Straight Eight
Active Member
We still hear fatefull news about zinc leaving our favorite oils. I wrote to Shell Oil about their Rotella brand. Here is my letter, and their answer.
I have been using Rotella 30 for Years in my antique Buicks and
understand the latest version of Rotella has dramatically reduced the
amount of zinc. The overhead valve engine with non rollers valve
mechanism theoretically needs the zinc for the sliding friction. What
has happened to Rotella? Can I continue to use it in my antique
engines, or should I find another oil made just for the antiques with
zinc added?
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Clifford, there has been no reduction of zinc in the straight weight
Rotella oils such as Rotella T 30. There has been a slight reduction in
zinc for the multigrade Rotella T oils in order to meets the new API
CJ-4 specification. Rotella T 30 should still work well in your antique
Buicks.
Thank you for your interest in Shell products.
Richard Moore
Staff Engineer
Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc.
Westhollow Technology Center, PO Box 4327, Houston, TX 77210, United
States of America
1-800-231-6950
I have been using Rotella 30 for Years in my antique Buicks and
understand the latest version of Rotella has dramatically reduced the
amount of zinc. The overhead valve engine with non rollers valve
mechanism theoretically needs the zinc for the sliding friction. What
has happened to Rotella? Can I continue to use it in my antique
engines, or should I find another oil made just for the antiques with
zinc added?
----------------------------------------------
Clifford, there has been no reduction of zinc in the straight weight
Rotella oils such as Rotella T 30. There has been a slight reduction in
zinc for the multigrade Rotella T oils in order to meets the new API
CJ-4 specification. Rotella T 30 should still work well in your antique
Buicks.
Thank you for your interest in Shell products.
Richard Moore
Staff Engineer
Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc.
Westhollow Technology Center, PO Box 4327, Houston, TX 77210, United
States of America
1-800-231-6950