Is Running Diesel Oil in Your Spyder such a good idea?

[jcthorne]

Friend of mine runs it in him and his wife's bike. I called several dealers in the Phoenix area, and they both told me DO NOT run diesel oil in a Spyder, because if you have a warranty, and you have an engine problem and take it in to a dealer, the first thing they are told to do is to send the oil out to be analyzed, and if it shows anything other than the recommended oil, the warranty will NOT cover anything on repairs.

Shell Rotella T6 IS the recomended spec oil. Also after having an engine failure due to oil pump drive bearings failing (a manufacturing defect) BRP did indeed ask for maintenance records and tested the oil. The Shell Rotella T6 was perfectly acceptable and they quickly authorized the $12k cost of the engine replacement.

 

[troop]

Technically speaking, Shell Rotella T6 does not meet BRP required specs. BRP manual clearly states:
Use a 5W40 4-stroke SAE synthetic engine oil meeting or exceeding the following lubricant industry specifications: API service classification SJ,SL, SM or SN. Always check the API service label certification on the oil container, it must contain at least one of the indicated standards.
Shell Rotella T6 container API service label shows only API service CK-4. Shell clearly identifies Rotella T6 as a heavy duty diesel engine oil. Therefore, all of its certifications are for diesel engines (CH/CI/CJ/CK) and not for automotive/motorcycle oils ( SJ/SL/SM/SN).
Shell does however state that it "meets the performance requirements of JASO MA/MA2".
Again, gets back to my last post about showing me an oil related catastrophic engine failure...

 

[EdMat]

Do you plan to ride your Spyder WELL past 100,000 miles? If so, you might want to get picky about what oil you use. Otherwise just use an oil that meets the specs.

 

[Cobranut]

Shell Rotella T6 5W40 meets all BRP lubrication specs including JASO MA2 for motorcycle wet clutch applications. Its NOT just a diesel oil and is a full synthetic that just happens to be tested to meet several specifications.

The rotella t4 in the video is a very different oil and does NOT meet the specs. Not recommended.

Thanks. I was referring to the T6.

 

[TheMariner]

Shell Rotella T6 5W40 meets all BRP lubrication specs including JASO MA2 for motorcycle wet clutch applications. Its NOT just a diesel oil and is a full synthetic that just happens to be tested to meet several specifications.

Exactly! The same thing applies for a lot of brands of oils, not just Shell Rotella T6.

Oils certified for Diesel applications have extra detergents to clean & hold combustion by-products in suspension and things like zinc for better wear resistance... which is actually a bonus rather than a problem.

 

[jcthorne]

Technically speaking, Shell Rotella T6 does not meet BRP required specs. BRP manual clearly states:
Use a 5W40 4-stroke SAE synthetic engine oil meeting or exceeding the following lubricant industry specifications: API service classification SJ,SL, SM or SN. Always check the API service label certification on the oil container, it must contain at least one of the indicated standards.
Shell Rotella T6 container API service label shows only API service CK-4. Shell clearly identifies Rotella T6 as a heavy duty diesel engine oil. Therefore, all of its certifications are for diesel engines (CH/CI/CJ/CK) and not for automotive/motorcycle oils ( SJ/SL/SM/SN).
Shell does however state that it "meets the performance requirements of JASO MA/MA2".
Again, gets back to my last post about showing me an oil related catastrophic engine failure...

If you had taken the time to actually read the product specs, you would find it also carries a long list of other specs its tested for. SN and JASO MA2 (which requires an S series (gasoline) rating as well) are both included. The product also has a motorcycle on the label and its specifically marketed for motorcycle use.

Again, Shell Rotella T6 IS the oil the BRP specs require and it's been accepted by BRP as part of more than one engine warranty claim over the years.

 

[troop]

Again, I have taken the time to read the specs. This comes directly from Shell Rotella .. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://shop.sclubricants.com/pub/media/pds/shell/Shell-Rotella-T6-5W-40-datasheet.pdf
And, yes there is a motorcycle picture on the front of the bottle as it states on the back of the bottle that T6 Rotella 5w40 "meets performance requirements of JASO MA/MA2". Just as on the back of the bottle, the API label shows only API service CK4.
Just as the BRP manual clearly shows "Use a 5W40 4-stroke SAE synthetic engine oil meeting or exceeding the following lubricant industry specifications: API service classification SJ,SL, SM or SN. Always check the API service label certification on the oil container, it must contain at least one of the indicated standards."
Again, I don't believe anyone will have an oil related motor issue using Rotella T6 5w40. Hell, I only use 10w40 as 5w40 oils tend to shear down very quickly.

 

[RogerC60]

On the Shell Rotella website, every weight of the T6 has is own spec sheet. It looks like 5W-30 and 15W-40 carry the API-SN rating, the others do not. Maybe this is intentional, maybe it's sloppy proofreading. I would bet on the former.

