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Shell Rotella T6 question

cslang775992

cslang775992

Member
Member
Greetings all, just looking for some clarity, everywhere I look I see that Shell Rotella T6 synthetic is 5w40 or 15w40...is that correct? Which weight do people use in their Connie? Not to open a can of worms here but why do I see people swearing by it? Does it make engines quieter? Shifts smoother? Run better?

thanks
 
I've used it for almost 20 years, first on the C-10 and now on the C-14, I've used both but look for the 15W40, I never worried about cold starts with the 5W, unless we're talking below zero temps......:cool:
 
I would say if the bike is used below freezing the 5 may be better. If you are in the south and never ride below 45 then the 15 should be fine. If the same price I don't think going 5 is an issue unless you have drips. 5 will drip faster.
 
smithr said:
I would say if the bike is used below freezing the 5 may be better. If you are in the south and never ride below 45 then the 15 should be fine. If the same price I don't think going 5 is an issue unless you have drips. 5 will drip faster.
Click to expand...

There’s a temp vs. viscosity range graphic in the owner’s manual.
 
Egodriver71 said:
I use the 5W version as it allows the oil to get through the engine on a cold start faster

And once warm, they both behave the same and the 40 hot weight
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That was my reasoning as well. Shell Rotella T6 has been the "go to" motor oil on every forum I've been on since 2007. The "experts" swore by it. So one day, I decided to try it...and I've stayed with it.

I don't have a Concours, but I've used it on two Suzukis, one Honda, and three BMWs. On one of the BMWs, I used it for 107,000 miles (not km) and the bike never used oil. I would think that if a problem would be caused by the Rotella T6, it would've shown up in that bike especially.

I think you could pick a lot worse for brand of oil.

Chris
 
I prefer higher numbers on the W scale, based on the temperature I actually plan to crank and run an engine at..... Thats a hold over from folks saying at the end of the day the oil is the lower viscosity , and treated to act like the higher number.
This scale is in Celsius btw




1762304718896.png
 
I agree this is a serious motorcycle concern ... which Rotella Diesel oil is best???

Since I ride in kinda cold temps (around 32' ) sometimes I like the synthetic. Since I ride in kinda hot temps (NM @ 104') I like the dino oil. Since Rotella has a higher zinc % than most it's good for C10 cam issues. Since I'm a frugal biker I found the perfect solution...

Mix 50% synthetic and 50% Dino and you get an ideal 10w-40 blended oil (recommended). Good for all temps, costs less than most, and contains zinc to protect your bike ... change every 5000 miles or ? YMMV
 
Oh boy, an oil thread !!!😀
The reason Murph gives is why I stick with the 15w40.
Starting with slightly thicker base oil, less viscocity index modifiers are needed to get the 40 when hot.
This additive tends to get "used up", so the thicker oil will hold up better.
At this point I use it in both our bikes, our diesel vintage motorhome and its genetator, our riding mower, and our push-mower.
It's also cost-effective .
 
cslang775992 said:
Greetings all, just looking for some clarity, everywhere I look I see that Shell Rotella T6 synthetic is 5w40 or 15w40...is that correct? Which weight do people use in their Connie? Not to open a can of worms here but why do I see people swearing by it? Does it make engines quieter? Shifts smoother? Run better?

thanks
Click to expand...

I started using T6 5W version in my 08 C14 at about the 20,000-mile mark, now 290,000 miles later with 311,000 miles on the clock all is well. Blackstone lab reports come back good, doesn't use oil or smoke.
 
roger dodger said:
Mix 50% synthetic and 50% Dino and you get an ideal 10w-40 blended oil (recommended). Good for all temps, costs less than most, and contains zinc to protect your bike ... change every 5000 miles or ? YMMV
Click to expand...
Hi Roger. Why not just buy Shell Rotella T5:
The Rotella T5 comes in two viscosity grades 10W-30 and 15W-40.
It is a "synthetic blend" of heavy-duty engine oil that uses a combination of synthetic base oils and state-of-the-art additives.
It can withstand extreme weather conditions {especially in winter) and helps protect "your" engine. ("YES" Even a Yamaha)

Either will work.
You could just buy the T5 Semi Synthetic.
(Costs less than Full Synthetic, already mixed to the needed percentages, & less likely that you [err, Roger] will make a mess)
(Yes, I know that it's not 50/50, but it's fun to pick on Roger/Dodger)
If you live in cold climates and do a lot of miles (or ride a Yamaha) {Smarty Azzed Grin :LOL:},,,, you could even use 10W-30 in the Winter and 15W-40 in the Summer.

