Rotella is no where to be found

[Ickisrulz]

Have you noticed the shortage of diesel engine oil in general and Rotella specifically?

I use T6 in motorcycles and my diesel engines. I am in short supply.

[beechbum444]

i use the t4 in my 7.3 powerstroke and yes , when it comes time for an oil change, it takes a while to find 4 gallons of it.....it went from 15$ a gallon to 24$ a gallon

[Handloader109]

Tried Sam's? I haven't bought in years, but it have seen it there

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[RickinTN]

I bought 6 gallons at TSC the other day. Some Rotella marked and some the TSC store brand, Traveller, I think.
Rick

[ShooterAZ]

Amazon has it too, if you're willing to pay the price and buy it from them. If I couldn't find it anywhere else, I'd buy it from them.

[vhntr1]

cant find it in ohio i use t6 in my Ram crazy times!

[HATCH]

I was informed of the coming shortage months ago.
I suggest you purchase enough oil change supplies to last you a few oil changes.
I drive 300 miles a week to and from work. I change my oil at 3K miles and I use walmart brand synthetic oil as it just around $17 per 5 qts.
I already told the wife I was gonna get four or five jugs to cover the vehicles thru the summer.
Yes I know I can go 5K miles or more but my car as 150K miles on it and oil is cheap right now.

[Ickisrulz]

Amazon has it too, if you're willing to pay the price and buy it from them. If I couldn't find it anywhere else, I'd buy it from them.

For all intents and purposes Amazon doesn't have T6. It's listed at $100+/gallon and ships in a month or so.

[beechbum444]

I had no idea Tractor Supply Co (TSC ) sold a house brand.......thanks for info

[Plate plinker]

No barrels for bulk users either. Good Luck.

[Mal Paso]

Costco dropped Delo 400 about a year ago and only offers their house brand at half the cost. It's exactly the same spec but no secret, hinted at, ingredient so that's what I'm running now. Cummins takes 3 Gallons.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Napa has T6

https://www.napaonline.com/search?text=T6FS&isPromo=1

[G W Wade]

A friend had same trouble finding Mobil 1 for his diesel too GW

[Alstep]

I bought some at Walmart, but that was a couple of months ago. Got the last couple of gallon jugs on the shelf.

[uscra112]

Greenies gonna get rid of our diesels by forcing us to run 'em on the old oil until they blow?

I fortunately have five or six 5-gallon jugs out in the barn. Maybe I should put 'em under lock and key?

[megasupermagnum]

While I know a lot of people love T6, I doubt you will ever find any proof Delo 400 synthetic is inferior in any way. Heck, Amsoil diesel is probably better.

[William Yanda]

Was/is Rotella a Shell brand?

[Gewehr-Guy]

Mobil Delvac 15-40 also missing lately from my Runnings store. I thought I had enough for a couple years, but will be out by fall harvest.
The 5 gallon pails are handy for me, but will have to go back to a barrel filled at the local JD dealership. They were about $15 a gallon before the shortages, probably $20 now.
Everyone also needs to keep an eye on the shortage of filters

[Shawlerbrook]

Going to only get worse. We are back to the Jimmy Carter late 70’s.

[Jsm180]

I buy Mobil Delvac 1 ESP at Rural King. They have Rotella as well.

[Ickisrulz]

Was/is Rotella a Shell brand?

Yes, it is. You used to be able to buy it almost everywhere oil is sold. From what I have read, there is a shortage of the additives and Shell pretty much has shut down the Rotella line until late this year.

[rancher1913]

i run delo in all my tractors and trucks, saw the writing on the wall a year ago and have several hundred gallons stored, enough to last maybe 2 years if I stretch oil changes.

[NY_Treeguy]

Noticed oil shelves in many stores a little low here in NY a few months ago. Stocked up on oil - 2 changes for the personal vehicles and 4 for the work trucks and equipment. Should be good for 6 months or so.

[Gator 45/70]

Reckon I'll be looking for some 10/40 for the tractor, I do keep 1 oil change on stand-by.

[Ickisrulz]

I found 9 gallons at Home Depot this morning. They were $23.78 each. With my military discount, the 9 gallons cost $209.22 out the door. All I had to do was drive 60 miles round trip. Now that location is out of Rotella T6 5W40.

Since these containers were dated 25 Feb 22, I doubt the Rotella line is shut down. But it is rare these days.

[NY_Treeguy]

Reckon I'll be looking for some 10/40 for the tractor, I do keep 1 oil change on stand-by.

