Rotella T synthetic

[zed]

don't know if any of you use this in your bikes but I do, I started about 3 years ago. I used to get it at walmart for like $12 a gal. I stopped and got some for Tina's bike today and it was $19/gal. that sucks. hell even the walmart brand oil was $10/gal (that don't get used in the bike, just the truck)

[OneSickPsycho]

Originally Posted by zed

don't know if any of you use this in your bikes but I do, I started about 3 years ago. I used to get it at walmart for like $12 a gal. I stopped and got some for Tina's bike today and it was $19/gal. that sucks. hell even the walmart brand oil was $10/gal (that don't get used in the bike, just the truck)

$19/gal doesn't sound that bad.

[zed]

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

$19/gal doesn't sound that bad.

it's not, just how much it has gone up in 3 years. I looked at one of the parts houses today and they wanted $22/gal.

[JARVIS518]

i use the same stuff and i also use the walmart stuff for the gf truck

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by zed

don't know if any of you use this in your bikes but I do, I started about 3 years ago. I used to get it at walmart for like $12 a gal. I stopped and got some for Tina's bike today and it was $19/gal. that sucks. hell even the walmart brand oil was $10/gal (that don't get used in the bike, just the truck)

Ok I'm seriously not following you around to pick on you or anything I promise... I've heard of people using the Shell stuff to great success my self but I've always used Amsoil 20/50 for $8 a quart which is $24 an oil change. Now my question is about "friction modifiers" and the effects on a wet clutch system. Also,there have been several debates surrounding the different types of synthetics and their various positives and negatives. Heck,I've seen Suzuki brand full synthetic for $6/qt just recently.

BTW
Here's my favorite link for this discussion followed by an excerpt,

http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/moto...to/mc_oil.html

HTHS VISCOSITY (A BETTER MEASURE):
Although oil manufacturers don't tend to advertise their High Temp High Shear (HTHS) viscosity ratings, you can obtain them from most manufacturers by asking directly. This test is of how well the oil behaves as a lubricant at high speed under high stress and high shear while running under load at approximate full operating temperature for the oil (150°C). The higher the HTHS number, the better a job the oil does in preventing engine destruction under real world operating conditions, and the thicker the boundary layer of oil on a spinning bearing surface will build up. On the other hand, the lower the number, the easier a time the engine has spinning up (changing RPM's) because of the lower amount of work required to move the oil. As a result, you'll generally find lower HTHS numbers in oils that permit the engine to be a bit zippier, but you're trading off reliability for this power benefit.
Most motorcycle engines are looking for a minimum HTHS value of 2.9 (required for JASO MA & MB standards as minimum HTHS value). Like all forms of viscosity, HTHS values break down with use of the oil and degrade over time. Note that not all manufacturers HTHS values break down at the same rate under the same conditions, depending on the formulation of the oil, the viscosity stabilizers/enhancers used, and acid-neutralizers used.
Some comparison HTHS numbers for fresh oils:
Castrol R4 (5W40/USA) - 3.9
Castrol GPS (10W40/USA) - 4.1
Castrol GPS (20W50/USA) - 4.6
Amsoil Synthetic Motorcycle 10W40 - 4.2
Amsoil Synthetic Motorcycle 20W50 - 4.9 to 5.0
Mobil 1 MX4T (10w40/USA) - 3.9
Mobil 1 VTwin (20w50/USA) - 4.9
Redline Synthetic 10W40 - 4.7 (NOTE: No JASO-MA rating found)
Shell Rotella Synthetic - Greater than 4.0 (they wouldn't elaborate further even when we asked; note that no Rotella products are JASO-MA rated as I write this due to sulfated ash content levels).
NOTE: The /USA info is marked because these are values provided by the manufacturers for their US-market production oils listed; if the same oil is available in other markets, it may have different formulations and differing HTHS values.
ALSO NOTE: Valvoline's HTHS values are unpublished, but we have an information request in with them for this info (Mobil's is also unpublished, but a call to their tech-engineers provided the above answers).

[ZUKIMON]

I used Rotella T in my Radian and my Katana. I've always heard good things about it and it is what the NASCAR engine builders use in those engines......so I figure it has to be good. IMHO, nothing gets run harder than a race engine in a NASCAR car/truck.

This brings up something that I have been working on lately.........I'm going to go start a thread about it in Tech.

***EDIT***

http://www.twowheelfix.com/showthrea...424#post171424

[Homeslice]

I use it for both car and bike

[zed]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Ok I'm seriously not following you around to pick on you or anything I promise...

hey, if you can't have a somewhat heated discussion without actually being pissed at someone you are not a good person where it counts.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by zed

hey, if you can't have a somewhat heated discussion without actually being pissed at someone you are not a good person where it counts.

Cool! Now to start a fight with the guy that says,"if it's good enough for NASCAR,it's good enough for me."

[ZUKIMON]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Cool! Now to start a fight with the guy that says,"if it's good enough for NASCAR,it's good enough for me."

Not exactly what I said, but.....touche. You can't knock the stuff. I mean, it's held high upon a pedestal for as long as I can remember. I don't know how many engine builders that I have heard over the years telling me that it's all they use to break in a new engine (keep in mind that I have been an auto tech for almost 15 years now). I think a Synthetic would be better in my current bike, but I wouldn't be afraid to run Rot. if I had to.

**EDIT** BTW, I hate NASCAR.......despise would be a better word.