Rotell T 5W-40 Synthetic

[slim]

I just bought a 2001 jetta TDI, the only oil I can get without driving 30 miles or more out of my way is. Rotella T 5w-40 at my local wallmart. Someone please tell me that I won't destroy my engine because i'm not using Mobil delvac1,Amsoil, or the Redline stuff. Or should I just sell my car and get a gasser? I am not asking in jest, I just read so much oil crap Im really not sure. And why would VW sell a car that is this finiky about what CH-4 rated oil it gets?

 

[Beowulf]

[ QUOTE ]
slim said:
I just bought a 2001 jetta TDI, the only oil I can get without driving 30 miles or more out of my way is. Rotella T 5w-40 at my local wallmart. Someone please tell me that I won't destroy my engine because i'm not using Mobil delvac1,Amsoil, or the Redline stuff. Or should I just sell my car and get a gasser? I am not asking in jest, I just read so much oil crap Im really not sure. And why would VW sell a car that is this finiky about what CH-4 rated oil it gets?

[/ QUOTE ]

Read your owner's manual to see what oil it specifies. Mine calls for a synthetic 5w40 that meets CF-4 (I have a 1998 Jetta TDI). Read the bottle of Rotella T and see if the oil meets the requirements in your owner's manual. If so, go for it and use it.

Anything beyond that is noise unless you're a real car geek.

And no, don't get a gasser. That's just wrong. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MRIBOB]

Rotella Syn 5w-40 meets the TDI requirements for the ALH engine.

The 2004 PD engine it does not.

I use it and the VW dealer is happy to put it in for me.
It will work for 10k mile oil changes.
Don't worry about your engine running on Rotella.


The word of advice is that I think is important is the about filter. DONT USE A FRAM oil filter.
They say the oil drains back out of it and it takes longer to get oil pressure. Use OEM , Mann, Napa.

 

[slim]

The Rotella T meets what the manual calls for. So what is all the talk about other oils being ( the oil to use ).

 

[Route 66]

Rotella T Synthetic is fine for our small oil burners.

 

[Marc James]

[ QUOTE ]
slim said:
The Rotella T meets what the manual calls for. So what is all the talk about other oils being ( the oil to use ).

[/ QUOTE ]

It's simply that... talk.

 

[slim]

I just ordered the Mann from Impex. Thanks

 

[speters]

I have the same oil location problem. However not to confuse things, they only have 100% synthetic Rotella T (sae grade 431-634)0w40 and no 5w40 nor has this shell distributor heard of 5w40. So is the 0w40 ok for my 97 tdi. It has cg-4 and cf-4, cf/sj approval. So I assume (need input that it is ok to use).

 

[canbluegolf]

[ QUOTE ]
speters said:
I have the same oil location problem. However not to confuse things, they only have 100% synthetic Rotella T (sae grade 431-634)0w40 and no 5w40 nor has this shell distributor heard of 5w40. So is the 0w40 ok for my 97 tdi. It has cg-4 and cf-4, cf/sj approval. So I assume (need input that it is ok to use).

[/ QUOTE ]

Rotella 5w40 is only available in the US (Walmart) but the Canadian Rotella 0w40 version if fine for use in our TDI's.
Shell 0w40 Oil Info

Steve

 

[Heston]

When I drained my Delvac-1 (scheduled) last month, I decided to try out the Shell Rotella-T 0w-40 100% synth ($5 bucks cheaper).

I'm still waiting for my Delvac-1 oil analysis results from Toromont.
I intend to submit the Rotella-T for the same oil analysis at my next drain for comparison.

 

[oilhammer]

I have a few customers that have run SHell Rotella 5w40, 2 since new, and one (a 2000 Jetta TDI) now has 180k on the clock. No problems with any of these cars that I know of. They like it because of the lower cost ($12 a gallon at Wally World). 10k miles between changes, too. I would, however, always use a good OE-quality filter.

 

[Herm TDI]

[ QUOTE ]
Heston said:
When I drained my Delvac-1 (scheduled) last month, I decided to try out the Shell Rotella-T 0w-40 100% synth ($5 bucks cheaper).

I'm still waiting for my Delvac-1 oil analysis results from Toromont.
I intend to submit the Rotella-T for the same oil analysis at my next drain for comparison.

[/ QUOTE ]

Howdy "Heston"
When you post your results from both Rotella "T" and the Delvac oil samples..please post both results at the same time.
I'm waiting on my results on my Rotella "T" sample. I've been using Rotella since I bought my Golf (99.5) and I'm interested in your results on how we compair. I've been chaning my oil at the 10K interval using OEM filters W/ Rotella 5W-40 synthetic. (Adding this thread to my favorites so I can respond with my oil sample results).

