Shell Rotella T

[Nickodell]

Perhaps there is a clockwise Rotella and a counterclockwise Rotella. The "T" in Rotella T gives a hint: "righty Tighty." Must be the clockwise stuff.

 

[Series3Scott]

Perhaps there is a clockwise Rotella and a counterclockwise Rotella. The "T" in Rotella T gives a hint: "righty Tighty." Must be the clockwise stuff.

I have an official Rootes factory service bulletin, dated March 1966, that warns the dealers to be sure and use the counterclockwise Rotella T oil for Tigers and the clockwise Rotella T oil for Alpines. They warn not to get it mixed up or there will be disastrous results. I sure hope all the Tiger guys knew about this and have been using only the COUNTER clockwise oil.

 

[skywords]

I buy mine from a Shell dealer on the airport. I will say this about the stuff, I drove my 35' greyhound powered by a 2 stroke 8V71 diesel back from NY with Detroit oil in it and the back was covered in black soot. I since have switched to Rotella and drove it a thousand miles this week and absolutely no soot and the consumption has been cut in half to half a gallon every thousand miles. I'm a believer It is in all my vehicles now.

Use the clockwise oil only in the northern hemisphere.

 

[Eleven]

I'm no oil expert

But am going to agree with 65Beam. As an insurance underwriter, I have to tell you that any Company selling a product that carries one name but has substantial and damage producing differences revealed only by an obscure symbol would have to be managed by total idiots. It's not unheard of but I have my doubts of it occurring here.

 

[todd reid]

Rotella

I know that Scott is pulling our leg, because Rootes would never say counter clockwise! The proper British term is "anti-clockwise".

 

[SIVAllan]

I wondered about that but felt it must be for Tigers sold in the US.

Found my old stock Mk1 camshaft today in the basement and the hipo cam box from when it was replaced. That and a piston with a cracked skirt are all that remain. Wish I'd used the correct oil .

 

[howard]

So using Rotella 15W40 would be a good thing for a freshly rebuilt engine? (I ask with an humble "I know nothing of these things" attitude.)

 

[Bill Blue]

So using Rotella 15W40 would be a good thing for a freshly rebuilt engine? (I ask with an humble "I know nothing of these things" attitude.)

Sure. And thereafter.

Got to remember that at most temperatures there is not a whole of difference between 10w30 and 15w40. The difference in viscosity at lower temperatures is measured at something close to zero degrees, F and even then the difference is not huge. So at your normal low temps, there will be little to no difference. The second number of the ratings is determined at the upper end of the normal operating temperature where oil thins considerably. But the thicker oil at high temperature is not a problem. The 15w40 at 180 degrees is not as thick as 10w30 at say, 120 degrees.

So in a 'Beam operated in normal top down, lets blast down the road weather, 15w40 is no problem what so ever.
Bill