Rotella 15w40 vs Rotella 15w40 Full Synthetic

[raeasler]

Simple questions:

Which one is better for the 6.9 IDI ?
Any advantage of using one over the other ?
Anyone use the Rotella of either "blend" ?

Reason for asking is that I'm due for an oil change and I can get a gallon of Rotella 15w40 for $12.50. The Synthetic is obviously a little more expensive.

Not sure how quickly the synthetic turns black. Again I am.guessing that it would stay cleaner longer but in have no idea as I have ZERO experience with the regular vs synthetics in the diesels.

 

[u2slow]

IMO, well-used diesels pollute your oil with soot really fast.

For that reason, I go with cheaper oil and change it more often.

 

[typ4]

My IDI's dont like rotella, or to be more specific, they like it a lot. They consume no other brand except this one.

 

[genscripter]

My IDI's dont like rotella, or to be more specific, they like it a lot. They consume no other brand except this one.

same here. It must be a tasty brand.

 

[Fredrickson]

This past Saturday I had to repair a small leak in the bottom of the oil pan.

I drained the pan, and left the plug out for almost 24 hours. Those last few drips take a while...and I wanted the pan as empty as possible.

Fixed the leak, spun on a new FL-1995, and added Rotella 15w40 T4 non-synthetic

Started it up, let it run for a few minutes to circulate, checked the level.. the oil was black already.

So as a point of comparison, conventional oil lasted less than 15 minutes before turning black. Lemme know who long synthetic takes.


By the way my local wally world was completely out of conventional Rotella, so I ended up getting it at Home Depot.. for about $13/gal

 

[CDX825]

My 6.9 takes about 1500 miles to turn the oil black. That being said I have run 5W40 synthetic in the winter to help with cold starts. Neither turned black faster than the other.

Synthetic tends to result in a cleanlier engine internally. I have had a few gas engines apart and the ones that have had synthetic oil in them are always way cleaner. Synthetic doesn't break down and varnish or make sludge like conventional oil does.

 

[chris142]

My 6.9 takes about 1500 miles to turn the oil black. That being said I have run 5W40 synthetic in the winter to help with cold starts. Neither turned black faster than the other.

Synthetic tends to result in a cleanlier engine internally. I have had a few gas engines apart and the ones that have had synthetic oil in them are always way cleaner. Synthetic doesn't break down and varnish or make sludge like conventional oil does.

Mine is black by the time it hits the oil pan.

 

[chris142]

I don' t think syn vs dino oil will have any difference in oil color after a few minutes.

 

[Kevin 007]

Yeah IDI's are sooty, especially N/A ones. So I use cheap non syn oil and just change my oil at the recommended intervals and I don't try to get extended service from my engine oil.
In Powerstrokes, they burn much cleaner, even turbo'd idi's burn a lot cleaner. So running synthetic oil in them, is a more realistic thing as you can safely extend the drain intervals a bit, getting value out of the synthetic.

 

[Black dawg]

the only reason to use synthetic in these, is to be able to use a 5w40 weight oil.

I started using 5w40 in all of my vehicles a few years ago, cold starts (like 0ish degrees) are much easier. I have also noticed that over time oil consumption has gone down on all of them?

 

[chillman88]

I have also noticed that over time oil consumption has gone down on all of them?

Wonder if you had sticky rings? That would be a neat test if done correctly. Several vehicles over several oil changes while tracking MPG and oil consumption.

 

[wrecked]

A little factoid if I may... my current project sat in a field unattended for 19 years. (7.3 n/a) After dealing with fuel issues I decided to put synthetic in as oil pressure was erratic, swinging from very low to very high on fresh 30 conventional. After just 500kms that settled down to 35-60+ depending on revs ONLY. It's likely conventional would have had a similar effect, eventually, but there is no doubt whatsoever in what's left of my mind synthetic cleans gum etc splickety lick.

I've already picked up another tub of 5w40 synth and a filter and might just jump the gun on a change.

Edit: forgot to say it isn't leaking, yet, but I expect it will.

 

[chillman88]

forgot to say it isn't leaking, yet, but I expect it will.

Wait, an IDI that's NOT leaking? Are you sure there's oil in it?

 

[Joseph Davis]

I used Rotella once before, I joined the forum? after adding 2 more gallons of Rotella I found out why, Burns like diesel (lol). Now I use Chevron Delo 400, now no smoke, still looks clean not black after 4 month of use and now I use about 1/2 Quart a month. Learned that from this Oil-burners Forum; good luck on the Synthetic. Let me know if it works on Chevron synthetic! Thanks for the post

 

[wrecked]

Wait, an IDI that's NOT leaking? Are you sure there's oil in it?

So it's common? Here I thought It's just a curse on farmers.