Rotella Synthetic 5w40 diesel oil vs. Mobil 1 5w40 diesel oil

[Pokey]

I'm agreeing with PH14 in that changing oil every 1500 miles is a bit excessive unless that's all you ride in a year.

Me too = +1  It's the new math. 

Gotcha.......and that isn't just excessive, that is just a plain waste of natural resources.

[mkorn]

I am not sure who is right or who is wrong.

But i change my oil when the shifting gets 'notchy'.
to me, at that point it is wore out.  It has been less than 3,000 miles each time on the C14.

i change the oil in my DRz prolly every 300 - 500 miles because i can feel the shifting deteriorate.
oil is cheap compared to a trans rebuild.

once i have fresh oil in there ... all is smooth again.

[lather]

What oil do you use that wears out so fast? I use Rotella Synth 5w40 for at least 5000 miles sometimes 6 or 7000 and the shift quality never changes. This goes for all three of my bikes.

I am not sure who is right or who is wrong.

But i change my oil when the shifting gets 'notchy'.
to me, at that point it is wore out.  It has been less than 3,000 miles each time on the C14.

i change the oil in my DRz prolly every 300 - 500 miles because i can feel the shifting deteriorate.
oil is cheap compared to a trans rebuild.

once i have fresh oil in there ... all is smooth again.

[Scaffolder]

I'm using the Rotella and my shifting feels different around the same time as mkorn. I change my oil and rear diff. gear oil between 3,000 and 3,500 miles. I won't run it any longer. The rear diff. oil could go way longer (maybe 10,000 miles between changes),but I just have the good habit of changing it every time.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

I also had some notchy shifting with the T6 Rotella, I ran it 2 or 3 times and I noticed the same thing around 2500-3000 miles each time.  I have been running the Rotella dino (10-40) and haven't noticed any notchy shifts even running 4500-5000 miles between oil changes.

[lather]

This notchy shifting issue is a real puzzler for me as I don't see the scientific basis for it. Isn't one of the main features of Synthetic oil that it  maintains its effectiveness longer than fossil oil? Can anyone suggest an explaination of what is going on to cause this notchiness?

[timbo]

I also had some notchy shifting with the T6 Rotella, I ran it 2 or 3 times and I noticed the same thing around 2500-3000 miles each time.  I have been running the Rotella dino (10-40) and haven't noticed any notchy shifts even running 4500-5000 miles between oil changes.

Jeremy, do you mean 15-40 dino?

[timbo]

I'm running the Rotella T6, but only have about 500 miles on it. The shifting is great, no notchiness at all. Slips right in no problems. I just sold a Suzuki M109R v-twin and also used the T6 in it with no problems.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

Jeremy, do you mean 15-40 dino?

My mistake, yes I do use 15-40.

[rcannon409]

Jeremy, I too felt the notchy shifting with the rotella synthetic.  It was ok in my yz 250 but in the sv and C14 felt notchy.

[stevewfl]

top~

[katata1100]

This notchy shifting issue is a real puzzler for me as I don't see the scientific basis for it. Isn't one of the main features of Synthetic oil that it  maintains its effectiveness longer than fossil oil? Can anyone suggest an explaination of what is going on to cause this notchiness?

My guess is that the oil has less zinc in it than the old stuff.They reduce the zddp level in the new rotella to improve catalyst life.

[lather]

My guess is that the oil has less zinc in it than the old stuff.They reduce the zddp level in the new rotella to improve catalyst life.

But how would the lack of zinc effect the shifting?

[mkorn]

What oil do you use that wears out so fast? I use Rotella Synth 5w40 for at least 5000 miles sometimes 6 or 7000 and the shift quality never changes. This goes for all three of my bikes.

In the C14 i have been using Rotella T for the last 2 changes.
I dont like this stuff and prolly wont run it again ... it is leaving black residue on my exhaust tip.
I didnt notice it with the other oil. 

In the DRz because i change it so much, i use cheap Valvoline Motorcycle specific oil.

[VirginiaJim]

In the C14 i have been using Rotella T for the last 2 changes.
I dont like this stuff and prolly wont run it again ... it is leaving black residue on my exhaust tip.
I didnt notice it with the other oil. 

In the DRz because i change it so much, i use cheap Valvoline Motorcycle specific oil.

That's interesting.  My exhaust has black residue and I use Mobil 1.   What oil were you using before that did not do this?

[Conrad]

That's interesting.  My exhaust has black residue and I use Mobil 1.   What oil were you using before that did not do this?

+1

[stevewfl]

In the C14 i have been using Rotella T for the last 2 changes.
I dont like this stuff and prolly wont run it again ... it is leaving black residue on my exhaust tip.
I didnt notice it with the other oil. 

In the DRz because i change it so much, i use cheap Valvoline Motorcycle specific oil.

I might have to call the Shell customer care number if my oil was responsible for such a thing.

[katata1100]

But how would the lack of zinc effect the shifting?

Zinc is an extreme pressure additive. Very useful in a transmission.
Black stuff in exhaust? I'd blame the bike's rich tuning as it is probably carbon.

[stevewfl]

Does anyone still suspect 5W or 0W will decrease the life of your engine

[mkorn]

Its good to know i'm not the only one ... maybe it is a rich condition and has nothing to do with the oil.

The previous oil was whatever Mama kawi puts in and then i used Spectrol which the dealer recommended.
With all the positive talk about Rotella and the cost of it, i decided to try it.  It seems to turn dark in the sight glass rather quickly also.
i only have 1700 on this change and it is still shifting nicely.

I dont have enough left for another change in the C14, but i may try it in the DRz ... the DRz is hard on oil.  I have even tried Mobil 1 in it and that only lasted slightly longer, i got about 800 mile out of that change.

I'm not saying that going longer is bad ... i just dont want to do it in my bikes.

I really appreciate when people are willing to post about doing things different than the masses.