Candidate for Rotella T6 5-40

[CT-Legend]

PASSED - very good!!! Now you have some extra time to plan your next move.

I've got to start using this T6 stuff in my lawn tractor, string trimmer, leaf blower, snow blower, chainsaw, etc. It can only make them perform all the better!!!

[ActionJackson]

Congratulations, Eric. One year closer to the grave.

[Legend to Grave]

Thanks for your thoughts!

Originally Posted by beatleknight

....You must have had some anxious moments leading up to your inspection day.

Our son told me he didn't think I was going to sleep very well Friday night!

Originally Posted by CT-Legend

PASSED - very good!!! Now you have some extra time to plan your next move.

I've got to start using this T6 stuff in my lawn tractor, string trimmer, leaf blower, snow blower, chainsaw, etc. It can only make them perform all the better!!!

What a relief!
I was thinking what Dr Dave said about his grass growing greener using the T6 in his mower.

Originally Posted by ActionJackson

Congratulations, Eric. One year closer to the grave.

My mechanic told me I should sell the car if I passed inspection. I replied that I'd be driving the Legend into the sunset if that happened!

- - - -

At work this week I was telling a colleague that I was enjoying each and every time I have been driving the Legend. She replied that I felt this way because "each time might be the last time"....

I really psyched myself up this morning. It was beautiful out - clear, cool, with warm bright sunshine. Plugged in the Ipod, put on the shades, turned the volume up, backed out onto the road, eased out to the highway and stepped on the gas; being "one" with the Legend and road.

When I got back home the family could tell I was uplifted in spirit.

I then took the Legend out for a thorough wash and treatment - inside and out.


Love that ride!

[ActionJackson]

Originally Posted by Legend to Grave

- - - -
I then took the Legend out for a thorough wash and treatment - inside and out.
Love that ride!

Paint those wiper arms yet?

[Legend to Grave]

Originally Posted by ActionJackson

Paint those wiper arms yet?

I like that "chrome" look more and more as it reveals itself with the patina of age..... At least that's one car part that shines with age instead of rusting!

I'm thinking that I'd leave them wipers "as is" even if I give the body sheet metal another go around of rust war battles. Hey, now I'm even day dreaming about cleaning out a garage bay so I can shelter the Legend!!

Talk about body work - I've been eyeing those fog light cut outs in my bumper. Maybe I'll eventually get those done so my son can stop commenting about the lack of night lighting compared to the blinding light of new cars. I think he's finally coming around to realizing that my '93 Bose 2200 sound system with my Ipod (I'm using a purported '95 Ebay replacement now) is better than his 2010 Mazda 3 Bose.

[Legend to Grave]

Originally Posted by Legend to Grave

Hey, now I'm even day dreaming about cleaning out a garage bay so I can shelter the Legend!!

DONE!!!!

[Legend to Grave]

OK - so I'm a bit late in posting this update but this is what's been going on since last September 2011 when I changed the oil to the Rotella T6 and subsequently passed the NJ emissions inspection after an initial failure.

I have been using the Rotella T6 for all the oil changes since then.

I started losing a bit of oil, noticed it happening in the late June to August 2012 period when checking the dipstick after a very long period from January until that time without running "low" by the dipstick measure. At first I attributed this good performance due to the fact I have not been using the sedan for the regular commute, I figured it's now a local or lower usage car with a nice cruise every now and then just to keep it honest. Our daughter has been using it to drive herself to her after school activities instead of us doing it (what a pain that was!)...

It turns out that the sedan started to burn oil again. There was the infamous blue exhaust haze - I can't believe I didn't notice it, but in August, when I picked up the car from my mechanic after the valve cover/ring kit job I asked him how it turned out. He wasn't too happy and he did not want to do another chore I asked him to do besides the suggested valve cover kit because of this. He had told me earlier (late last spring?) the sedan was running great and I really should do the valve cover gasket/rings kit job if I was interested in running the car for a long time more. Anyhow, the oil burning needed to be addressed and he said that the oil I was using "that my buddies" turned me on to (the Rotella T6) that was 5-30 weight was not appropriate for the higher mileage engines, and I needed to switch to 10-40 weight.

To make a long story short, I changed the oil to the Mobil1 10-40 full synthetic and the smoking seems to have stopped.

If we had been heading into the warmer months I'd even consider a heavier weight oil.

So the Rotella T6 had served its purpose. I passed that emissions inspection last October 2011. Whatever seals or gaskets that soaked up the oil and expanded making for a tighter fit have done so and at this time apparently the Rotella T6 has outlived its usefullness.

[Wes]

Originally Posted by Legend to Grave

OK - so I'm a bit late in posting this update but this is what's been going on since last September 2011 when I changed the oil to the Rotella T6 and subsequently passed the NJ emissions inspection after an initial failure.

I have been using the Rotella T6 for all the oil changes since then.

I started losing a bit of oil, noticed it happening in the late June to August 2012 period when checking the dipstick after a very long period from January until that time without running "low" by the dipstick measure. At first I attributed this good performance due to the fact I have not been using the sedan for the regular commute, I figured it's now a local or lower usage car with a nice cruise every now and then just to keep it honest. Our daughter has been using it to drive herself to her after school activities instead of us doing it (what a pain that was!)...

It turns out that the sedan started to burn oil again. There was the infamous blue exhaust haze - I can't believe I didn't notice it, but in August, when I picked up the car from my mechanic after the valve cover/ring kit job I asked him how it turned out. He wasn't too happy and he did not want to do another chore I asked him to do besides the suggested valve cover kit because of this. He had told me earlier (late last spring?) the sedan was running great and I really should do the valve cover gasket/rings kit job if I was interested in running the car for a long time more. Anyhow, the oil burning needed to be addressed and he said that the oil I was using "that my buddies" turned me on to (the Rotella T6) that was 5-30 weight was not appropriate for the higher mileage engines, and I needed to switch to 10-40 weight.

