rotella t4 oil

[kully 560]

spoke to Rotella this week and they suggest to now use there Rotella t4 10w-30w diesel oil in the z cars because of the higher 1200 ppm zinc content,that is better to use with the overhead cams.  it is because the new diesel engines do not need as much cleaning agents anymore with the new emission they carry.  just would like to see the forum thoughts.

 

Edited January 27, 2018 by kully 560

[Patcon]

I haven't tried it yet in a Z, but the diesel engine oils tend to have more detergents anyway which could help clean up an older engine. Although sometimes that can cause more harm than good...

I have been running Rotella in my ski boat's V-8

[gwri8]

I've been using the Rotella 15w 40 in my Z for the last 3 yrs with no complaints.  The previous owner ran Rotella 20w 50 in it. Who knows what before.   I believe the bottom end is original with 60K on the speedo while the head had been serviced at some point before my purchase with some valve replacements. Cam and lash pads still look good.

[siteunseen]

Read up on this unless you just want rotella.  It has a high zinc content and less expensive than valvoline vr1.  I'm running in both my Zs and the valve train is super clean/shiny. Just my $.02

[siteunseen]

I finally found the article that swayed me over.  Opinions on oil are like buttholes, everybody has a better one.   

It came in 7th and is way cheaper than the other six.  I change my oil often.  It's easy and like an x-ray of the motor, in my opinion.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/13-performance/448385-zddp-values-high-zinc-oils.html#/topics/448385

Edited January 27, 2018 by siteunseen

[kully 560]

I use to use the defy but no longer able to get it .so I looked on the quaker state site and no longer made. that is what led me to the rotella t4 oil. I believe the quaker state high mileage oil is what replaced it and when I called them I think if I remember right the zinc was about 800ppms.

Edited January 27, 2018 by kully 560

[Chickenman]

540rat?? .... bwaaa Haaa Haaaa. Good one. 

 

[rcb280z]

How about those of us out there with catalytic converters? Will it harm it? 

[Chickenman]

The ZDDP kills  Catalytic converters  is just another example  of " Internet misinformation " or  " Partial information ". Catalytic converters are a consumable product. Just like Brake pads or Clutches. Thye have a finite Lifespan.  Alway have... alway will have. 

ZDDP does not " Kill " Catalytic converters.  Cars have had Catalytic converters since the Mid 1970's and the oils back then had a hell of a lot more ZDDP in them back then.  They lasted fine back then and still do.

The only reason for the reduction in ZDDP in Motor oils is because the EPA upped the testing standard for Catalytics  from 100,000 miles to 150,000 miles  in the mid 2000's.

Now  one of the main materials of a Catalytic converter is Platinum. Platinum is freakin' expensive. Almost equal to the cost of Gold per once. Now ZDDP does slowly, very slowly degrade the performance of the Platinum Catalyst. But it takes a super long time and Manufacturers used just enough Platinum to last 100,000 miles and still pass the EPA test. 

But when the EPA decided to raise the test standards to 150,000 miles . No problem, the engineers could meet that standard. They just had to use more Platinum in the Honeycomb Matrix. So this was just an engineering problem.... and then the " Bean Counters " got involve. They didn't want to fork out more money for added Platinum. And  studies had shown that if you reduced the amount of ZDDP in the oils, then you could meet the new tougher EPA test with the same Catalytic converters and amounts of Platinum in them. 

Note: ZDDP's main function is to reduce metal to metal contact in extreme load situations. It is a VERY effective extreme pressure agent. The interface between a flat tappet lifter and camsahft, or sliding finger follower  style Valvetrain is the highest load pressure point in an engine. 

Since all of the BIg 3 manufactures had been using Roller Lifter or Roller follower Valve Trains since the late 80's to early 90's, this sounded like a great idea to the Bean Counters. Make an oil with less ZDDP  and problem solved. The oil makers were on board with this as they could save a couple of pennies in additive amounts of ZDDP in each bottle of oil.

