You can get this for $20 a gallon at walmart. It seems like most other options are 4x the price?
Incorrect Shell Rotella T is a line of heavy duty engine lubrication products produced by Royal Dutch Shell. The line includes engine oils, gear oils and coolants. The oil carries both the American Petroleum Institute (API) diesel "C" rating as well as the API gasoline engine "S" rating. Ratings differ based on the oil. Rotella oils like T3 15w-40 meets both the API CJ-4 and SM specifications, and may be used in both gasoline and diesel engines. However, originally it was formulated specifically for vehicles without catalytic converters, containing phosphorus levels beyond the 600-800ppm range. Therefore, Rotella was not recommended for gasoline vehicles with catalytic converters due to the higher risk of damaging these emission controls. Newer formulations of Rotella T6 are API SM rated.
Michael B is correct. I researched the pants off of the new Rotella SM spec oil. It's a mixed fleet oil and is usable in both diesel and petrol cars. It's running fine. The only problem I had since I changed my oil was with the faulty Ferrari designed alternator cable. 16K miles. If you want to battle about spec this and spec that. Remember Ferrari fouls up every model of car they build. Then they fix it and get it right. Oil disareators too SM is SM. And it also is NOT SJ or just plain old fashioned S. SM is bleeding edge oil chemical engineering. And last fall I swapped out the faulty exhaust ECUs which are supposed to monitor the Cats for oil and fuel burning by checking temps. They fail and malfunction doing no good at all about checking for "phosphorous or fuel" in the cats. I also made heat shields for them because the engineering team at Ferrari seemed to think cooking black boxes on top of cats is a good thermal plan. Grrr.
Specs on their web site show this; Shell ROTELLA® T6 Full Synthetic | Shell ROTELLA® "OEM Specifications and Approvals for Shell ROTELLA® T6 full synthetic heavy duty engine oil API: CK-4, CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS, CI-4, CH-4" I'm not doubting you, just trying to verify what you are saying.
And after finding the pants of, and investigating T6 a little further, I see that T6 mixed fleet is now available but in a 5w30 viscocity. Wonder if they got complaints about 5w40 with cats. Ah well I will swap it out if I see problems. I was getting some smoke but that was from a slight overfilling when I got tired of climbing around like a monkey checking the stick. I also went without a 14mm hex head socket for the rear drain bolt. Screen tube works well as a drain when you are adjusting the level It's good now. And smoke may have been more due to the exhaust solenoid disconnect mod at startup. Oh, and this from the Shell page. Thanks Sean: "Emissions System Compatibility Advanced low-ash formulation helps control blocking of or poisoning of exhaust after-treatment devices, helping maintain vehicle emission compliance and engine fuel efficiency."
And check this out. If it wasn't confusing enough. Complete with Ferrari logo: https://www.amazon.com/SHELL-HELIX-DIESEL-ULTRA-PASSENGER/dp/B00R33Z548/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1501730389&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=shell+helix+ultra#feature-bullets-btf
Not confusing... follow the equivalent specifications (below) then the weight based on your climatic conditions.: MB 229.5 MB 226.5 VW 502.00 VW 505.00 Porsche A40 BMW LL-01 Shell Rotella T does not spec correctly. However, I do use it on my 60s and 70s era cars n trucks... no cats and they need the higher level of ZDDP to lube their flat tappet cams and lifters.
What you want is the spec data sheet, which you will find here: http://www.kellerheartt.com/v/vspfiles/Data%20Sheets/Shell%20Rotella/GPCDOC_Local_TDS_United_States_Shell_Rotella_T6_5W-40_%28CJ-4%29_%28en-US%29_TDS.pdf It is rated SM. I know in the early 2000s there was a shortage of Shell Helix 5w-40 synthetic and Ferrari North America approved the use of Shell Rotella 5w-40 for a short time, maybe 4 to 6 months until the supply chain was restocked...at least that is what I heard from a reliable source. But why use an oil optimized for diesel use, just to save a few bucks? As stated above in post #9, there is more to the Ferrari oil spec than SM rating and a 5w-40 synthetic. Check the approvals and specs on Shell Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40 and you will see it is very different (higher SN rating) than Rotella T6...which is to be expected since it is for a completely different application. Spec data sheet for Shell Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40: http://www.pennzoil.com/en_us/products/full-synthetic-motor-oils/pennzoil-platinum-euro/_jcr_content/productDetails.stream/1461698815565/a70e5779bc5c118d413f463890e816788dbfa1e92705df46265999796dfa4bb5/Platinum_Euro_SAE_5W-40_Full_Synthetic_Motor_Oil.pdf I wouldn't use it when Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40 is factory approved and not all that much more when purchased on sale at AutoZone. Sure Rotella may work out just fine, but isn't worth the risk to me. (there are tons of threads on bobistheoilguy.com of people using Rotella T6 5w-40 in everything from motorcycles, BMW M-cars, Porsches, etc all without problems, FWIW) I'm still unconvinced it is worth messing with possible long term consequences.
Exactly. If I was trying to save a few bucks, I would find an oil with similar spec to the Ferrari spec Shell ...which at Walmart, would lead me to purchase Castrol Edge 0w-40 which meets most all the same specs above and is around $24 per 5 quart jug. I actually use it in my BMW
That's the problem precisely, it's easy to find a plethora of oils in the wrong weight, but I assumed that's just as bad if not worse as using the wrong type?
I've been told directly by Shell that the base oil for Rotella T 5/40 synt is the exact same slack wax derived type of group 3 synthetic as Shell Helix, only the additive packages are slightly different. It's also not really a group 3 base due to the way its harvested as it's not quite the same as other mainstream synthetics. Shell's group 3 base is refined differently so only the cleanest 'stuff' is used through some derivative of the slack wax process. It's also definitely not a group 4 which is ester based and was what Mobil 1 originally was many years ago, and the super high-end synts currently are. For modern mainstream synt oils I am a great believer in this product and Shell Helix, and so was Ferrari. Just because it doesn't have a Porsche or whoever certification doesn't mean it cannot pass their tests. Shell isn't marketing this stuff for that crowd due to those manufacturers being contracted by other companies and who knows whatever agreements are had with whoever. I try not to read into that as much as I pay attention to overall engine health and what the lab reports yield. Synt 5/40 has a very high flash point and HTHS of around 4 which doesn't break down until very high temps, which is just what is needed for these motors. I ran it in my 308 for years before and after I threw a 360 crank into it. Works well, but I cannot say how it will work in cars with cats on them, but if I had to guess I'd say it should be fine as many others run it in some pretty high-end machinery without issue.
A 0w-40 oil that otherwise meets Ferrari specs is not generally an issue. The "0w" just means it flows better at start up from "cold"...whether that ambient temp is 20F or 80F, it will flow better than a 5w. At operating temperature (190 to 210F+) it thins to a thickness of "40", which is what you want. All other factors being equal, thinner at start up is usually a good thing. (said from a guy that uses the factory Shell oil....I'm not an oil expert, but I did log into bobistheoilguy.com this week )
We'll see how it goes. Now that I have my 14mm hex head socket, I can do another swap more easily. Right now I am waiting on a new alternator, battery and cable. And here I thought I had saved some on maintenance this year. With my Giulia arriving in the next couple months, I might not put many miles on it anyway. Also, I ran 0w40 in my 348 one year. Nicola, the lead mechanic from the old country told me it's better not to. The oil pumps were very strong and didn't need a 0. It was also weeping a bit from the cam seals. Good prices at Amazon on the spec Penzoil Platinum Plus Euro. Can get two cases for about $100.
