Rotella 15-40 problems
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Rotella 15-40 problems
I have an 04 F350 with the 6.0 diesel and am experiencing some problems with my change to Rotella 15w-40 oil. I have noticed when started on cool mornings the engine is much louder than before the change to Rotella until engine is up to operating temp. Also I have noticed a surge when excellerating while engine is still cool. I talked to a friend of mine who said some others were experiencing similar problems with their 6.0 after changing to Rotella oil and that they had found some oil additive that corrected the problem however he cannot find the name of the additive. I called my llocal Ford dealer and he has heard of no such problems or the additive but he called the Ford tech guys for info and they had no knowledge on this. Has anyone out there had this problem with their 6.0 litre and if so what was the solution. I prefer to keep running Rotella because that is what I have used in my other older model trucks with the 7.3 diesel. Thanks for any help.
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From: Valdez, Alaska
Have to ask is there any chance that it might be overfilled. I use 5W 40 Rotella (13.5 qts) and havent had a problem yet. I did have the dealer do an oil change and they over filled the system (15 qts) and I had the rough idle and surging. Just curious.
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From: Gloucester, Virginia
If the Rotella causes problems, why throw away money on additives? Just use Motorcraft, assuming that is what was in there prior to Rotella. Anyway, how could you go wrong with OEM?
I changed to Rotella, too, (because I couldn't find Motorcraft) and I swear the truck sounds different. Not as smooth, not as good. Next change I am going back to Motorcraft to see if there IS a difference. Providing I can find it. Not too available around here apparently. Still, hard to believe a certain brand could make that much difference.
I changed to Rotella, too, (because I couldn't find Motorcraft) and I swear the truck sounds different. Not as smooth, not as good. Next change I am going back to Motorcraft to see if there IS a difference. Providing I can find it. Not too available around here apparently. Still, hard to believe a certain brand could make that much difference.
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From: 3rd Rock
Originally Posted by pullin350
I have an 04 F350 with the 6.0 diesel and am experiencing some problems with my change to Rotella 15w-40 oil. I have noticed when started on cool mornings the engine is much louder than before the change to Rotella until engine is up to operating temp. Also I have noticed a surge when excellerating while engine is still cool. I talked to a friend of mine who said some others were experiencing similar problems with their 6.0 after changing to Rotella oil and that they had found some oil additive that corrected the problem however he cannot find the name of the additive. I called my llocal Ford dealer and he has heard of no such problems or the additive but he called the Ford tech guys for info and they had no knowledge on this. Has anyone out there had this problem with their 6.0 litre and if so what was the solution. I prefer to keep running Rotella because that is what I have used in my other older model trucks with the 7.3 diesel. Thanks for any help.
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Was this your very first oil change? Back in the winter of '02 when I did the first oil change on my 6.0L truck I proved that 15W-40 = ROMP-ROMP, and 10W-30 = NO-ROMP. We found out that the factory puts 10W-30 in to begin with. This is kind of mean, because it's really really hard to find any diesel rated dino oil lighter than 15W-40, even up here in the chilly Chicago region. NOTE that this was totally based on oil viscosity; oil brand had nothing to do with it.
Duncan
Duncan
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From: All Over
I just switched to Rotella 15-40....I was running strictly Motorcraft prior to this. I notice no difference at all. I would also ask how many qts you put in...because overfilling can cause some of the symtoms you describe.
Froboz...the 10-30 the dealership has in the new vehicles is to facilitate engine break-in. Your first oil change will be with 15-40 if you are in a warmer climate. Using 10-30 to get rid of romps is not a good idea IMO. There seems to be a trend with Superduties sheering oil. I would check the oil level and make sure it is at mid hash mark.
JMO
Froboz...the 10-30 the dealership has in the new vehicles is to facilitate engine break-in. Your first oil change will be with 15-40 if you are in a warmer climate. Using 10-30 to get rid of romps is not a good idea IMO. There seems to be a trend with Superduties sheering oil. I would check the oil level and make sure it is at mid hash mark.
JMO
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From: Northern Utah
When I put in the Mobil 1 5w40 synthetic, it starts differently- Seems to hum...
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From: Salisbury, MD, USA
I refilled with 14 quarts of Shell Rotella T 15W40, which shows as max on the dipstick, and I've had no problems.
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From: Carlsbad, California
I ran Rotella T 15W40 for the first four oil changes and switched to Delo 400 because they were having a sale on it at Costco. I don't think that the truck runs quite as good as it did on the Rotella and will likely switch back after I run through this case.
Don't think that it's a cold weather issue either as the worst that it has gotten down to is around 39 or so and is typically mid to high 40s at night here.
Don't think that it's a cold weather issue either as the worst that it has gotten down to is around 39 or so and is typically mid to high 40s at night here.
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From: Northern Tip of VA
I ran the 15w40 Rotella in my 2002 7.3L. Tried the 5w40 Rotella Synthetic to see if it helped my cold weather starts. It did help allot and I've never looked back. I run extended drain intervals to help offset some of the cost. The oil analysis came back fine, so will do the same on this change. I have read here where some really like the Mobil 1 5w40 Synthetic also as "utahtom" mentioned. I checked on it here in VA, have only found it at a Flying J truckstop and it was allot more expensive than what I'm paying for the Rotella Synthetic. I was going to run a change of the Mobil 1 Synthetic and have a analysis done to compare with the Rotella results, but I'm not so sure that I will now. I really did notice a difference when changing to the synthetic though.
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Originally Posted by Bear Hunter
Froboz...the 10-30 the dealership has in the new vehicles is to facilitate engine break-in. Your first oil change will be with 15-40 if you are in a warmer climate. Using 10-30 to get rid of romps is not a good idea IMO.
It was a very cold winter - zero to 15 degrees was the range of temps for days on end - so by the specs in the book either 10W-30 or 15W-40 was OK to use, though the 10W-30 was "preferred." I put the 10W-30 in to prove that the romps went away again, i.e. that it was totally an engine oil viscosity related phenomenon. With the updated ICP sensor I later got, and the various reflashes, I now do *not* get romps regardless of the temps, and run Rotella-T 15W-40 year 'round. (I'm currently trying some Rotella-T synth to see if it helps with the goofy no-power condition for a couple of minutes on sub-zero starts. Looks like the answer is *no* so I'll go back to dino oil again on the next change and just realize it's a "feature" of this engine.)
Duncan
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From: near Daytona
I would try a synthetic.
I use Delo and it runs great, it rated much higher than Rotella. Soon I will probably switch to synthetic.
DO NOT add oil additives, there was a link somewhere that had a oil test done with Delo and when they added a oil additive it turned into a foamy milkshake.
I use Delo and it runs great, it rated much higher than Rotella. Soon I will probably switch to synthetic.
DO NOT add oil additives, there was a link somewhere that had a oil test done with Delo and when they added a oil additive it turned into a foamy milkshake.
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From: Colorado
35200 miles and all I run is Rotella T 15W-40 oil changes ~5000 miles. Oil reports done every 10000 miles state " Viscosity a little litght, reading in the 30W range, which is found to be normal with the 6.0"
Has anyone running a different weight come up with higher viscosity ratings? they like to see reading in the 69-82 range and mine are consistantly 65.
Bob
Has anyone running a different weight come up with higher viscosity ratings? they like to see reading in the 69-82 range and mine are consistantly 65.
Bob
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From: near Daytona