Thread spin off about possible change to Rotella Diesel Oil

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NorrisOil2.jpg
AWESOME!!! I gots to get me some quarts of this stuff!!!!!!

"Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting implies the possibility of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing. "

"Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. "

"Chuck Norris has counted to infinity. Twice. "

"When Chuck Norris falls in water, Chuck Norris doesn't get wet. Water gets Chuck Norris."

 
"When Chuck Norris falls in water, Chuck Norris doesn't get wet. Water gets Chuck Norris."

Instant classic line!!!

I believe you can usually find Chuck Norris oil with the other oils, or sometimes it's stocked next to the WhoopAss.

 
....sigh

I'm going to keep using rotella synth in my f-350 6.4L and my FJR and when one or both blow up, I'll buy another one, and still use the same frickin' oil in 'em

 
I posted this about a year ago: I used Shell Rotella non-sythetic oil in my Fjr for about 28,000 miles, from just after I bought it new in 2004. I live in Redding, Ca., hot in the summer. At ~25k mi the bike had a low speed bog or lack of power at under 1800 rpm. I couldn't solve the probem and have good mechanical skills. At 29k mi the bike wouldn't start so I took it to the dealer. The mechanic called and said the compression was very low and the head had to come off. I went down to look at the parts and the intake sides of the butterflies were black with soot, a coating that could be scraped of with a fingernail. The mechanic ask what oil I used, I told him, and he said a diesel oil was a bad choice and to use a motorcycle specific oil.

Enough of whatever cooked off the Rotella oil had enter the combustion chamber via the crankcase breather to leave very small carbon deposits on the exhaust valve lands-and it doesn't take much to lower the compression.

$1500 and 11,000 miles later everything is fine. I'm using Yamalube now and have had the air box off twice to looks at the butterflies, they are no longer coated with soot.

A diesel engine has about double the compression ration of a gas engine. A mechanic told me the extra compression of a diesel was enough to force more oil out the the rod/bearing interface during the compressin stroke. His opinion was that diesel specific oils had properties/additive to keep the oil film thicker, and perhaps it was these that caused my problem.

I've seen a number of people questioning the use of Rottela, so my experience may be helpful.

Jim

 
Oil threads never do much, still use the same oils I've always used all my life.... fun to read though :D

What it comes down to is personal feelings. Usually the best is whats cheap and meets spec or whats very expensive and cool.. When I orderd Elf oil the vendor sent stickers. I like stickers. :yahoo:

Valvoline and Castrol Moto oils cost about $4.12 per quart and name brand diesel oil is $3.95 per quart, you do save buying the gallon sizes. But, I use the quarts for the bikes. Valvoline motorcycle oil is what I run most of the time when I remember to purchase it.... Why Valvoline? My local auto parts store stocks it in 20w50 and 10w40.

My 4x4 ATV calls for 10x40 in cold weather or 15w40 or 30w in all but the low temps and 20w50 in temps over 110 degress. Its a Suzuki and I guess thay don't really care what you put in there. Two bikes call for 10w40 and the 07 FJR calls for 20w40... Yamaha had to though a wrench in didn't they. I wonder how many still stress over not having Yamalube 20w40? :rolleyes:

Now can we post about using Amsoil or the other synthetics.. ;)

 
Ahhhh hell!!!! I just bought "Super Tech" diesel oil (15W-40). $20 cheaper than the Rotella. Hey, If the filters are good enough, shouldn't the oil be too????
Actually, the oil has been reported to be pretty good. Who knows for sure???????????? We need to ride more and test the stuff out more. :D

 
I posted this about a year ago: I used Shell Rotella non-sythetic oil in my Fjr for about 28,000 miles, from just after I bought it new in 2004. I live in Redding, Ca., hot in the summer. At ~25k mi the bike had a low speed bog or lack of power at under 1800 rpm. I couldn't solve the probem and have good mechanical skills. At 29k mi the bike wouldn't start so I took it to the dealer. The mechanic called and said the compression was very low and the head had to come off. I went down to look at the parts and the intake sides of the butterflies were black with soot, a coating that could be scraped of with a fingernail. The mechanic ask what oil I used, I told him, and he said a diesel oil was a bad choice and to use a motorcycle specific oil. Enough of whatever cooked off the Rotella oil had enter the combustion chamber via the crankcase breather to leave very small carbon deposits on the exhaust valve lands-and it doesn't take much to lower the compression.

$1500 and 11,000 miles later everything is fine. I'm using Yamalube now and have had the air box off twice to looks at the butterflies, they are no longer coated with soot.

A diesel engine has about double the compression ration of a gas engine. A mechanic told me the extra compression of a diesel was enough to force more oil out the the rod/bearing interface during the compressin stroke. His opinion was that diesel specific oils had properties/additive to keep the oil film thicker, and perhaps it was these that caused my problem.