 

[kmagman]

Hope you guys follow up with the lab analysis. I too am using Rotell T 5W-40 Synthetic in my '99 GOLF TDI...basically for availabilty and good price at Wally World. I feel confident it is a fine oil.

 

[GTDI4]

I just got off www.delvac1.com and www.shell-lubricants.com Both oils had basicly the same approvals,with very small difference.Both are fully synthetic.The one thing I liked,is how on the bottom of Delvac1 home page was:"VW TDI Club Members!....WE ship cases nationwide!Call today...1-800-773-8357" /images/graemlins/cool.gifAlso will tell you the availability of the product at specific locations near you

 

[kmagman]

The Shell website has a forum discussing Mobil 1 vs. Rotella T Synthetic:

http://www.rotella.com/forum.html


Ken

 

[tadc]

Here's the actual thread in question: http://www.rotella.com/ubbthreads//showf...ch=true#Post231

Interesting discussion. Apparently Rotella T is made from highly processed slack wax, while Delvac starts out as natural gas? Weird.

 

[dieselator]

Oh boy, this is getting dicey. The pros and cons of the comparisons between Rotella syn and the Delvac1 are making for a tough call. While I have run Rotella in my previous Cummins and have used it in my TDI, I have seen a more rapid breakdown in viscosity with prolonged driving (1300 miles in 24 hours) than I have seen with the Delvac 1300 which I used for break in of my new Jetta before I started her diet of synthetic lubes. I guess my next step is oil analysis between the 2 as I am coming up on change soon. Another question is, how about the premium filters? Any testing to show which are worth the dollar and which are simply pleated fluff?? Thanks and feed em soot /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[canbluegolf]

[ QUOTE ]
dieselator said:
I have seen a more rapid breakdown in viscosity with prolonged driving (1300 miles in 24 hours) than I have seen with the Delvac 1300 which I used for break in of my new Jetta before I started her diet of synthetic lubes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Viscosity breakdown in a TDI?
You mean the viscosity is changing (thicker) due to soot loading right?
Both the Rotella & Delvac, syn or dino will handle soot loading very well.
Thermal or mechanical viscosity breakdown is extremely unlikely in a TDI, unless something has gone very wrong.

Steve

 

[TooSlick]

Steve,

The Petro Canada, Duron 5w-40 shears significantly in the TDI ...go back and look at some of the oil analysis posts. When I ran this stuff in my 1990 Audi 100, it sheared down from 15.4 Cst to 12.85 Cst in 10,500 miles. Making an SAE 5w-40 out of a group III basestock requires quite a bit of VI modifier, so this behavior is not surprising.

Of course, since any TDI runs perfectly fine on a 5w-30 synthetic diesel oil, it's a moot point ... That's why you see no effect on the wear rates.

I'd run the Amsoil 15w-40 if you live in the deep south - it will certainly outperform any 5w-40, Group III "synthetic" in any diesel engine I've ever seen.

Tooslick

 

[canbluegolf]

Tooslick,

That's only a 17% loss over 10,500 miles which, to me, is not significant.
While it's slightly higher when compared to similar oils like Rotella T 5w40 which maintains it's viscosity very well (14.6-15.4 / 10,000 miles), it's far from a problem.

Typically cars (either gas or diesel) don't suffer from this type of breakdown unless put under extreme use.

Now in motorcycles /images/graemlins/smile.gif

20-30% loss /images/graemlins/eek.gif in viscosity over 800 miles is typical.
Even the best tested Mobil 1 15w50 dropped 14% in 800 miles.
This is under normal conditions and regular oil change intervals are about 4000 miles.

Steve

 

[TooSlick]

Steve,

A high temp/high shear viscosity of at least 3.5 Cp is a key part of the VW 505 specification for the TDI. I would not say that a 17% loss in viscosity is acceptable in any shape or form. I'd expect better shear stability out of any 15w-40, petroleum diesel oil.

Delvac 1 and the Amsoil Series 3000 typically shear < 5.0% in the TDI, regardless of how long you run them.... This is yet another area where the less robust, cheaper, Group III basestocks simply don't measure up to the PAO/Esters. Anybody who works as a lube engineer will tell you exactly the same thing ...

Tooslick
www.lubedealer.com/Dixie_Synthetics

 

[canbluegolf]

TooSlick,

I would have expected better from the PC oil as well, but it's still not going to harm the engine in any way. (Unless you believe a 5w30 will)

FWIW, The Delvac 1300 15w40 did hold it's viscosity better /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Steve

 

[NadaGasser]

[ QUOTE ]
kmagman said:
The Shell website has a forum discussing Mobil 1 vs. Rotella T Synthetic:

http://www.rotella.com/forum.html


Ken

[/ QUOTE ]

I wonder if the "oil wars" are as vociferous on that forum as they are here! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif