Shell Rotella T

Shell Rotella T is a line of heavy duty engine lubrication products produced by Shell Oil Company. The line includes engine oils, gear oils and coolants. The oil carries both the American Petroleum Institute (API) diesel "C" rating as well as the API gasoline engine "S" rating. Ratings differ based on the oil.

Product lineup

The Rotella product family is categorized by Shell into the following product families:
* Engine oils
* Coolants
* Tractor fluid (a universal transmission, gear, hydraulic, and wet brake fluid)
* Gear oil

In the engine oil family, there are four basic oil sub-families:
* Multigrade conventional oil -- in SAE 10W-30 and 15W-40 viscosity ranges
* Multigrade synthetic oil -- in SAE 5W-40
* Single grade conventional oil -- in SAE 20, 30, 40 and 50
* Synthetic blend oil

Both the multigrade conventional oil (10W-30 and 15W-40) and the synthetic SAE 5W-40 meet the newest API certification of CJ-4/SM.

Shell is marketing their new CJ-4/SM oil as "Triple Protection," meaning it provides enhanced qualities for engine wear, soot control and engine cleanliness. Shell's Rotella website indicates that on-road testing confirms the new Triple Protection technology produces better anti-wear characteristics than their existing CI-4+ rated Rotella oil. This is achieved despite a lower zinc and phosphorus additive level as called for by the API CJ-4 specification. (The 15W-40 Rotella T with Triple Protection oil has approximately 1200 ppm of zinc and 1100 ppm phosphorus at the time of manufacture.)

Competitors

Rotella competes with similar lubrication products from other oil manufacturers. Two notable competitive products are:
* Mobil Delvac
* Chevron Delo

Motorcycle usage

Though marketed as an engine oil for diesel trucks, Rotella oil has found popularity with motorcyclists as well. The properties of heavy duty engine oils tend to map to the same requirements of motorcycle oils, particularly those whose engine and transmission share the same oil. (This is called a "shared sump" design, which is unlike automobiles which maintain separate oil reservoirs - one for the engine and one for the transmission). The chemical additives found in heavy duty engine oils work well with motorcycles. In addition, the lack of "friction modifiers" in truck oils such as Rotella means they do not interfere with proper wet clutch operations.

Though not yet officially announced by Shell, posts in various motorcycle-related forums cite e-mail confirmation from Shell that Rotella 15W-40 CJ-4 has been tested and shown to meet the JASO-MA friction test. This particular certification is important for motorcycles because of the clutch design which is bathed in the engine oil. This is known as a "wet clutch." Oils that have excessive "friction modifiers" tend to make wet clutches slip. Indication that Rotella T Triple Protection passes the JASO-MA friction test offers one more reason to seriously consider Rotella T for motorcycle use.

Motorcycle specific oils tend to cost between $8 and $10 per quart. Shell Rotella T 15W-40 costs about $10 per "gallon" (or about $2.50/quart). The price economy of Shell Rotella T allows a motorcycle owner to change oil more frequently, thus matching the "extended change interval" value of motorcycle specific synthetics.

External links

* http://rotella.com