what about rotella
My CTD just turned 100k and I cange the oil every 3k miles with rotella 15-40. Can I switch to another oil now so I can do less oil changes or no? I'm just used to doing em evey 3k.
Diesel Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 149
Likes: 6
JD oil is still CI...
Diesel Fan
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 56
Likes: 3
From: Lousiana
I was using Rotella. 5 to 6,000 in the summer. 6 to 7000 in the winter. used about 3 to 4 quarts between changes. Switched to Castrol, Techtion for diesels. Now it uses about1 to 2 quarts between changes. Has a little more "sticky" to it. 270,000 miles
Last edited by jamsmith; Sep 13, 2009 at 08:39 PM. Reason: more info
I run Rotella in mine. Before my Mega Cab 06 got stolen, I used Rotella as well. Got hooked on it while working for a slick line company in Texas. We used it in all 6 of the wire line trucks, the ford ranger trucks and we used it to soak our slick line tools in as well. Great stuff.
Diesel Bomber
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,257
Likes: 186
From: CO
Don't forget there's more than one Rotella for diesles. The T-syn 5w/40 is IMHO, the beast all-around value for all year round use. Excerp from another web site:
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It is true that Rotella T Synthetic is Group III (not PAO) based, but you must keep in mind that not all Group III base oils are created equal. Rotella T Synthetic is made with Shell's XHVI base oil, which unlike other Group IIIs does not begin as distilled crude oil, hence of all Group III base oils, XHVI is truly the only one that can legitimately be called "synthetic." XHVI is a wax isomerate, meaning that it is made from the slack wax removed from distilled crude in normal solvent dewaxing. This slack wax is catalytically transformed (isomerized) and hydrofinished into a chemically pure base oil which rivals PAO in virutally every category. There are other "synthetic" oils out there based on Group III, but Shell's is unique in that it uses XHVI base oil. (And I believe Castrol uses Shell's XHVI too.) Chevron and Petro-Canada produce Group III base oils that come close to XHVI, but even though these oils are all hydroprocessed and utilize the same type of isomerization technology employed in the making of XHVI, they are not the same thing. Only XHVI is made from pure petroleum slack wax and its CAS number is 92026-09-4. The CAS number for the more typical all-hydroprocessed Group III base oils is 64742-54-7. If you want to know what your "synthetic" oil is made from, take a look at the MSDS and look for these numbers. (The CAS number for PAO is 68037-01-4.)
In brief, don't be so quick to dismiss Rotella T Synthetic as just another "synthetic pretender." Its made with the same base oil as Shell's Helix Ultra, and everytime you see Ferrari win a Formula 1 race, that's the oil in the engine.
In brief, don't be so quick to dismiss Rotella T Synthetic as just another "synthetic pretender." Its made with the same base oil as Shell's Helix Ultra, and everytime you see Ferrari win a Formula 1 race, that's the oil in the engine.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Rio Linda, Calif
With the Amsoil, as with any synth, I expect, you can run a thinner oil, like Amsoil 5w/40. It appears to help out with the oil injection system in the PSD's., and won't foam up under pressure. Also, Amsoil vurtually will not brake down, therefore if kept clean, can last indefinetly. I have been running Valvoline Blue Synth. 15w/40 in my '04 f250., but am changing over to Amsoil 5w/40 next change due to the 52000 mi. on my truck, just to see if any different.
Diesel Bomber
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,257
Likes: 186
From: CO
Leave a jug of each outside on a very cold night and in the morning you will see the difference. Drain them from a hot engine and you will see no difference. It's a matter of how they perform at different temps, and thinner is better the colder it gets.
I don't understand why anyone living in a 4-season climate would not run a 5w/40 year 'round. Changing a 15w/40 in the fall because it's getting cold may be costing you money doing an unnecessary oil change, depending on how long it's been in the sump. Running a 15w/40 in the winter will be costing you increased levels of engine wear. Don't try to tell me you run 15w/40 all year with no problem without a UOA to back it up. Sure it's being done all the time, but I guarantee it'll be showing elevated wear numbers in the spring if you do that and bother to really look into it.
Diesel Bomber
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,222
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From: Bozeman, MT
Oil is like Powerstroke vs Duramax vs Cummins everyone has their preferred brand and Brand A is going to be better than Brand B and Brand C might be "better" than all of them in someone else's eyes
