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    Rotella T4,T5, or T6?

    The Rotella threads are making my head spin. The wife is going to Sam’s club tomorrow. I would join her but I’m headed to a motorcycle swap meet in Harrisburg that is in the opposite direction. Anyway, I noticed last time at Sam’s, they have Rotella, and I’ve been wanting to switch. According to their website, they have:
    T4 - 15W-40
    T5 - 15W-40
    T6 - 5W-40

    I’m not sure what to tell her to get.

    My apologies for starting another oil thread. Just really confused.

    Rich
    1982 GS 750TZ
    2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

    BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
    Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

    #2
    I've used the t4 and t6
    T6 seemed to burn off I was often topping up
    T4 is fine and cheaper.
    1983 GS 550 LD
    2009 BMW K1300s

    Comment


      #3
      Been using T6 for five years in the CBX.
      2@ \'78 GS1000

      Comment


        #4
        All good. T6 affords extended change intervals and since the cold viscosity is lower it flows better for cold starts. T4 is perfectly adequate for most people that don't ride in the winter though.
        Ed

        To measure is to know.

        Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

        Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

        Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

        KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

        Comment


          #5
          Ed, I do try to ride through the winter when a nice sunny day happens and it’s over 40deg. F or so. In that case I should definitely use the T6?
          Rich
          1982 GS 750TZ
          2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

          BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
          Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Rich82GS750TZ View Post
            Ed, I do try to ride through the winter when a nice sunny day happens and it’s over 40deg. F or so. In that case I should definitely use the T6?
            T4 (15W-40) is fine at 40F. The manual has an oil chart and Suzuki shows 20W-50 with a lower temp range of 14F.
            Ed

            To measure is to know.

            Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

            Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

            Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

            KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

            Comment


              #7
              T4 is OK if you have a roller bottom end
              If you don't have a roller bottom end, buy motorcycle oil.

              Rotella is NOT good oil, Rotella is CHEAP oil... and the reason you wanted Rotella was higher levels of ZDDP or Zinc dialkyldithiophosphates, and Rotella was reformulated a couple of years ago and it doesn't have high ZDDP anymore.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by bitzz View Post
                T4 is OK if you have a roller bottom end
                If you don't have a roller bottom end, buy motorcycle oil.

                Rotella is NOT good oil, Rotella is CHEAP oil... and the reason you wanted Rotella was higher levels of ZDDP or Zinc dialkyldithiophosphates, and Rotella was reformulated a couple of years ago and it doesn't have high ZDDP anymore.
                One wonders how all those plain bearing cranks survived.
                Rotella t4 is just fine.
                OIL THREAD!!!!!!!
                1983 GS 550 LD
                2009 BMW K1300s

                Comment


                  #9
                  Head spinning again. Who knows if a 80 750E or 82 750T has a plain or roller bearing crank?
                  Rich
                  1982 GS 750TZ
                  2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

                  BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
                  Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Rich82GS750TZ View Post
                    Head spinning again. Who knows if a 80 750E or 82 750T has a plain or roller bearing crank?
                    Plain both and t4 is fine
                    1983 GS 550 LD
                    2009 BMW K1300s

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Agree, T4 is fine. Motorcycle oil is a money grab.
                      Ed

                      To measure is to know.

                      Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                      Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                      Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                      KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Thanks all. Sam’s was out of stock. Have to run errands tomorrow, pick up a new oil filter at the Suziki dealer. Will find T4 at Walmart probably.
                        Rich
                        1982 GS 750TZ
                        2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

                        BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
                        Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Nessism View Post
                          Agree, T4 is fine. Motorcycle oil is a money grab.
                          I use the OEM specced oil in my kbike and t4 or a comparable spec diesel oil in my old bike.
                          The old bike is plain bearing but it has something on the order of 60 psi in the oil system. Dont lug and change at proper intervals and any old GS will likely outlive its current rider. It may outlive the age of petroleum powered transport.

                          BMW is an evil money machine the OEM spec oil is a castrol product. They later ended the association with Castrol and started hawking a slightly upgraded spec under an in house label. Its the same engine same tolerances etc but they trick rich stupid people into throwing money away. Oddly I can occasionally score the Castrol product at walmart for 12 or so bucks a litre. Walmart may reduce to clear but I doubt they ever sell at a loss. BMW advantec is currently 21.99 on amazon.ca but I would be leery of buying it as the price is so high at the dealer people might be counterfeiting it.

                          Joe Minton had a nice article years ago on plain bearing and how they work and fail. Clean oil and no lugging and your crank journals are floated in oil and the babbit does not get scored.
                          1983 GS 550 LD
                          2009 BMW K1300s

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Cipher View Post
                            I use the OEM specced oil in my kbike and t4 or a comparable spec diesel oil in my old bike.
                            The old bike is plain bearing but it has something on the order of 60 psi in the oil system. Dont lug and change at proper intervals and any old GS will likely outlive its current rider. It may outlive the age of petroleum powered transport.

                            BMW is an evil money machine the OEM spec oil is a castrol product. They later ended the association with Castrol and started hawking a slightly upgraded spec under an in house label. Its the same engine same tolerances etc but they trick rich stupid people into throwing money away. Oddly I can occasionally score the Castrol product at walmart for 12 or so bucks a litre. Walmart may reduce to clear but I doubt they ever sell at a loss. BMW advantec is currently 21.99 on amazon.ca but I would be leery of buying it as the price is so high at the dealer people might be counterfeiting it.

                            Joe Minton had a nice article years ago on plain bearing and how they work and fail. Clean oil and no lugging and your crank journals are floated in oil and the babbit does not get scored.
                            99.9% of all engines use plain journal bearings.

                            Regarding roller bearing cranks, some people claim that the rollers can skid instead of roll in some situations if the wrong oil is used. Pretty sure "wrong oil" doesn't included Rotella though. In fact, I'm not sure what oil is "wrong." Maybe those with friction modifiers like EC car oils? The same oils that damage wet clutches, which Rotella doesn't.
                            Ed

                            To measure is to know.

                            Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                            Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                            Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                            KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I’ve used many types of oil in my GSs over the years. At first it was whatever Mobil oil my father had in the barrel in the garage for his construction equipment. Next was ridiculously overpriced moto specific synthetic. I then used the Rotella synthetic for quite some time. Last go, I used the non synthetic to save a few bucks. Both the world and the 1150 are still spinning.
                              sigpic
                              When consulting the magic 8 ball for advice, one must first ask it "will your answers be accurate?"

                              Glen
                              -85 1150 es - Plus size supermodel.
                              -Rusty old scooter.
                              Other things I like to photograph.....instagram.com/gs_junkie
                              https://www.instagram.com/glen_brenner/
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