What is the best Oil.

[wolfc70]

Re: Another OIL question

I guess I'm still on the fence about switching to a synthetic. The biggest advantage, it seems to me, is a longer oil change interval. Truth is that I like to do preventative maintenance on my bikes. So changing the synth oil every 3000 miles would be a kind of waste of money. On the other hand, the Amsoil site says engine temps can be reduced by 25 degF. Living here in Florida, that sounds very interesting. Has anyone else experienced a measurable improvement with changing over. Besides the subjective 'easier to shift' or such observation. I use Amsoil in my 2T dirt bike, and have had no troubles with really dirty power valves like others I ride with. But then, I rarely ride in the power band enough to even open the KIPS valve very often (it's a Kawasaki).

There are many advantages to synthetic oil. Amsoil is good, so is Motul, Repsol, Mobil, Castrol, Shell Rotella and many others. Syn oil is more viscus at lower temps, aiding in getting oil to all of the critical parts quickly after startup. It is more resistant to thermal break down (high heat deterioration) and is more shear stable (resists break down under stress), something to consider when the gearbox shares the same oil as the engine. There are more, but is mostly comes down to personal preference.

 

[Luiz]

Re: How to do an oil change

Thank you!!! Very useful guide, just did my first oil change today.

 

[champion221elite]

Re: How to do an oil change

Great thread BD43! I use these tips every time I change the oil on my fizzer.:rockon:

 

[codeblue]

Re: How to do an oil change

I have to agree, this is a very usefull thread on how to.
Did this before the cold season, very easy to follow and understand even for the less technically inclined.
Thanks again.

Ares

 

[WeWonItThreeTimes]

Re: How to do an oil change

LOL. I was prepping the bike for winter so I had just washed and cleaned it earlier. She's spanky clean....

Why would You change your oil before winter

 

[Yatz86]

Re: How to do an oil change

wa, nice pictures with detailed write up.up 4 ya

 

[CanadianFZ6]

Re: How to do an oil change

Why would You change your oil before winter

Because (depending on the mileage on the oil) used oil can be very acidic... Left in an engine over the winter can see the acids possibly eating at some engine internals...:thumbup:

 

[smidge]

Re: How to do an oil change

Thanks for the guide! it was a bit of a mission to find the correct oil filter, i don't know what the bypass pressure is on it (like the suggested 14psi) but i got drainback filter, correct size and gasket diametre etc etc and eventually found a Ryco one to suit....

glad i only have to do that once!

used the suggested valvoline oil as well

bit of a messy job but still getting to know where everything is on the bike

 

[CanadianFZ6]

Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

Where I buy Rotella T 5w-40 Synthetic they a new blue container (different shape) of 5w40... The new Rotella T has an API rating of SM whereas the old had SJ. Has it changed in the US as well? If so, is anyone using it with the new SM rating?

 

[wrightme43]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

havent used it but all oil ratings are backwards compatable. SM meets all specs of SJ

 

[CanadianFZ6]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

havent used it but all oil ratings are backwards compatable. SM meets all specs of SJ

Are you sure Steve? I always thought that the reason we (some of us) used Rotella T with SJ rating is because older API ratings had the heavy metals (great for bike engines) like zinc and phosphorus... Lots of other good stuff like Boron too. I thought higher ratings started to remove these large amounts of metals and cleaners/acid neutralizers for environmental reasons. Another reason to remove zinc is because cat converters don't like it very much. So SM has less of the stuff that bike engines thrive on... I could be wrong...

 

[bcityroller]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

I've read similar things on car oil discussions for example a comment lifted for a car forum I visit:
"API SL vs. API SM

API SM came out about November 2004. The "improvement" over API SL was based on emissions at the expense of engine wear. Under new API SM, some crucial engine wear additives are limited to about 2/3rds of what they were in API SL. Camshaft manufacturers were the first ones to notice the adverse effect of API SM on the wear of their products........

Mobil 1 0W40 has begun to lose a lot of fans, and most knowledgeable Porsche owners won't use it anymore.

One of the oils of choice recommended for oil/air cooled 911's is the Turbo Diesel 5W40. The additive levels of that oil (Which in addition to the diesel ratings, is rated SL for use in gasoline engines) are the closest approximation to what was available for our cars even 8 months ago.