10w40 is getting rather hard to find believe it or not. A few years ago the 5w40 needed for many European cars was impossible to find. Now I can get it just about anywhere and 10w40 (needed for the utv's) is getting scarce. Spray equipment calls for SAE30 Non-Detergent. Need to SO that from the local Napa.

[gwpercle]

Greenies gonna get rid of our diesels by forcing us to run 'em on the old oil until they blow?

I fortunately have five or six 5-gallon jugs out in the barn. Maybe I should put 'em under lock and key?

The new energy policies are working just as intended .
The New Normal is here and nothing we can do .
Gary

[frkelly74]

I will have to check on Menards... I have some store credit to use up.


I just was in the process of clearing out a bunch of my used oil. Three cars can build up quite a stockpile.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

10w40 is getting rather hard to find believe it or not. A few years ago the 5w40 needed for many European cars was impossible to find. Now I can get it just about anywhere and 10w40 (needed for the utv's) is getting scarce. Spray equipment calls for SAE30 Non-Detergent. Need to SO that from the local Napa.
I don't recall exactly what is spec'd for my ATV, but my ATV/small engine Expert says to use 0W40. Which is likely a better weight rating for my use, as I do plow snow with this in MN, and mornings after a snow storm are almost always below Zero.

[Ickisrulz]

While I know a lot of people love T6, I doubt you will ever find any proof Delo 400 synthetic is inferior in any way. Heck, Amsoil diesel is probably better.

Rotella T6 is approved for the 6.7 Powerstroke engines, while Delo 400 is not. I have no doubt it is a great oil (it is probably hard to find a bad oil), but I am trying to adhere to the Ford requirements. T6 is also approved for wet clutches and that is why people use it in motorcycle engines.

[Gator 45/70]

10w40 is getting rather hard to find believe it or not. A few years ago the 5w40 needed for many European cars was impossible to find. Now I can get it just about anywhere and 10w40 (needed for the utv's) is getting scarce. Spray equipment calls for SAE30 Non-Detergent. Need to SO that from the local Napa.

Made a pass at Wally world few minutes ago, Did find CCI's for $3.67 a box of 1070 fps, Limited at 3 boxes, No Rotella!

[frkelly74]

Well, Menards did have some of the T4 Rotella but nothing else , I got two 5 quart regular 5w30 for my cars. Not rotella but it has given me good service. last year it was $13 a jug, now $18.. but the single quarts are now $5 each.

[megasupermagnum]

Rotella T6 is approved for the 6.7 Powerstroke engines, while Delo 400 is not. I have no doubt it is a great oil (it is probably hard to find a bad oil), but I am trying to adhere to the Ford requirements. T6 is also approved for wet clutches and that is why people use it in motorcycle engines.

Interesting. I found the Ford approved list for their diesels. Delo 400 is on the list at 10w30 and 15w40, but not 5w40.

[Ickisrulz]

Interesting. I found the Ford approved list for their diesels. Delo 400 is on the list at 10w30 and 15w40, but not 5w40.

This list?

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/additionalinfo/dieseloilsWSSM2C171F1.pdf

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I use T6 in my mc too. Hate to switch oils.......

[Rick Hodges]

T6 is what I use in my Honda ATV

[ebb]

My mechanic friend said that his neighbor works on a fleet and had a Mack die because of oil failure and it was Rotella that was in the crankcase. That list of ford approved oils has a Phillps 66 diesel oil and they claim that is what Mack recommends. I've been using Rotella in my 2910 ford but can't get it either, I will look for the Phillips but have my doubts as to being able to find it.

[beechbum444]

yall are freaking me out with, not being able to find Rotella...........going to look for some tomorrow and buying 8-12 gallons

[truckerdave397]

I use to run Rotella 15-40 in all of my truck diesels. Probably 15 years ago I switched over to Wolfs Head 15-40 synthetic blend. Shell is a Dutch company. Wolfs Head is an American company I have been told. I don’t know for sure. I am still looking for T6 Shell 5-40 for my VW diesel. I have about 5-6 gallons on hand but I don’t want to run out.

[samari46]

Had to stop off at Auto Zone to get some full synthetic Dexron VI tranny fluid for my GMC Sierra. So got 3 quarts. I got the last jug of Rotella T4 15-40 for my tractor and some Castroil Full Synthetic 5-30 for the truck. Guess we'll all be stocking up on various oils for our vehicles. First it was toilet paper,napkins and paper towels and God only knows what else. My favorite peanut butter used to come in 6 lb cans, now down to 4 lb cans. Paying more and getting less. At least they had some 14 oz tubes of my favorite grease Lucas red n tacky. Great grease, use it for wheel bearings, lube points on my truck and tractor. And anything else that needs grease.
Frank

[PopcornSutton]

Costco dropped Delo 400 about a year ago and only offers their house brand at half the cost. It's exactly the same spec but no secret, hinted at, ingredient so that's what I'm running now. Cummins takes 3 Gallons.

