Shell Rotella rating reduced

[MrWOT]

Originally Posted by BlackCat13

So you run bike oil in your 400 hp 350 chevy engine on the street?

Exactly what brand of oil and grade?

500hp turbocharged 2L, but yes I do, Mobil 1 MX4T 10w40, changed every 2500.

[crazyman]

I've yet to see a roller mower engine!!!

[BlackCat13]

Today at the store=

All auto oils SM only.

Rotella T = CJ-4/SM

Mobil 1 synthetic = SM/CF

[rookie]

Straight from the Horses mouth,

Welcome to the Shell Rotella Forum: Does Shell 5W-40 have Zinc in its additive package

[rookie]

Latest Info I could find was, From Shell, early 2008.

1200ppm Zinc
1100ppm Phos.

[BlackCat13]

Didn't say it was removed.

Only said it was reduced to the SM levels, equal to the lastest gasoline auto oils.

The Rotella Synthetic, as indicated in your link, does NOT meet the new SM auto specs, but is still reduced from the previous levels, to the levels that were causing problems with flat tappet cams.

Seems that racing oil is the only option except for additives.

[seattle smitty]

Have there been problems for flat tappet street motors with relatively mild cams and springs, after being rebuilt with the assembly lubes called for by the cam grinder?

Does Parkerizing/phosphating the new cam lessen problems?

How about a thin-coated heat-cured moly coating on either the cam or the lifter bases?

There's at least one company making ceramic-base lifters for the more popular engines, and these are reported to have shown virtually no wear after long use. Would use of such lifters make any difference to cam wear (using the new oils)? These would seem to be simpler and more likely to go hundreds of thousands of miles in a street-beater without problems than would roller-tappets.

[Devious]

It depends on what you mean by "mild". I have seen a couple of street flat tappets not last 600 miles in the same engine - until the oil was determined to be the issue. I have also personally seen a few DOHC engines in bikes and cars have issues with tappet/cam wear that was directly attributed to the oil.

I have only recently used phosphate coated valves, not cams, so no input here.

I don't think a normal dry lubricant coating will hold up, but DLC seems to help.

The Schubeck ceramic lifters are not currently available. It seems the military has priority from his suppliers. A few others are working on other sources.

[84Dave]

Comp Cams now touts their Plasma Nitride process for new flat-tappet cams. I have no personal experience, yet, with the process, but they claim good results regarding breakin and longivity. Dave

[crazyman]

Told ya.

SL rating

Applications:
Recommended for all 4-cycle gasoline engines used in lawn and garden tractors, riders, walk-behinds, edgers, shredders, commercial mowers, tillers, generators, and other outdoor powered equipment
Recommended for automotive gasoline engines requiring SL classification oil

I work in a Deere lawn equipment shop, and this stuff is made by Chevron.

Link to page where I found the specs.
http://www.greenmowerstore.com/John-...p_374-70.html#