Ask the Expert
What type of engine oil is the best to use during the winter months?
Low-viscosity engine oil provides several benefits during winter months that can help protect your diesel engine and help improve your engine performance.
In cold temperatures, 15W-40 engine oil will flow more slowly as the engine starts, which can lead to difficulties in reaching critical areas that require lubrication quickly upon start-up. A low-viscosity engine oil such as Shell Rotella T6 10W-30 flows more readily at cold temperatures, ensuring faster lubrication and reducing wear on engine components during cold starts.
This can help to reduce friction and wear on critical engine components, such as bearings and piston rings. An engine that can start quickly in cold weather will also put less stress on the battery and starter. In extremely cold temperatures, ultra-low viscosity engine oils such as Shell RotellaT6 0W-40 or 5W-40 are recommended.
Low-viscosity engine oils can increase fuel economy in winter or any time of year and can be used in place or 15W-40 in many diesel engines. Always refer to your vehicle or engine manufacturer’s recommendations before switching to low-viscosity engine oil.
Is there an in-depth fact sheet or technical documentation for the Rotella T4 15W-40 and 10W-30 motor oils? How do the levels of ZDDP impact the overall performance and protection capabilities of these oils?
Zinc is an important component in Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) which forms a sacrificial anti-wear film in an engine to help protect internal components such as a camshaft. Most Shell Rotella engine oils, including T4 15W-40 Conventional and T6 5W-40 Full Synthetic Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil, contain approximately 1200 parts per million of zinc which will benefit older and high-performance engines. The level of zinc is not reduced by the detergent or additive levels in the engine oil. All Shell Rotella engine oils are engineered to provide strong engine protection.
Additionally, you can find more information on Rotella T4 15W-40 here: https://rotella.shell.com/en_us/products/triple-protection-motor-oil/rotella-triple-protection/_jcr_content/par/productDetails.stream/1520976123954/02cdc4507e718cd0fc768d05faab7059e52f0938/t4-15w-40.pdf