I have 3 gallons of Costco oil for my Dodge Cummins, haven't changed the oil yet.

[Mal Paso]

I have 3 gallons of Costco oil for my Dodge Cummins, haven't changed the oil yet.

It's been hammered into me for years that oil is oil and to go by the Specification not the name on the label but it took me 6 months to run Kirkland oil. Looking at what was on the shelves of Professional Auto Parts Stores, mechanics made that change years ago. All Generic except for premium synthetics like Royal Purple.

Synthetic Oil is not perfect either. Had a customer change to Synthetic Oil before his generator piston rings had broken in. I get a call it won't start. There was so much blow by the air filter was soaked with oil and was choking off the air. Oil change to plain oil and 4 hours at full power on a load bank helped but it was never quite right.

[rockrat]

The lubricity of the synthetic kept the rings from seating in well. Good Idea to change to plain oil and run it. Might have glazed the cylinder a bit with the synthetic and that kept it from seating as it should. Would have to go in and de-glaze the cylinder to get things back to normal. Might have to replace the rings too.

[rbuck351]

I use what ever oil costs less for my gas cars or I even use diesel oil if it's all I have on hand. I use diesel oil in my Cummins but brand doesn't matter to me, just cost. All four of my autos have over 200,000 miles and still run great.

For break in, do not baby the engine. It may not put enough ring load on them to seat them. Rings will seat sooner or later but once the cyls have lost their cross hatch, it could take a while.

If there was one brand of oil that is better than any other, there would only be one brand of oil or all oils would be the same. Any oil company can analyze other companys oil and put the same additives in theirs if it would make a better oil.

[Mal Paso]

The last generator manual said "no break in period" but further in it said to run it at full power for half an hour as part of the installation. Backup generators seldom see full power loads and I consider Burning In a generator for 4 Hours at nearly full load (after warm up) SOP.

These are stationary generators, the last one water cooled with a Mitsubishi engine.

[Gator 45/70]

Brother found me a gallon of rotella 15/40wt. of all places a lumber yard,The shelf was full.Said it was 20bucks a gallon

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use what ever oil costs less for my gas cars or I even use diesel oil if it's all I have on hand. I use diesel oil in my Cummins but brand doesn't matter to me, just cost. All four of my autos have over 200,000 miles and still run great.

For break in, do not baby the engine. It may not put enough ring load on them to seat them. Rings will seat sooner or later but once the cyls have lost their cross hatch, it could take a while.

If there was one brand of oil that is better than any other, there would only be one brand of oil or all oils would be the same. Any oil company can analyze other companys oil and put the same additives in theirs if it would make a better oil.
You may want to rethink using Diesel engine oil in a modern car, if you have done that?

One thing Oil designed for Diesel engines has, is a zinc additive. I believe most automotive gas engine oil 50+ years ago, had zinc in it also. I understand the zinc was removed from car oil, when cars came with catalytic converters, because the zinc will foul/clog a cat.
So, that is the reason I will suggest to not use Diesel engine oil in a modern car.
That's my 2¢

[gwpercle]

I keep seeing this thread titled ... Rotella ...

Not familiar with this product ,

but my strange mind's first thought was ... it's a combination of Rotel and Nutella ...

I wonder if mom ever had me tested ?

It's a slow day around here .
Gary

[Mal Paso]

You may want to rethink using Diesel engine oil in a modern car, if you have done that?

One thing Oil designed for Diesel engines has, is a zinc additive. I believe most automotive gas engine oil 50+ years ago, had zinc in it also. I understand the zinc was removed from car oil, when cars came with catalytic converters, because the zinc will foul/clog a cat.
So, that is the reason I will suggest to not use Diesel engine oil in a modern car.
That's my 2¢

Hmmm, My 04.5 Cummins Diesel has a catalytic converter and I've been using Diesel rated oil for almost 18 years and it has smogged fine so far.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Hmmm, My 04.5 Cummins Diesel has a catalytic converter and I've been using Diesel rated oil for almost 18 years and it has smogged fine so far.

