rotella t4 oil

[gwri8]

I'm pretty sure it's available from the Auto Supply stores like Autozone, O'Riellys, Advance, etc..  Even Walmart and Amazon.

[Reptoid Overlords]

Very informative. I've been using O'Reillys house dinosaur 10W30 for the past few oil changes in the Z, Volvo, and Camry I have.

 

Looks like they get their base oils from major manufacturers, but its finished by something called Omni packaging solutions.

 

I've just replaced my rear main, side seals and oil pan gasket, and haven't put oil back in it yet, as I'm waiting on a new clutch to arrive and haven't gotten to it yet.

 

I'm going to do some more research with some links listed in this thread, but will probably switch up to one of the mentioned oils.

 

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Classic Zcar Club mobile

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chickenman]

On 1/28/2018 at 7:29 AM, Captain Obvious said:

What about all the flat tappet direct actuation OHC Asian stuff like Toyota and Honda? I've been pushing that stuff around as daily drivers since forever and I've never had a problem with the new oils. Never heard about anybody wiping a cam there, and they don't use any roller valve trains. It's all sliding motion.

Why don't they wipe cams? Why do they seem immune? Less valve spring pressure because it's 1:1 instead of something higher with a rocker?

Usually Imports have much lighter Valve train components than domestic cars. And less lift. The new oils are adequate ( barely ) on stock Valve Trains. They are inadequate with higher pressure Valve Trains. Domestics are effected more than Imports. Heavier components, higher valve lift and stronger valve springs. A modern 4 valve Import engine has very little little valve lift compared to  a Domestic 2 valve engine. 

L-series aren't immune to the issue. Especially if you raise spring pressure or even alter the Cam profile with stock springs. More aggressive acceleration ramps also expose the weakness of low ZDDP oils. We are fortunate that Datsun had REALLY good metallurgy back when they built this Valvetrain. But out engines are not immune. Lots of horror stories of flattened cam lobes on L-4's and L-6's, primarily with stronger valve springs, higher lift and duration cams and Energy Star oils. OEM Nissan cams affected as well. Not just the POS CWC cores. 

Note: Stock engines will probably be just be fine on these new oils. In fact the oil manufactures have pointed this out in their test Data. The new oils will work fine on Modern Flat Tappet, Bucket or Finger follower  valve trains. It's what they DON't tell you that is important. These tests are done ONLy on stock engines. And only on specific types of engines. Modified HP engines or Vintage engines are not their concern at all.  And they certainly don't test  high performance engines such as the old BBC 427's, Boss 302's, or any 70's Muscle car engines.

And modified engines or engines used for Track Days? You're living on borrowed time with modern SM/SN Energy Star motor oils with reduced ZDDP. Turbos' also pound the snot out of oil. High Temperature Shear Protection ( HTSP ) is something that you have to be very aware of in Turbo engines. Shell Rotella T6 ( Full synthetic ) excels in that area, which is why it's very popular with the Turbo enthusiasts and Bike  enthusiasts. It's classified as an  Heavy Duty Engine Oil ( HDEO ) primarily for use in Diesel engines, but acceptable for use in older vehicles ( Pre-2006 because of the EPA regulations )

Unfortunately the Rotella T6 Full Synthetic comes in limited weights. ( At least in Canada ) . The 5w-40 is a bit too thin for the older engines like an L-series, particularly as they age. and the bearing clearances open up. (  It's the cold pour point, the " 5w "  that is the issue ) .  A good Ester 10w-40  with higher levels of ZDDP is ideal for our motors. Both Turbo and non-Turbo.  Depending on ambient temps of course. Most of us don't drive our Z cars in the dead of winter.  Motul, Amsoil, Redline,  Joe Gibbs racing all make excellent full Ester 10w-40 Synthetic oils. The Joe Gibbs ( Driven ) oils are a new mPAO formula which is superior to PAO synthetics. 

Edited January 30, 2018 by Chickenman

[Chickenman]

Excellent technical article from Joe Gibbs oil that explains the whole ZDDP controversy, Modern oils vs Older oils and choices of oils for different engines.

RacingOil101.pdf 

 

[gundee]

16 minutes ago, Chickenman said:

L-series aren't immune to the issue. Especially if you raise spring pressure or even alter the Cam profile with stock springs. More aggressive acceleration ramps also expose the weakness of low ZDDP oils. We are fortunate that Datsun had REALLY good metallurgy back when they built this Valvetrain. But out engines are not immune. Lots of horror stories of flattened cam lobes on L-4's and L-6's, primarily with stronger valve springs, higher lift and duration cams and Energy Star oils. OEM Nissan cams affected as well. Not just the POS CWC cores. 

"Stronger valve springs"  This is primarily why I went to the softer Schneider spring kit over the Isky kit. Easier on the camshaft.

Edited January 28, 2018 by Lumens

[rcb280z]

7 hours ago, gwri8 said:

I'm pretty sure it's available from the Auto Supply stores like Autozone, O'Riellys, Advance, etc..  Even Walmart and Amazon.

Autozone here does not carry it. O'Riellys does so i'll check them out tomorrow.

[kully 560]

if it helps I bought it at tractor supply

[Chickenman]

I recently switched to Motul 8100 Excess 10w-40 on my Audi Turbo. Engine has 256,000 KM ( on original Turbo, block and head ) ,. It's been boostin 15 to 20 psi since the 125,000 KM mark. It was starting to use a little oil with the Rotella T6 5w-40, so I switched to a 10w-40. The Motul is definitely on the thicker  end range of a 10w-40, for cold pour point. I'll have to see if oil consumption decreases with the thicker blend oil.  

[Zed Head]

I use plain old modern oil and haven't rounded a cam lobe yet.  Break-in seems to be where the problems happen.  Fresh metal.

[rcb280z]

1 minute ago, Zed Head said:

I use plain old modern oil and haven't rounded a cam lobe yet.  Break-in seems to be where the problems happen.  Fresh metal.

I guess I haven't either. Must just be a personal preference type of thing. 

[Zed Head]

It's funny that ZDDP is generally recommended for "high pressure" cams and lobes but sulphur compounds, extreme pressure additives, are used for differential gears.

My understanding, from past reading, is that it's not the zinc that kills the catalysts, but the phosphate.  So, a sharp marketing group in an oil company could ask for a different form of zinc so that they could say their oil has "high zinc content".  Might even offer the same benefits.  Whatever those are.

Fun topic...

[Chickenman]

Sulphur would probably eat the soft metals in the rod and main bearings.  But pretty sure that Diff oil has a pretty high level of Phosphates in it as well. Phosphates are typically found in high pressure lubricants. The Ford Gl-5 stuff stinks of Sulphur. But it's a good diff lube.