Rotella T4 10w-30 vs 15-40 JASO MA

[Kevinmcc2]

So I was just looking online and see a lot of people use Rotella in their motorcycles/atv/dirtbikes and was shocked at how much I could save switching. That being said is there a reason why the 15w-40 T4 is JASO DH-2,MA/MA 2 certified but the 10w-30 is only JASO DH-2?

I was told to only use oils with the JASO MA/MA2 cert?

 

[SZR48207]

The 40wt Rotellas are well known for motorcycle oil use.

Shell is "self certifying" to be JASO compliant. You won't find their oils in the actual JASO database.

The 30wt oils are not as common for motorcycle use so they probably didn't bother testing those oils against JASO. Also possible that the 30wt oils are energy conserving now which would make them no good for wet clutch transmissions.

 

[Mantooth]

I've used RT6 in my Honda Rancher for years and haven't had any issues. I will say that my butt-meter tells me Honda GN4 oil shifts smother than RT6. FWIW.

 

[krismoriah72]

Originally Posted By: Kevinmcc2
So I was just looking online and see a lot of people use Rotella in their motorcycles/atv/dirtbikes and was shocked at how much I could save switching. That being said is there a reason why the 15w-40 T4 is JASO DH-2,MA/MA 2 certified but the 10w-30 is only JASO DH-2?

I was told to only use oils with the JASO MA/MA2 cert?


There are thousands of posts/testimonies about the Rotella 15w40, 5w40 and also 10w30. I have read at least most of them.

Its usually a 50/50 split in the forums with those that have to use a motorcycle oil versus the Rotella users.


Here is a UOA of the 10w30 from years ago..with discussion.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/2144174/Searchpage/2/Main/146948/Words/ST1100/Search/true/Re:_Rotella_10W30,_7,980_mi_OC#Post2144174

Here is a thread asking the same questions as you..
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3221679/ROTELLA_T5_SEMI-SYNTHETIC_BLEN


Here is a decent oil war on the same topic
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2942946



I would give advice if i knew more about your application etc.

I ride offroad- i see alot of dust/sand/mud/water.. so i choose Rotella 15w40 and dump it after every few rides which is about 300 to 500 miles.

IF i had an on road motorcycle I would probably go with Mystik 15w50 https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub...0_Semi_Syn_HDEO

IF i rode alot in the winter/cold i would go with Rotella 5w40 during those seasons.


Cross reference your oil filter to a car oil filter with a Silicone ADBV- (NAPA gold or FRAM ultra)


Last but not least- Shame on Shell for keeping the waters muddy with their JASO MA spec. (we know they have the money to pay for the spec).. Shell Advance is $15 a quart vs Rotela T at $15 a gallon.

 

[Overfill]

Originally Posted By: Kevinmcc2
So I was just looking online and see a lot of people use Rotella in their motorcycles/atv/dirtbikes and was shocked at how much I could save switching. That being said is there a reason why the 15w-40 T4 is JASO DH-2,MA/MA 2 certified but the 10w-30 is only JASO DH-2?

I was told to only use oils with the JASO MA/MA2 cert?


Like Reddy said, Shell runs the JASO friction test and determines if it meets the category of MA/MA2 (and the others, which evade my mind.) Running the test is far cheaper and simpler to do than to go through the woes of certifying the oils, plus if they do so, they can't keep the certification if they change the blend. I would suppose that many of the HDEOs that aren't stated as "energy conserving" are likely very close in friction coefficients to those that had passed the test for MA. I don't have any direct evidence of that from a HDEO supplier or friction data aside from looking at the metallo-organic content from UOA/VOA as indication of friction modification, and the anectodal comments from just about every user saying they have never had a problem with HDEO causing clutch slippage. [yes I understand that not all friction modifiers contain metallic elements.] Just food for thought.

 

[SuperSalad]

Just FYI

The clutch friction test costs about 8 times as much as the registration costs with JALOS.

$400 for registration compared to about $3000 for the clutch friction test at a commercial lab.

 

[Jeepwm69]

I run the T6 5W40 in my ATV's. I have (IIRC) 23ish Hondas in the yard now. About half of them are projects I've bought cheap to rebuild.

I rebuild, run the T4 15W40 for break in, the switch to T6. No issues at all running it in a wet clutch, and the T6 shifts smoother and runs cooler.

$7/gallon rebate on the T6 right now too.

 

[Overfill]

Originally Posted By: MotoTribologist
Just FYI

The clutch friction test costs about 8 times as much as the registration costs with JALOS.

$400 for registration compared to about $3000 for the clutch friction test at a commercial lab.


I had no idea!

They would have to pay for both to recieve the cert on that formula though, right?
It doesn't seem like a huge fee for a buisness of their size and margins. I would think that the cert would pay for itself very quickly.
I assumed they have the equipment and resources to run this test in their own laboratory, and thus avoid the ~$3000 outsourced testing cost (though not entirely, obviously--there are consumables and manpower for it.)

 

[SuperSalad]

Yes you would need to have the results of the test on hand, report it and all the other test requirements with the registration documents, and then pay the 40,000 Yen (about $400) to have the product added to the registry. I have theories as to why they don't register the product, but it is only speculative at best.

I'm not sure if Shell has the SAE#2 test rig or not in house. They might though which would decrease the cost by some degree. I believe the clutch plates themselves are somewhere around $1500 so that's a set cost.