 

[troop]

On the Shell Rotella website, every weight of the T6 has is own spec sheet. It looks like 5W-30 and 15W-40 carry the API-SN rating, the others do not. Maybe this is intentional, maybe it's sloppy proofreading. I would bet on the former.

If I missed that I apologize. It is not listed on their data sheet, nor shown on their API service label on the 1 gallon jug.

 

[RogerC60]

If I missed that I apologize. It is not listed on their data sheet, nor shown on their API service label on the 1 gallon jug.

Well somebody said it was SN, you said it was not. Not placing any blame, There's a lot of confusing information out there, and I just wanted to find out for myself. I've been using Mobil-1 in my BMW boxer bike (dry clutch), but when it's time for an oil change for my Spyder I want to know what I can use. Mobil-1 doesn't meet JASO MA2 so I'm looking towards the Rotella T6.

And I just noticed in the owner's manual for my 2024 RTL that it calls for an oil meeting either API-SN or JASO MA2. It says this in two different places. So based on this, the Mobil-1 would work in my Spyder since it meets API-SN.

Is this a case of "you can't trust the BRP documentation"?

 

[PDXRTL]

I think I finally figured out the point troop is making. The T6 15w40 jug in my garage (the oil I used for many years in the V-Strom I no longer own) has a line that specifies Meets API Service with a bunch of standards including SN and another line that says it meets the performance requirements of JASO MA/MA2. As many of you have stated.

But the little API donut circle, the API label, only lists API Service CK-4.

So Shell claims SN. But to troop's point, the official API label only indicates CK-4.

 

[Cobranut]

I think I finally figured out the point troop is making. The T6 15w40 jug in my garage (the oil I used for many years in the V-Strom I no longer own) has a line that specifies Meets API Service with a bunch of standards including SN and another line that says it meets the performance requirements of JASO MA/MA2. As many of you have stated.

But the little API donut circle, the API label, only lists API Service CK-4.

So Shell claims SN. But to troop's point, the official API label only indicates CK-4.

At one time, all API spec updates were supposed to include all previous API specs. I don't know for sure if that is still true, particularly with all the formulations for direct injection engines and their special needs.
If that little circle had to list every previous spec, it would be larger than the bottle.

 

[troop]

Well somebody said it was SN, you said it was not. Not placing any blame, There's a lot of confusing information out there, and I just wanted to find out for myself. I've been using Mobil-1 in my BMW boxer bike (dry clutch), but when it's time for an oil change for my Spyder I want to know what I can use. Mobil-1 doesn't meet JASO MA2 so I'm looking towards the Rotella T6.

And I just noticed in the owner's manual for my 2024 RTL that it calls for an oil meeting either API-SN or JASO MA2. It says this in two different places. So based on this, the Mobil-1 would work in my Spyder since it meets API-SN.

Is this a case of "you can't trust the BRP documentation"?

Are you talking about M1 4T motorcycle racing oil? If so, the back of the bottle states API SN and JASO MA/MA2. The link below is for Walmart, which shows the back of the bottle. That said, I'm going against my anti 5w40 oil use. I just bought (5) quarts of Amsoil 5w40 metric motorcycle oil to try on my next oil change. I will send it in for an oil analysis, but it won't be till next year. Damn oil threads

Robot or human?

 

[crna59]

How about a thread that asks: Anyone have an oil related catastrophic engine failure? If so, brand and weight of oil?

I like this guy...

 

[KX5062]

An oil thread? It's not even winter.

 

[jcthorne]

Again, I have taken the time to read the specs. This comes directly from Shell Rotella .. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://shop.sclubricants.com/pub/media/pds/shell/Shell-Rotella-T6-5W-40-datasheet.pdf
And, yes there is a motorcycle picture on the front of the bottle as it states on the back of the bottle that T6 Rotella 5w40 "meets performance requirements of JASO MA/MA2". Just as on the back of the bottle, the API label shows only API service CK4.
Just as the BRP manual clearly shows "Use a 5W40 4-stroke SAE synthetic engine oil meeting or exceeding the following lubricant industry specifications: API service classification SJ,SL, SM or SN. Always check the API service label certification on the oil container, it must contain at least one of the indicated standards."
Again, I don't believe anyone will have an oil related motor issue using Rotella T6 5w40. Hell, I only use 10w40 as 5w40 oils tend to shear down very quickly.

You missed my point entirely. Rotella T6 5W40 (not 15W40) meets and is tested to many more specs than are listed on the bottle. Refer to the Shell technical specification for the rest of them. I will try to attach a copy but SN and JASO MA2 are among the included specs. So it DOES meet the BRP specs as it IS SN rated.