Anyone using Shell Rotella diesel oil in their bike? Would it be a good choice for the primary?

um, why?

SOME PEOPLE HAVE GREAT IMAGINATIONS AND I CANT IMAGINE WHY YOU WOULD WANT A DIESEL OIL IN YOUR PRIMARY. I KNOW IT MUST BE A GOOD REASON, PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE,ENLIGHTEN ME.

I've run it during the winter a couple times. Too thin for my area during any other time of year. Never tried it in the primary 'cause I run mine dry. No reason it wouldn't work, though. It's an excellent oil andretains its viscosity better than most oils.

I've used standard 15w40 diesel oil in the engine.....however, ONLY for winter months though. When the weather gets to around 40 degrees or lower and stays that way.....I put 15w40 in. When, it warms back up.....20w50 gets dumped back in.

I used 15w40 in the primary extensively. It works really well in there. Then again, any 10w40 through 20w50 works just as good.

I've used Rotella, Motorcraft, Castrol, and even store brand diesel oils......I've seen no difference.

I don't see any benefit running rotella. Other than if it's free.....?

ORIGINAL: extech

I don't see any benefit running rotella. Other than if it's free.....?


Sure there is a benefit.......one quart of Harley's Formula Plus is about the price of two or three quarts of Rotella 15w40 diesel oil.

The primary does not require any specialexpensive magic potion.

Are there any addatives in Rotella that could be considered harmful to the engine or primary. Or maybe be beneficial?

I use Rotella Diesel in my crank during this time of year. The weather is cooling down and I see no problems using it. The owners manual actually says diesel oil is ok. People spend too much time debating oil. Pretty muchANY oil will work ( as long as its the right grade). The key is regular oil changes. I have better oil pressure with the rotella than I do with my Valvoline 20W50 Motorcycle Oil I run in the summer, but it is most likely due to how cold it is now.

From what ive read the Rotella has more zinc and something else than regular oils. This helps reduce wear, but most companies have phased out the majority of zinc and the other additive due to emissions regulations. Ill see if I can find the site. It something like "bob the oil guy".com

According to what I have read, the diesels oils (ratings:cf, cf4 etc)are tested at higher temps, heavier loadsand have more detergents than automovitve oils ( rating: sj).

HD specs Diesel Engine Oil in the event you can't find "HD" brand oil. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Rotella, Delo, Delvac, Ursa, Cat, Premium Blue, or other DEOin a HD engine, and you can find many used oil analyses onoil-specific websitesthat prove it's an excellent oil for bikes.

ORIGINAL: Lost1

HD specs Diesel Engine Oil in the event you can't find "HD" brand oil.Â* There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Rotella, Delo, Delvac, Ursa, Cat, Premium Blue, or other DEOÂ*in a HD engine, and you can find many used oil analyses onÂ*oil-specific websitesÂ*that prove it's an excellent oil for bikes.


What about the Rotella synthetic 5w40? Would this be an option as well?

I'd run Rotella 15-40 or Chevron Delo 400 15-40 in dang near any engine on the planet. Those are probably the two toughest dino oils known to man.

ORIGINAL: supturb89


ORIGINAL: Lost1

HD specs Diesel Engine Oil in the event you can't find "HD" brand oil. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Rotella, Delo, Delvac, Ursa, Cat, Premium Blue, or other DEOin a HD engine, and you can find many used oil analyses onoil-specific websitesthat prove it's an excellent oil for bikes.


What about the Rotella synthetic 5w40? Would this be an option as well?

Yes. I sent an email to Shell asking them that very question, and they answered back saying that it was fine to run 5W-40 synthetic Rotella in the winter & cooler months, but to go back to a "X"W-50 in summer.

ORIGINAL: Lost1

ORIGINAL: supturb89


ORIGINAL: Lost1

HD specs Diesel Engine Oil in the event you can't find "HD" brand oil.Â* There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Rotella, Delo, Delvac, Ursa, Cat, Premium Blue, or other DEOÂ*in a HD engine, and you can find many used oil analyses onÂ*oil-specific websitesÂ*that prove it's an excellent oil for bikes.


What about the Rotella synthetic 5w40? Would this be an option as well?

Yes.Â* I sent an email to Shell asking them that very question, and they answered back saying that it was fine to run 5W-40 synthetic Rotella in the winter & cooler months, but to go back to a "X"W-50 in summer.



