What happened to Rotella stock? | GTAMotorcycle.com

What happened to Rotella stock?

M

MaksTO

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Maybe this is only an issue for my oil-burning KLR self. But I've noticed I cant find Rotella T4 in Toronto Canadian Tires other than the HUGE 18L pales, for which I'd also need to invest in a transfer pump...

Anyone happen to know anything about this? Do you think they are phasing it out, or just low stock temporarily? I really need to do an oil change and don't want to get anything more expensive given the amount of oil I burn at highway speeds now... almost 60k on the odometer!!!

I know I need to do a bore, but between that, thermobob, and bore and hone and my labour I'm looking at a grand which I just can't stomach right now :$
 
Use any 15w40 then. No oil of that viscosity has the "energy conserving" additives that are trouble for wet clutches.

Your engine isn't highly stressed enough for the difference between Rotella non-synthetic and the cheapest available non-synthetic to matter.
 
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I get my T6 off Amazon as I find it’s priced the same as CT sale price. Free shipping and arrives in 1-2 day. Try looking online.
 
Save money and buy the 18L pail.

No need for a transfer pump, just roll pour it into a smaller container.

2 min 15 sec for pertinent info.

 
Now that you mention it, this sounds vaguely familiar. This is all I could find, but I'm not sure where it originally crossed my radar

www.cumminsforum.com

Shell Rotella Shortage

www.cumminsforum.com www.cumminsforum.com

That said, if you want to pick up T4 at retail, don't forget to also check Parts Source, Peavymart (TSC), Walmart, Shell gas stations with a walk-in convenience store attached, etc. I'm sure there's lots more places, it is common enough that it doesn't really register on my eyeballs most of the time
 
Brian P said:
Use any 15w40 then. No oil of that viscosity has the "energy conserving" additives that are trouble for wet clutches.

Your engine isn't highly stressed enough for the difference between Rotella non-synthetic and the cheapest available non-synthetic to matter.
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Considering it's more expensive, I have often wondered if there's something special about motorcycle oil that makes it better than a good automotive oil. Do you know if the API service ratings are different?
 
Freddy Fudpucker said:
Considering it's more expensive, I have often wondered if there's something special about motorcycle oil that makes it better than a good automotive oil. Do you know if the API service ratings are different?
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For the most part, I don't believe in "motorcycle" oils. Get oil that meets your required rating (viscosity, API, manufacturer specific rating, etc), be careful of oils that advertise special low-friction voodoo as they may make your wet clutch slip and you should be good to go.
 
MaksTO said:
Maybe this is only an issue for my oil-burning KLR self. But I've noticed I cant find Rotella T4 in Toronto Canadian Tires other than the HUGE 18L pales, for which I'd also need to invest in a transfer pump...

Anyone happen to know anything about this? Do you think they are phasing it out, or just low stock temporarily? I really need to do an oil change and don't want to get anything more expensive given the amount of oil I burn at highway speeds now... almost 60k on the odometer!!!

I know I need to do a bore, but between that, thermobob, and bore and hone and my labour I'm looking at a grand which I just can't stomach right now :$
Click to expand...
The motomaster synthetic diesel oil is as good or better than the Rotella

Sent using a thumb maybe 2
 
Freddy Fudpucker said:
Considering it's more expensive, I have often wondered if there's something special about motorcycle oil that makes it better than a good automotive oil. Do you know if the API service ratings are different?
Click to expand...
I've been down this rabbit hole so many times that I am a bit surprised that I don't have the JASO-MA/JASO-MA2 spec memorized anymore. IIRC it adds a friction test, a maximum for sulfated ash content that isn't as relevant as it used to be (e.g. I think pretty much everything clears it now), and... a higher limit for ZDDP (that is also not relevant because of course if something both JASO-MA2 and API SL compliant, it's going to follow the lower limit).

There is an aspect to motorcycle oils that is not really nailed down in specs, and that is increased shear stability is desirable due to solid valvetrains and high RPMs. How much of this benefit you get in any given motorcycle oil is up to the vendor and the quality of the oil.

Also worth nothing that the owner's manual for your Tracer 900 GT only specifies "API service SG type or higher, JASO standard MA". So Yamaha doesn't even require the newer, supposedly more cat-friendly JASO-MA2, and SG is the oldest API that is allowed under JASO MA. The oil your bike specifies is not required to be any better than what Honda specified for my 2006 919, a bike that is 13 years older and doesn't even have a cat.

Addendum: Yamaha specifies a more sane 4000 mile oil change interval for your bike.... Honda suggested 8000 miles (12,800 km) for mine which I choose to laugh at
 
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TwistedKestrel said:
I've been down this rabbit hole so many times that I am a bit surprised that I don't have the JASO-MA/JASO-MA2 spec memorized anymore. IIRC it adds a friction test, a maximum for sulfated ash content that isn't as relevant as it used to be (e.g. I think pretty much everything clears it now), and... a higher limit for ZDDP (that is also not relevant because of course if something both JASO-MA2 and API SL compliant, it's going to follow the lower limit).

There is an aspect to motorcycle oils that is not really nailed down in specs, and that is increased shear stability is desirable due to solid valvetrains and high RPMs. How much of this benefit you get in any given motorcycle oil is up to the vendor and the quality of the oil.

Also worth nothing that the owner's manual for your Tracer 900 GT only specifies "API service SG type or higher, JASO standard MA". So Yamaha doesn't even require the newer, supposedly more cat-friendly JASO-MA2, and SG is the oldest API that is allowed under JASO MA. The oil your bike specifies is not required to be any better than what Honda specified for my 2006 919, a bike that is 13 years older and doesn't even have a cat.

Addendum: Yamaha specifies a more sane 4000 mile oil change interval for your bike.... Honda suggested 8000 miles (12,800 km) for mine which I choose to laugh at
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Awesome, very informative, thanks so much. FWIW I recently bought Mobil semi-synthetic for my 6000 km oil change which will happen next spring.
 
Soulcatcher668 said:
Save money and buy the 18L pail.

No need for a transfer pump, just roll pour it into a smaller container.

2 min 15 sec for pertinent info.

Click to expand...

I remember long, long ago when I worked at Canadian Tire in the Parts Department I used to teach this "hack" to customers. People's minds would explode when you told them that if they just held that 1L jug of oil the opposite of what they assumed was right....and all of a sudden you didn't even need a funnel anymore in many cases.

I still see people trying to pour bottles the wrong way all the time.
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