Rotella Oil Question

LuckyFordGuy

LuckyFordGuy

Senior Member
I have been using Rotella T 15-40 for 10 years in my flat head 50 ford V8
Now they changed the label to Rotella T-4 15-40 and it says comparable to the previous Rotella T 15-40. My question is does it still have enough Zink in it?
Any response is appreciated. I don't want to ruin my cam. What is the next best oil for my flat head?
 
For starters a flathead valve spring pressure is nowhere near high enough to require zinc type additives. Remember, there was never an issue in the original engines. These type of additives became prominent when OHV engines with higher valve spring pressure became the norm.
 
According to Shell's web page the Rotella T4 15W-40 is rated for higher temperatures than the old Rotella T. That is the only difference I could find.
 
Valvoline VR-1 racing oil has higher zinc content. 20W50 is found at most parts stores, and is only a little more expensive than regular oil. Its detergent content is said to be lower than regular oil. Now that the overhaul is well broken in, I may start using 2 quarts of VR-1 and 3 quarts of regular high detergent Valvoline "Daily Protection" oil.
 
4dFord/SC said:
Then it should be ideal for flatheads;)
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Flatheads run cooler than just about any engine around! The overheat condition with them has to do with them having a low operation temp to begin with and a non-pressurized coolant system. Even the later flatheads with low pressure systems are far below modern engines in operating temps.

Temps below even 212 are considered overheating in a flathead. Most engines can run well above 212.

From a Hot Rod mag article:

"Cold engine oil causes excessive frictional drag on the bearings and cylinder walls. A quality conventional motor oil will tolerate oil sump temperatures of up to 250 degrees, but starts breaking down over 275 degrees. The traditional approach is to try to hold oil temperatures between 230 and 260 degrees. Even on a short-duration, drag-only combo where oil is frequently changed, I would not want to routinely see under-200-degree oil temps."
 
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LuckyFordGuy said:
I have been using Rotella T 15-40 for 10 years in my flat head 50 ford V8
Now they changed the label to Rotella T-4 15-40 and it says comparable to the previous Rotella T 15-40. My question is does it still have enough Zink in it?
Any response is appreciated. I don't want to ruin my cam. What is the next best oil for my flat head?
Click to expand...

I bet at some point in its life, your '50 Ford ran many miles on non-detergent oil (so no zinc) and the cam survived just fine! I'd guess also that once it became an oil burner, it was fed re-refined oil, the cheapest available!
And still the cam survived. So your cam will survive just fine on any modern oil, which still has some zinc in it.
 
re-refined oil...sorry for the drift, but in my youth i worked at warden oil in mpls. we took in drain oil, and ran it thru a long "press" they called it. it was, about 15 feet long, made up of 1 inch thick 4'x4' steel frames with canvas covers. they would mix some kinda clay in with the oil, mix and heat it up and pump it thru the press. about once an hour we would slide all the frames apart and scrape off the gook from the canvas and go again. the oil that came out was golden yellow like new. not sure what they did with the gook, and needless to say the epa shut it down in the 80's. all the holiday stations around the midwest sold it as the "house' brand
 
Yeah, as a teen I remember buying that 10 cent a quart re-refined oil at the Powerene Station in South Gate, California. They would even give you a gaudy glass tumbler or a small box of laundry detergent with a 10 gallon or more fill up. Gas was 24.9 cents a gallon.
Glad my flathead didn't know I was cheap (poor) or it may have needed special counseling.
 
chap52 said:
Yeah, as a teen I remember buying that 10 cent a quart re-refined oil at the Powerene Station in South Gate, California. They would even give you a gaudy glass tumbler or a small box of laundry detergent with a 10 gallon or more fill up. Gas was 24.9 cents a gallon.
Glad my flathead didn't know I was cheap (poor) or it may have needed special counseling.
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Do you remember where that station was and about the year? I grew up in South Gate and it was great!
 
Oakhurst, Firestone Bl @ Otis caddy corner from the origional SG Jr High School and across the street from Lucky Boys hamburger stand
 
chap52 said:
Oakhurst, Firestone Bl @ Otis caddy corner from the origional SG Jr High School and across the street from Lucky Boys hamburger stand
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I remember that station very well. It was one of the largest around as I recall. We lived on Kaufman between Tweedy and Abbot Rd. Had a 31 coupe. Drove it in the neighborhood @ 14 years old. Went down Firestone across Alameda for all the wrecking yards. Never got a ticket in South Gate. If you lived there the cops were great. Used to go down Tweedy to Atlantic in Lynwood and watch crazy guys in a custom car shop. (George Barris, Dean Jefferies) Gaylords Upholstery was near South Gate Park. Clock Drive in, Harvey's broiler. Great times!
 
With the new configuration of Rotella, Ford specifies that it not be used in their diesels. In fact, I think they will void the warranty if it's used.
 
I run it in my Cummins powered motorhome. But not in the flatheads. Too much detergent. Run diesel oil in diesels.
 
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