Shell's Rotella 15-40 Oil (Shell's Tech Expert answer)

[E-Fishin-C]

ROTELLA T and ROTELLA T Synthetic are universal oils, providing lubrication and protection for four-stroke diesel and many four-stroke gasoline engines (but not aviation piston engines). We do not performance test these products in motorcycle engines, so any comment must be based on oil performance specifications and oil chemistry.

 

Most motorcycle engine manufacturers recommend oil by API Service Category. Some, like Harley (when their brand of oil is not available), recommend API CG-or CH-4 oils, which are diesel performance categories. Others recommend API SL, SJ, or earlier Service Category oil for gasoline engines. Where the engine oil sump also serves the wet clutch and transmission, oils without friction modifiers are usually recommended.

 

Both ROTELLA T products exceed all the API Service Category performance requirements mentioned above. They are formulated principally as heavy-duty diesel oils. Compared to most passenger car gasoline engine oils, they have superior oxidation resistance, superior extreme pressure wear protection, superior high temperature-high shear viscosity, and superior detergency and dispersancy - and they contain NO friction modifier additives. If I were to choose oil for a motorcycle engine, these are qualities I would want. Clearly, ROTELLA T Multigrade and ROTELLA T Synthetic would be better choices for motorcycle engines than passenger car only oils. Without knowing the composition of, and performance specifications met by, "motorcycle oils", it is not possible to compare the ROTELLA T products performance to them.

[bj66]

Thats what I use........Good luck so far with it.

[SilvrT]

The 2 oils I find work best are Rotella T non-synthetic and Castrol GTX M/C oil. I've tried several others including synthetic. Others no doubt will have differing opinions. For me, I had to try several until I found what I liked ... unfortunately, it was a costly "venture".

Edited October 26, 2010 by SilvrT

[hunter 1500]

Used it in my last bike and now this bike and never had any issues with it and it seems to work great.

[XV1100SE]

In the '09 RSV manual it "recommends" API Service SH/CD, Energy Conserving II, SAE 10W-40.

http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

http://www.unitedoil.com.au/apiclass.htm

http://autospeed.com/cms/title_Reading-Oil-Specs-Part-2/A_111353/article.html

http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0308_oil/index.html

 

The more you read the more confusing it gets !!!

SH/CD are both "obsolete".

[SilvrT]

In the '09 RSV manual it "recommends" API Service SH/CD, Energy Conserving II, SAE 10W-40.

SH/CD are both "obsolete".

 

That's probably because the 2009 manual is nothing more than a copy of the 1999 one. Seems only logical that if there's no updates to the bike, then why update the owner's manual??

[XV1100SE]

That's probably because the 2009 manual is nothing more than a copy of the 1999 one. Seems only logical that if there's no updates to the bike, then why update the owner's manual??

 

Hadn't thought of that. Now that is funny !

[loehring]

Rotella T Syn is all I used on my '89 and now all I use on my '07. My 89 had well over 100k miles on it and the '07 has 70k. I have a 2000 Grand Prix with 186k and a '97 Firebird with 176k. GTX only in those 2. In my opinion there are no more important accessories that your oil and filter.

[mrich12000]

I like it as It's in my Venture now no problems.(2nd gear jumps) but I knew that when I bought her. Winter resto project. Nice post!!:mo money:

[RSTDdog]

Without knowing the composition of, and performance specifications met by, "motorcycle oils", it is not possible to compare the ROTELLA T products performance to them.

 

Coming from the "Shell Tech Expert", this statement bothers me a little. I guess the "expert" doesn't know what JASO MA means and that its printed right on the Rotella bottle (Syn and Dino). You would think he would know that....I'm guessing this is the Shell Marketing Expert.

 

I'm using the Synthetic Rotella T 5w 40. Seems to be fine. Didn't notice any substantive difference between that and the Valvoline Motorcycle Specific 20w50 Dino which coincidentally also says JASO MA on the bottle. But with out knowing the composition of, and performance specifications met by , "motorcycle oils", its not possible to compare the Rotella T products performance to the Valvoline. But since they both meet JASO MA, they must have some additives in common......

 

RSTDdog