If you live in South TeXaS, (or other locations with an [err] slightly warmer climate) use 15W-40 and forget about it.

Ride safe, Ted

PS: I highly suggest that "everyone" use Shell Oil and Gas.
Bekuz; If you buy Shell products, some of "yer" $$ go into "my" Shell Retirement. :sneaky:(y):sneaky:(y)
Sneaky Grin.............
 
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I did not read all those above

95 K on my first 2008. 81K of those were with 5w which was all that was available. 105K on the 2013 still running Rotella 5w from October to May then 15W which became available locally about 2 1/2 years back. 57 K on the 2018 which runs the same winter summer schedule. 5w winter and 15W May to October.

Now to go back up and see what others said.......
 
connie_rider said:
Hi Roger. Why not just buy Shell Rotella T5:
The Rotella T5 comes in two viscosity grades 10W-30 and 15W-40.
It is a "synthetic blend" of heavy-duty engine oil that uses a combination of synthetic base oils and state-of-the-art additives...

Either will work.
You could just buy the T5 Semi Synthetic.
(Costs less than Full Synthetic, already mixed to the needed percentages,...
Click to expand...
Umm...what percentage is synthetic, and what percentage is dino oil? Is it 50/50? Or 1/99? You're never told, but everyone assumes you're getting a "good deal". :unsure: :sneaky:;)

Chris
 
Never use any 5w-anything oil in a motorcycle that the engine and transmission share the same oil. It is too thin to protect your transmission gears and dogs. You will never find any motorcycle manufacture that recommends a 5w-whatever oil in a bike that the engine and transmission share the same oil supply.
 
Fred H. said:
It is too thin to protect your transmission gears and dogs.
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I understand what you're saying. But how do you explain all the motorcyclists who've been using it for umpteen thousands of miles with no issues?

Your statement is refuted by actual empirical evidence.

Chris
 
Do what you like, it's your bike. Go ask a motorcycle manufacture why they don't use those oils and see what they tell you. Or, just read your owners manual (hint, you won't see any 5w-whatever oils listed)

C14_OilChart.jpg
 
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And by the way, actual evidence would be if someone did a study with multiple engines run though thousands of hours of endurance testing using different oil viscosities and then tearing them down and doing careful measurements and analysis of all wear related components and publishing the results for peer review. Not a handful of guys posting on the internet saying things like "I used it and it worked fine".
 
Fred, I understand what you're saying. And if it was only a "handful of guys", I'd say you were right without question. But I'd put the number in the hundreds across a lot of motorcycle forums with a lot of miles.

As one data point, my F800GT had Rotella T6 5W-40 in it for over a hundred thousand miles. It never used oil in all that time. And when I sold it, the engine felt like it was still new. What would be the point of "tearing them down and doing careful measurements and analysis of all wear related components and publishing the results for peer review"? I'd go for it...on your nickel. I just accept that it ran like new. Most riders would never put in more than a fraction of those miles. And if it runs like new and doesn't use oil...what possible fatal flaw would you find?

Sometimes the "book" answer isn't the only answer. :)

Chris
 
I have an aunt that smoked cigarettes until she was well into her 90's. Therefore, smoking cigarettes will make you live a long life.
 
No Fred, that just means your aunt was not affected from smoking like it affects millions of others.

On any car oil container I've seen doesn't it say it isn't for bikes, yet, millions have used car oil in bikes for over 100 years as we all have.

Fred, you have a point. Chris, you have a point.

Lets enjoy our freedom of choice to wreck or protect our bikes as we see fit.:)
 
As for which Rotella, I use the 15-40 since the C-10 lives inside and even during the coldest weather I might venture out in, the garage is still 50f+ and so is the oil in the sump. Unless I end up staying overnight somewhere in the cold months then no real worries about cold starts.

