Is anyone here running Rotella-T synthetic in their engine? If so, why, and did you get any favorable results?

 

I figured someone would have tried it by now. I know some of the vintage guys are using it because of the flat-tappet issue.

 

I haven't checked to see if it meets 'spec.s' - ACEA A3/B3 and/or BMW LL-01 is recommended (Motul, Royal Purple, and the imported Castrol come to mind)...

 

I believe Rotella T meets a whole range of API specs, both diesel and gasoline. I'm not sure which specs the Mini requires however. Does the manual say?

 

The specs listed in the manual, although they escape me, are outdated - at least in my 2002 version of the manual. Practically all oils now exceed the "high end" 2002 standards. The guy at Autozone told me this once.

To confirm, you should look in your owner's manual, and then look those up on some kind of oil website. I'm sure you'll see there are several standards beyond what is recommended for MINIs that have since been added.

 

 

Another oil that the "flat tappet" guys love is the Mobil 1 Extended drain/extended millage...the one that says good for up to 15,000 miles on the bottle ( important note....this is notthe same as regular Mobil 1). What makes these oils a bit different from most current oils is that they still contain higher levels of zinc than is allowed by the current API spec. The goverment is making oil companys reduce the zinc levels in their oils, in hopes of extendeing catylic converter life, to get the "gas or energy conserveing " logo, or the current newer logo. The zinc has been added to oil for years as a high preasure, anti-gualing agent that mostly protects the valvetrain from wear. Some motors, like ones with flat tappets, and some mucle cars experenced rapid failures and extreme wear when first switched over to the new API spec, hence the distinction. Amsol oils still have the high Zinc levels too....most likely ryoal purple does too, but I do not know for sure. It is important to note that zinc in itself does not destoy catylatic converters like lead, but oil burnoff over the long-term, like 100,000 plus does cause some wear. When the new low zinc oils came out, there was hope it would keeps cataylic converters running at high effeciency levels to 150,000 miles or more....but many engines have proven that is at the expense of the valve train and motor life. I use higher zinc oils, and I would recommend everybody that plans on keeping their car for many miles do the same.
As to the rotella use....I would be interested to find out....one question...since it is meant for diseal and heavy duty truck use, could you find it in 5w-30? Mostly those oils are sold in much heavier grades, and weights. With oil passages and oil flows so closely calculated in modern motors, I would realy think twice before running oil that was much thicker than reccomended, even if it was syentic.

 

Or use Redline which seems to dump moly into the oil by the bucketload I agree with sticking close to the factory weight.

For older cars that like thicker oil, Valvoline VR1 20w-50 is high in zinc.

 

Why all this talk of which oil to get.....the difference will not amount to much if you stick to a conservative change schedule.

Mobil1 0W-40 is the recommended oil for our MINI's now and so far my experience has been positive with it.

 

Shell Rotella T Syn is now rated API SM for gas engines.

Go to BobIsTheOilGuy.com (BITOG) and search around for Rotella T used in gas engine. Most seems to like it due to price and lowered wear rates on metal (based on Used Oil Analysis). It's also less expensive.

ZippyNH is correct about the Zinc content of Rotella T. Just remember some Mobil 1 oils rated for gas engines also have elevated Zinc (15w-50, 10w-40, 5w-40 and Extended drain versions). Auto manufacturers also require oils of lower zinc levels due to government regulations to longer warranty of CAT converters.

I'm sticking to Mini's oil recommendation for now due to warranty. For my other car ('01 VW 1.8T New Beetle), I just started my first batch of Rotella T Synth. (It's seen mostly Mobil 1 for 166k miles). Rotella T Synth 5w-40 is thicker than the typical 5w-40 and does lower the gas mileage a bit. My impression is it's even thicker than Mobil 1 10w-30 and is probably better as a summer oil.

Once the warranty expires, I may consider mixing oils of different viscosity as I find M1 5w-30 & 10w-30 too thin.... maybe 50% M1 10w-30 and 50% Rotella T Synth 5w-40.

 

True. However, there are those who would like to use oil as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. So finding a balance between price and the longest change interval w/o giving up protection.

 

Rotella T Synth, in the blue bottle, only comes as 5w40, right? I'm not sure I'd want to run that in my Mini. I was considering switching to Mobil 1 10w30 High Mileage at my next oil change. I want to try something slightly heavier to see if it curbs some of my oil usage, while I figure out where my oil leaks are.

 

The latest Rotella T Synth is 5w-40, originally made for Turbo Diesel engine but now rated API SM for gas engines as well.




A sample Analysis for a Subarus WRX STi

 

I'd try it in the summer, but not sure I'd feel certain in the winter. But, I'm no oil expert.

 

I ran it in the summer for two changes or 10,000 miles. Back to EU Castrol for the winter.
Test's have proven Rotella T Synth looses viscosity slower and has higher shear resistance. A lot of motorcycle guys like it because engine and transmissions share the crank case oil where it's exposed to high heat and shear forces. It also has a strong detergent package that keeps particles in suspension till they hit the filter. Anyway there is a great testing and analysis on it in a motorcycle forum somewhere. Oh here it is http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Consumables.html
That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

 

What grade did you run? Was this the Rotella T, T5, or T6? Are you still using it?

 

I wouldn't use during the winter in CT. Using it in my '01 1.8T VW, it's a bit sluggish at temps below 55*F.

 

Rotella T Synth is 5w-40, I will use again this summer.
I'm a believer!

 

I am changing my oil in the next few days. I have 120k ( ) on my 03S and have noticed that when it was at 40k I would get high 30's to low 40's in MPG on the freeway (70mph @3krpm). Now I get 23mpg running the same stretch of freeway. Anyone know if a thicker grade of Mobil1 (full synth) would help? I thought about some Lubro Moly or Redline but I would need to order either one. I use to run Royal Purple but switched.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

To off topic to start with.

 

True...
One bit of info to consider... thicker oil usually reduces MPG....
If your MPG has dropped, I would check that all the basic matainance chores are done...and remember, you are now burning (almost certainly) E-10 gas, which has less Btu's per gallon, so you will never get the same MPG's that you saw new...running E-10 will reduce mpg by at least 3%, but most folks see a bit bigger loss.
In today's motor's, oil use is pretty tightly controlled, and desgined to be just enough...pump too much, and then efficency is impacted...so unlike motors of the past I would not use oil that is much thicker than recommended...many have used the euro formulaions on mobil1, the ONLY formulaion of Mobil 1 currently that meets the approprate BMW/Mini spec.

 

One more thing to consider...if you have a lot of miles on your SC, it is not as efficent as a new, tighter one...and if you added a pulley, you have more power...and spark plugs on a pulley car should be changed as if it is a JCW car...each inspection, with the JCW plugs for most folks...one step cooler than stock S ones...

 

What are the the JCW plugs Zippy? NGK cooler running plugs? I haven't yet done--but plan to--replace the pulley on my 05 with 12k miles
(yes, yes...I know, OFF TOPIC.

 

I just put in some Rotella T6 5w40 and I'm noticing significantly cooler engine temps: OBDLink used to show above 200F but now i'm getting between 190-200F. I used to run Mobil 1 5w30. The last oil change I did had the oil running really thin so I decided to go with something much thicker. I'll report back any mileage changes (I log trip, odometer, and gallons every time I fill up on gas).

 

interesting.... i'm currently using 0w40 Castrol Edge but will consider this for lower temp. keep us up to date