May give it a try for the summer Reeves, glad you like it. I already bought a gallon of the 5w40 synthetic for the CBR's 600 mile change. I think it's pretty much broke in now.

Kruz

give it a try kruz. it's only $11.50 a gallon at autozone!

Will do that Reeves, if you get a chance get a Blackstone Labs analysis done. You can order the sample kits online for free and they bill you $25 when you send the sample in. What is your change interval on the 15W50?

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 5/5/2009 @ 7:17 AM *

sunday was the first time i've used the 15w. i've read that the best way to tell when it is time for new oil is when the shifting quality goes down hill. i guess we'll have to wait a few weeks and find out. all day long yesterday was a shifting dream. i put over 90 miles on that bike yesterday.

I haven't used the 15W50 but I know it is a heavy duty dino oil, not a synthetic. I would go 2000 miles first time and send a sample into Blackstone and then adjust from there based on their recommendations. I've been doing 3K changes with the synthetic. I never noticed any shift degradation.

Kruz

John, When I rolled into my garage after work tonight, I pulled an oil sample to send to Blackstone Laboratories. Bike has 23,718 miles on it. Oil has about 2,700 miles on it. That's about 200 more miles than what was on the first sample I sent them. Still running the PureOne # PL14610 oil filter, and the BMC "Street" air filter. So the only change is the "New" formula of the Shell Rotella T 5W/40 (syn). I'm really interested to see how the "New" formula compares, read holds up, to the old?? As well as how the motor is doing, LOL!!

If I still had your e-mail addy, lost it when the old forum went down, crap!! I'd send you a copy when I get the results. Then if you would, you could post this one to. Send it to me in a P/M.

Phil

* Last updated by: Philhnnss on 7/8/2009 @ 12:58 AM *

Hello Phil, I'll be glad to, I think I still have your e-mail address on hand.. I'm running the Rotella in all three bikes now so I'm curious about how the new formulation is holding up myself.

Kruz

I'm debating about putting rotella synthetic in mine, will it maintain protection under the higher rpm range also? I ride mine kinda hard and the price difference between repsol full syn and rotella is pretty big

I would hold off RCflyer until Phil gets the Blackstone lab report back on the new Rotella formulation. As you can see in the prior lab report, the old Rotella was doing an outstanding job of protecting the motor at 2500 mile change intervals. I've been doing 3000 miles between changes on the new Rotella 5w40 so I'm very curious to see how Phil's sample holds up at 2700. My understanding is that Shell took out some of the ZDP anti-wear additive when coming up with the new formula because the zinc was hard on catalytic converters. ZDP is an extreme pressure lubricant that only comes into play if there is metal to metal contact between highly loaded parts i.e. think of a flat tappet to cam lobe interface. If you need the ZDP your lubricating film protective barrier has already failed, it's a last ditch defense. I think we are going to be OK without the ZDP but it's really academic as ZDP has been reduced or eliminated from just about all modern oils.

To answer your other question, this stuff is designed for long change intervals in turbo-diesel engines. The operating environment the turbocharger bearings must withstand is brutal, think ultra-high rpms and extreme temperatures (turbine housing glows cherry red). Also, the valve train mechanism and direct injection system on these high compression engines (double that of a passenger car engine) places extreme demands on the oil. Lets wait for Phil's report and see how she's doing at 23,000 miles on the Rotella.

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 7/10/2009 @ 10:14 AM *

didn't they cut back on ZDP on the cycle specific oils a while back for that same reason? The way I see it, with the cost of rotella compared to repsol or spectro that I normally use, I can change the oil at around 2000 mile intervals, I'm curious to see that report also, I'm sure it'll hold up like the old formula, but then again, I've always been hesitant of using it for some reason

It's one of the most popular motorcycle oils out there, thousands have been running Rotella products in their bikes for years now. A chemist at Shell's Westhollow Research Center in Houston supposedly was a motorcycle enthusiast and first made the connection between the requirements for motorcycles with shared clutch and tranny being very similar to the demands placed on heavy duty turbo diesel oils. The cost is a big factor, 1 gallon of Rotella 5W40 synthetic runs $19.50 at Wally Mart, that's less than $5.00 per quart. If you can prove to me there is a better oil out there I'll buy it. Let's let see how Phil's oil sample comes out this time, I think the oil analysis is the only objective way to tell if your oil's doing a good job or not.

Kruz

This is the old formulation of Rotella synthetic, look at how high the zinc concentration is, over 1300ppm that's good. Phosphorus is high as well, also good, that means the additive package is not being depleted. Hopefully the new numbers will be similar.

Kruz

I used the shell rotella in my fz6,, and after reading and being a member on sport bike network, there is a huge thread on this.

Your not to use the engery conserving oil,, blue label? Dont remeber?

