Shell Rotella T-5 15W40 semi-synthetic VOA

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Hello,

I was unable to find a VOA on the Rotella T5 syn-blend 15w40 oil, so I sent a recently purchased sample for analysis and sharing.

I hope to have another analysis of Rotella T-1 straight 30 weight in the next day or so.

 
I have found this Rotella T5 15w40 and 10W30 on sale at O'Reilly's at $14.99/gallon. Rotella has a $5.00/gallon rebate through the end of 2018.
 
Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
A good compromise if you don’t want to buy full synthetic T6. Thanks for the VOA.


I originally picked up T6 for my OPE and generator, but swapped it out for T5. I figure T6 is a bit overkill in my applications, since I’ll likely change at relatively low hour intervals. Besides, the T5 ain’t no slouch, anyway!
 
Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
A good compromise if you don’t want to buy full synthetic T6. Thanks for the VOA.
Other than for below freezing starts for which I use the 5W-40 . The 15w-40s are better oils.
 
Looks like good stuff. Thanks for posting. Think I may rather use this instead of T6 5w40 except in cold weather.
 
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I don't believe that T5 is JASO MA/MB approved so you may not want to use it in a shared pump bike.


See this link below... I ran it just fine in my 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200 with a shared sump. This ZRX is modded to close to 150hp and close to 90 ft/lbs of torque from 1164cc. NO 15w40 HDEO oil has caused an issue in my cycle or anyone else’s that I have read of.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4371237/1

Rotella T4 was used for millions and millions and millions of miles in shared sump bikes before a JASO rating showed on the bottle...

LOOK at the contents of this T5 oil, it has nothing in the ad-pck that is majorly different than T4 or T6 or any other HDEO. Redline motorcycle specific oils in some cases run well over 300ppm moly, so moly is insignificant if that is something to consider.

I can appreciate caution however it is moot when the “not JASO” card is played when the oil would be just fine based on simple comparison, let alone actual experience runnng it, in my case as one of the best oils I have used in my shared sump engine.
 
Originally Posted By: Bonz
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I don't believe that T5 is JASO MA/MB approved so you may not want to use it in a shared pump bike.


See this link below... I ran it just fine in my 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200 with a shared sump. This ZRX is modded to close to 150hp and close to 90 ft/lbs of torque from 1164cc. NO 15w40 HDEO oil has caused an issue in my cycle or anyone else’s that I have read of.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4371237/1

Rotella T4 was used for millions and millions and millions of miles in shared sump bikes before a JASO rating showed on the bottle...

LOOK at the contents of this T5 oil, it has nothing in the ad-pck that is majorly different than T4 or T6 or any other HDEO. Redline motorcycle specific oils in some cases run well over 300ppm moly, so moly is insignificant if that is something to consider.

I can appreciate caution however it is moot when the “not JASO” card is played when the oil would be just fine based on simple comparison, let alone actual experience runnng it, in my case as one of the best oils I have used in my shared sump engine.






Same experience here, Been using Rotella since before the JASO rating.
 
Originally Posted By: Bonz
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I don't believe that T5 is JASO MA/MB approved so you may not want to use it in a shared pump bike.


See this link below... I ran it just fine in my 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200 with a shared sump. This ZRX is modded to close to 150hp and close to 90 ft/lbs of torque from 1164cc. NO 15w40 HDEO oil has caused an issue in my cycle or anyone else’s that I have read of.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4371237/1

Rotella T4 was used for millions and millions and millions of miles in shared sump bikes before a JASO rating showed on the bottle...

LOOK at the contents of this T5 oil, it has nothing in the ad-pck that is majorly different than T4 or T6 or any other HDEO. Redline motorcycle specific oils in some cases run well over 300ppm moly, so moly is insignificant if that is something to consider.

I can appreciate caution however it is moot when the “not JASO” card is played when the oil would be just fine based on simple comparison, let alone actual experience runnng it, in my case as one of the best oils I have used in my shared sump engine.



4 & 6 is rated .. why not 5 ?? There must be a reason.
 
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
Originally Posted By: Bonz
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I don't believe that T5 is JASO MA/MB approved so you may not want to use it in a shared pump bike.


See this link below... I ran it just fine in my 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200 with a shared sump. This ZRX is modded to close to 150hp and close to 90 ft/lbs of torque from 1164cc. NO 15w40 HDEO oil has caused an issue in my cycle or anyone else’s that I have read of.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4371237/1

Rotella T4 was used for millions and millions and millions of miles in shared sump bikes before a JASO rating showed on the bottle...

LOOK at the contents of this T5 oil, it has nothing in the ad-pck that is majorly different than T4 or T6 or any other HDEO. Redline motorcycle specific oils in some cases run well over 300ppm moly, so moly is insignificant if that is something to consider.

I can appreciate caution however it is moot when the “not JASO” card is played when the oil would be just fine based on simple comparison, let alone actual experience runnng it, in my case as one of the best oils I have used in my shared sump engine.



4 & 6 is rated .. why not 5 ?? There must be a reason.


It probably only slightly falls outside the friction requirements of JASO MA when they tested it. (Assuming they ran the battery of testing themselves on this one)
I'm still perplexed that this doesn't meet the Allison TES 439 spec when T4 does; anyone know why that would be? I thought the real limiting factor with regards to that spec is staying within viscosity over many operational hours, and I would think that the synthetic GTL (Shell PurePlus) in this fluid contributes to that end.
 
What Shell puts on the bottle matters not, it’s about what is in the bottle. I have run the T5 and the T6, I have linked the UOA’s in an above post. Compare the two! T5 is an awesome 15w40 oil. Other than different amounts of common additive package ingredients there is nothing that would make T5 unsuitable in a shared sump.

There is no reason to say it would fall outside of any friction guidelines. Guys ran T4 for millions and millions of miles and decades before T4 received a rating, experience was the proving ground. To say it is outside of any friction guidelines unless that is the case by analysis and performance is not accurate. The analysis provided in comparing it to T6 is accurate.

It is the newest of the oil’s we are talking about and Shell wants to put gallons at a time into trucks, the motorcycle market doesn’t fill their piggy bank.

Difficult to assume because it doesn’t have a rating that it would be unsuitable. As I have shared, look at the additive package and analysis, the story tells itself.

With respect to staying grade, this was the only oil I have run that stayed IN grade in the ZRX 1200 over a 3500+ mile OCI. I see no reason it would not do so in a diesel application.
 
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