I've seen a number of people questioning the use of Rottela, so my experience may be helpful.

Jim
******************************************

Interesting. I too had a 2004 model, and ran Rotella non-synth oil in it for over 75K miles, and had zero issues with power or anything else. I now have over 25K on my '08, and still running Rotella in it, and again, zero problems. Go figure.

 
I live in Redding, Ca., hot in the summer.
That's nice -- but, the FJR engine's coolant and oil temps are controlled by thermostat and fan and are about the same anywhere. :blink:

<snip>...lack of power at under 1800 rpm.
Wow..., that sounds serious (...ride around alot at less than 1,800 rpm on your FJR? :unsure: )

I ... have good mechanical skills. At 29k mi the bike wouldn't start so I took it to the dealer.
Okay, if you say so.... :blink:

The mechanic called and said the compression was very low and the head had to come off. The mechanic ask what oil I used
Classic trap: whatever your answer -- that's it!

exhaust valve lands
What dey...? :unsure:

I'm using Yamalube now
There ya' go... :)

A mechanic told me the extra compression of a diesel was enough to force more oil out the the rod/bearing interface during the compressin stroke. His opinion was that diesel specific oils had properties/additive to keep the oil film thicker, and perhaps it was these that caused my problem.
Hmmm..., quite some reasoning -- I guess we'll never know? Or, we could just go ahead and believe him....? :unsure:

 
For what it's worth, the consensus on the big oil forum (where everyone shares their Blackstone results etc.) is that the dino Rotella is actually holding up better in shear stability (maintains it's viscosity longer) than the Rotella Synthetic. Both have the high quality additive package that do a good job protecting motorcycle engines, but apparently since the formula changes Shell has made to the Rotella in the last year or two, the dino holds up better.

As far as the Mobil One 15W50, it shears down to a 40 weight pretty fast, but then maintains the weight for a long time in wet clutch bikes, again from the tests shown on the oil forum. So, it might not be as big a fear of too heavy an oil in a pretty short time... Probably wouldn't shear as fast in a car or truck engine. I don't recall if the 20W50's were shearing like that, mainly because I've used the Rotella synthetic for years and wasn't really interested beyond those oils.

 
For what it's worth, the consensus on the big oil forum (where everyone shares their Blackstone results etc.) is that the dino Rotella is actually holding up better in shear stability (maintains it's viscosity longer) than the Rotella Synthetic. Both have the high quality additive package that do a good job protecting motorcycle engines, but apparently since the formula changes Shell has made to the Rotella in the last year or two, the dino holds up better. As far as the Mobil One 15W50, it shears down to a 40 weight pretty fast, but then maintains the weight for a long time in wet clutch bikes, again from the tests shown on the oil forum. So, it might not be as big a fear of too heavy an oil in a pretty short time... Probably wouldn't shear as fast in a car or truck engine. I don't recall if the 20W50's were shearing like that, mainly because I've used the Rotella synthetic for years and wasn't really interested beyond those oils.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

 
For what it's worth, the consensus on the big oil forum (where everyone shares their Blackstone results etc.) is that the dino Rotella is actually holding up better in shear stability (maintains it's viscosity longer) than the Rotella Synthetic. Both have the high quality additive package that do a good job protecting motorcycle engines, but apparently since the formula changes Shell has made to the Rotella in the last year or two, the dino holds up better. As far as the Mobil One 15W50, it shears down to a 40 weight pretty fast, but then maintains the weight for a long time in wet clutch bikes, again from the tests shown on the oil forum. So, it might not be as big a fear of too heavy an oil in a pretty short time... Probably wouldn't shear as fast in a car or truck engine. I don't recall if the 20W50's were shearing like that, mainly because I've used the Rotella synthetic for years and wasn't really interested beyond those oils.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

+1 on the above link, all the information you need plus a bunch. Those guys talk about oil like I talk about cheezburgers!

 
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For what it's worth, the consensus on the big oil forum (where everyone shares their Blackstone results etc.) is that the dino Rotella is actually holding up better in shear stability (maintains it's viscosity longer) than the Rotella Synthetic. Both have the high quality additive package that do a good job protecting motorcycle engines, but apparently since the formula changes Shell has made to the Rotella in the last year or two, the dino holds up better. As far as the Mobil One 15W50, it shears down to a 40 weight pretty fast, but then maintains the weight for a long time in wet clutch bikes, again from the tests shown on the oil forum. So, it might not be as big a fear of too heavy an oil in a pretty short time... Probably wouldn't shear as fast in a car or truck engine. I don't recall if the 20W50's were shearing like that, mainly because I've used the Rotella synthetic for years and wasn't really interested beyond those oils.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/
Thanks Mike.

 
Jim, your mechanic is a parts changer don't listen to the idiotic ramblings of that fool.

 

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