Rotella 15 40...

[NMills]

Ok... well since finding out i can run rotella in my 400 i'm excited... save some money... i hate payin 6 bucks a quart when i can now get Rotella by the gallon for 11 and change... my question is this... i was only able to get "Triple Protection" Rotella... is that ok?? or am i lookin for regular Rotella??? i read the back and it said nothing about Wet clutches.... so i 'm a litttle concered... any one able to answer that one???

thanks..

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by NMills
Ok... well since finding out i can run rotella in my 400 i'm excited... save some money... i hate payin 6 bucks a quart when i can now get Rotella by the gallon for 11 and change... my question is this... i was only able to get "Triple Protection" Rotella... is that ok?? or am i lookin for regular Rotella??? i read the back and it said nothing about Wet clutches.... so i 'm a litttle concered... any one able to answer that one???

thanks..

I would never reccomend a full synthentic. I will only run Honda GN4, i had clutch slipping problems when running rotella, i switched to GN4 and it worked great!!!

[CJM]

Thats the one I use with no issues at all.

Im not sure why some have issues when they swap oils, only idea I can come up with is the oils didnt like to be mixed (cause your really never fully draining the engine unless you pull the cases apart) and caused issues.

Ive run mobil 1, honda and now rotella. Out of all of them Im happy with rotella. none of them ever caused me any issues, but believe it or not the mobil 1 broke down much faster, after 3-4 rides it was black, the rotella now has 4 rides on it and its still cleaner. The honda is just a synthetic blend and way to much money for what it is.

About my only complaint is the finding neutral with any oil Ive used. My clutch doesnt slip, but imho its worn to a degree b/c finding neutral when I stop is mighty hard. But then again this is a common symptom of all XR/TRX400 engines.

[NMills]

I don't think there's any oil in there... just have the case out and apart..... but as long as it works then i'm gonna use it.. honda is toooooo much money... little *******s....

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by trailrider894
I would never reccomend a full synthentic. I will only run Honda GN4, i had clutch slipping problems when running rotella, i switched to GN4 and it worked great!!!

That is very strange since I have run full synthetic Rotella 5w40 (dark blue bottle) many times in my 400EX with no issues. It is JASO MA compliant, which means it is compatible with wet clutches. For the record, I have also run the conventional Rotella 15w40 with no problems, as do many 400EX owners on this site.

I run it exclusively in my KLX110 with no issues. Also run it in a Honda Rincon 650 with no issues. This particular full syn is also quite popular with the 600/1000 streetbike guys, and they have wet clutches just like we do.

You must have a weak clutch or something else going on there. Both the conventional HDEO 15w40 (white bottle) and the full synthetic 5w40 (blue bottle) Rotellas are proven oils when it comes to wet clutch motors. As long as you are using the 15w40 or 5w40 versions of Rotella, you are good to go, and have chosen one of the best oils you can run in these bikes.

[01 400EXer]

I have ran Rotella for probably 7-8 years and have had ZERO issues with my clutch and have had nothing but good luck with it.

[Pabst_Powered]

I didnt have luck with rotella 15-40, worked fine for just riding around, figured cool this will save me a few bucks. Then I went to the dunes with it and it broke down really fast, my clutch would barely work, changed right back to Honda oil and never had a problem under the same conditions. I say its JUNK...just my .02 cents

[CJM]

Oil absorbs into the friction plates of the clutch, like I said perhaps mixing them it doesnt like it-IDK.

How can you account for people have issues and then others who dont?

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by NMills
I don't think there's any oil in there... just have the case out and apart..... but as long as it works then i'm gonna use it.. honda is toooooo much money... little *******s....

That's the problem with Honda oil, the markup. If you have an inside deal with someone at a dealer, cool. Keep running the Honda oil, and change it as often as possible. It won't hold up as long as some of the better full synthetics out there.

I used to run Honda HP4 when I first got my 400EX. It is decent oil, a conventional and synthetic blend. The problem is back then, it was around $8 a quart. Nowadays it's closer to $9-10 a quart.

Same thing with Honda GN4. Again, decent. But a plain old conventional at a high price. In a super hot running air cooled motor like the 400EX, I want the most durable oil I can find with the best additive package for the best price. GN4 doesn't even come close to being it.

You are running a MUCH higher quality oil even with the conventional Rotella 15w40....for a cheaper price. Why would I pay more for an inferior oil when I know I can get something better for less money?

Here's a couple of quotes from guys over at the bobistheoilguy forums that have run GN4. People over there run different oils in their machines and then submit the used oil samples to a lab that does oil analysis.

"Here is a test of the GN4 (Honda 10W40 1st col) and a few other oils.
It was OK but not great. I won't be spending that much on "motorcycle" oil again."

"GN4 is quite unremarkable. Nothing to get excited about. There are much better oils out there for less $, that you can grab at places other than a Honda dealer."

I'm not saying HP4/GN4 are bad oils. Just that they are good, but not great. And not good for the price at all considering the alternatives out there.

[jake"08"400]

I run hp4 in my bike for two years now.....but I'm thinking of switchen over to a non synthetic.(its getting to expensive now that gas is 4 dollars a gallon) Should I keep running synthetic like I have been are is it safe to do a switch to a conventional oil?

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by jake"08"400
I run hp4 in my bike for two years now.....but I'm thinking of switchen over to a non synthetic.(its getting to expensive now that gas is 4 dollars a gallon) Should I keep running synthetic like I have been are is it safe to do a switch to a conventional oil?

100% safe to switch. Don't even worry about it.

[Thumpin440ex]

If you keep your bike-car-truck ect and do regular PR on on it, synthectics is a joke, waste of money.. Keep clean oil in and you will never have a prob.. I run plain jane 15-40 Rotella in the bike, it runs like a top.. Also run it in my truck, boat, harleys.. It is good stuff..


