Shell Rotella T 15-40

[Skip]

This is the brand and viscosity oil I run in my 6CTA 8.3 M3s. While strolling through my local Wal Mart yesterday I found it on sale for $8.88/gallon. I loaded up 12 gallons for fall services on mains and genset.

FYI

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[osd9]

...... I loaded up 12 gallons.....

The check out person must think you own a Jiffy Lube.... :grin:

Was the T-30 on sale?

 

[ImpulseIII]

I use Caterpillar Special Application Oil specifically marketed for 3126 and 3116 engines. Not sure what special potions or elixirs they include in their oil but you have to get it from Caterpillar and they don't discount !! Watch, now someone will comment on the cost of maintaining a diesel engine. :smt021 Anyone want to guess who the first poster will be :smt043 ????

 

[fwebster]

Skip.....

Next year, try going to your local oil distributor and buying or ordering Rotella T in 5 gallon pails. I just paid $6/gal for 5 gal of 15W40. We don't realize it but oil packaging is a huge component in oil pricing at retail.


Dominic.......

Guess where our local jiffy lube place buys Rotella T and some weights of Castrol..........you guessed it Walmart!


Frank and other Cat owners.......

When Caterpillar came out with SAEO for 3116 and 3126 engines, I went to Cat's lube specialist and asked him to compare their synthetic with single viscosity Rotella T or Delo because Cat usually does not require using their fluids or additives. They give you so much information its confusing, but you can usually find a locally available product that meets Cat specs. When you list all the specs of the SAEO, Delo 400 and Rotella T in a column, there is virtually no difference in the oils. What this analysis boils down to is that the viscosity enhancers added to multi-viscosity commercial non-synthetic oils as a part of the additive package needed to make them multi-viscosity tends to form deposits in the aftercoolers on 3116 and 3126 engines. If you stay with single viscosity...SAE 30 or SAE 40......Rotella T there isn't a problem, but do not use multiviscosity oils other than Cat SAEO in 3116's or 3126's. In our area, there is a $10/gal differential between Cat SAEO and Rotella T if you buy it in 5 gal pails.

I'm not twisting anyone's arm and I am making no recommendations. You make your own decisions on oils. Like you Frank, I don't intend to debate Caterpillar oil for the remainder of the summer, but these are the facts as I understand them.

 

[ImpulseIII]

Thanks for the information Frank.

 

[Skip]

Frank,
Thanks for the tip...you probably told me that last year and I failed to file it away in my frontal lobe.

Dom, I did not look at the single viscosity oils; I had purchased the Rotella T30W for my trannies earlier in the spring and was hunting for 15 40. I'll check it out if we hit Wal Mart on the way to the Marina on Friday to launch on the great BIH adventure!

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[Asureyez]

Valvoline & Cummins

There seems to be a love fest between these two co's. Cummins gives Valvoline "Premium Blue" 15-40W as the only approved/recommended oil as it was formulated to their diesels needs yada yada yada ....

I'll buy any oil that makes my diesels happy slaves at the oars, but I'd read on the deisel baord that Shell has reformulated Rotella T 15-40 to now match these high level standards of the Premium Blue.

I like Shell Oils because they are quality and they can be bought less expensively. But the 20 bucks a oil chang eisn't enoght for me to stray away from factory recommendations.

I've dropped picking up Premium Blue form the marine suppliers ... not get the 5/gal pails from NAPA for about $65 a pail vs. marine supply at $79. But there is really a price gouge in this Valvoline Cummins link up that is for sure.