Any long term Shell Rotella T users?

[Realshelby]

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!

What if I state at 250,000 miles that using Shell Rotella T6 has protected the engine very well. I am a long way from that, but my used oil analysis shows there is below average wear in the last oil change interval using this oil. FYI, Rotella T6 is MARKETED as a diesel oil. But since engines cannot read they don't know what goes in them. They just want/need what takes care of them. Which the T6 does, as it meets a higher API specification for GASOLINE engine operation than BMW requires. Maybe I should get some empty liter bottles from someone that has done an oil change with the BMW branded oil and fill them with T6. Then pour from them into the bike. That way I wouldn't be so ashamed of what I am doing to my Wethead!

 

[vtbob]

I have to think that BMW (and other engine designers) and the oil companies understand that there is a significant difference in combustion temperatures, combustion pressures, combustions by products, contaminants and likely lubrication needs between gas and diesel engines.

It would seem to me that when any of oil manufacturers design a premium oil, they would take those differences in account and tailor the additive mix to optimize to the target engine type.

I buy premium oil, but would not by choice, sub optimize my gas engine with an oil tailored for diesel...evan a premium one.

Like all oil threads....this is silly.

 

[daboo]

I have to think that BMW (and other engine designers) and the oil companies understand that there is a significant difference in combustion temperatures, combustion pressures, combustions by products, contaminants and likely lubrication needs between gas and diesel engines...

Yeah, the diesel environment is far harsher than the gas environment. In addition, the diesel owners...and I'm not talking about pickup trucks with a diesel engine, I'm talking about long haul truckers, tug boat operators, construction equipment. Kenworth calls for a 20,000 mile oil change interval. It costs these diesel owners big bucks to take their engines off line for an oil change...and a tremendous amount, if the engine falls apart. These diesel operators don't get caught up in marketing hype on which oil is best. They just stick with what is proven.

I figure if a full synthetic oil that is suitable for a diesel environment works for them, it'll more than work for my tiny little gas engine.

Chris

 

[patm]

Yeah, the diesel environment is far harsher than the gas environment. In addition, the diesel owners...and I'm not talking about pickup trucks with a diesel engine, I'm talking about long haul truckers, tug boat operators, construction equipment. Kenworth calls for a 20,000 mile oil change interval. It costs these diesel owners big bucks to take their engines off line for an oil change...and a tremendous amount, if the engine falls apart. These diesel operators don't get caught up in marketing hype on which oil is best. They just stick with what is proven.

I figure if a full synthetic oil that is suitable for a diesel environment works for them, it'll more than work for my tiny little gas engine.

Chris

Not necessarily, for the same reason you wouldn't use an energy conserving oil in a wethead. What is good for one type of engine may not be good for another unless it has been tested and meets the requirement of your engine (motorcycle) manufacturer. The Shell Rotella T6 5W40 has passed those test (Jaso MA2) and meets BMW's requirements. I can't say if other diesel oils meet those requirements. All the rest is just marketing hype. If someone would rather pay big $$ for a bike branded oil, good for them. If it makes you feel confident that it won't cause you any trouble, more power to you.

And yes, an oil thread is silly, but what else have you got to do in this early winter month?

 

[daboo]

...The Shell Rotella T6 5W40 has passed those test (Jaso MA2) and meets BMW's requirements. I can't say if other diesel oils meet those requirements. All the rest is just marketing hype. If someone would rather pay big $$ for a bike branded oil, good for them. If it makes you feel confident that it won't cause you any trouble, more power to you.

And yes, an oil thread is silly, but what else have you got to do in this early winter month?

Agreed. That's why I stick with the Shell Rotella T6. The other reason I stick with it, is I've read too many comments from other motorcycle owners saying how great they have found it. It's hard to find a full synthetic oil that isn't energy conserving.

And normally, I'd disagree with not having anything better to do on an early winter month. I can ride almost (key word there ) ...almost every day of the year in Puget Sound. But...we got snow yesterday evening and the roads are a mess still.

Chris

 

[dbaliko]

API SN is good but you need JASO MA2 also. The friction modifiers in most auto oils can cause slippage in a wet clutch. Rosella T6 does not have friction modifiers AFIK.

