Not happy with Rotella Syn

[dmc]

After much reading and review of the opionions here on MUD I switched over to Rotella 5W-40 about 500 miles ago. I'd been running 10w-30 for about 26K miles since I bought the truck almost a year ago. Truck now has 127k miles on it. I'd been having consumption issues with Mobil 1 and numerous people had reported less consumpution with the Rotella Synthethic.

Friday night I noticed a large oil patch under my car after stopping at the gas station to get a drink. Figured it wasn't mine. When I changed the oil two weekend earlier the bottom of my truck was bone dry. Went over to FZJ Fillmore's house to pick up some parts and within 45 seconds there is an 8in diameter puddle under my truck. Oil is just pouring out between the engine and tranny. We both assumed rear main seal. So I went home and got on mud. Front numerous threads about the rear arch and two piece oil pan. Figure this is the source of my leak.

Saturday morning I head over to the house of a very qualified Toyota Master Tech and trainer to swap my control arms for caster plates. Well he pulls off the inspection plate on the back of the motor and he's pretty confident it's a rear main. For a guy with my skills is just a matter of $$$ anyway so one isn't really worse than the other. It may just be coincidence or bad timing and I've gone back to dino oil for time being (my easter project) but I'm blaiming it on the switch to Rotella. Karma must be kicking my ass for going to Walmart.
dmc

 

[Trinny]

Odd, this is the exact opposite of my experience. I had a slow drip at the oil pump seal with M1, but after switching to Rotella the drip has all but stopped. I still have a very slow drip (< 1 drop/day), but much better than with M1. I am typically a Mobil die hard (run it in my other two vehicles), but Rotella has been good so far.

 

[Riad]

You've got any picture of seal in both front and back? I switched to Rotella 5w-40 at my last oil change. Consumption has been pretty good so far. I've got 1200 miles since. Usually by now my oil level woul be in the middle of the level marker of dip stick. But it is still full. I do have leaks up front some where, I can't figire out where. It drips on the top of the front skids plate and just stay there. It looks like it is coming from the top of that hex/allen type looking bolt (seal). Lower (FIPG) seal seems to be fine. Anyway, what does exactly Rotella oil do that the others don't . Your case seem to be the only odd one, as far as I know. Did Rotella create more pressure that caused the rear main to blow some more? I'm just thinking out loud. Sounds like some thing else is wrong may be?

 

[cary]

Blaming your you RMS blowing out on the oil is like blaming a flat tire on the tire when there are 10 nails in it. It isn't the oils fault your RMS went bad.

 

[Driley]

Rotella

Switched to Rotella last oil change... ~1,000 miles and still at the full mark, no new oil leaks (knock on wood). Now I just need to stop the grease from pooping out of my DS front knuckle (front axle rebuild on the schedule)!

 

[dmc]

Blaming your you RMS blowing out on the oil is like blaming a flat tire on the tire when there are 10 nails in it. It isn't the oils fault your RMS went bad.

Like I said. Probably just coincidence and poor timing. But 5w-40 synthetic is a lot thinner than 15-40 dino. Seal may have been leaking prior but not gushing out like it is now. I guess I could look at this as a good thing. The thinner oil revealed a leaking seal I hadn't noticed before. It just sucks because now my new tires and dual battery setup got pushed back a bit further.
dmc

 

[Rookie2]

I switched to Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 about 5k miles ago and am getting slight seapage/sweating in two areas that I did not have before (oil pump cover and rear main area) when I was using Chevron Delo 15W-40. I'm going to keep an eye on it over the next 2500. If the seepage stays below or at the current levels, I'll probably try it for another OCI, if it gets any worse I'll switch back to Delo. I'm hoping that the seal swellers will take hold and stop the seepage.


Rookie2

 

[dmc]

You've got any picture of seal in both front and back? I switched to Rotella 5w-40 at my last oil change. Consumption has been pretty good so far. I've got 1200 miles since. Usually by now my oil level woul be in the middle of the level marker of dip stick. But it is still full. I do have leaks up front some where, I can't figire out where. It drips on the top of the front skids plate and just stay there. It looks like it is coming from the top of that hex/allen type looking bolt (seal). Lower (FIPK) seal seem to be fine. Anyway, what does exactly Rotella oil do that the others don't . Your case seem to be the only odd one, as far as I know. Did Rotella create more pressure that caused the rear main to blow some more? I'm just thinking out loud. Sounds like some thing else is wrong may be?

Oil pressure didn't change. Unless my gauge is bad. Indications are the same as they've always been. I noticed when I first switch to synthethic last June or so the pressure went up slightly. But has been constant since. My driving habits are pretty consistent also. I only commute about 5 miles a day on surface streets so rarely get above 45. I always let the pressure build before putting it in gear. When I do drive somewhere between home and work it's usually long distance with the cruise set at 75.
dmc

 

[jcolegrove]

another data point here-- switched to rotella after a year of mobil 1 10w30 using 1 qt every 3k. now have 2k since last change and very very little change of level on dispstick. same as lot of others here apparently...

 

[Romanknight]

Check out http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/. Everything you need to know about oil -and sooo much more.

 

[cruiser88]

normally great stuff just bad timing

 

[cary]

Like I said. Probably just coincidence and poor timing. But 5w-40 synthetic is a lot thinner than 15-40 dino.

5w-40 is not a lot thinner oil than 40 weight dino. 40 weight oil is 40 weight oil is 40 weight oil. If it is 12.5-16.3 CST at 100c, it is 40 weight oil whether it be group I, II, III, IV, or V basestock. If it was thinner it would be 30 weight.

The only difference between a 5w & 15w oil is that the 5w pumps better at lower temperatures.

Once again, it is not the oils fault your RMS blew out. It blew out because it was bad.