Shell Rotella Oil ????????????????? READ THIS NOW

wsa111

wsa111

Distributor Recurving.
Staff member
VIP
Approved Vendor
Supporter 2018
I work at Advance Auto Parts several days a week & took notice that the new shell rotella 15W-40 diesel oil now has a SM rating.
Several months ago that oil did not have the SM rating.
For those not familiar the SM rating, it means a reduction or complete elimination of the zinc additive for anti-scuffing.
This pertains to flat lifter camshafts & distributor gears to camshaft drive gears having no protection from scuffing.
Unless you use GM EOS which has a content of zinc for camshaft breakin as a suplementary additive, you will only have left pure racing oil, such as royal purple, redline or valvoiline.
As of right now till i contact shell i would use the above oils or use mobil one with GM-EOS to supply the necessary zinc for proper anti scuffing.
If anyone has more info on this devastating loss of engine protection lets hear from you.
Looks like the EPA is winning the battle.
They could care less about the older vehicles with flat lifter camshafts & distributor gears which drive the high load contact to drive the oil pump.
All the newer engines run the oil pump at the front of the crankshaft & there is on scuffing in that area. Bill
 
Everything I have seen, including an in depth and lengthy discussion on the HAMB, suggests that the only problems are during engine break in (or new cam break in)

And use of a proper assembly lube negates that.

There is a reason the automotive aftermarket isn't freaking out about this...
 
Not to get off the subject, are these additive needed for engines only newly built or thousands of miles on them. I just rebuilt a new engine and my father (who used to rebuild model T's when he was about 14) said use an oil without detergents to brake in a new engine. What kind of oil should I use to break in a new engine. I used Castrol diesel oil. Is this good or bad? Or should I change it immediately and use a different oil?
 
It's probably the best type that you could use. AFAIK, even with the SM rating, there is more ZDDP in diesel oil than normal car oil. That EOS additive is good stuff, though. It certainly wouldn't hurt to add it.
 
Any oil that is likely to end up on the roads seems to now meet the new standards including the diesel stuff. If you are seeing older stuff Im guessing its just old stock. If you are looking for older stuff look for farm or marine stuff. Im sure 'they' will get around to that also but for now everything I have seen is still SJ or SL.
 
I copied this from a recent post on the NCRS website (corvette restoration).

Info from the Shell Answer Man about the wear additives in Rotella the old CI-4 verus the new CJ-4 spec's.
He, actually a she, said

CI-4 CJ-4
Zinc............... 1390 ppm.......1210 ppm
Phospherous.........1265 ppm.......1110 ppm
About 12% lower for the new oil, but much more than the regular car SM spec oil.
Click to expand...

Surely Shell still has a diesel grade oil category "C" oil. Their website does not indicated anything different. Latest API categories are CJ for Diesel and SM for gasoline.
Doug
 
Comp Cams has an additive out:
http://www.compcams.com/information/wha ... =288972762

COMP Cams® Engine Break-In Oil Additive extends the durability of internal engine components, protecting against premature camshaft, lifter and valve train failure. Best of all, COMP Cams® Engine Break-In Oil Additive has proven to deliver long term benefits with new or rebuilt engines through continued usage. Simply pour in a bottle for initial break-in, run the engine for approximately 1,000 miles, drain the system thoroughly and then refill with clean oil and another bottle of COMP Cams® Engine Break-In Oil Additive at each oil change. For more information about the COMP Cams® Engine Break-In Oil Additive or any other COMP Cams® product, call us at 1-800-999-0853, or visit us online at www.compcams.com.
Click to expand...
 
Blue STP oil treatment additive has zddp in it also still available. red can oil stabalizer had a higher content but it has been discontinued. I got my last 3 quarts at big lots because of that. GM EOS has also been discontinued/ reformulated and now introduced under a Delco label
 
certainly if you can find the"old"rotella it offers much cam, lifter, valve and bearing protection, not only during break-in but the life of the motor. your next best bet is to use gm break-in additive but it is just that... an additve, it may or may not cling to the places most susceptible to excessive wear.your choice of a true synthetic may offer the cling properties neede to protect flat tappet cam and lifters i prefer royal purple or red line. stay away from mobil 1 it is no longer a synthetic oil and will be changing their ads soon.
 
Our members in continental Europe will be glad to know that the Bardahl company still offers a very good additive with a lead-based anti scuffing compound. Due to its toxic nature (then again, what ain't toxic in the automotive hobby?) it's being marketed as high load protection for industrial motors and transmissions.
 
I have the following responce from Shell on the RotellaT oil. In a nutshell the additive has been reduced from 1400 to 1200 ppm. This is as high as most of the prefered oils.

Ric,

With the introduction a couple of years ago of ILSAC specification GF-4
and API specification SM for gasoline-only engine oils, the amount of
phosphorous in the oil had to be reduced to prolong the life of
catalytic converters. Zinc-based anti-wear compounds, which also
contain phosphorous, were reduced as well. These zinc compounds work
well to protect flat tappet engines from excessive wear, so the modern
gasoline-only engine oils are not as effective in this regard as they
once were.

Diesel engine oils don't suffer from the same requirements to protect
catalytic converters, so the amount of zinc-based anti-wear additives
remained high. Products like Shell Rotella T Oils, which also carry API
S-series licenses for gasoline engines, have found favor for flat tappet
engines.

There has been a recent change to the API specification required for
oils used in 2007 big rig diesel engines to reduce particulate
emissions, API CJ-4, and that oil does also carry an API SM rating. As
a result, the zinc content in Shell Rotella T Multigrade Oils has been
reduced slightly from about 1400 ppm to about 1200 ppm. Even at these
slightly decreased levels, Shell Rotella T Multigrade Oils still have at
least 50% more of these anti-wear additives as most current
gasoline-only engine oils. These levels of zinc have historically
offered good protection in flat tappet applications.

Thank you for your interest in Shell Rotella Products!

Regards,
Edward Calcote
Staff Chemist, Shell Lubricants US Technical Information Center
http://www.rotella.com/
Click to expand...
 
At least, most American companies really read our letters of concern.

In Europe, they have a standardized reply:

"Thank you for your interest in our products.
Unfortunately, we can't help you on this topic and recommend to consult your car's manufacturer. Regards, xxx"

Yeah, right. As if Ford would take any interest in one of their early mustangs.

BTW, there is one exception;
when I wrote a letter to FoMoCo, USA, they replied that a T5-mustang which was sold through Ford Cologne/ Germany in 1965 made it a German product; hence I should contact Ford Cologne/ Germany.
Then, I wrote a letter to Ford Cologne, but they said that it is basically and purely an American car and I should address any concerns and questions to FoMoCo, USA.

Bummer.


My mate is visiting N.Y. right now for holidays, I hope he gets me some cans of EOS or STP oil treatment (ya know, that Bardahl lead stuff is friggin' expensive, compared to STP).
Never mind how he's gonna get them cans and bottles over the big pond to me. Guess surface mail will do it.
 
Is 1400 to 1200 a lot or a little? Is it a case where in the 'good old days' there was like 5000 so 12 to 14 isnt really going to make any difference?
 
From what I've read in a couple of articles, the amount used to be quite high. Then they lowered it & everything was ok. Then they dropped it this last time & then the problems started. I've read that racing oil (off road use type)contains higher amounts of ZDDP.
I've also read that synthetic oils aren't fixing the problem.......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top