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modirt 
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Joined: 18 Jul 2018
Location: Missouri
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 Topic: Rotella Oil Question
Posted: 15 Aug 2025 at 5:14pm |
Back when we were going thru the engine on the D15, was reminded to go back with a high zinc motor oil. Have been using MFA 10-30 synthetic diesel oil, which doesn't mention zinc, but that may be a given? Or not. It is what I have been using in the D15 and hay monster, which is a 318 Chrysler, which also needs the high zinc.
Then was offered a deal on Shell Rotella Triple T. This stuff. Good to go or do I need to switch to a racing oil which has the "high zinc" thing right on the bottle?
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modirt
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Posted: 15 Aug 2025 at 5:18pm |
Shell was pretty tight lipped as to any helpful knowledge about this oil?
Synthetic or mineral? Zinc? Yes? No? Maybe? Gas or diesel? Maybe all the codes are supposed to give you guidance. They do say it meets specs for Caterpillar........they don't make many gas engines, so maybe diesel use is implied?
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evan austin
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Location: Gaston Indiana
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Posted: 15 Aug 2025 at 7:07pm |
The code to look at on the back of the Rotella bottle is the "SM" rating. SM is a fairly new (ie maybe 10 years old?) rating, and it has a reduced amount of zinc. Newer ratings, SN, Sn+, SP, all also have reduced zinc. When I ran Rotella in my tractors, I used the T1 sae 30 weight. It didn't have an "S" rating for gas engines, but it is rated for "older off road use engines." My poison of choice these days is Mobil Delvac 1630, sae 30 weight. It has the "SF" rating for gas engines, which will have the higher level of zinc. If you want a multi weight high zinc oil, I know they are out there, but I'm not real familiar with any. I use 10w30 in the wintertime, but I've never been too concerned about high zinc oil for that since I don't put many hours on in the winter. For summertime, I still like sae 30. Nothing in this post is gospel, this is just what I do.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 15 Aug 2025 at 9:10pm |
that Rotella bottle says ---API-- CH4- CG4- CF4..... on the back... the "C" is diesel spec..... gas oil is "S"........ it IS a high zinc oil...
Google -------In engine oil specifications, "S" and "C" denote the type of engine the oil is designed for. "S" stands for "Service" and is used for oils in gasoline engines (also known as spark-ignition engines), while "C" stands for "Commercial" and is used for oils in diesel engines (also known as compression-ignition engines). The second letter in the specification (e.g., SN, CF) indicates the oil's performance level, with higher letters indicating better performance.
Edited by steve(ill) - 15 Aug 2025 at 9:21pm
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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PaulB
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Posted: Yesterday at 6:48am |
 steve(ill) wrote:
that Rotella bottle says ---API-- CH4- CG4- CF4..... on the back... the "C" is diesel spec..... gas oil is "S"........ it IS a high zinc oil...
Google -------In engine oil specifications, "S" and "C" denote the type of engine the oil is designed for. "S" stands for "Service" and is used for oils in gasoline engines (also known as spark-ignition engines), while "C" stands for "Commercial" and is used for oils in diesel engines (also known as compression-ignition engines). The second letter in the specification (e.g., SN, CF) indicates the oil's performance level, with higher letters indicating better performance.
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I've always understood that If "S" was the first letter for an oil, That oil was designed for "Spark ignition" engines. If the first letter was "C" that oil would be designed for "Compression ignition" engines. Anything after the first letter was a designation of what the oil was specifically designed to meet newer standards. Google may not always be exactly right. As covered above many newer oil designations are NOT backwards compatible. Using newer designations in older engines is asking for trouble. The Zinc in older oils protected the flat tappet camshafts. Newer oils for roller camshafts don't need or have this additive. Personally I use the Shell Rotella T4 15/40 in everything here and it has served me well. The T4 designation is an older specification. The only roller tappet camshaft I have is in the 290 Cummins in the Astro, everything else has a flat tappet camshaft. Many years ago I used Phillips 66 oils and was told by a snake oil additive salesman that my drain oil was better than most new oils of the time. I'd still be using Phillis 66 oils if I could get them.
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY
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modirt
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Posted: Yesterday at 7:27am |
Was at an engine shop yesterday to talk to them about future of the 318 Chrysler. The kinds of place that turns crankshafts and mills heads, grinds or replaces valves, cams, etx.
