Shell Rotella Full Synthetic Easy On My Mind

[Goose55]

My 2019 6.7L High Output Cummins has been running on Shell Rotella Full Synthetic for 5 years and just over 29K miles. Spoke briefly with a guy while filling up on diesel this afternoon and he said that a friend had a viscosity test done on his synthetic oil at 5,000 miles and there was no breakdown at all. I guess these synthetic motor oils have continued to be improved over the years and just keep getting better and better.

 

[nlambert182]

I dunno about the synthetic variety, but I've only ever ran Rotella in my 6.7s (2012, 2016, and 2018). I run 15k oil change intervals and it seems to be the sweet spot. I would imagine 5k would be nothing.

 

[06 Dodge]

My 2019 6.7L High Output Cummins has been running on Shell Rotella Full Synthetic for 5 years and just over 29K miles. Spoke briefly with a guy while filling up on diesel this afternoon and he said that a friend had a viscosity test done on his synthetic oil at 5,000 miles and there was no breakdown at all. I guess these synthetic motor oils have continued to be improved over the years and just keep getting better and better.

Rotella T-6 is okay so long as you don't have oil contamination at or below 2%, once you get above 2.5% is when T-6 viscosity starts to drop <---this is based on UOA reports

 

[markabby]

I just read that Dodge/Ram dealers use Pennzoil Synthetic Oil. It stated that they come from the factory with that because of a partnership with Pennzoil.

then it said that Ram/Dodge decided that Pennzoil was the best for their engines.

go figure they'd say that.

 

[GTyankee]

Every year or 2, Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis sends every OIL Company a Notice.

That notice lets those companies know that they will be allowing Oil Companies to basically compete to be the Supplier for Lubricants.

Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis supplies the engines for the testing, they also have engineers that are testing moderators.

Each Oil Company brings their own Lubricants, ( OIL ) & engineers to run the Testing.

The Engines are all set up identically & all the tests are for wear, heat, noise, vibration, etc. The engines are run at different RPMs for different periods of Time.

Many great OIL companies don't even bother signing up for the testing
Some of them, like Mobile ONE just meet the Specs

At this time, SHELL has certain contracts, they supply Rotella for Diesels

 

[06 Dodge]

I just read that Dodge/Ram dealers use Pennzoil Synthetic Oil. It stated that they come from the factory with that because of a partnership with Pennzoil.

then it said that Ram/Dodge decided that Pennzoil was the best for their engines.

go figure they'd say that.

I asked my dealer about oil after they went from gallon jugs to using bulk oil, how do you know for sure what brand those 1500 gallons they just dropped into the tank was indeed Rotella T-6 or even Pennzoil, I was told that is what the code that comes up when we print invoices so it must be what the oil is

 

[markabby]

I asked my dealer about oil after they went from gallon jugs to using bulk oil, how do you know for sure what brand those 1500 gallons they just dropped into the tank was indeed Rotella T-6 or even Pennzoil, I was told that is what the code that comes up when we print invoices so it must be what the oil is

i'll ask the next time i go for an oil change.

 

[Goose55]

I asked my dealer about oil after they went from gallon jugs to using bulk oil, how do you know for sure what brand those 1500 gallons they just dropped into the tank was indeed Rotella T-6 or even Pennzoil, I was told that is what the code that comes up when we print invoices so it must be what the oil is

Yeah, I had many oil changes after I bought my 3500. They were--and still are e great deal when bought two at a time. And I loved to see them crack open and pour in three one gallon jugs on the Rotella. I wonder if we can now just bring our own jugs.

 

[Goose55]

Rotella T-6 is okay so long as you don't have oil contamination at or below 2%, once you get above 2.5% is when T-6 viscosity starts to drop <---this is based on UOA reports

I am wondering what you mean when you say "oil contamination at or below 2%."

 

[Goose55]

This what I heard back from our Larry H Miller Service Writer when I asked for proof that their bulk oil is Shell Synthetic:

"We order the oil in bulk from our Mopar distributor which brings us Shell Rotella Full Synthetic, this is the only oil that we can put in the newer Cummings motors and by getting it in bulk we get it cheaper and can pass on the savings."

