Any long term Shell Rotella T users?

lirider · Oct 30, 2015

20774 said:
Welcome to the forum! Jumping into the deep end is brave, my friend!

Thanks (for the welcome

) ... no stranger to topics like this (both on automotive and two-wheeled forums). Also have been a moderator on the v4musclebike.com forums for the past several years. When it comes to oil, there's so much conflicting information & opinions that it's really difficult to say with certainty what's best or even good enough. In fact, after I dug up the link that I posted, I went into my garage to check the last jug of T6 I had sitting on a shelf and there is no mention of MA2 on the label. Is it simply old stock, did they not update the labels yet, or is the doc I found incorrect ... who knows. I do know that I've seen posters on other forums state that they contacted Shell and were told the oil does meet the MA2 spec. Second hand information, I know and since when can someone who may respond to an inquiry such as this one be trusted to actually know the facts. Perhaps we'll never know for sure but as Mulder & Scully used to say the truth is out there .... somewhere

Hodadd · Oct 30, 2015

As far as cats go, all new diesels have catalytic converters. So, I would suspect that Rotella of either flavor would be compatible.

(FWIW, I've used both T5 and T6 in my wet clutch Japanese motorcycles for years without issue. Some of which had cats and some did not, and none of them showed any ill effects.)

henzilla · Oct 30, 2015

Another side to the typical oil thread is the average owner does not keep a modern machine long enough to really know if their choice is engine friendly.

40 year old Airheads could show poor choices, but the average three year...if that long...ownership you can see even on this forum will not be a factor for years if any at all.

That said, wet clutch machines may let you know sooner when the additives soak into the friction plates...if you keep it that long.

YRMV...keep oiling

lee · Oct 30, 2015

lirider said:
In fact, after I dug up the link that I posted, I went into my garage to check the last jug of T6 I had sitting on a shelf and there is no mention of MA2 on the label. Is it simply old stock, did they not update the labels yet, or is the doc I found incorrect ... who knows.

I checked a bottle of T6 in a store today and it did not show MA2.

pglaves · Oct 30, 2015

lirider said:
Specifications, Approvals & Recommendations
· API: CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS, CI-4, CH-4, CG-4, CF-4, CF · API: SM, SL, SJ, SH
· ACEA: E9
· Caterpillar: ECF-3, ECF-2
· Cummins: CES 20081
· DDC: 93K218
· Ford: WSS-M2C171-E
· JASO: DH2, MA, MA2
· Mack: EO-O Premium Plus
· MB Approval: 228.31
· Volvo: VDS-4

Look very carefully at the bold and underlined section above. It is very instructive. Notice that in addition to meeting the latest SM spec and SN and SJ, it also meets the SH spec as explicitly listed. This is not the same as the API bullcrap that the latest spec always exceeds earlier specs because that is decidedly and demonstrably untrue. But in this case the T6 oil meets not only the latest, but SH too - meaning that the required anti-wear additives in the older SH spec remain in the oil even with the latest spec. This is possible with "heavier" oils such as XXw50 and XXw40.

You used to see the same thing on Castrol GTX but not so on the latest bottles I've looked at.

lkchris · Oct 30, 2015

Hodadd said:
As far as cats go, all new diesels have catalytic converters. So, I would suspect that Rotella of either flavor would be compatibles.)

Not that it's relevant, but "new" diesels have particulate filters in addition to cats and very special oil is required. Mine has a sticker warning against adding ANY QUANTITY of noncompliant oil.

st13rt12 · Nov 1, 2015

Shell Rotella T6 5/40

mosrrt said:
Anyone have good luck, long term, with shell 5-40 rotella T oil

I own a Honda ST1300 with 177,000 miles. Bought new in 04. I run Shell 15/40 & 5/40. If Wally world is out of the 5/40, That is were the 15/40 goes in. Still running great.
In our Honor Guard is a LD truck driver. Peterbuilt with a Cat-turbo. He has over a million miles on engine. Only, 1 in the chassis rebuilt. That was just done last year for a bad seal. Runs only Shell Rotella oil.

pglaves · Nov 1, 2015

st13rt12 said:
In our Honor Guard is a LD truck driver. Peterbuilt with a Cat-turbo. He has over a million miles on engine. Only, 1 in the chassis rebuilt. That was just done last year for a bad seal. Runs only Shell Rotella oil.

Not to overstate the obvious, but of course! Shell Rotella is a diesel oil specially formulated for diesel engines. Which of course totally begs the question of its suitability for BMW motorcycle engines. Which is why oil threads are almost silly.

mosrrt · Nov 1, 2015

I think you guys are getting "off thread"
All I asked is for long term users input of the T6 5w40 in the wethead section. :scratch

bmwdean · Nov 1, 2015

This is a bit off topic, but for riders of vintage BMW motorcycles, Vech at Benchmark Works recommends Valvoline VR1 racing oil because of its high ZDDP content. He used to recommend Rotellla T, using a ZDDP additive, but switched years ago. I switched to 4W VR1 long ago for my 1973 and older BMWs (no catalytic converters) because of the benefits of ZDDP for valves on vintage bikes and cars.