Only 1 company objected. GM. They did not agree with the amount of ZDDP reduction that the oil companies and EPA had proposed. They were worried about, older engines... that still used Flat Tappet Cams. Like those in GM SBC.BBC,, and Pontiac and Buick engines still being used buy Vintage car owners, hot rodders and Racers. And also in older trucks, generators and  agriculture for pumping stations etc  They actually proposed a les strict Oil standard in ZDDP reduction , that would be compatible with older flat tappet Cams ( and finger followers ) and could meet the the new 150,000 mile Catalytic tests.... with only  a slight increase in Platinum amount required, compared to the Current SG/SH oils. But this proposal was shot down by the EPA and other manufacturers.

Vintage cars, old vehicles and Lord forbid " Racers ???? F**k them. Let them all buy new Jelly Bean cars. They're all a bunch of degenerate heathens. 

And this in the mid-2000's, you started seeing the " Great Camshaft Meltdown "  with horror stories of Hot Rods and High Performance engines grinding their Camshafts into mush. Problem was exacerbated with High Lift cams and stiffer Valve springs. But fear not. The Oil companies came back with a solution. They would introduce new " Specialty Oils "  , that did not have to  the new Energy Star ( SM/SN API rating ) . So they basically introduced an old formula oil,  then slapped some fancy stickers on it and called it " Hot Rod " oils. And of course they charged double the money,  because this was " Special Oil "...... and they had the Hot Rodders, Muscle Car and Vintage enthusiasts by the balls. 

PT Barnum  would have been proud...

So in short... if you have a pre 2006 car, older higher Zinc oils won't " Kill " your Catalytic converter. At least not very quickly. 

If you have a later model car and are concerned about maintaining the Emissions warranty for 150,000 miles ... then you may want to use a new Energy Star rated SM/SN oil. Of course if you do ANY modifications to the valve train. All bets are off.

Oh, and if you have a new car with Direct Fuel Injection? Good Luck.   Better find out how the High Pressure Injection Pump ( Up to 1,660 PSI ) is made. The bosch systems ( Audi/VW. BMW, Mercedes Porsche and others ) use a Bucket lifter in the High Pressure pump. Guess what... they are wearing out in as little as 20,000 miles. Even with numerous recalls on DI Injection pumps and " Diamond Like Coatings "  being spayed on the buckets,. All because the new oils are SH*TE.  It's a HUGE industry problem. Especially in Europe on the Autobahns. Higher speeds, higher engine temps, oil thins out.... buh bye $2,000 to $3,000 dollar injection pump. 

 Some of the Japanese manufactures were smarter. They used Roller Tipped actuators to operate the High Pressure pump.  No issues with reduced ZDDP.  FWIW. 

BTW, all of this information is available in SAE White Papers and Technical articles like Engine Tech and Race Car engineering. Also covered on dedicated sites such as " Bob Is The Oil Guy ", Despite the rather  strange name, BITOG is one of THE best sites for accurate lubrication information. Where actual Chemical, Mechanical and Petroleum engineers contribute regularly. an Laboratory Testing results are abundant.  Well worth a visit and a long read.

 https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2018 by Chickenman

[rcb280z]

Wow Chickenman, very informative! Thought at one time on this site someone made comment to the fact that "cat" cars should not use high ZDDP oils. So maybe it wasn't this site.

I want to use the t4 oil and didn't because of the "internet misinformation" you speak of. I'll have to check to see if it's available in CA. Could that be an issue, maybe? Hmm....will have to check that out.

Thanks for the info!

[Captain Obvious]

What about all the flat tappet direct actuation OHC Asian stuff like Toyota and Honda? I've been pushing that stuff around as daily drivers since forever and I've never had a problem with the new oils. Never heard about anybody wiping a cam there, and they don't use any roller valve trains. It's all sliding motion.

Why don't they wipe cams? Why do they seem immune? Less valve spring pressure because it's 1:1 instead of something higher with a rocker?

[kully 560]

it is a diesel engine oil for the newer diesel engines so it should be sold in all 50 states I would think?