Thanks Lost1....I ran it in my kawi V-twin...plan on switching back and forth from the rotella to the mobil 20w-50 in the winter and summer months.

SLC,
I'm curious:
Have you had that 94 electra glide since new?
Has it been valvoline all the way?
What major maintenance have you had to do?
By the way, I disagree with you about the great oil debate...but I do have to acknowledge, I have a buddy in Texas I used to debate this with all the time. He claimed you don't even need to change oil at all...except for adding some when you change the filter twice a year. He had a 94 FLHS and a late 80s model toyota (that had over 200,000 miles on it), and both ran great under his "maintenance" (or lack there of) program. Every time we had this debate...he'd point to one of those rides...and I'd go get another beer & change the subject when I got back.
Thanks
-clutch-


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I've done alot of reading about shells rotella T oil. and there advertising is about the same as mobils ,amsoils or anyone elses. the thing that sticks in my head is this oil is made for and used by some of the hardest working vehicals on the road. big diesel trucks that will haul 80,000 lbs up and down mountains on a daily basis. they swear by it for good reason it works. now if your bike manufacturer says to use a 10w40 thru 20w50 wt oil it falls in that range and should hold up to any abuse your hot rod "100" horsepower monster could give it. it meets any requirement for usage and the best part its around $10 a gallon.

I use both 5-40 and 15-40 rotella and also mobil 20-50 vtwin oil. I have sent in oil samples to blackstone labs on several occassions and both rotellas test out nearly identical to the Mobil vtwin in all catagories. The Rotellas maintain there viscosity where the vtwin 20-50 drops down to the Rotellas level so for all intent purposes your motor will not be able to tell the difference.

You can use it and if you look at Walmart you may even be able to get a HDEO synthetic cheaper than the MC rated synthetics which should be just as good.

at the zrxoa.net alot of guys run their zrx's on rotella synthetic

i used it for a few oil changes myself. those bikes rev to 10500 and people ride em hard no worries.

wally world - 15 bucks for a gallon of rotella synth,. same $$ as honda regular cycle oil, which aint made by citgo/HD.

ORIGINAL: river rat
Anyone using Shell Rotella diesel oil in their bike?


Not me, but it would be okay if the viscosity was in accordance with HD specs, which it isn't unless used in cold weather. Why not use Mobil 1 15w50 instead, which likely costs little more?

Would it be a good choice for the primary?

Yes, but a cheaper fossil engine oil will likely do as well. The primary is not a high-tech environment and doesn't need a high-tech oil.

i switched from mobile 1 v twin oil to rotella syn $16 a gal. at wally world it has no fritction modifires and is used in gmc and cummins wet clutches in marine uses and has more cleaning agents that can not be used in cars with cat converters

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I live in D/FW,Texas, drive a 97 F 250 Power Stroke diesel and I will only put the Shell Rotella oil in if its the only oil I can get. 25 miles after changing oil & filter it looks as black and dirty as when I changed it. It makes my truck louder and rattle more and to me it just doesn't hold up as good as the Chevron Delo and Mobil Delvac. I bought my truck new and it has 277,000 miles on it with only one valve cover taken off back around when it only had 22,000 to change a injector under warranty. I try to change it every 3000 to 5000 but at over $40 a change and doing it every 2 months busted my wallet. I have gone close to 18,000 miles a couple of times before I could afford to change it and on an average its more like 7000 to 10,000 miles between changes always changing the filter with the oil. I go 20k to 30k on the fuel filter. The motor still runs like a bat out of hell and will probably go another 200,000 miles. Of course the last 1.5 months it has seen much road time since I bought my 98 LR and with the price of diesel here at $4 a gallon and rising, ithas earnedthis well deserved rest. In summation, I think the Shell Rotella T sucks!

Modern engine oil is supposed to get dirty. It has detergents in it to clean your engine. If the Shell oil gets dirtier, that means it's doing its job better. The previous oil must not have been doing an adequate job of removing contaminants from your engine.
I think 15W40 oil would work fine in the summer in a Harley Evo or Twin Cam engine, maybe not so well in the older engines. But 20w50 works fine, too, so that's what I've always used.

