Rosella T6 ... still a choice?

[Mad Dog]

Just asking in case something has changed. I’m real anal about this, hate to ruin the clutch.

Every year I loose sleep over this, like its my first time..

[EtRider]

Just changed mine today with T6. No worries.

[bongobobny]

Yes, the Shell Rotella T6 is a good choice as is just about any Diesel engine oil. They are a lot cheaper than some of the "Motorcycle specific" oils out there...

[Du-Rron]

Just asking in case something has changed. I’m real anal about this, hate to ruin the clutch.

Every year I loose sleep over this, like its my first time..

 

If it were not for folks telling you, "Use T6", would you?

Is there any thing printed on that bottle that lends itself to specific motorcycle use vs the numerous things printed on "motorcycle oil" bottles?

 

A CK4/CK+ diesel oil would/should have more resistance to shear than a non-diesel oil which is good for your motorcycle transmission. Does your transmission snick off gears nicely on T6? I thought mine did till I tried other "motorcycle specific" oils and now my bike shifts very nicely indeed.

 

Rotella T6 no longer carries an API spark ignition engine designation due to emission regulations on additives. These additives have gotten lower in quantity as the API levels have gone up. Rotella is not even trying for the gasoline powered engine market with T6. The best oil for your motorcycle is one designated as API SH to API SL. Politics has pulled all the good stuff out of the oil that our bikes need at the API SN level. Emission regulations let manufacturers add the good stuff back in if they rate the oil lower on the API scale, like API SH. And... motorcycle specific oils start their ratings about the SH level.

 

JASO RATINGS:

Well, Jaso ratings are un-needed on oils in the API SH to API SJ range because there were no "energy conserving" oils that contained added "moly" or "slip" additives during that time period. Castrol 10W-40 API SJ would do you just fine back then. Today, Castrol 10W-40 still containes no clutch destroying "slip" or "energy conserving" additives but I would probably not run it in a motorcycle because it is so low in zinc and phosphorus as shown by its API SN rating.

That Rotells maintains an unverifyable JASO MA/MA2 rating on the bottle is meaningless. It just means that they have added no "moly" or "slip" additive package to the oiil which would kill a wet clutch. (By the way... I do believe them on this because they have taken so many other additives out as well for emission purposes)

 

PRICE:

"Motorcycle Specific" oils may or may not cost you more depending on how and where you do your shopping. I figure my last oil change using "motorcycle specific" oil cost about $7.00 total for the oil vs T6. But... if you are truly anal about this stuff, what is 7 bucks an oil change or $28.00 a year to you? You could gain some improved shifting........(a possibility).

 

BRAND OF OIL:

I am not recommending a specific brand of "motorcycle oil" to replace T6. Get funky, live life, Buy something wildly synthetic on sale to help justify your switch. I am just saying to use a "motorcycle specific" oil vs the current iteration of T6.

[cowpuc]

I got a close friend (HD Rider) who swears by Full Synthetic bike oils gave me a full sythetic oil change for one of my 1st Gens a good while back.. Noticing I was suppose to be able to go to 10000 miles before swapping oils (I am fairly old school, I like to swap out the oil in bike when I see it getting dirty when viewed thru the site glass so I wondered how that was gonna work anyway) I went for it and set out on yet another test adventure. Using the stuff, I didnt notice any real change in tranny feel, no major notchin goin on or nothing like that but I did notice right away that the bikes normal oil leaks became a little more substantial.. I turned back to my 2 dollar a quart Dollar Store Deisel oil buying trend shortly there after cause there was no way on God's green earth I was gonna get stuck in some far off land looking for a particular brand/breed of Full Synthetic when my beat up ol $300 scoot had puked a bunched of oil and have to pay almost as much to refill the crankcase as I did for the bike itself

 

I did keep, and am still using, the LED headlight he gave me though.. Now THAT thing is AWESOME!!!

[Mike G in SC]

I tried the Rotella T6 in my RSV and RSTD, both at same time, about three years ago, I did not care for how changing gears felt or sounded in both.

After about 2000 miles in which ever bike came first, I swapped both back to Amsoil 10W40.

So, tried it, did not like it. Immediately both bikes seemed to go back to what I expect.

 

Another friend I ride with, thought I was still using the T6 last year so tried it. When he was due to change he asked me again about it and I told him my experience. He said he had noticed the same and wanted to get away from the T6.

He tied it, did not like it.

 

Just sharing, not advising,,,, cause this is an OIL THREAD! lol

 

Then,,, maybe I used the wrong ROTEL.....Uh.

[Rafterd]

The biggest thing I don’t like about Rotella T6 is it’s not available in 20w50. Texas summertime is hot.

[Du-Rron]

 

Then,,, maybe I used the wrong ROTEL.....Uh.

 

:rotf::rotf:

[Rafterd]

Today’s bargain.

[cecdoo]

Think I would have bought a case at that price, whatta deal!

 

Craig

[Rafterd]

Think I would have bought a case at that price, whatta deal!

 

Craig

 

 

They come in 3 gallon cases. They only had 4 gallons. I did buy them all.

[Winddancer]

Used to use the T6, now I use the Quick Silver and I like it..have had no issues with it..

[Phrog]

 

 

Don't know if this helps anyone, but WalMart has gallon jugs of Castrol Actevo 4T 10W-40 Part Synthetic Oil for $18.97... They also have free shipping to your home for orders over $35, so I bought 2 of these.