Started doing the 'spring' maintenance on my machines this weekend... come to find out that no one has Shell Rotella T6 5w-40 in stock, and it has been on backorder since the first of the year.

The fellow at the local auto parts store mentioned something about the additive package being manufactured by another company, and that company is out of commission because of, you guessed it, COVID. Says he doesn't plan on getting any Rotella until 4th quarter of 2022. Give me a flippin' break on this COVID chit. He told me he has a few cases left of 15w-40 T6, but I've always ran 5w-40. Is it going to make any difference in my diesel tractors?

Gas passed four bucks a gallon here on Sunday, milk is running about the same, oil shortage, flirting with nuclear war, out of control inflation... and we're only a year in. We ain't gonna make it to '24 boys.

Sorry you can't find Rotella. Going forward, I recommend if you need it - stockpile it. It's the new Biden economy.

I'd switch to whatever you can get that meets the tractor specifications and not lose a second's sleep over it.

I'm particularly fond of Mobil Delvac

I was at TSC a couple of months ago and a guy was asking if they had any additional Rotella, the employee told him they sell it as fast as they got it and he was surprised he was able to find it in stock (the customer pulled it off a top shelf where they store items)

Rotella has been in short supply for almost a year. I went to mobile one in my diesel pickup this year because getting Rotella T6 5-40 was impossible here.

generally don't change oil but once a year. For years now we have tried our best to keep a couple of filters on the shelf and at least one full oil change, a filter and oil change and some spare oil on hand.,

That said I've had to swap brands once but so far its worked out.

Kind of like trying to keep a hundred pounds of powder and 50,000 primers or so on hand also.

I use Rotella T6 15W-40 synthetic in my motorcycles.
Walmart usually has it for about $20.00 a gallon.
They were all out when I went to get it in January.
I got the last two at Advance Auto for $32.00 a gallon !!

Don't understand your metaphor here...

you mean not everyone on the campfire keeps a couple hundred pounds of powder on hand, along with 50,000 plus primers?


and as far as Rotella T 6, I've only got 4 gallons of it on hand.....

same with the Mobil 1 5W 40.... only 6 of those on the shelf...

The End is NEAR!!!

Mobil Delvac Extreme Heavy Duty Full Synthetic Diesel Engine Oil 15W-40

This is what I bought for my tractor when I couldn’t get Rotella.

I put 15W40 in my old Ford 5600. Rotella was not to be found this year so I used Mobil Delvac 15W40. We have used Chevron diesel engine oil also. I put 15W40 in the Honda 4 wheeler ATVs.

T4 at Walmart $14.38

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shell-Ro...W-40-Diesel-Motor-Oil-1-Gallon/181236405

Had 48 gallons shipped the other day before the price went up from $13.97

They can’t take our cars but they can take the oil to make it run.
Sound familiar?

we all get caught shorthanded, but evidently some or more didn't learn from the prior shortages. Even we have gotten caught flat footed for a few specialty things. But its all worked out.

Still buy an extra jug of laundry detergent, rice, beans, flour etc.. from time to time... just because....

Of course being in Alaska you learn to do this because you are so far from the store, and you never know what the state will toss at you or how long something may not be available.... Treated 1x4... over a year last I asked at Delta.... still none in sight last fall...

Did you actually receive it? If you did you made a steal.

Walmart here hasn't had any Rotella for at least 6 months. I went with Delvac in my Dodge Cummins. It's made by Mobile, same as Mobile 1.

try Home Depot or Lowes if you have one, My Home Depot carried Rotella . and as much dust was on top of the jugs ,i guess nobody wanting it thought to check them out. you might find a hidden prize. worth a try

I'd always run Rotella in my diesel pickups and have been hearing about this shortage for a while now. The diesel shop I use pushes Schaeffer synthetic so I just switched over to it a couple weeks ago.

If you must..

I'm having the same issue with Chevron Delo 5w-40. I've got a couple of gallons on hand but need two more for the next oil change. I'm going to go with Mobil Delvac 1 5w-40.

It's only a matter of time before you see cases of Rotella posted for sale on Gun Broker.....