My understanding is 15-40 does not shear down as quickly in the transmission and should hold up better between oil changes. That based on feedback from people who had oil analysis done (Cliff's come back good though).
 
Daboo said:
Umm...what percentage is synthetic, and what percentage is dino oil? Is it 50/50? Or 1/99? You're never told, but everyone assumes you're getting a "good deal". :unsure: :sneaky:;)

Chris
Click to expand...
Good point. That question has always come up, and your right, we don't know the mixture ratio.

NOTE: I was in the Fuels Group (not the Oil Group) at that the time that Synthetic and Semi-Synthetic came out.
I don't know the details, but each group basically knew what the other was doing.

Side note; Everyone always assumed that the Oil producers picked a mixture with "some" Synthetic in it (and because of that) could call it Synthetic Blend, but make more money by adding less synthetic to the mixture. (I'm sure that this is why Chris mentioned it).

I do know that Shell did extensive testing on that oil when the synthetic first came out.
Also know that their standing in the market is based on how good their products are.
(So they're not going to put out a poor product at the expense of their name)

With all that sed.
I know that Dino Oil have certain advantages and Synthetic Oil have certain advantages.
So, a "certain" mixture should give you the best of both.

My thought is; Shell (and others) put in the mixture that they feel is best, not what gives them the most profit margin.

Ride safe, Ted

PS: I agree with Fred about the 10W-X or 15W-X being the lowest weight to use. Particularly if you live in a warm climate.
 
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If you're looking for anecdotal evidence, we've had these discussions for years on the Gold Wing forum, and numerous members have posted after trying T6 5w-40 oil that their bike shifts poorly and the transmission clunks and doesn't change gears smoothly when the engine is hot, and then switching back to a 10w-30 oil makes the transmission shift better. I've ridden bikes with it in it that people have brought to me to work on, and I can confirm that the transmission doesn't shift well with that oil in it. I can always tell when I ride a bike if it has 5w-40 oil in it just by the way it shifts.
 
When you read something on the internet that goes against what the manufacture recommends this should be a big red flag for you. Others will read this same dis-information and then follow it and repeat it and pretty soon it seems like its ok to do because so many people are doing it. This is where I feel an obligation to step in and say something.

Do yourself a favor and stick to what the manufacture recommends.
 
Murph said:
Post what the SAE & API designations are for a full synthetic motor oil . I don't think there is one.
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I'd like someone to find this information.....I can't seem too.......my current understanding is the term " synthetic" has no standardized criteria, as pointed out in the article I listed, its more about marketing than a universally agreed upon substance.
 
Murph, the word Synthetic on an oil bottle label has no meaning anymore after Mobil lost that lawsuit. Synthetic has just become a marketing word as a result.

Sometimes you can pull up the MSDS sheet and see if the oil base stocks contain PAO, but even that is no guarantee of the actual percentage. A few manufactures actually claim 100% PAO content but they are few and far between. I suppose if you had access to a gas chromatograph you could test samples and find out.
 
This is a somewhat dated test (2009) but they did include 2 5W-40 and 1 0W-40 oils in the 40 weight group providing some interesting information.

The viscosity results and shear stability @ 100C are interesting, particularly when compared to the labeled "Winter" viscosity.

In the 40 weight group the Maxima Maxum4 in 5w-40 does well overall but it appears to be $25/l these days. Interesting that Honda 10W-40 HP-4 scored so low. A cursory search did not return results for many of the tests for Rotella, though a number of VOAs and UOAs are available out there so some basic items can be compared.
 
I am sure someone will correct me but the engine side of our bikes is not the toughest on the oil. It is the transmission side. The shear forces in the transmission is what is harder on the oil than the engine components.
 
LSGiant said:
I am sure someone will correct me but the engine side of our bikes is not the toughest on the oil. It is the transmission side. The shear forces in the transmission is what is harder on the oil than the engine components.
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That's my understanding as well and some engines are harder on the oil than others apparently. That Amsoil document has a gear wear section.
 
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