What oil is everyone using in their boats?

[cjespinoza]

I was just going through the different threads on winterizing and see that Rotella oil no longer meets the requirements to use it in our boat engines.  In some of the comments people are using Delo 15W-40 instead.  I am curious if this is true for many of you.  I have a 2005 Malibu Response LXi.  Thank you for your responses.

[MalibuNation]

I've been using in my 2003 LS1 Mobil 1 15W-50.

Do you have you engine manual?  You can get it here:

 

[Cole2001]

Mobil 1 meets indmars spec and used by dealers

[malibu2004]

Delo 15W-40

[obski]

7 minutes ago, malibu2004 said:

Delo 15W-40

[ahopkins22LSV]

23 minutes ago, malibu2004 said:

Delo 15W-40

Yup when I still had my 5.7 and 6.0 monsoon this was my go to. 

[oldjeep]

Yup.  Delo 15w40.  The regular and synthetic versions are both cheap at Wally world.

[justgary]

4 hours ago, cjespinoza said:

I am curious if this is true for many of you. 

Well, only those of us who will bother to reply to your post.  I'm guessing we'll be the same crowd that replied to the other oil threads....

Delo for me as well.

[Murphys]

I've been using Valvoline Premium Blue 15W-40 for about three years in our 2004 VLX. Formerly used Rotella.

[RebesMalibu]

I have still been using the Shell Rotella T4. I contacted Indmar in 2019 when I noticed that the SM rating was no longer present. This was their response “Keep using the Rotella, It is just fine.”

I have a 2007 with the 5.7L. 

[RebesMalibu]

I think I will switch to the Valvoline. I like the idea of the oil having the gasoline rating as well. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by RebesMalibu

[oldjeep]

44 minutes ago, RebesMalibu said:

I have still been using the Shell Rotella T4. I contacted Indmar in 2019 when I noticed that the SM rating was no longer present. This was their response “Keep using the Rotella, It is just fine.”

I have a 2007 with the 5.7L. 

Rotella is fine too.  I still use the t6 15w40 in my motorcycles.  

 

 

 

 

[justgary]

1 hour ago, RebesMalibu said:

I think I will switch to the Valvoline. I like the idea of the oil having the gasoline rating as well. 

That's why a lot of us switched to Delo.  It has both C and S ratings.

[Nitrousbird]

Mobil One Full Synthetic in 10W40.  ~$24 for 5 quarts at Walmart.  

[electricjohn]

3 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

Mobil One Full Synthetic in 10W40.  ~$24 for 5 quarts at Walmart.  

Same here, every two years. Analysis says that is overkill by the way.

Edited October 18, 2022 by electricjohn

[oldjeep]

1 hour ago, electricjohn said:

Every two years. 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by oldjeep

[cla10beck]

I've been using Mobil Delvac 15w-40.  $13/gallon at walmart and both C and S rated like the Delo.

[SkiBumPMC]

Shell Rotella T4 15W-40 - I've been using it for years with no issues.  Worth noting, until today, I had no idea that Rotella no longer has an API "S" category rating for gas engines.  

IMHO, Shell probably didn't change anything about Rotella or downgrade it so, it's likely the same old Rotella, minus the API "S" category on the label.  My guess is, maybe the lawyers decided that they should remove "S" from the label, since Rotella was largely designed, labeled and marketed as diesel oil, as denoted by the API "C" category.  Worth noting, on another forum, I read that some oils formulated for diesel can cause damage or shorten the life of catalytic converters, citing higher levels of phosphorous.  This was a general oil forum so, they were not talking specifically about marine engines.  Regardless, in marine applications, diesel oil formulations would not be an issue with pre-catalyzed engines but, they could be an issue with catalyzed marine engines...Who knows?

I am not going to loose any sleep over having Rotella in my engine.  I was planning on switching to a full synthetic in the spring, anyways. 

Any suggestions for 15W-40 Full Synthetic?

[electricjohn]

I think the T6 is full syn.

[oldjeep]

2 minutes ago, electricjohn said:

I think the T6 is full syn.

Yup.  T6 is and there is also Delo xsp.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Chevron-Delo-XSP-Synthetic-Diesel-Motor-Oil-15W-40-1G/542461219?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2643&adid=22222222278542461219_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-294505072980&wl5=9019644&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=542461219&wl13=2643&veh=sem_LIA&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzeSdBhC4ARIsACj36uG5z_RY5co-USzcG7DTASwQTCPH8WuvF7zHer4nvJV317k2fbW-0v0aAo_jEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

[BillyChinookVLX]

On 1/6/2023 at 2:18 PM, SkiBumPMC said:

Shell Rotella T4 15W-40 - I've been using it for years with no issues.  Worth noting, until today, I had no idea that Rotella no longer has an API "S" category rating for gas engines.  

IMHO, Shell probably didn't change anything about Rotella or downgrade it so, it's likely the same old Rotella, minus the API "S" category on the label.  My guess is, maybe the lawyers decided that they should remove "S" from the label, since Rotella was largely designed, labeled and marketed as diesel oil, as denoted by the API "C" category.  Worth noting, on another forum, I read that some oils formulated for diesel can cause damage or shorten the life of catalytic converters, citing higher levels of phosphorous.  This was a general oil forum so, they were not talking specifically about marine engines.  Regardless, in marine applications, diesel oil formulations would not be an issue with pre-catalyzed engines but, they could be an issue with catalyzed marine engines...Who knows?

I am not going to loose any sleep over having Rotella in my engine.  I was planning on switching to a full synthetic in the spring, anyways. 

Any suggestions for 15W-40 Full Synthetic?

Back when I was turning wrenches on a farm, we ran Schaeffer full synthetic in everything. We never had any complaints with it other than cost, I even credit it with keeping a brand new tractor engine alive after the oil filter gasket failed and pumped all the oil out over 2 passes of the field. It ran at high RPM, high load for a couple minutes before the guy operating it decided all the red "stop engine" lights and alarms were for real. We filled the crankcase back up and it fired right off, no bearing noise, no less oil pressure than before running dry.

[h2oskidude]

I started using Schaeffer in my Dodge diesel truck years ago when I lived in Indiana, and it was amazing what it did for cold winter starts. So I started using it in my 2005 Response LXI and it in increased my oil pressure by about 10 psi. Have been using it since.

[Slurpee]

Castrol EDGE Advanced Engine Oil Full Synthetic 5W-30

I forget how I came to the decision that it was the same stuff as the Indmar oil many years ago, but I've been running it ever since.

And I use this stuff in the Tranny.

Castrol Transmax Dexron VI Automatic Transmission Fluid

I think I just pick up Indmar V-Drive fluid from the dealer when I need it.

[Stevo]

[electricjohn]

If NASCAR uses it........