1990Runner

What does everyone think of using 15w40 in a 3.0 with 126.000 miles on it?? Its Shell Rotella, i get it from work for free. It says that it decreases wear by like 33% and helps with build ups via detergents. Just wondering whatcha think??

904_runner

im not sure, i was told to run 20w50 to keep the noise down

rdlsz24

15w40 would probably be alright since you are in Houston and it doesn't get too cold for the 15w on starts to matter much. I wouldn't run anything heavier than a 40 weight in any engine because of tolerances. My two cents.

Rob

Alex 400

The Shell Rotella is a great oil. I ran 15w-40 Delo 400 in my rig for a while, then went to 20w-50 Cheveron oil. I am now running Mobil synthetic 10w-30 and it seems to be working very well and will be putting 15w-50 mobil in the next few months. 15w-40 is a good weight i think for the 3.0, not too heavy but just heavy enough. Especially in the early Texas heat. If it starts climbing around 90+ degrees, I would put some 20w-50 in it to help protect against the heat.

Scooby098

I was told that delo 400 Is for diesals cause It has a high ash content for the extra carbon in them, Im useing it in mine to clean out the gunk in my engine then switching back to napa brand 10 30 aka renamed vavline

Brenjen

Personally I only use 10W-30 Mobil1 & if I didn't have an oil leak that leaks about a quart every 2,500 miles I'd use Royal Purple....but I'm bad about letting oil changes go a while....until I "feel like it" or the engine seizes up, whichever comes first.

Alex 400

It is a great oil regardless. We ran run it in all of our vehicles (dirt bikes, boat, truck, lawn tractor, etc.) for a while and that was all that we used. A marine mechanic that my dad knows told us that it is the closest thing to full synthetic oil without being synthetic you can buy. He uses it in all of the boats he services gas and diesel. It is a very good oil. Worked really well in our air cooled dirt bikes.

Pistonman

I think Rotella is the best conventional motor oil out there. Crane Cams specs it for cam break in due to its high lubricity. I use it in all my conv. oil lubed engines. Delo, and all the diesel rated oils are good as well.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

I've been using 15W40 for years, since I have both a diesel VW and a gas Toyota, one oil works for both engine. Currently using the Rotella-T, it works well.

Squeebs

Rotella is funny.


There is no middle ground with it. People either swear by it, or are pretty damn sure that it is actually the blood of the anti-christ.

Be careful with the 15-40w, especially delo400. It is HIGHLY detergent, so you may very well wash out a ring as well as sludge.


A guy came into the lube shop i work at with a chevy diesel. Was running regular havoline 1540 for about 250k.... switched to Delo.


later ring.



I'm going to give one of two things a shot next change.

amsoil 0-30, or mobil1 5-20. just to see if either cause any improvements in anyway.

Brenjen

I've never heard anyone bash Rotella; I know a LOT of people who use it & I have never heard of a single one of them that had an issue of any kind other than one first year manufacture DuraMax & that wasn't the oil.....as far as seeing improvements from synthetic? I doubt you'll see any. The main thing I noticed is - extended oil changes are great & if I overheat my engine I feel I have an edge over conventional oil. Just pair a quality oil with a good Wix filter & your engine will be fine.

Georgiadave

Many people like Rotella 15-40, but I think a 5-30 or 0W-30 would give you better flow and lubrication at startup and at operating temperature. Pennzoil Platinium or Made in Germany Syntec is what I run.

Man4God

Yep. Napa Gold filters and the NAPA rebranded Valvoline in my wife's VW. I have used Rotella T in many vehicles and it always worked great.

1990Runner

well just to update every one, ive ran this rotella for about 3100 miles and 3.5 months and it doubled my oil pressure on the gauge and i used a little less oil. so im gonna put it in again this go around. mabey a figment of my imagination but i feel like its made the old 3.0 run a little smoother too

abecedarian

You should have no problems with the 15w-40. If it doesn't get below freezing, I'd use it in the winter too.
126k isn't all that many miles, if the engines been maintained well.

Victor

Rotella is good diesel oil. I would run it. Mobil makes a good diesel snthetic - Delvac 1 in 5w40. Can you get that weight? I've run 5w40 synthetic for a while but recently wen't back to 5w30. Not much of a noticable difference.

Belize Off Road Team

search up my old thread on 20w50 (may be in archives now) and see what alot of people say about running heavy oil. i used 20w50 esso racing grade oil for high temps and it worked really well when running on really hot days.

abecedarian

the trick with oil is to only use oil thick enough for the engine. too thick makes more friction and less mileage. too thin makes for increase wear.

RobD

My dad rebuilt engines for 30+ years and all he ever used in our vehicles was Rotella. Me, I swear by Mobil1. Either way, you can't go wrong.

Alex 400

I switched to Rotella synthetic 5w-40 diesel grade oil. Great stuff and you can't beat the price by much. 15.99 a gallon. It is designed for heavy equipment and trucks with both diesel and gas engines in mind. I have a mobil high capacity oil filter on it now.

I don't know about anywhere else, but a lot of the commercial boats worked on here in seattle that come down from alaska for service either get delo 400 or rotella T 15w-40.