at all, just because.
For me, RT is good enough at a price that is good enough.
If I want to spend more for an engine oil that might be better, I can do that too.
Better how?
I love Rotella, and have never heard anything bad about it. I've used it for years, but my only gripe with it recently is since the pandemic it seems that it is not as easily obtainable as before, and prices are all over the place.
My local walmart is the cheapest place for T4 15w40, and last time I was there it was $25/gallon. Just checked the website and it is on sale now for $15/gallon. The pricing is just all over the map, especially for 10w30 and T5/T6.
Lately I've been grabbing Delvac, Valvoline, and SuperTech 15w40 simply for the better and more predictable pricing.
My local walmart is the cheapest place for T4 15w40, and last time I was there it was $25/gallon. Just checked the website and it is on sale now for $15/gallon. The pricing is just all over the map, especially for 10w30 and T5/T6.
Lately I've been grabbing Delvac, Valvoline, and SuperTech 15w40 simply for the better and more predictable pricing.
Honestly , the older the mechanic the more BS " facts " they spout . I had a neighbor that had a Ford pickup with the 300 straight six engine . He always ran the engine a quart low on oil because " an old mechanic told him to run a Ford a quart low " . He must know , right ? 
One thing I've learned about mechanics is most of them know very little about oil. I also think part of it is because back in the day you just trusted someone's word, there wasn't any way to check their facts.Honestly , the older the mechanic the more BS " facts " they spout . I had a neighbor that had a Ford pickup with the 300 straight six engine . He always ran the engine a quart low on oil because " an old mechanic told him to run a Ford a quart low " . He must know , right ?
exactly. I spent 40 years of my adult life working as a mechanic.. and while I might know alot about it I also know some of my peers really don't know what the heck they are talking about and there are alot on unsubstantiated opinions many people will believe.. This same effect applies to just about every profession.Honestly , the older the mechanic the more BS " facts " they spout . I had a neighbor that had a Ford pickup with the 300 straight six engine . He always ran the engine a quart low on oil because " an old mechanic told him to run a Ford a quart low " . He must know , right ?
Friend of mine( RN) worked in the ICU at the regional heart facility, says to me 90% of Doctors are just "practicing" medicine but if you find one in the 10% you stick with them until they move 1000 miles away.
JHZR2
Staff member
There are actually regional favorites. Some are due to who knows what decades old situation, some because that’s the distributor nearby, etc.people generally pick on best sellers... for no real reason at all, just because.
I used to have 600cc Yamaha bike between 2005-2010, bought new, I recall using T6 15w-40 and it didn't use oil, rode it 6 months a year. Used same oil in my '97 2.sl0w Jetta too, very little oil use even at 375k km before I traded it in.
Rotella meets recommendations, but the only oil Cummins endorses is Premium Blue. Not that it matters a whole lot. All Cummins engines are tested and developed using Premium Blue.
That said, when I had my 2002 Ram Cummins, it didn't seem to matter one bit if it was DELO or Rotella or Delvac or PB. That was the era of CH-4 when RoSMELLa earned its nickname on open-crankcase engines like the 2002 5.9L was. I preferred Delvac mostly.
Cummins does endorse Valvoline but FCA/Stelantis/Ram who builds and warranty’s these trucks and engines endorses Rotella. It’s printed in the owners manual. I had the best experience with Delvac Extreme.
It’s good stuff
Hate is a strong word… Dislike? Yes. However…
T2 / Rimula / Triple Protection (national account / fleet oil) and T4 both have notoriously sheared. Particularly bad in stationary gen set applications.
Their marketing is misleading at best.
The product (T4) is over priced. Extremely over priced, because marketing is a hell of a drug.
Their product support group has been outsourced. And at least, in my experiences, they have generally bad product support.
T5 product line is “okay” at best.
T6, while generally overpriced, is a good product that is widely available. And you pay to play on retail shelf space. So I partially understand that.
Industry complaint:
The way they treat their distributors is terrible. And they’re hard to deal with.
Again, I wouldn’t say hate, as that’s too strong. But disliked? Yeah. In the T4 “conventional” and T5 syn blend product space? Better products are available for the same, or less money. Especially if you’re a fleet looking. T6 is a good consumer product choice, that is widely available. (But still over priced, in my humble opinion.)
T2 / Rimula / Triple Protection (national account / fleet oil) and T4 both have notoriously sheared. Particularly bad in stationary gen set applications.
Their marketing is misleading at best.
The product (T4) is over priced. Extremely over priced, because marketing is a hell of a drug.
Their product support group has been outsourced. And at least, in my experiences, they have generally bad product support.
T5 product line is “okay” at best.
T6, while generally overpriced, is a good product that is widely available. And you pay to play on retail shelf space. So I partially understand that.
Industry complaint:
The way they treat their distributors is terrible. And they’re hard to deal with.
Again, I wouldn’t say hate, as that’s too strong. But disliked? Yeah. In the T4 “conventional” and T5 syn blend product space? Better products are available for the same, or less money. Especially if you’re a fleet looking. T6 is a good consumer product choice, that is widely available. (But still over priced, in my humble opinion.)
It’s a decent oil nothing special it’s a Group 3 so yes it’s overpriced for what it is. There’s a lot better 5w-40’s on the market that are mostly group IV for the same price.
Better at doing the same job Rotella does. Dads used lots of AgWay, Rural King brand HDEO for years without issues. Wanna buy overpriced oil; go right ahead. Only times I’ve got rotella was on clearance.
