Rottela T6

I'm getting ready to change my oil and seems from what I've read, from pass forums, many are using Rottela T6. Those of you using the T6 are you happy with your choice?
Thanks for the help, Clint

It is approved for motorcycles, rated JASO MA.

Been using it for it for years in many different motorcycles with good results.

Same here. T-6 is good stuff.

I just used it for first time, mixed 1.25 qt with left over other syn oil. was getting some tappet noise that would come from running 55 mph down to a stop. mostly could hear it around 15 mph to stop, as engine continued to lower rpm would go away. now with just using t-6, the 5w-40 kind, the noise went away. last December told the Honda shop guys I was hearing that noise, they couldn't replicate it in shop. I guess I should have told them as slowing down I heard it. they didn't take it out on road.
but interesting as I bought at autozone, the salesman was going to buy out store stock on sale as I alerted him about m/c specific!!

Its a good choice and is less expensive then most other synthetic oil especially ones branded as motorcycle oils. In particular for me as a winter rider I like the 5W weight for better flow properties when cold. All three of the Rotella oils have been used by motorcyclists for years.

Thanks everyone for your help and information. I have been using the Honda oil filter, is anyone using something different I might pickup at Walmart when I pick up the Rotella?
Thanks again, Clint

Mobil1=M1-108
Fram=XX6607
Make sure whatever filter you use is no longer than the OEM or your center stand will puncture the filter
Mobil1 & Fram acceptable

Just make sure to get the correct (short) filter. The longer one gets cut by centerstand tops.
The correct length is 2 1/2 inches.

Brad

Been using it in mine from new and have had no oil related problems.

I have used both the Honda filter and the K&N KN-204 filter. I like the KN-204 primarily because of the nut on the top which makes removal a painless activity however, if you have the Honda oil filter tool (which I do) then that filter too is a simple service item. Regardless of the filter used, I use the base contact plus 3/4 to 1 turn for installation. Despite the fact that I believe a good torque wrench is a required tool for proper maintenance, I have found that oil filters and spark plugs are two service items where a torque wrench is not the best method. Finally, there are many good oils out there but, I have used Rotella T6 or Honda oil regardless of the label on the bike (Honda, Kawasaki, etc.).

The gallon of Rotella T6 I purchased at Walmart says Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil. Did I pickup the wrong stuff?
Thanks again

I buy the T6 Synthetic and it has Heavy Duty Diesel on the container. Good discussion on topic here: http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Oils1.html

daler said:

The gallon of Rotella T6 I purchased at Walmart says Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil. Did I pickup the wrong stuff?
Thanks again

Click to expand...

You got the right stuff, look at the label on the back, the last rating is JASO MA.

I still prefer the Mobil 1 stuff as I've been using it in all my vehicles since the 80's. Except the Guzzi, since Mobil does not have a 10W-60 blend. For it I use Motul.

I do not go cheap with oil and filters. If you buy Fram you should look at a few of the oil filter comparisons on the web.

I use T6 myself, but I have got to ask. The manual says 10w30. So is it really OK to use 5w40 oil. The JASO-MA is specific only to that specific viscosity standard. So technically we are not using the specific viscosity that Honda has designated. Can someone help me understand how the 5w40 is OK to use when Honda sas 10w30?

Honda manual says 10W-30 or 10W-40. The 5W in T6 only comes into play in cold temperatures and if you are concerned with oil circulating quicker in low temperatures its a good thing. A lot of newer cars now have 0W so I would not worry to much about the 5W in the T6 oil.

I agree with Warren's reasoning, but I myself have wondered why Honda recommends 10W-30 for all their motorcycles built since 2007. Also it seems the only full synthetic 10W-30 oil for motorcycles is sold by -- guess who -- Honda. Since I only change my NT oil once a year, and the cost is not that high, I use the Honda oil. Rather than second guessing if a different weight, like 5w, would be OK.

That all said, I have never heard a case of someone finding premature wear in an engine regardless of the oil used, as long as it was changed at apprporiate intervals and not allowed to run low.

And one final shot. If Shell and Mobil can make a profit on quality synthetic oil for diesels at, what, $5 a quart, they are really soaking the auto and motorcycle customers. Using T6 may be justified as a vote against profiteering. But I digress.