Now after I changed to that oil I totally notice a huge inprovment in shifting. I was butter smooth, and stayed that way until I traded it in on the z14.

I can send you guys a link if you like. LOL,, you should see all the oil threads over there,, and yes its a touchy subject.

well finally manned up to put in the new rotella synthetic, and for the first couple blocks of riding it felt way better than the other synthetics i've tried, everything was running smooth until someone gunned straight out of their parking space and i had to put her down so the whole right side is dinged up, will have more later on how the new oil is doin once i get it back in service

damn, i hate when that happens! i had a little tip over myself earlier this week. luckily, i didn't have to replace anything but the right mirror, and i already had an extra set in the garage. my brother talked me into putting frame sliders on the bike and i'm glad i did. here's a pic to show how well those little plastic pucks do their job. get her fixed up and running again!

i took this pic yesterday after replacing the mirror, blackening the scuff marks on the slider puck with a black sharpie, then a wash and wax.

i was thinking about putting on those sliders, but didn't think they would do much because of how fat she is towards the front, mine i cracked the 2 fairings on the right front, the mirror got a little scuffed up but folded up so it didn't break and the plastic where the mirror mounts on the front fairing is broken lol, i put up another post to see if anyone knows any website to get paint cheaper to match than colorrite.com lol, but looking at ur pic, i think i'm convinced to put on those little sliders lol

got 'em for less than $30 on ebay. i still believe it's one of the cheapest investments that make the biggest difference when needed. and they don't look that bad either.

I sure hopw you stopped the person that pulled out and casued the accident and at the very least made them pay for it...It is thier fault isnt it?

yea i did, actually tried to work out a deal for cash on the spot, that didn't work out, so i was like ok cool, called the cops got a report and now waitin for the insurance money from them lol

I received the report today on the new formula Rotella and e-mailed Kruz a copy for him to post. The new stuff is still good, don't get me wrong. But it's not even close, I.M.O. to being as good as the old formula. Kruz has much more experience reading those reports, so I'll wait for him to post it. And to write his take on it before I say anymore.

OK, I ran this by the man who runs the engine build shop at Superior Airparts and tracks the oil analysis on our engines out in the field. He thought it looked great. The first six elements, Aluminum, Chromium, Iron, Copper, Lead and Tin are your major engine wear metals. The Universal averages column on the far right are based on 1650 miles between oil changes. If you ran to double that mileage, lets say 3300 miles between oil changes you would expect to see twice the wear metals in ppm (parts per million) for an engine that was wearing at the Universal average rate. Does that make sense? Phil changed his oil at 2700 miles and his wear rates are about 60% of the universal averages taken at 1650 miles. I don't have a calculator handy but that's really low. Aluminum (piston wear) is well below average, Chromium (piston ring wear) is zero, Iron(cylinder bore wear)is well below average, copper (bronze bushing wear) is well below average, lead (bearing wear) is almost zero, tin is slightly high but tin is a sacrifical main bearing surface coating used up during breakin process. This means his bearings are still like new and still have the tin coating at almost 24,000 miles. The rest of the elements are oil additives or contaminants like Silicon(dirt). Silicon (dirt) is slightly below average but it might be time to check the airfilter or check the sealing around the filter. Zinc (anti-wear additive in the form of ZDDP) is very high which is good, the additive is not being depleted. Calcium, magnesium and phosphorous are oil additives that are used to control sludge, clean internal engine parts etc. and they look good. Molybdenyum is the only concern I have and I need to look further into this one. Molybdenum is an anti-friction additive and it appears Shell has added a lot more of it to the new formulation. Is this enough to affect a wet clutch? Don't know, I'm running it in all my machines and have had no problems but I will look into the JASO-MA specs on maximum recommended molybdenum. That's it for now, I see no problems and actually a great wearing engine at 24,000 miles.

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 7/17/2009 @ 8:27 AM *

"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.

Both the new Rotella 15W40 and 5W40 synthetic meet JASO MA, that means it is safe for wet clutch applications. He posted his phone number and said to give him a call if you have any further questions so I did. I called the Shell number and talked to one of the engineers and he confirmed that the new Rotella 5W40 CJ-4 synthetic meets JASO MA for motorcycles with wet clutch. I asked about the Calcium, he said that it is a detergent to help remove sulfated ash deposits from sparkplugs and combustion chambers. Sulfated Ash on the new formula is 1.0% which is well below JASO MA specs 1.2% maximum. OK, I'm done!

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 7/17/2009 @ 3:30 PM *

finally off to saving some money on oil with rotella lol

thanks Kruz,,, lot of people love the shell rotella.

I guess you dont want to use the engery conserving one thou..

Im about to freshin mine up soon, I will use rotella

Gorgeous, I always liked that bike Reeves, simple but very classy!

Kruz