When they took, or reduced, the anti-wear additives to the car oils in order to prolong the life of catalytic converters, they didn't remove those same additives from the "diesel" motor oils.Thats a good reason to use the diesel oils in a motorcycle.Most diesels (that is the big semis) usually run 10,000 miles between oil changes.The smaller diesel trucks, like the delivery trucks in town, often go 6,000 miles.Most of my own air cooled motorcycles that I've owned over the years I may change every 1000 miles-especially in the summer.Interestingly, on a water cooled engine, since they often don't get up to full operating temps in the cold winter (I ride year round), they may not burn off all the moisture collected in the sump, so I change oil every 1000 miles in the winter, and 2000 in the summer.This moisture can be seen as a white milky looking substance in the oil level window and on the top of the fill cap.I have a short 15 mile round trip commute, so I do have this problem on a water cooled bike I have.Problem doesn't exist in warmer weather.I don't use the automotive oil anymore in my motorcycles since they removed the "anti wear" additves.I'll either use the diesel oils like Delo 400,Rotella, or use "motorcycle" oil.HDs and the older Britbikes like my Royal Enfield use seperate oil in the engine,trans,and primary.I would never use an oil with "friction modifiers or additives" in the primary due to clutch slippage.You can't use those oils in any Japanese bike either, because that same oil lubes the clutch plates.Theoretically, it should be a good thing to have three seperate oils as in an HD, because you can choose the "best" for each purpose instead of one oil does it all like in the metric bikes.
Of course, some guys just buy the absolute cheapest oil money can buy, as in Wally Worlds "generic" auto oil, and seem to be getting by.In my Royal Enfield I'll run an 85-90 wt gear oil in the trans, and a 20-50 MC oil in the engine and primary.In my Japanes bikes, I'm running a diesel oil with the wear additives still in it.
jon

ok for primary not the best choise for the engine it would be ok if you broke down could not get better motorcycle oil
Good true sny motorcycle oil is best for engine like M1 VTWIN 20/50
Research will give you all the anser you seek and also 50 more questions

I use it in my older goldwing. the motor is real quiet no clutch problems and it shifts great. H arley says to use it when nothing else is available. its made for trucks so a smaller low horsepower motor won't be hurt by it. actually it probably better oil then what a Harley needs. and when you change it you won't be thinking , there goes $40 worth of oil into the drain barrel.,,,

I have always used shell rotella in my truck engine ,500 cummins usually grossed out at 80000 lbs all over north America and even heavier in Canada with absolutely no oil related problems.When pulling long grades or climbing west coast mts the oil temperature was in 230-245 deg range.We did a bearing roll in at 700,000 at Cummins own shop and they saidthe oldbearings were in like new condition.
When I sold this truck it had 930000 mies on it.I was glad to see rotella is alright for new HD motors as I have a FXDC arriving in Mayand I also have a couple cases of rotella 15/40 in the garage should be good for the summer.Now how do we get rid of 4+ feet of snow? Ride like your life depends on it it does.

Most of what I have seen available is the new dieseloilthat say L.E. [ lower emissions ] .After checkingvarious websites , the charts show the same additives butat reduced levels. Lucky me was able to buy several cases of the old formula .I use Delo 40015w40 [ old formula ] in my2000 twin along with 3 oldergasoline passenger vehicles and Deere diesel tractorwith no related oil problems . I also use DextronIII / Merconauto tranny fluid [ old formula ]in the primary and tranny for the 2000 twin . So far so good .

Guys,
One thing that has always puzzled me is we spend top dollar for that Harely Davidson and then try to find cheap ways or alternative ways to treat her right, Not me Brother ! I'll be running Amsoil 75/90w in the tranny and 20/50w in the other two holes, Cause shes gonna be a family jem to hand down to my son some day.
Tj

ORIGINAL: Road King Craig

Guys,
One thing that has always puzzled me is we spend top dollar for that Harely Davidson and then try to find cheap ways or alternative ways to treat her right, Not me Brother ! I'll be running Amsoil 75/90w in the tranny and 20/50w in the other two holes, Cause shes gonna be a family jem to hand down to my son some day.
Tj

Well, to extend your logic, you should be running nothing but Redline motorcycle oil as it is a Group V ester-based synthetic vice Amsoil's Group IV PAO base. It costs more but it will hold up to heat better.
Why cheap out with Amsoil when for a few bucks more per quart you can get the best for your top dollar bike?

hey i just changed out my crank case oil to valvoline 20\50 motorcycle oil, is it ok to use the rotella 15\40 in the tranny and the primary or do i need to use the same in all three holes?
freebyrd

you could use it in the primary, buy its a little wt light for the trans. I used 20/50 in my trans with no issues but some guys feel they have to use a heavy gear oil. when in doub't read the manual.