Note that I am still using Mobil 1, so this is certainly not a "my brand is better than your brand" debate. It's more of a - "the government picked emissions over performance and I'm picking performance over emissions" comment."

That said, I have no idea no specific Rotella T info (I can check my last jug when I get home) and nothing on SJ vs SM. Seems like over time it's going to be harder and harder to find previous spec oils and it's basically impossible to verify what the specific additive packages are to know if motorcycle specific oils are any better than the latest spec auto oils.

 

[troyw]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

I'd contact Shell about that as soon as you can.
I might do the same. Last time I checked with Shell was just a couple years ago, and they got right back to me stating what most of the guys here know, that Rotella T Synthetic 5w-40 is a GREAT motorcycle oil, and they gave me precise reasons why, including the additive package which is compatible with the wet clutch trannies.
I plan on using it once I'm past the break-in period, as I have on some of my other bikes.

- T.

 

[wolfc70]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

My understanding is that Shell lowered the ash content to meet the CJ-4 specs. The new diesels that use catalysts need low ash content oil. It has been in the USA since late last summer.

Here is the PDF from Shell.

http://www.sopus-staging.com/staging/ShellRotellaTSynthetic_TDS_v10.pdf

 

[CanadianFZ6]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

My understanding is that Shell lowered the ash content to meet the CJ-4 specs. The new diesels that use catalysts need low ash content oil. It has been in the USA since late last summer.

Here is the PDF from Shell.

http://www.sopus-staging.com/staging/ShellRotellaTSynthetic_TDS_v10.pdf

Great stuff wolfc... so it still meets SJ specs....

Thanks again...

 

[TKarrade]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

Ironic... this very topic came up with one of my riding buddies on friday when I was getting my bike out of storage.

Here's a link that should clear up the confusion. This was posted last summer, so the 'soon to be introduced' oil is the one you're talking about.

I use the 15W-40 non-synthetic in my bike.

If you check your manual, you will see that this stuff meets all the specs we need.

-TK

--------------------

We recently ran the JASO MA friction test on Rotella T with Triple
Protection 15W-40, Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 (CI-4) and our soon to be
introduced (within the next 2 months) Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 CJ-4.
All three oils passed the wet clutch friction test. Rotella T Synthetic
5W-40 (CI-4) has more than 1.2% ash (JASO MA spec limit) so it can not
be classified as JASO MA. However, Rotella T with Triple Protection
15W-40 and our soon to be introduced Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 CJ-4 do
meet JASO MA."

If you have any additional questions please call us at 800-231-6950.
Thank you for your interest in Shell products.

Richard Moore
Staff Engineer
Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc.
Westhollow Technology Center, PO Box 4327, Houston, TX 77210, United
States of America

Rotella T 15W-40 CJ-4/SM with Triple Protection - Bob Is The Oil Guy

 

[bcityroller]

Re: Has Rotella T 5W-40 formula changed?

I did confirm that my last jug of Rotella 5-40 was in fact API SM.

 

[hardway]

Switched to Rotella T 5w 40 Synthetic...

and it really did smooth out the shifting! I was pretty skeptical but it makes a very noticeable difference. This change was at 2925 miles.
Also, I noticed quite a bit of tiny metal flecks in the old oil, which is weird because I hardly had any when I changed the oil at 550 miles. My oil was also very dirty.
Is it normal to see metal in the oil after the first oil change (and not to see much in the first change)?

 

[wrightme43]

Re: Switched to Rotella T 5w 40 Synthetic...

no to be right upfront about it, no its not. You should of seen lots of it the first oil change. I havent seen a speck at all since my first change.

You might consider a oil analysis series on that engine just for your own peace of mind.

Blackstone Laboratories - Motorcycle

They will send you a free sample kit, you just send it back and pay I think 15 or 20$

Then again it may be nothing, and just a chunk that didnt come out with the first change.

 

[hardway]

Re: Switched to Rotella T 5w 40 Synthetic...

That's what I was thinking. All the reading I've done has said that the metal should come out in the first change. I really didn't see all that much in that one, but there was noticeably more in this change. There were flecks that looked like steel or aluminum and some that looked like copper, more reddish.
What exactly would I be looking for in the engine analysis?