I've been using T6 on 2 wings, 2 ST1300s, a VStrom 650 and 2 Super Tenere's - works great for me. I'll get Mobil once in a while when it actually goes on sale and is cheaper but no issues with Rotella at all for me.

First, you can use oil that is a 'wider' range than mfg recommends, ie 5w-40 instead of 10W-30. Just do not use oil that has a 'narrower' range, 20W-30 instead of 10W-40. The first number is the oil viscosity when cold and the second number when hot. If you ever want to really see the difference get a quart of straight 30W oil and chill it and your 5W-40. Pour them see the difference.

The biggest contributor to engine wear is cold starts. I want to have as low cold viscosity as I can since I frequently start the bike in below freezing weather. That's also why you see mfgs recommend a different oil for really cold weather.

Second, as to soaking the customers. Yes and no. The diesel varieties are made for bulk distribution so are cheaper. The oils were designed for diesels. Shell found that T6 also met the JASO MA standard so they stamped that on there. Mobil did the same, but, I have not found their diesel blend in anything smaller than 55gal drums. Mobil developed two blends specifically for motorcycles. Much smaller quantity production so much more expensive.

Could Mobil just repackage the diesel product and sell it cheaper than the motorcycle oils? Maybe, if their production line is easily reset for it. It is all a numbers game. I would bet that Shell really does not see much profit in the T6 sales to regular consumers. I also suspect that they packaged the T6 in smaller quantities for people who own diesel pickups and do their own oil changes. Mobil probably does not see that big a sales number to justify retooling a production line for smaller quantities.

Do you think Mobil just takes the diesel product, pours it in quarts, puts a motorcycle label on it and charges twice as much? I don't think so. I suspect there is a different production line for the motorcycle oils with a slightly different blend for dry and wet clutch models. Nope, they are not the same as the diesel oil (I have looked), even though the diesel oil meets the JASO MA standard.

If you want to check go look at the complete listing of specs for each of those oils and see what differences there are in the contents.

Like I said before, oil and filters is one area I don't buy based on cost.

PS will it hurt your bike to run T6 or any other JASO MA certified oil in it? No. That's why that standard exists, just like all the standards for cars and trucks. Use an oil that meets the mfg standard and you'll be fine.

Oil topics can be hateful....but so far this one seems pretty tame - so I might add what I know.

I am a Moderator on the Suzuki Savage forum. The Savage is a 650cc single - and it is not very sophisticated....it is basically a large lawn mower engine. It has a single camshaft and simple rockers. When folks use the new MA motorcycle oils in the Savage, the camshaft and rockers can suffer premature wear - since the MA rated oils have lowered the ZDDP levels to comply with the newer EPA mandates for reduces Zinc (around 600 ppm ZDDP) to promote long Oxygen sensor performance. The Savage works very well with the Rotella T 15W-40 conventional oil or the T-6 Synthetic....both of which have 1,200 ppm of ZDDP. The Savage does not have an oxygen sensor - so it is not an issue, but I have used the Rotella T in my car for the last 107,000 miles and I still have the original oxygen sensor.

Rotella T is a HDEO (Heavy Duty Engine Oil), and it is suitable for use in diesel or gasoline engines, and it is safe for wet clutches as it does not have any friction modifiers. It is also a very affordable oil, and is only $ 15 a gallon for the Rotella T. I use the Rotella T in all my cars/trucks/motorcycles and yard equipment - the exception is that I will switch to a normal 10W-30 oil in my car when winter arrives and the temperature drops well below freezing.

I don't know if the NT700 ever has cam lobe/rocker failure from using oil with low ZDDP levels - but the cam/rocker design is the same for both the Savage and NT700. A large number of owners of vintage equipment have cam/rocker failure when using modern oils in equipment that has solid lifter or rockers - the more modern engines have roller rockers and can tolerate the reduced ZDDP levels.

The Suzuki Savage exhaust rocker in the photo below was damaged with only 3,800 miles on the bike, and the intake rocker shows evident of wear that is more advanced than the low mileage should have caused - he used an automotive brand oil with reduced ZDDP.