Rotella T6 "diesel" oil - oil analysis.

[SwiftTone]

Been using Rotella T6 for 80,000 miles across 4 different bikes (RC51, Monster S2R1000, Streetfighter S, and now S1000R.

Rotella always caught a lot of flak mainly because it has picture of diesel trucks and shit on the bottle.

So even though I've always used it I was curious as to how the oil analysis would come back.

I'm going to keep using it due to these results.



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[DucatiGuy]

Some of use it as gear oil in the RS125. Even with a wet clutch.

[dankatz]

I use it as well and have not had issues

[nhbubba]

People bag on this oil because it is inexpensive and sold at Walmart. For many high price => high quality.
See also Harbor Freight tools, off brand tractors, store brand cereal and doing things yourself.

[TIMMYDUCK]

Been using the T6 in the Busa motors for 15 years and no implosions . Nice to see the lab agrees it is some good oil with stability and longevity.

[csmutty]

People bag on this oil because it is inexpensive and sold at Walmart. For many high price => high quality.
See also Harbor Freight tools, off brand tractors, store brand cereal and doing things yourself.

Store brand cereal is where I draw the line. There IS a difference. Although I only buy high end organic granola anyways. *Holds nose high*

[jimmycapp]

Rotella in the R1 for last 30k miles, w/o issue (47k and counting). Shit, i just participated in an oil thread.

[R7]

I run T6 in everything I own, been doing so for the past 20 years. Probably saved enough in oil savings over those years vs buying "the good stuff" to buy a couple trackdays or a good pair of off-road boots.

The machine shop recommended I use it in my 71 c10 when I rebuilt the 402 big block, it has additives in it to reduce wear on non roller camshafts.

[Garandman]

R7, your loader must have huge oil capacity: the 2.7L diesel in the Sprinter (which uses rotella) is 10 quarts!

[capitalcrew]

People bag on this oil because it is inexpensive and sold at Walmart. For many high price => high quality.
See also Harbor Freight tools, off brand tractors, store brand cereal and doing things yourself.

Let's not get carried away or I'll have to post the spaghetti ratchets we have in the shop from harbor freight.

I do use rotella in my cb360 and did in the klr I had too though. I'll probably use it in my gs750 when I'm done bobbing it.

[obsolete]

What's the thought on using it on new vehicles with the thin AF oil that is recommended?

[nhbubba]

I don't use it in our newer cars that spec super thin oils or in my air-cooled harley, which specs 20W-50.
But everything else. Yep.
I use it in some overkill situations too, like the gearbox on the 2t woods toy and the primary on the Harley. Likely overkill for those uses. But I'm not stocking yet another variety of oil for the relatively tiny amount those fills take.

[R7]

R7, your loader must have huge oil capacity: the 2.7L diesel in the Sprinter (which uses rotella) is 10 quarts!

It was 12 or 14 quarts, I don't recall exactly. I know when I did the 1k hour full service, I saved $400.00 on fluids buying it at tractor supply vs the JD service store.

[RandyO]

I use NAPA, or Valvoline, oil, only cause it's closer than walmart, and they give me decent discount

well, more than it is closer than walmart, the owner has hired me to do survey work, so has his son, and I have probably had many jobs from word of mouth recommendation. As I slip into retirement, I start fergetting

[SwiftTone]

What caught me off guard on the oil analysis was even the oil was used for 4500 miles, they said I could go another 2000 miles. I'm gonna bump my intervals up to 5000 street miles since it's not much more and it's an easy number to remember.

[tsorfas]

Don’t they usually have coupons for the T6?

[e30addict]

What caught me off guard on the oil analysis was even the oil was used for 4500 miles, they said I could go another 2000 miles. I'm gonna bump my intervals up to 5000 street miles since it's not much more and it's an easy number to remember.

Modern oils are stellar and can be run far longer then most people are "comfortable" with. For comparison I run 15k intervals in my car and they say it's ok for longer. I'm with you on just running it to 5k in the bike. I rotate tires every 7500 so it's easier for me to just do everything at once as well. I'm not gonna run the oil to 22.5k.

Blackstone likes to bump you up in stages. They say 2k more miles now and then if you're next sample still looks good they'll have another rec. This oil still has a great TBN and wear metals are still below average so running it longer isn't surprising if you look at lots of analysis results. Check out Bob is the Oil Guy if you really want to geek out on them.

[tsorfas]

On our Mazda Skyactive motors we do every 5000 miles. Recently on the Mazda3 we went to 7500 by accident.
We dont get the oil tested but it was noticeably darker and smellier.
This is on “specialty” 0-20 oil.

[Garandman]

What caught me off guard on the oil analysis was even the oil was used for 4500 miles, they said I could go another 2000 miles. I'm gonna bump my intervals up to 5000 street miles since it's not much more and it's an easy number to remember.

We used to have our fleet vehicles tested and I asked a Tribologist if there was any benefit to changing oil early.

"Why yes," he replied, "You create very high quality waste oil!"

Most of our vehicles mandated a 7500 mile change, and the ones with oil life systems went 9-10,000. We never once had a test say we'd left oil in for too long.

[e30addict]

On our Mazda Skyactive motors we do every 5000 miles. Recently on the Mazda3 we went to 7500 by accident.
We dont get the oil tested but it was noticeably darker and smellier.
This is on “specialty” 0-20 oil.

That doesn't mean it's not capable of still doing it's job properly.

[nhbubba]

I just drained some rotella from a motorcycle. Oil came out carmel color. This is how I know I didn't need to drain it!
Oh well.

[SwiftTone]

That doesn't mean it's not capable of still doing it's job properly.

True. I think most of the time people assume this is a good way of telling if there is life left in the oil.

[caddydaddy]

Another T6 fan boy here! haha! I've run it in my motorcycles, cars, SUV's, lawn tractors and generators for years. I've had samples tested by Blackstone periodically with great results.

[RandyO]

Modern oils are stellar and can be run far longer then most people are "comfortable" with. For comparison I run 15k intervals in my car and they say it's ok for longer. I'm with you on just running it to 5k in the bike. I rotate tires every 7500 so it's easier for me to just do everything at once as well. I'm not gonna run the oil to 22.5k.

Blackstone likes to bump you up in stages. They say 2k more miles now and then if you're next sample still looks good they'll have another rec. This oil still has a great TBN and wear metals are still below average so running it longer isn't surprising if you look at lots of analysis results. Check out Bob is the Oil Guy if you really want to geek out on them.

is it that modern oils are stellar ? or that modern engines are cleaner ? I'm sure a little of both, but I think more on the cleaner running engine

[e30addict]

is it that modern oils are stellar ? or that modern engines are cleaner ? I'm sure a little of both, but I think more on the cleaner running engine

Definitely a function of both. If you look at the changing API or ACEA specs or even the specific European manufacturer ones, you'll see drastic changes in detergents and additives to meet those specs. Motor oil today is a far cry from what was readily available even a decade or so ago, never mind the 60's.