bulabula

I've used syn oil (M1) in my gassers for a long time but have never noticed any real significant difference from using it. But a 2.5 mpg improvement? That is noteworthy. Are you sure it isn't due to a change in your source of fuel? Like you, I can be cynical at times too.

How much more is syn Rotella per gallon?

msparks

[quote author=Incanus link=board=8;threadid=18643;start=0#msg174763 date=1061349295]
I don't want to start an oil war, and I'm not advertising the product, either, but --

Recently turned 18K mileage and decided that the engine was as good as broke in. I'd been using Delo but have had luck with synthetics in gas vehicles. So I decided to try Shell Rotella synthetic 5w-40.

[/quote]

It was a good deal when you could get it for something like $12/gallon at walmart. But I think the price has increase to over $18 now? If that's the case it's not so good of a deal since it's only a group III based oil, which is a hydrocracked, isodewaxed petroleum oil. (this is the same type of basestock that castrol syntec, Pennzoil synthetic, havoline synthetic and the Amsoil XL7500 series uses.

Group III bases have nearly the performance of a full PAO/Ester synthetic at a lesser costs. So if your paying full synthetic prices you can do better by using either Amsoil, Delvac1, or Redline which uses the better base stocks.

I would be interested in seeing an oil analysis of this stuff. I almost went with it as a breakin oil on my Triumph Motorcycle, but they raised the prices so I decided on the Amsoil 15w40 synthetic blend.

msparks

[quote author=Incanus link=board=8;threadid=18643;start=0#msg174908 date=1061387896]
Rotella synthetic is $12.98 at Wally World, so twice the price of Delo 400. I've seen it for $19.98 at Advance Auto. :P

[/quote]

As long as your getting it for $12.98 it's a great deal. But for $19.98 there are better synthetics for less!

wheels

I too switched to Rotella Synthetic about 7000 miles ago. I have not noticed anything different in my mileage since switching. I have however noticed more noise from the engine. I only notice it at idle and after driving for an hour or so at highway speeds. It sounds like a light knock seperate from the normal noise. I attributed it to the Rotella synthetic being such a light oil. I was skeptical about running the 5-40 when I bought it but thought I would give it a shot. I really dont care for it now that I have ran it for a few weeks. It is like water when it is warmed up, much thinner than regular 15-40 rotella. I think Im going to switch back to either normal Rotella or go to Amsoil 15-40

Just my opinion
Keith

Lightman

From the research I've done, and my personal experience/oil analyses, Delvac 1 is the best you can get..which is what I run. However it's expensive, at around $20-22/gal. As msparks said, at $12, the rotella syn is a good value, but at 18 or 19 its a rip off. If I were you, I'd spend $16/gal and get amsoil 15w-40 heavy duty diesel/marine oil. This stuff consistently gets great oil analysis results and is a much better value than the rotella.

To answer the other question, yes, I think your truck can easily be smoothed out and quieter on the synthetic. I wasn't the original owner of my MB, and when I bought it in 2001, I switched it over to D1 at 22k miles. I also noticed a slightly quieter idle and smoother running conditions all around. Also, in cold winter startups when I lived up north, you could hear the oil reach the engine much more quickly and quiet it down with the synthetic.

My .02 says don't be cheap, you bought an expensive engine, treat it to the nice fluids. You'll change them less often with better protection. ;D

Haulin_in_Dixie

In MHO all this oil stuff is serious overkill. Stuff Rotella or Delo 15-40 in it and change it around 7000 and the engine will outlast you. If you are using it commercial you can't afford to put expensive oil in the engine and you use it much harder than any grocery getter and rv puller. You are right, its an expensive engine, that is built to last on off the shelf oils. Maybe I am wrong but I would not consider putting a 5w oil in a diesel, it defies the theory of oil cusion on the crank bearings.

bkrukow

I was at wallmart last night and saw the rotella synthetic for $12 a gallon and thought abought getting it for my next oil change but decided it wasent worth the extra money. This engine will last forever with a good quality oil in it, and I decided I would never see enough added life out of the engine to justify it. If Haulin in dixy has no problems with conventional oils in his, I ant wastin the money.

Ruralmedic

The "W" rating on a multi-grade motor oil stands for it's winter rating, ie, XXW represents it's flow characteristics at 0 degrees F. Typically you will only find the synthetics capable of such a broad multi-grade range such as 5W-40. Their basestocks are purer and do not contain the paraffins that petroleum oils do, which just like diesel fuel, gell in cold weather and restrict flow. The 5W and 15W oils are both 40 grade and should provide the same hydrodynamic wedge for the crank bearings, one just flows better than the other at 0F.

Delo 400 is a petroleum based oil with great cold weather performance, that could probably be classified as a 10W-40, but is more than likely marketed as a 15W-40, simply because that's what everyone's used to seeing and using.

The Cummins is definately easy on oil, and with it's near 3 gallon sump capacity, 7,500 mile oil change intervals using dino oil is conservative IMO.

ramman21921

I used the Rotella thinking it was a full synthetic oil ended up finding out that the characteristics of the Rotella was quite similiar to synthetic but was not a true synthetic oil I ended up running AMSOIL. ;D ;D ;D This is not an oil war starting but I personally think this is an excellent product! 8) 8) 8)