I sure could be wrong???
That was something I was told many years ago and is the reason I use Rotella diesel rated oil in my small 4 stroke engines.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

This is the type of info I got many years ago. It may or maynot apply to modern Diesel engines with a cat.

https://rislone.com/blog/engine-oil/the-effects-of-zinc-oil-additives-on-older-engines/


Potential Downsides to Zinc Additives

If zinc additives help older cars run properly, you might be wondering why the industry wouldn’t just stick with the formula and keep the zinc levels more or less the same. However, people found that zinc can actually harm the engine. When researchers looked into the effects of zinc, they found that a small amount of motor oil would find its way into the engine’s combustion chamber. In this chamber, the zinc in the oil would become ash before being transferred through the exhaust pipe.

After it had moved through the exhaust pipe, the zinc ash would sometimes come to rest on a catalytic converter. Over time, this ash caused harm to the converter, reducing its effectiveness gradually. This zinc ash can harm the engine’s lifespan, forcing you to pay extra money to repair or replace the engine if you don’t keep a close watch on it. Along with harming the catalytic converter, the phosphorous in a zinc additive can produce carbon buildup in an engine’s valvetrains or bores.

Today, most motor oils have reduced the amount of zinc they use dramatically. In place of zinc, they’ve added more boron to their oils as a replacement but have not been able to maintain the same quality. This change to non-zinc oil comes with its own downsides, as a non-zinc oil made for modern engines doesn’t offer the same level of dry start protection as motor oil using zinc for older engines.

Due to the problems associated with zinc, most motor oil companies will not include any zinc in their formula to protect against damage to the catalytic converter in newer engines. If you’re set on using zinc, you’ll want to check to see if it’s in the 1,000 to 1,400 range mentioned previously. However, older vehicles still need to use the heavy-duty, anti-wear protection of zinc to prevent more significant adverse effects.



This may have nothing to do with zinc, but it is interesting.
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/08/06/catalyst-failure-leads-to-recall-of-500000-trucks-with-cummins-diesel-engines/

[rbuck351]

It wouldn't be the first time I punched a tire iron through a catalytic converter. Being an auto mechanic for 50+ years, I have learned to ignore a lot of wives tales about cars. One of my favorites is "take it easy on breaking in a new car/motor" another is brand xyz is the only oil to use.
The main difference between gas engine oil and diesel oil is diesel oil has more detergent than most gas oils. I will say don't use non detergent oil in anything other than a 2 cycle and I wouldn't recommend it there.
Oil should come out of and engine dirty. If it doesn't it's leaving dirt inside the engine or you could get longer life from your oil. No it shouldn't be black but if it still looks fairly clean, it has more life.

[fenderman57]

A lot of reading here, https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/ but it might change your mind on the subject of picking the right motor oil.

[Jsm180]

Rotella T6 5w40 and 15w40 are in stock now at the local walmart. Sams has some as well.

[truckerdave397]

I found 5 gallons of Shell T6 5-40 at a Walmart in Colorado today. I was all over that like a fat cop on a plate of donuts.

[truckerdave397]

If you have a Meijer store in your area check them for Shell T6. I bought my share today.

[Brassmonkey]

Remember those two chemical plant fires on different continents on the same day?

[PopcornSutton]

For what it's worth, the Costco near me is sold out of their diesel oil. Plenty of gas and Mobile 1, but noting diesel. I went back and got another 3 gallon box before it was gone.

[Horn Ridge]

Like primers, hit the backroad mom and pop gas stations, you might luck in to some Rotella. As long as you aren't near a dirt pit or quarry :sad:

[farmbif]

yeah I need to put some fresh Nutella in my old ford diesel

[William Yanda]

One of the Auto parts stores recently sent me an email with several "deals" including various brands of synthetic oil and a filter.

[jonp]

A lot of reading here, https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/ but it might change your mind on the subject of picking the right motor oil.

Best oil site on the net. Actual testing not guess work or "I heard from a guy who's BIL's ex-Wifes cousins son worked at a dealership" stuff.

Its why why I switched to Valvoline high mileage part syn for my cars.

As for Diesel Oil, i see it on the shelf in truck stops. Oil type, i have had trucks with Detroits, Cummins, Cats, Volvo's... Delo or Rotella spec for all of them but more than one dealer told doesnt matter as long as they meet the requirements much like car oil but keep the receipts for proof.

Ryder just did a PM on my Freightliner. They used bulk Delo.

[Ickisrulz]

I see Rotella dribbling into Walmart now. I don't think I've seen enough at any one time to actually do an oil change on a diesel engine.

I tried to pick up some grease today while I was out. There was none available except for a couple tubes of marine grease.