Among other things he said to be sure to use a high zinc oil. Same as for the D15. On the floor I noticed several cases of Champion 20-50 oil for muscle cars and racing engines, with extra zinc. Said all that right on the front of the bottle. And next to that a big pile of Wix filters. And above that on the wall all manner of Fel Pro head gaskets. Good enough for them, good enough for me.
Since then, spent way too much time researching what all this means, and appears to be the case of the need for the extra zinc to lubricate those flat tappets........new oils that don't have it lead to wear and shorter life. The rub is those high zinc oils not compatible with modern engines that have catalytic converters. Needs and maybe requires reduced zinc. Which is why some of them designate the oil for the old muscle cars.
Then gets down to how much is enough. Even the high zinc stuff may top out at 1,400 ppm zinc.......and anything 1,200 or higher was OK. If this version of Rotella T Triple Protection has 1,200, then should meet the requirement. Just that aside from info posted by Steve, no indication what the PPM of this oil is. A Tech sheet by Shell indicates it is rated for SM, SL, SJ and SH. Doesn't say that on the bottle, but does on the tech sheet. Even tech sheet is FULL of adjectives, short on nouns and numerical specs.
Really shouldn't be this hard. BTW, reason for inquiry is it was offered to me at something like $3 per bottle, but had to take all 4 cases they had in stock. I'm going to run it in all my farm 4 cycle gas engines......D15, the 318, zero turn mower, tiller, etc. But only if it's the right stuff.
Edited by modirt - Yesterday at 7:31am
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Ed (Ont)
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Posted: Yesterday at 9:04am |
Sounds like a good deal! Buy it all. All good advice above. Just an extra thought for you. Another good oil with zinc in it is Valvoline VR1 racing oil. Great stuff! I use it in my hotrod engine and any old engine that I service. Next oil change it is going in my WD45 as well that I use winter and summer. Available in 10-30 or 20-50. Also comes in synthetic or non-synthetic so you want the non-synthetic of course. 
Grey container is non-synthetic. Black container is synthetic.
Edited by Ed (Ont) - Yesterday at 9:06am
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modirt
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Posted: Yesterday at 11:31am |
That raises another question which is what is best viscosity to use? I've been sticking with 10W-30, as once engine starts, oil pressure goes up and stays there. Having seen those small external copper lines that oil has to flow thru, not sure a heavier, more viscous oil is needed for my use.
On the other hand, long term, if one could use 15W-40 oil.......same as used in diesel engines, it would simplify inventory. Just buy and stock one oil for all.
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Ray54
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Posted: Yesterday at 12:49pm |
modirt wrote:
Then gets down to how much is enough. Even the high zinc stuff may top out at 1,400 ppm zinc.......and anything 1,200 or higher was OK. If this version of Rotella T Triple Protection has 1,200, then should meet the requirement. Just that aside from info posted by Steve, no indication what the PPM of this oil is. A Tech sheet by Shell indicates it is rated for SM, SL, SJ and SH. Doesn't say that on the bottle, but does on the tech sheet. Even tech sheet is FULL of adjectives, short on nouns and numerical specs.
Really shouldn't be this hard. BTW, reason for inquiry is it was offered to me at something like $3 per bottle, but had to take all 4 cases they had in stock. I'm going to run it in all my farm 4 cycle gas engines......D15, the 318, zero turn mower, tiller, etc. But only if it's the right stuff.
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I feel your pain of never being sure which is the right stuff anymore. Way to much of the wocky hocky from the government. They get a pay check no matter what blows up or destroys it self. Maybe a week of picking those hay bales off the ground and getting them in the barn with no working fossil fueled machinery would open the eyes of 10% of bureaucrats we could make sweat. Most have never had a worry about the things farmers deals with, let alone having to sweat from real work while worrying.
 Old Moa in Chine sending everybody in the city he did not like out to the country to do slave labor might not of been a bad thing.
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Ed (Ont)
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Posted: 21 hours 17 minutes ago at 6:58pm |
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I have shell 15-40 in mine now. It works well and I use it in the winter as well but not much. If I put the VR1 in it next oil change I will use 10-30. Keep in mind that I just use it for play or to pull small trailer. If I was plowing or discing all day I would stay with the Rotella or go with 20-50. So depends a lot on what will it do?
Edited by Ed (Ont) - 20 hours 52 minutes ago at 7:23pm
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