Engine oil results - 3.8 Turbo with 100,000 miles on Rotella 15W40...

[turbokinetic]

Got any other Shell Rotella T engine oil users? I was using a video borescope for another project and decided to look at the underside of the front valvecover of my engine. I was looking for oil sludge buildup. I was unsuccessful at locating any oil sludge buildup.

This is a "hybrid" build with a turbocharged front-wheel drive 3.8 SFI engine. The engine is a 1987 spec. It's similar to the Turbo Regal LC2 that I'm certain the oil requirements would be comparable.

This engine has been run exclusively on 15W40 Rotella since it was assembled. The car has been driven daily for about 6 years and it has turned more than 100,000 miles. There have been no repairs to the engine or special cleaning procedures. I poured in a little new oil so that the areas around the oil filler would be visible. The oil in the engine is opaque and would obscure any possible sludge at the bottom of the head.

The oil change interval has been 4000 to 5000 miles; and there have been a few times that it was run longer.

The thermostat is a 180°F with accordingly set cooling fan control temperatures. I didn't expect a lot of buildup, but this exceeded my expectations and I am very impressed. Next time I change the PCV valve I may try to video inside the block under the manifold.

Sincerely,
David

 

[fastblackracing]

Cool info, thanks for posting it. I used to use a lot of the rotella t in some v8 builds but have since switched to the brad penn oil. I know the rotella is meant for low speed diesel engines but it seems to do a good job for a lower priced oil.

 

[belsie]

Great post !! Been running this for 3 years on an engine with ???? miles and changing every 2,000 miles with WIX long filter # 51036 and so far so good !!