To make a long story short, I changed the oil to the Mobil1 10-40 full synthetic and the smoking seems to have stopped.

If we had been heading into the warmer months I'd even consider a heavier weight oil.

So the Rotella T6 had served its purpose. I passed that emissions inspection last October 2011. Whatever seals or gaskets that soaked up the oil and expanded making for a tighter fit have done so and at this time apparently the Rotella T6 has outlived its usefullness.

Your mechanic was mistaken in thinking that the Rotella was not appropriate for your engine because it was a 30 weight (if that's what he really said). It's actually a 40 weight when warm and so is the Mobil 1 you are currently using. And to add to that, the difference between a 40 weight and 30 weight doesn't do as much for the seals as the actual additives in the oil. Let's see if your problems continue - as Antik said earlier in this thread, the valve seals act erratically at times. Sometimes you think the problem is gone and other times you might think it's getting much worse. Until they are replaced, they will be a factor in your oil consumption. With that said, Mobil 1 is a great oil and I hope you have good results with it.

What's this valve gasket/rings kit? The valve cover gaskets are fairly easy to replace and leak oil externally. The rings seldom go bad on the Legend and require a lot more work... could've done the valve seals at the same time as the rings were done if that is the case.

[Legend to Grave]

Originally Posted by Wes

Your mechanic was mistaken in thinking that the Rotella was not appropriate for your engine because it was a 30 weight (if that's what he really said). It's actually a 40 weight when warm and so is the Mobil 1 you are currently using. And to add to that, the difference between a 40 weight and 30 weight doesn't do as much for the seals as the actual additives in the oil. Let's see if your problems continue - as Antik said earlier in this thread, the valve seals act erratically at times. Sometimes you think the problem is gone and other times you might think it's getting much worse. Until they are replaced, they will be a factor in your oil consumption. With that said, Mobil 1 is a great oil and I hope you have good results with it.

What's this valve gasket/rings kit? The valve cover gaskets are fairly easy to replace and leak oil externally. The rings seldom go bad on the Legend and require a lot more work... could've done the valve seals at the same time as the rings were done if that is the case.

re: valve cover/rings kit
The rubber boots of my ignition coils were being fried with oil seeping into that area. When changing the spark plugs during a "minor" tune up earlier in the summer, a rubber boot on one of the ignition coils crumbled and that coil had to be replaced.

A Felpro gasket and "O" ring kit was used for the valve cover. Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear on that description. Yes, it was a simple straight forward job and hopefully will return dividends. Anyhow, the top of the engine looks really clean afterwards!

re: higher viscosity oil for high mileage engines
I'll go with the results of what I am seeing, that is, blue haze of exhaust has been minimized or disappeared since changing to the 10w-40 from the 5w-30. My mechanic is an "old timer" used to running American cars and trucks to 300,000 - 400,000 miles with higher viscosity oil - when one of his guys put in a 5w-30 oil into one of his high mileage vehicles by mistake and it smoked, it was fixed by changing the oil back to a higher viscosity. They also work on all kinds of imported cars and he used to have a G1 Legend for his wife. His background is in performance and racing and I believe it if he says he can modify a stock Dodge Neon that would be running circles around 99% (no, make it 100% of any Legend car - Legends are cruisers, not racers...)

I'm not going to remember exactly all the technical explanations relayed to me but I can understand that at a high mileage engine's running temperature, an oil with a greater viscosity may stand somewhat of a better chance of not leaking, resulting in a loss of oil by its simple leakage or burning. I'll keep in mind what Antik says about the valve seals acting erratically - thanks for reminding me.

[Quaraxkad]

Originally Posted by Legend to Grave

re: higher viscosity oil for high mileage engines
I'll go with the results of what I am seeing, that is, blue haze of exhaust has been minimized or disappeared since changing to the 10w-40 from the 5w-30. My mechanic is an "old timer" used to running American cars and trucks to 300,000 - 400,000 miles with higher viscosity oil - when one of his guys put in a 5w-30 oil into one of his high mileage vehicles by mistake and it smoked, it was fixed by changing the oil back to a higher viscosity. They also work on all kinds of imported cars and he used to have a G1 Legend for his wife. His background is in performance and racing and I believe it if he says he can modify a stock Dodge Neon that would be running circles around 99% (no, make it 100% of any Legend car - Legends are cruisers, not racers...)

I'm not going to remember exactly all the technical explanations relayed to me but I can understand that at a high mileage engine's running temperature, an oil with a greater viscosity may stand somewhat of a better chance of not leaking, resulting in a loss of oil by its simple leakage or burning. I'll keep in mind what Antik says about the valve seals acting erratically - thanks for reminding me.

There's a simple (rather than technical) explanation for that... A higher weight oil is thicker. That means it won't leak through small cracks. That may stop your leaking/burning oil issue. Is this a good thing? No. It's only a mask, and it potentially reduces the longevity of your engine. What actually may be happening "beneath the surface" is that the oil is not protecting the engine as well as the correct weight oil does, because in addition to not leaking through cracks in gaskets it's also not lubricating the tighter-tolerance areas within the engine that were designed with a specific oil weight in mind. The true long-term effects are *not* able to be tested. But if you're interested to find a little more about the effects in your specific case (every engine/car is going to be different) you could go through a couple of oil changes using one brand of a certain weight and send the oil for analysis each oil change, and then change to another weight of the same brand/type and send that for analysis as well. The more "samples" you take the more accurate your results, and the comparison will reveal if that higher weight oil is truly lubricating as well as the lower weight oil.