Just put Shell Rotella 5w-40 to the test (actual oil analysis)

the_trooper08 - I SEE your "beware the banana man" icon and RAISE you the pope with a beard man!

I'm the banana. I have no idea who the pope is...

 

I run Rotella synthetic in everything I own. $22/gallon at wally world.

I change it every 15,000 miles whether it needs it or not in my truck (Ranger with 3.0 v-6 gas motor) and every 10,000 whether it needs it or not in bikes.

I have never had an oil related failure.

 

10,000 is way too long a change interval. Motorcycles shear through oil and break the viscosity down a lot faster than cars; synthetic or not this doesn't change. I wouldn't be surprised if you got a UOA from a sample with 10k if it'd be in the 5-20 range. Definitely pushing it i'd say. Though I did post these same results on my FZ1 forum and a go posted another UOA from another labs saying that his sample with 10k was just fine. The difference being his was a first gen FZ1 mine is second. However, I'd be willing to bet I ride a lot more aggressively than him. If you ride the upper end of the RPM rang at all you're probably nuking the oil.

 

I've been using RotellaT 5w40 syn in my '05 ST1300 since I dumped the stock oil at about 400mi. The suggested interval is 8,000mi. but I have been doing it at 5-8,000 depending on how it lands on trips, end of season. I now have 32,000mi. on it and have no problems at all. Of course I'll check in again when it reaches 100,00mi. to let you know.

I like the syn because if you are on a trip and are close to the change interval I'd just wait until I got home.

My next door neighbor commutes 240mi. each day, uses Mobile 1 and only changes oil and filter every 15,000mi. (no typo there). His Focus has 250,000 and still runs great.

 

Really really stay away from the walmart filters. They have very bad internals. Do a couple google searches. They are horrible.

 

Read this, you may fnd it interesting...

Motorcycle Oil Filter Cross Reference

 

The manufacturers say 8,000 with regular oil ... they are the ones warrantying these thiings, they must know something.....

 

You have a point, though the recommended change interval isn't recommended because there's too many contaminants, the additive package has worn out, etc. it's because the oil's broken down the oil and made it thin. Synth is less susceptible to that, however, it does still break down regardless of the fact that it's synth.

I thought the same thing as you, my M.O.M. specifies 4000 miles on dino oil for changes. I rode the bike 5400, consequently, my bike had beat the crap out of that oil.

 

They do - what they "know" is that the bike will be well out of warranty by the time premature engine wear (due to inadequate oil changes) manifests, even if "wear and tear" qualified as a warrantable item.

Manufacturers are attempting to extend maintenance intervals (oil, plugs, valve adjusts) in order to make their bikes' operating costs lower than the competition's. Their goal is not to optimize your engine's longevity so you can delay getting a new one from them.

Any bike that shares tranny and engine oil, I'd go no more than 3K, and preferably 2-2.5K. After that, the transmission gears have sheared the oil to where it's too thin to be adequate. And that's any oil.

 

Misspent-
Not to rag on you, but do you have proof of that or is it just your opinion?

 

Have been using conventional Rotella 15w-40 for quite sometime now for Jap. bikes. Just did an oil change on my VFR today using this (12,890mi), and the engine & tranny feel great. Used a Purolator Gold filter. Prev. owner used GN4 oil and Honda OEM filters.

Misspent Youth, I agree with you on the 2-2.5k interval for oil changes, esp. if the engine is getting a work out. No more than 3k.

 

Happy to be ragged upon - this is a quest for knowledge, after all, but I'm not sure of the "that" at issue, as my post made several different points. I'll do my best, however.

I said: "They do - what they "know" is that the bike will be well out of warranty by the time premature engine wear (due to inadequate oil changes) manifests, even if "wear and tear" qualified as a warrantable item.""

Opinion, based on reading between the lines of Kawasaki's responses to claims their camshafts are poorly hardened, resulting in pitting to lobe faces.

I said: "Manufacturers are attempting to extend maintenance intervals (oil, plugs, valve adjusts) in order to make their bikes' operating costs lower than the competition's. Their goal is not to optimize your engine's longevity so you can delay getting a new one from them."

I read in a reliable motorcycle magazine that Ducati, especially, engages in this practice lately to make their bikes appear more financially competitive with their Japanese counterparts that have extended maintenance intervals. I've also read that BMW used that reason as its rationale for going to their "never needs the lube changed" rear drive hub that is now failing in record numbers due to (surprise) lack of fresh lube, as well as a design flaw. I also know from the car world that the rationale is applied to Volvo's "never need to change the coolant or ATF in our cars" approach to eliminated maintenance costs as a vehicle "feature." Otherwise, my opinion based on what I've read.

I said: "Any bike that shares tranny and engine oil, I'd go no more than 3K, and preferably 2-2.5K. After that, the transmission gears have sheared the oil to where it's too thin to be adequate. And that's any oil."

That's my opinion based on reading lots of oil analysis reports done at various intervals, in combination with my gained understanding of how transmission gears "shear" oil viscosity to below-safe limits, while the additive pack remains viable.

No, I'm not prepared to search out the articles, etc., for support.

 

I sent an email to BSL asking them to update the report to reflect the actual 450 miles extra that was on the sample than originally indicated and if that detail would affect the comments on the sample sent, here's the response:

"Thank you for the correct time on the oil. In this case, the longer time doesn't necessarily affect the gist of the report. The high aluminum and iron are likely from piston/cylinder scuffing, as we stated, and although we can't know for sure, the long oil change interval might be a major part in that. The fact that metals were still in the correct balance shows that it's more likely the long oil change or operational variables rather than a mechanical issue accounting for the mildly high metals. Try 3K miles on the next oil and see what plays out with these metals then. In all likelihood, if the engine is okay mechanically, metals should drop toward normal levels."

Yamaha is telling me 4k oil intervals on dino oil. Based on the results of my analysis this independant lab is telling me to cut my interval to 3k (though this may be purely for experimental purposes).

Hmm.

 

For me personally:

There's a lot of good info on this thread, both factual and real world opinions.

I like to save money just as much as the next guy, but I also look at oil as something of an insurance policy. Its the lifeblood of our machines. If I have to change my oil every 2000 to 3000 miles at $X" per oil change, so that I know I'm taking care of it, the bottom line is I'm going to do it.

Can that interval be extended if I ran a synthetic? It would seem so based on both facts and opinions.

To each his own, I suppose. But I sincerely appreciate all the info on this thread (even if I'm not the OP).

 

Bottom line on Rotella - it was designed for turbocharged diesel engines, this equates to high temp (turbo bearings) and high compression (diesel cycle) applications. Synthetic or conventional, it does the job for a motorcycle and other engines.

 

Rotella 15w40 or 0w40?

I cannot find a source for the 5w40 synthetic, but they do have 0w40 and 15w40. It seems to me that 0w40 offers the same high temp protection as the 15, but is also "thinner" so will protect sooner at low temp.

Or am I wrong?

 

Rotella T = Dino

Rotella T5 =syn blend

Rotella T6 = full Synth

I'm not sure on all Of them but the T5 Is JASO MA rated

 

i went to the local walmart, and found rotella 15/40 2.5 gal jugs on sale, for $15. bought 3.

 

Bastige! I paid $27 for 2.5 gal jug yesterday, damn walmart~