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Hey Guys.. Dumb question perhaps? In my old mid-80's Mercruiser 260 gas engines, can I run Rotella 15w40 diesel oil? Anything that would cause a concern? Any insight would be apprecaited. Thanks,

thats what ive been runnin in my engines for 11 years....360 chryslers.

and Randall...how are those engines running today???!!




...couldn't pass that one up. Sorry.

Look on the bottle, you'll see what specs it meets or exceeds. I've found most, if not all diesel grade oil meets and exceeds the the required specs for most car and boat motors.

I'd use it without hesitation.

I've run Rotella T 15W40 in everything I own for years, from Cummins 6BTAs to pressure washers, cars, generators and no issues at all. Both of our vehicles are 97 models and use zero oil.....Cummins did a study years ago and found that the 15W40 Rotella used in the 6BTA and 6CTA engines reduced oil comsumption to near zero vs. a single grade oil.

Best there is in my view.

UV

only question i have, is, i thought i read some where that the diesal oils do not have the detergents the other oils run, i could be wrong and not thinking right just wondering

Just about all motor oils have detergents nowdays....in fact, my book on the ZF IRM 220A gears calls for a non-detergent 30W motor oil and I had to hunt real hard to find any.....ZF said the detergent caused foaming, but I understand they have now reversed that advice and you can use any kind of motor oil in the gears....I still use the non detergent 'cause I have a case on hand.

UV

Rotella T (15W-40) is my personal favorite and use it in everything from big block boat engines to vintage cars to an '06 Dodge P/U. Truth be known there is really very little difference in motor oils between brands - the important thing is pick one with a CI-4 or CJ-4 rating so that you get sufficient ZDDP content for the cam/lifter interface.

thats what my yanmars get

I'd 2nd what White Bear said.










If I knew what it meant.

UV,

Where did you find the stuff? The Twindisc I just purchased for my project also calls out a 30W non-detergent.

Scott, try Agway or any farm supply store.

Maybe even a John Deere or a Moto Guzzi dealer........

http://www.thehardwarecity.com/getProdu ... ku=4469151

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1UBY5

Scot - I got it at Pep Boys but its been a while ago.....

UV

White Bear: I think you mean CI4 or CF4. CJ4 is the new rating with reduced ZDDP for the new diesels with the cats.

The pumps on direct drive pressure washers usually call for non-detergent 30W. I found it at the second gas station I tried, a Tom Thumb about a mile up-island... I'd be surprised if the local Napa didn't carry it, shouldn't be too hard to find.

sim wrote:and Randall...how are those engines running today???!!




...couldn't pass that one up. Sorry.

Look on the bottle, you'll see what specs it meets or exceeds. I've found most, if not all diesel grade oil meets and exceeds the the required specs for most car and boat motors.

I'd use it without hesitation.

look at the idle thread for todays results.

Ya o'reilly auto sales it, its like on the lawnmower isle stuff,

Power Guard 30W is what O'reilly's has. Its what I use on my ZF220's.

DQ

To get back to the initial question...The 15-40 is fine..if you have always used it otherwise, In my view stay away from changing to it. The detergent properties will scour those motors sort of like ethanol in a fuel tank. If you really want to change over be prepared for a few very low hour oil changes to ged rid of all the crap that is disloged by the 15-40.

randall wrote:
look at the idle thread for todays results.

Thought it was funny when I wrote it...



Glad to hear they are purring like kittens again.

Rocket wrote:To get back to the initial question...The 15-40 is fine..if you have always used it otherwise, In my view stay away from changing to it. The detergent properties will scour those motors sort of like ethanol in a fuel tank. If you really want to change over be prepared for a few very low hour oil changes to ged rid of all the crap that is disloged by the 15-40.

But we are all supposed to use detergent oil in our motors, so what would be the difference with Rotella?

NAPA has 30 wt nondetergent. I used it in the headstock of my lathe. I don't use it in engines.

I am by no means an expert, but I run a 30 truck diesel fleet and have had this conversation with my head mechanic a few times. The 15-40 that we run in the diesels has very strong detergent properties due to the soot and particulates inherent in a diesel motor. Gassers are so much cleaner that I do not believe plain vanilla 5W30 or equivalent have nearly the same detergent properties. If used from new the 15-40 is fine as nothing ever builds up. If switching over, all sorts of carbon deposits will be disloged. I am prepared to be wrong on this as it is second hand, but from a really good source. I will ask him to clarify so I understand it better.

Rocket- Fleet operators know. Funny how synthetic oils never reached widespread use with them. Not worth the higher cost.

Rocket wrote:I am by no means an expert, but I run a 30 truck diesel fleet and have had this conversation with my head mechanic a few times. The 15-40 that we run in the diesels has very strong detergent properties due to the soot and particulates inherent in a diesel motor. Gassers are so much cleaner that I do not believe plain vanilla 5W30 or equivalent have nearly the same detergent properties. If used from new the 15-40 is fine as nothing ever builds up. If switching over, all sorts of carbon deposits will be disloged. I am prepared to be wrong on this as it is second hand, but from a really good source. I will ask him to clarify so I understand it better.

Interesting...thanks. If you don't mind ask if he believes there would be a down side with the extra detergent...other then needing an oil change sooner.


Our local Engine Guru told me Diesel Oil just had to take more abuse then regular motor oil, said it would be no problem to use... other then it just cost more.

I like to hear all sides.

Apprecaite all of this feedback. I believe the engines are realtively clean b/c I change the oil quite often but I would like to hear what you all think before I go and put Rotella in them. Thanks again.

Both my father and I have been using Diesel Oil's on and off for years in our boats. We usually just order whatever they have on hand in 40W that is a quality oil.

We have racked up 1000's of hours on our motors and haven't had a problem related to oil or wear.


Ethanol is a different story.

If you have it, I'd use it. If you can get a good deal on it, I'd use it.
I wouldn't go out of my way to get it though.

Just my $.02 but....rotella only gave my cat engine 10 years of life.
This is in my rig but...after 1.1 million miles in a 1999 Peterbilt, my cat C12 finally bit the dust earlier this year. It had been inframed at about 450k miles when it blew a head gasket. I had almost no oil use at each oil change (10k miles) and used a gallon of lucas with each change.