I'd run any synthetic 15W-40 and be done with it.

There are other companies besides Shell and Mobil that make 5w40 diesel oil.

If it didn't call for 5w40 specifically...I would just use any good 15w40.

Bought three gallons of rotella at Wal-Mart's yesterday. They had five gallons on the shelf. Just under $17 a gallon. They had delvac and delo also. Several gallons of each.

I just called our local Ford dealer and talked to the main diesel mechanic.


He recommended a regional branded oil called Cenex Maxtron.

I’m really glad that I recently changed the oil in the Cummins and have a little inventory! memtb

Be careful if you have a Ford F-250 6.7 diesel. Ford says that if you use an oil with an API rating of CK-7 you will void their warranty. They say you must use an API CJ-7 oil or their Motorcraft Oil. Rotella T-6 qualifies.

Yes

I think more specifically, be sure the oil meets Ford WSS-M2C171-F1 specification. If it doesn't indicate it on the bottle, can check the manufacturer's website for specs.

Ford Launches New Oil Spec For 6.7L Power Stroke Diesel - fordauthority.com

From the article linked:

Ford Motor Company is launching a new oil specification for its Power Stroke diesel engines – and especially the all-new, 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8, as found in the 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty.

The spec is called “WSS-M2C171-F1,” which – we think you’ll agree – rolls right off the tongue and no one will have any trouble remembering, ever. Ford is presenting it as a friendlier alternative to the new CK-4 specification, as some oils meeting CK-4 standards have been found to lead to accelerated wear in the new 6.7L Power Stroke due to their low phosphorous content. Ford recommends using CJ-4 oils in a pinch, but that oil is currently being phased out.

Ford, through its Motorcraft parts brand, will shortly begin selling its own WSS-M2C171-F1 oils for Power Stroke diesels, but in the meantime, there’s another option: some CK-4 oils have been tested and approved to meet WSS-M2C171-F1 standards. They are available in SAE 10W-40, 15W-40, 5W-40, and 0W-40 grades; SAE 10W-30 oils made to CK-4 spec cannot be compliant with WSS-M2C171-F1.

Why buy Shell products and their supporting the russians?

Shell defends 'difficult' decision to buy Russian crude oil

Shell stands to make $20mn from contentious Russian oil trade

Shell defends decision to buy discounted oil from Russia

Rotella is a standard when it comes to quality

By who's standards and what criteria? Their quality is no better or worse than: Mobil, Chevron, Shaeffer, Lubrication Engineers, Valvoline.....

Their products aren't anything special

Bought the last 2.5 gallon jug of T6 5w40 my local TSC had

$63 OTD.......

Watch for it on E Bay..................................................................(:

Plenty in Auto Zone Saturday

ConocoPhillips makes some too.

New Holland just changed their oil supplier to Shell recently...if you're a die hard fan, you might check the stock at your local NH dealer.

Stopped by the co-op this afternoon to get the Maxtron.

They only had it in quarts.

Lame.


But the man said I do have T6 5w-40 in gallon jugs.

I said yeah right...


He said we found some old stock inventory.

Oh really?





I'd already stopped at Napa and bought some more regular 15w-40. Kept it locked up in the cab while I was in the co-op...lol

Haha that’s where it all went. I need the 15-40 for my son 02 TDI

Next thing you will be showing off with a bed full of lumber

haha


Felt guilty driving home with the loot in plain sight!

And then I gotta show off here, like a dog prancing around with a deer leg...


Providing we don't get robbed or the garage burns down we should be good on oil for the next 12 months.


42 gallons of 5w-40 and about 65 gallons of 15w-40.


And we got the filter order in a couple weeks ago.



One less thing to worry about, that and this chit is only going to go up in price. Might as well stock up.

No wonder I can't find any!!

It would take far more than some super duper motor oil to keep a Ford diesel running.

I found T6 15w40 at my local Walmart yesterday picked up a gallon.

My local Home Depot showed 2 gallons of t6 on the shelf, I went there and there were 3 @ 22.00 a gallon, I picked up all 3.