engine 'louder' with dino rotella question
 

I thought I would save some money by using dino rotella this summer. I used to run T6.

The engine is noticeable more clattery. I am sure the oil is doing its job but is it normal to be noisier?

I'm not sure what effect you are seeing but it appears to be real. A friend recently tried some NAPA "house brand" diesel motor oil and had similar results -- engine definitely made more rattling sounds. I wonder if the less expensive oil doesn't cling to the moving parts as well, so there's less cushioning effect?

Jeremy

It is all in the mind.

... more clattery on the 87 I bet... not so much on the 83...

no not in the mind, it is due to the inferior film strengths of those oils, leading the motor to have less oil "gripping" the moving parts and clinging to the metal surfaces, so they are less cushioned, and have metal to metal contact when and whereever the film "breaks", causing excessive noise.....simple lubrication tech theory.....'caus knowledge is power :D

Dino oil is indeed louder. We ran 0w40 in a 617 for an oil change cycle once, it was quite clattery! They are pretty smooth on T6 or Mobil 1 TDT.

I just changed my 5000 mile T6 on Friday. New T6 oil made the engine quieter. Just completed two round trips of 1000 miles for sick/funeral Aunt in VA, just off I-64. T6 made my engine much quieter than the old Delvac.

Shell changed it's zinc additive package awhile back making it compatible for use in newer diesel engines though it may not be compatible with older diesel engines.

Amsoil 15W40 Marine Diesel oil has been used in the 300DT for over 20 years and it runs like a top and sounds great as well. I'm about to install an Amsoil bypass oil filter set up in the oil cooler lines as well as a possible Amsoil cold air intake filter for the diesel. Is Amsoil the "best" oil out there? Well, we could go on and on and on about that question but one thing I know from personal experience, the Amsoil 15W40 Marine Diesel Oil has NEVER let me down! If my cooling system fails, I can count on it to save the motor in the even of an overheating condition. I use the Amsoil transmission fluid as well, I'm going to change over the differentials to Amsoil gear lube, I use Amsoil antifreeze in the cooling system, I'm about to do a brake job and use Amsoil racing grease in all the wheel bearings. I guess you could say I'm a member of a religious cult.

One less thing to lay awake at night worrying about.

I did the same...switched from full synthetic (syngard) 5w-40 to dino rotella 15w-40 for summer and the same thing here....engine is more clattery. Glad you mentioned it....I was thinking that there was something wrong. I would have thought that the heavier dino oil would be quieter?

Dirty oil must lose its cushioning effect too somewhat, I just changed the 15w50 mobil 1 in my 420 yesterday and the engine is quite a bit quieter at idle especially than on the old oil (about 5200 miles on it when changed)

The odd thing is that I used the Dino Rotella in my 280E with the M110 and it got much quieter than it was when I bought it.

I went from Rotella T something, to T6, definitely quieter.