Rotella T synthetic is JASO MA2

 

[PGlaves]

I love marketing. All oil is a friction modifier.

 

[44006]

I have used Rotella T 15/40 (not T6 or any other syn bend) in my /2s and 70s airheads for many years and miles with no oil related problems whatsoever

The reason for using this Diesel oil in these old flat tappet style engines is that it still had a significant amount of zink and phosphorous (zddp) needed for these old engines and was cheap enough for short oil change intervals and used a very good base stock

Problem now is that Rotella T is phased out by Rotella T4 in December 2016 and my web search abilities have not enabled me to determine what changes if any in the amount of zink
between Rotella T and Rotella T4

I do not want to argue the merits of T or T4 vs other oils just please help me find the facts - the specification for amount of zink and phosphorous for Rotella T4

There was an oil comparison spec post here in the past but I cannot find it to see if anyone has added data for the T4

I want to stick with what has worked well for me for many hundreds of thousands of miles if I can confirm it still contains significant zink

 

[alancoles]

WalMart Shell is not refined in Germany (or Dubai) as is BMW Shell. They are apples/oranges two different products.

I believe that BMW Shell oil is not "refined in Germany (or Dubai)".

The OP was referring to Shell T6, which is one of their "PurePlus Technology enabled motor oils" as is the BMW Shell oil. According to Shell, all of the world-wide commercial supply of both their "PurePlus Technology enabled motor oils" comes from only one source, the Shell Pearl GTL facility in Qatar, not Germany nor Dubai.

As far as I know Walmart does not sell any Shell oil under the Walmart label. They do however sell Shell oil at Walmart.

I will grant you that BMW has stated that their oil has a "unique formula", however, I have not seen that they say it is unique to BMW. Perhaps it is, but I would be very, very, very surprised if were "apples/oranges two different products", possibly slightly different additive package, but not apples and oranges different. When I raced a BMW M3 nationally, I had dealings with Mobil's Racing Oil representative and in talking with the Mobil Oil technical department was told this was the only difference for instance between Mobil-1 that is branded Mobil-1 and Mobil-1 that is branded under a very large national retailer was their own full synthetic.

I cannot recall where I filed away the initial announcement and support material on BMW's switch to Shell, but I seem to recall that there was mention of a change in one, possibly two additives. Depending on what those are, that would most likely make it a virtually identical oil to a slightly different oil, and my recollection is that it had more to do with wet-clutches and catalytic converters than improved lubrication, but could easily be wrong with not being able to find that data. Sorry.

The idea that if it doesn't come from Germany that it might not be as good is perhaps an incorrect notion.

German manufacturers, BMW included, have proven themselves more than capable of producing poor quality, poor design, and poor workmanship from time to time. Just go back and look at the 3-4 years it took BMW Automotive to fix their inferior structural design elements of the E36 (1990's 3-series). Or their mistakes with BMW final drives, etc., how long after it was public knowledge that they were responsible for these issues did it take BMW Corporate to even consider addressing design fixes. In many situations they have never, ever admitted responsibility, but continued to blame it on the owners!

I truly hope you don't believe that BMW knows anywhere near as much about oil as Shell, Mobil, or other top tier refiners do. BMW simply spec out what they're looking for and work with Castrol and now Shell to see what will work. Just like they do with the majority of the components on their cars and bikes, most of which are made by other companies and sold to many competing manufacturers in addition to BMW. It is not BMW who makes or designs their shocks, brakes, electronics, etc. It is Bosch, Brembo, etc., etc. Many of those parts are made in China, and other such places and are as fine or better quality than the German made alternatives.

One must realize that if Shell knows how to make a better oil they will absolutely sell it under their own name. Their contract with BMW isn't worth enough for them to lose any advantage they might have to their competition such as Mobil-1. Consider that Mobil-1 is the recommended oil and factory-fill for all Corvettes, some Camaros, all Mercedes AMG cars, all Porsches, and specific models made by Holden, Acura, Nissan, Lexus, McLaren and others. That represents a larger value than BMW.