 

[Curmudgeon]

I asked my dealer about oil after they went from gallon jugs to using bulk oil, how do you know for sure what brand those 1500 gallons they just dropped into the tank was indeed Rotella T-6 or even Pennzoil, I was told that is what the code that comes up when we print invoices so it must be what the oil is

This is the same scenario that played out with my dealer when I tried to get any confirmation about the oil they were using. A lot of blank stares, stammering, and different answers from everyone, from the service writer to the parts manager who placed the order.

I started going back over my saved receipts and looking more closely. I saw at least 6 different "names" for what they were using, from "oil 5w-20" and "oil 5w-30" to just "synthetic oil" and "full synthetic" and even "Pennzoil 5w-20", everything in-between.

OK, but which Pennzoil, because there are quite a few? They had no idea.
Not inspiring a lot of confidence here, guys. Even Jiffy Lube does that part of the job better.

This was my CDJR dealer, and I haven't gone back. I found a local shop. I buy the oil and filter I want and they change the oil and rotate the tires, all for $20 labor.

 

[RamHondo]

$20 is a deal!

 

[Curmudgeon]

$20 is a deal!

Exactly! I'm almost 68 years old, retired, and I would have to spend quite a pile of cash at Harbor Freight to acquire everything needed to do it myself.
I'm building a relationship with this new-to-me shop. They just did a full exhaust manifold replacement on the driver's side charging HALF what my CDJR dealer did.

 

[06 Dodge]

This what I heard back from our Larry H Miller Service Writer when I asked for proof that their bulk oil is Shell Synthetic:

"We order the oil in bulk from our Mopar distributor which brings us Shell Rotella Full Synthetic, this is the only oil that we can put in the newer Cummings motors and by getting it in bulk we get it cheaper and can pass on the savings."

For normal oil changes aka quick lube service unless requested by the customer or the customer purchased a Pennzoil oil change package they can use any API rated diesel oil they want, Pennzoil is only required to be used for warranty work, they can say any thing they want to you just to shut you up... Sorry but IMHO trusting most SM is like trying to wizz into the wind and not get any blown back on you...

 

[Goose55]

For normal oil changes aka quick lube service unless requested by the customer or the customer purchased a Pennzoil oil change package they can use any API rated diesel oil they want, Pennzoil is only required to be used for warranty work, they can say any thing they want to you just to shut you up... Sorry but IMHO trusting most SM is like trying to wizz into the wind and not get any blown back on you...

I asked the LHM Avondale Ram Service Mgr for some proof that the the bulk they switched to is indeed the factory required oil for my 5th Gen Cummins, the Shell Rotella Synthetic 10W30, and he sent me this--and invoice from nearly 2 years ago. Why not a more recent invoice, I don't know. . . .

 

[nlambert182]

Well, if that's what they truly use it is indeed the proper oil for your truck.

 

[06 Dodge]

I asked the LHM Avondale Ram Service Mgr for some proof that the the bulk they switched to is indeed the factory required oil for my 5th Gen Cummins, the Shell Rotella Synthetic 10W30, and he sent me this--and invoice from nearly 2 years ago. Why not a more recent invoice, I don't know. . . .

View attachment 559708

Am surprised they showed you the invoice most will not. As for using 10w30 no way will I ever allow 10w30 again to be put into my engine....

 

[Burla]

Rotella and delvac built their name before the ck-4 garbage specs that caused many manu's to scrap these oils. Ford rejected it for a long time, I think they probably accepted by now, but generally speaking your gov't ruined diesel oils, go figure. As for rotella specifically compare their formula against others and make a choice, pqia has voas. I'm not even sure if you can even pick up the old spec now, but I would at a minimum just makes sure you were using 100% synthetic which is t6 and none of the other choices. Brand used to matter but ck-4 took away what rotella and delvac used to do by building great oil formulas. Find all oils that are 100% synthetic with that spec and use the heartiest additive package using voa's to choose, or use rotella and be happy, just for knowledge's sake modern rotella is not remotely close to older rotella.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I used Mobil 1 Turbodiesel 5W-40 for years cause it wasn't CK-4 like Mobil Delvac 1, but they changed that to CK-4 too.

I still buy Mobil 1 Turbodiesel out of force of habit, I don't know why they bother carrying both types anymore. But I will say last I opened my Yanmar diesel to tighten valve lash @ 1,200 hours of hard use, it was squeaky clean up there like a new engine.