Correct oil to use in SMTA

RBTXS

Member
I have been using Rotella T 15w40 in my SMTA for several years because I have two 1974 diesel tractors-a Hydro 70 and an Oliver that use the oil. A mechanic told me that Rotella T doesn't have any detergent in it and the SMTA needs the detergent. Is this right? I just read an articlein the new Ageless Iron issue about oil. It is a little confusing. I wound up using Castrol 10w30 regular oil when I changed it, but would like to go back to Rotella T. Any thoughts?
 
Better not tell anyone it has no detergent. They were trying to keep it a secret. Yes it has detergent.
 
Rotella is a detergent oil. Recommended on this site by many, and no problem. just keep on using it. Jim
 
yes it has detergent, as its a diesel grade of oil. but castrol is a better oil than shell. and for a gas tractor castrol is a very wise choice. you can use 10-40 or even 20-50 in the summer. i have been using castrol for about 40 years in my vehicles. i would choose mobil oil before shell. thats me though. i also heard that mobil bought castrol.
 
engine oil is like under ware everyone has there own brand they swear by . Me i just work on them so what do i know . I know that usen and oil that is not a LOW ASH oil in the later gas tractors will cause exhaust valves to burn . Myself i run a 30 weight low ash in my gas tractors , i use I H #1 diesel oil in the diesels YEAR ROUND in a 30 weight and yes in N/E Ohio it gets COLD in the winter . we ran a 30 weight sires 3 oil in my semi YEAR round as that is what was called for when the engine was built and not till the BIG CAM['s came out did they go with the 15 - 40 . And yes i have a S/MTA and have owned it since June 27 ,1990 . The multi grades came on the seen in 1978 in the sires 3 oils and stuff before used the straight weight DETERGENT .
 
I had the valve covers off my 7.3L PSD the other day, 303,000+ miles, every single mile with either Rotella T 15W-40 or 10W-30 in winter, not a spec of sludge, or crud. Tops of heads looked like a brand new engine. Engine still holds 55-60 psi oil pressure hot.
I've used Rotella T in my '51 M, '54 stage 2 Super H, various Kohler and Onan air cooled garden tractor engines for 22 years. I use Rotella because it's good oil, every truck stop, farm & home store sells it, even some grocery stores sell it. Mobil Delvac may be better oil but good luck finding a gallon late on a Sunday night! Had that situation with a brand new 1988 Mustang GT and a quart of 10W-40 Valvoline. Bet I stopped at 50 gas stations and truck stops between Brooklyn, Michigan and Chicago. When I got home at 3 AM two quarts out of my case in the shop got put in the car till we sold it 12 years later!
 
(quoted from post at 18:44:56 10/04/18) I have been using Rotella T 15w40 in my SMTA for several years because I have two 1974 diesel tractors-a Hydro 70 and an Oliver that use the oil. A mechanic told me that Rotella T doesn't have any detergent in it and the SMTA needs the detergent. Is this right? I just read an articlein the new Ageless Iron issue about oil. It is a little confusing. I wound up using Castrol 10w30 regular oil when I changed it, but would like to go back to Rotella T. Any thoughts?

I would be checking that mechanics credentials.
 
Had that situation with a brand new 1988 Mustang GT and a quart of 10W-40 Valvoline. Bet I stopped at 50 gas stations and truck stops between Brooklyn, Michigan and Chicago. When I got home at 3 AM two quarts out of my case in the shop got put in the car till we sold it 12 years later!

If you were desperate for a quart of oil in a BRAND NEW car, I would just run it until the engine seized, took it back to the dealer, handed them the keys and said, "New engine, please."
 
Just my opinion I would use an oil that still has zinc in it. The old SMTA has the flat tappets which will hold up better with oils containing zinc.
 
(quoted from post at 05:50:48 10/05/18) Just my opinion I would use an oil that still has zinc in it. The old SMTA has the flat tappets which will hold up better with oils containing zinc.

It is my understanding that not all of the Rotella formulas have the zinc, but some do. Is it the Rotella T that has it?
 
Rotella T4 has zinc in it. Lucas has oil with zinc in it along with a number of companies that sell racing oils. Lucas has a zinc additive
that you can add to your oil.
 
I'm not like that. I've had many new cars & trucks that never burned a drop of oil. As that car had the
engine break in, 3000-5000 miles, it stopped burning oil. Had the car 12 years and 115,000 miles, Fun
car, actually kinda rare, an '88 Mustang GT with T-tops. Was the owner of the dealership's personal toy.
 
Zinc is not an issue with an M. It only because and issue with vehicles with extremely heavy duty valve springs like you would see on a high performance car. When the M was new there was no zinc in the oil - there wasn't even detergent. The zinc additive is most important when the engine is new and getting broke in.
 
You do know that the new replacement valve springs are 10% heavier than the old original springs and can be gotten heavier than 10%.
 

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