Zinc in Rotella T

[Bob B.]

Hi all,

I have always heard about the merits of using Rotella T 15-40 HD because of the zinc content. However, I have also heard how everything good is being removed from oil because of environmental concerns.

So, as my favorite president always liked to do, I decided to trust, but verify! I sent a sample of Rotella T to the lab for a zinc analysis. I just got the results back and they were 1.010 ug/g. That's about a whopping part per million or, for all intents and purposes, zero.

Does anyone have some good recommendations for an oil that really does, and not based on past, no longer used formulas, contain zinc as of 2011?

Bob

[Duke W.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Was the sample new out of the container, or used out of a crankcase?

What was the P concentration?

Scan and post the entire report if you can. Some reports compare the actual readings to expected ranges.

The maximum P concentration per the CJ-4 API specification that has been in place and unchanged since 2007 is 1200 ppm, which would yield Zn in the range of 1300 ppm. Results this far off the mark would certainly make me investigate the samples, test procedures, and data interpretation for an explanation before I condemned the product. Modern oils are formulated within narrow ranges of the nominal specifications with state-of-the-art quality control.

It's impossible to draw a any kind of conclusion from one test of one sample of unknown origin from an unknown lab, espcially when the "results" are this far off the mark.

Duke

[Rick B.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Rotella, as did other oil brands previously known for their high concentrations of certain elements, reworked their formulas to meet certain EPA requirements a few years back.
I cannot remember what concentration of zinc was purported to be in their most recent "formula" but I do know it was to be much higher than 1 ppm !
Having said that, assuming you need the zinc for breaking in a flat tappet engine, or for added piece of mind, the Joe Gibbs brand is supposed to be one of the highest zinc enriched boutique oils out there that I know of that is reasonably easy to find.
When I researched this topic prior to breaking in my engine a year ago I was surprised to find some technical writings that suggested that you can in fact have too much of a good thing and that too high a concentration of zinc in oil could promote/cause cam lobe deterioration. I cannot personally verify this claim and I apologize for not providing more detail on the subject but if I can locate the source report I will submit a link later. I can only recall that the logic behind the argument seemed sound and plausible.

Rick

[Bob H.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

We have been using the Valoline VR1 racing oil. On my most recent purchase, they now have an add on label toting the zinc content.

Bob

[Tom L.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Recently I had a friend of mine tell me that there is NO ZINC in Rotella T any longer. If that swere the case I would have expected to hear it here first. I did a little research on the interenet looking for a "reliable" source to cornfirm or dispute my friends claim. I found nothing from Shell that is current and lists zinc content in Rotella T. Most of what I read was on this and other forums so I just let it go.

I did find one interesting document from Mobil though. While I know many are not fond of synthetic oils, and that's a personal choice, I did find a current document listing the zinc and phosphorus content in Mobil 1 oils. They were suprisingly high. Here's the link to the document.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Files/Mobil_1_Product_Guide.pdf

Also, I searched the archives and didn't see what the minimum recomended zinc content is for our old engines, just a lot of CJ-4 recomendations without the actual recomended content of zinc. have fun!!

[Joe R.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Here's a link to Shell's Rotella web site:

http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=rotella-en&FC2=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/zzz_lhn.html&FC3=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/triple_protection_detail.html

Both the 15W-40 and the 10W-30 formulations still carry API CI-4 and CJ-4 designations. Nothing has changed as far as I can tell. So much for the sky falling!

Joe

[Tom L.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Well the sky is falling here, in the form of snow!!!

Anyway, I did see that page on their site but, unless I missed something, it doesnt list the zinc/phosphorus content. In addition, the API guidelines only say that the maximum phiosphorus level is 1200ppm but doesnt say that there is a minimum requriement. I guess what I'm seeking is the minimum requirement for CJ4 oils or the actual amount in Rotella T.

[Steven S.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Last time I heard Rotella was testing in between 900-1000ppm.

[Joe R.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Here's a link to Duke's engine oil article. Scroll down to page 3.:

http://www.westcoastwillys.com/WCW_Sept08_small.pdf

It sounds to me like the oil is held to pretty tight limits on the amount of Zinc and Phosphorous.

Joe

[Duke W.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Chevron has the most comprehensive specifications for their engine oil products. Here's the spec sheet for 15W-40 Delo 400 LE, primary API category CJ-4.

http://www.dooilco.com/pdf/Motor%20Oils/Chevron%20Delo%20400/Delo%20400%2015w-40.pdf

In the "typical test data" table on the second page, P concentration is 0.12% (1200 ppm) and Zn is 0.13% (1300 ppm).

Any other CJ-4 will be in the same ballpark.

On my last trip to my local Walmart in Torrance, CA, they didn't have their house brand SuperTech 15W-40 CJ-4 in stock, which has been the case for my last couple of trips. Delo at $11.00/gal. was a little less expensive than Rotella T or Delvac.

When I need a gallon of 15W-40 CJ-4, I just buy whatever brand is least expensive. If it's in stock, Walmart's house brand is usually a little less expensive than the national brands.

I use 15W-40 CJ-4 in all my cars whose model years range from 1963 to 1991.

Duke

[Dick W.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Here is an oil sample report that I had done. Notice the labs comment on normal zinc concentrations. Thought that I had kept the most recent, but apparently I deleted them

[Duke W.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Based on the date of the report, I assume this oil was CI-4, and it was used oil out of the crankcase as indicated by the miles data.

ZDDP is consumed as oil accumulates mileage, so used oil of a given specification will normally show somewhat lower P and Zn than a fresh unused sample of the same product, however, if the engine is in in good internal condition, the P and Zn reduction is small.

Duke

[Tracy C.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Recently I had a friend of mine tell me that there is NO ZINC in Rotella T any longer. ........

Even friends sometime make unsubstaniated statements. Keep in mind there are several upstart "companies" out repackaging oil and all would have us to believe that they have the best product on the market. Most of time, misinformation just passes from one guy to the next.

That is what I like about this place. BS usually surfaces and can be removed from circulation.

tc

[Larry M.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

Hi all,

I sent a sample of Rotella T to the lab for a zinc analysis. I just got the results back and they were 1.010 ug/g. That's about a whopping part per million or, for all intents and purposes, zero.

Bob

Bob:

I believe that your lab made a mistake on the UNITS used in the report. I suspect that they meant mg/g or milligrams per gram.... not ug/g or micrograms per gram. That would make the result 1010 ppm.

I would question them about the number and units in the result they provided you.

Larry

[Duke W.]

Re: Zinc in Rotella T

That thought occurred to me, too, but the OP appears to be AWOL.

I also wonder if oil testing is part of this lab's normal work because every other oil analysis report I have seen listed concentrations in ppm - like the sheet Dick posted.

Duke