This may have nothing to do with modern BMWs. Read Vech's comments here:

http://www.benchmarkworks.com/articles/tech/gearoil2.html

henzilla · Nov 1, 2015

Since the Wethead hasn't been in service very long, hard to quantify "long term".

Typical oil thread :dunno

Realshelby · Nov 1, 2015

I can say for a fact that my RT shifts better with Shell Rotella T6 5-40 than it did with the factory installed oil, and better than what ever the dealer put in it when they changed the oil.
The jug won't say MA2.
The updated spec sheet from Shell does show MA2.
Calling Shell's technical department results in them saying is IS MA2 rated but since it is marketed to the Diesel industry they have not updated the labels and spec sheets that are still out there. As for it being a "diesel" oil, it plainly states it is for gasoline engines as well and gives the spec for it. I doubt any of our RT's will see the load and miles these diesels do, so no worries for me about using a product marketed toward the diesel market. Remember, the motorcycle market for oil isn't going to allow much advertising and development budget.

I actually didn't think the regular Rotella and T5 Rotella shifted in the V STroms as well as some other oils. But I have not tried the T6 in them yet.

For you Anal types, just save your BMW liter bottles. Then have your neighbor fill them with T6 and return them to you. That way no one will catch you with a Diesel oil jug in your shop.........

st13rt12 · Nov 1, 2015

Shell Rotella T

PGlaves said:
Not to overstate the obvious, but of course! Shell Rotella is a diesel oil specially formulated for diesel engines. Which of course totally begs the question of its suitability for BMW motorcycle engines. Which is why oil threads are almost silly.

The Honda is a motorcycle as in ST1300 with 177,000 miles runs like a champ.
I do run Shell 5/40 in my new R1200RT. Sure it only has 9,800 miles on it. All is well.
I ran it out to national rally with no problems.
Long term= YES to new to tell? For the BMW crowd. Honda motorcycle is water cooled & has a catalytic converter. BMW water head oil changes at 6,000 miles? Heck I run the Honda to 10,000 miles, between changes. Never used oil yet.
oil threads= use what U want.
In the 60's we used Castrol 10/40 GTX & Castrol 20/50 GTX. No motorcycle rating here. My Honda CB750 had 136,000 mile when I sold it. Not 1 problem. Back then tires were the problem. u could not go cross country with out at least 3 tire changes=rear that is.

DSHANKWOOD · Dec 7, 2016

mosrrt said:
Anyone have good luck, long term, with shell 5-40 rotella T oil

I have used Rotela 15-40 in my Diesel Kubota for 16 years. Works great in it.

akbeemer · Dec 8, 2016

PGlaves said:
Not to overstate the obvious, but of course! Shell Rotella is a diesel oil specially formulated for diesel engines. Which of course totally begs the question of its suitability for BMW motorcycle engines. Which is why oil threads are almost silly.

Almost????? :scratch

Feeling magnanimous today.

daboo · Dec 8, 2016

Been using T6 for years with no problems. And I buy mine at Walmart, FWIW. You can get a discount by purchasing three one-gallon jugs.

Chris

mikegalbicka · Dec 8, 2016

mosrrt said:
I think you guys are getting "off thread"
All I asked is for long term users input of the T6 5w40 in the wethead section.

Sorry OP. It seems impossible here for any type of oil thread not to wander. I applaud you for trying to focus the replies back to your specific question. Good luck with that.

romany · Dec 9, 2016

mosrrt said:
I think you guys are getting "off thread"
All I asked is for long term users input of the T6 5w40 in the wethead section.

Now if only you'd taken some time to think about asking a clearly stated question. Oh and Walmart is not the answer for anything.

I ran BMW recommended oil, then Castro and finally settled on Rotella in my 2008 F650GS - traded it in with around 80,000 on the clock. Manual called for 10,000K oil changes but I never made it to that mark. I always changed out around 5,000 to 6,000. The indicator to me was when the shifting started to deteriorate.

I'm in the same place you are my new R1200RS will get the dealer oil until the warranty is off then I'll be doing my own oil changes. I can see no reason not to go back to Rotella T; as long as I wear a mask while changing the oil and hide my plate number no one will know it's me.

vtbob · Dec 9, 2016

Why put a diesel formulated oil in a gas motorcycle??!!

I suppose the same people who would do this would recommend putting a gas formulated oil in a diesel.

Then stating the fact that the motorcycle did not self destruct in 50k miles justifies it???

The oil and engine manufactures know nothing!

But it is cheap at Walmart!

Yep Silly!

lkraus · Dec 9, 2016

bobzeliff said:
Why put a diesel formulated oil in a gas motorcycle??!!

I suppose the same people who would do this would recommend putting a gas formulated oil in a diesel.

Then stating the fact that the motorcycle did not self destruct in 50k miles justifies it???

The oil and engine manufactures know nothing!

But it is cheap at Walmart!

Yep Silly!

Rotella T6 meets the wethead's requirement for a SAE 5W-40, API SL / JASO MA2 motor oil and is readily available. Other MA2 oils can be a tad difficult to find. The fact that it is also suitable for diesel engines is just a bonus.

There are several "Rotella" oils, T6 is the one to look for.

Any long term Shell Rotella T users?

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