John

[Stark]

I use bar-n-chain lube.... 40 years and running on the same tank of gas! :p :blah:

[2001400exrida]

Yeah, i run Rotella 15w40 in both of my quads.

For the record, I ran full synthetic in my cbr f4i and it never slipped the clutch at all. It's a wet clutch system also.

[MidnightBlade]

i run the Rotella Triple Protection 15W-40 in mine with absolutely no issues.
In a car i can see running synthetics, but not in something that requires as many oil changes as an EX.
I think it was Valvoline that did a test in a car between their 15W-40 and the 5W-40 synthetic on a 0* day. The 15W-40 took over 10 min to get to the valvetrain and the synthetic got there in a matter of seconds.

[trailrider894]

Hmmm... maybe it was a blend of oils i had. Maybe i'll try the rotella. Is it bad to mix the GN4 with the rotella?

[CJM]

Truthfully IDK, but its my opinion its not smart to mix them. Then again I had no issues just draining and refilling from mobil 1 to rotella about 4 weeks ago

If you really want to get all the oil out of the machine you gotta remove the side covers as there is still oil trapped there.

Could try tilting the quad on its side when you remove the crankcase side oil bolt tho-probably will work.

[Rkangel7]

I've gone from GN4 to Rotella 15w40. So far I like the Rotella much better. Even after several rides the Rotella still looked better coming out than the GN4 looked going in. It always seems that GN4 turns black very quickly, at least for me.

[NMills]

This has turned out to be quite the post... i'm glad i did it... a lot of support... more then i thought... You guys are awesome...

[CJM]

Originally posted by Rkangel7
I've gone from GN4 to Rotella 15w40. So far I like the Rotella much better. Even after several rides the Rotella still looked better coming out than the GN4 looked going in. It always seems that GN4 turns black very quickly, at least for me.

That was my gripe with both honda oils and mobil 1, 1-2 rides and it was black and nasty. So far like half a dozen rides and the rotella still looks clean.

[01 400EXer]

Originally posted by CJM
Truthfully IDK, but its my opinion its not smart to mix them. Then again I had no issues just draining and refilling from mobil 1 to rotella about 4 weeks ago

If you really want to get all the oil out of the machine you gotta remove the side covers as there is still oil trapped there.

Could try tilting the quad on its side when you remove the crankcase side oil bolt tho-probably will work.

I do exactly like the last statement and always tilt my quad. This serves 2 purposes for me, getting a little more oil out and preventing as much from getting on the belly skid.

[hocman123]

u know of all the people that i have seen that have belly plates on any atv i am the only one that has a hole for the crank drain :)

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by trailrider894
Hmmm... maybe it was a blend of oils i had. Maybe i'll try the rotella. Is it bad to mix the GN4 with the rotella?

I guarantee you will not have an issue if you switch. Unless like I said before, you already have some underlying issue like a worn or misadjusted clutch. There is a lot of myth going around when it comes to swapping/mixing oils. I have gone back and forth from full synthetics to conventionals several times, nothing happens lol. Topped off synthetics with conventionals causing a mix, and vice versa...no problems.

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by NacsMXer
I guarantee you will not have an issue if you switch. Unless like I said before, you already have some underlying issue like a worn or misadjusted clutch. There is a lot of myth going around when it comes to swapping/mixing oils. I have gone back and forth from full synthetics to conventionals several times, nothing happens lol. Topped off synthetics with conventionals causing a mix, and vice versa...no problems. sweet!! Where is rotella sold?

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by Rkangel7
I've gone from GN4 to Rotella 15w40. So far I like the Rotella much better. Even after several rides the Rotella still looked better coming out than the GN4 looked going in. It always seems that GN4 turns black very quickly, at least for me.

That is because the Rotella has a higher viscosity index than GN4. Again, this is what you get with higher quality oils and is one of the main reasons I stick to full synthetics in my 400.

Say you are running some 10w40 GN4 in your engine. After a certain amount of time, the oil will break down and begin to shear out of grade. Soon it will become a 30 weight oil....run it longer and it will shear down to a 20 weight etc. The 400EX is designed to use 40 and 50 weight oils. Anything less, and you are basically inducing premature physical wear on the motor b/c the oil is so thin and worn out. The oil turning black quickly is one sign of that. Having run nothing but full synthetic in my motor for a while it has NEVER turned black...I change it before it could ever get to that point. It always comes out dark brown at the worst (but still honey colored). The color of the oil is a good visual indicator of when it's shot.

A better quality oil with a higher viscosity index will resist shearing out of grade much longer. In turn, the oil protects the motor better in the long run.

Unless you are sending samples of your used motor oil to a lab for oil analysis, you don't know much about how the oil is holding up, and exactly how much wear is occurring inside your motor.

So if you want to run a lesser quality conventional, you would be smart to err on the side of caution and change that stuff often! More often than you think; 2-3 rides max if you aren't flogging the motor each ride. But if you practice say MX a lot, and are ripping it corner to corner all day long, don't expect that oil to hold up for more than a day. Sure, it'll still be "usable" but there's a good chance your 10w40 is now a 10w30.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by trailrider894
sweet!! Where is rotella sold?

Walk into any Walmart. 15w40 heavy duty conventional in the white bottle or 5w40 full synthetic in the dark blue bottle. The full synthetic used to be a lot cheaper but the price jacked up all over the country on it. The price for the conventional version has stayed pretty much the same. Pick your flavor :D

[step869]

ive ran this for years 0 probs!!

and i actully run rekluse z start pro in all my machines and they rec this oil as well

good luck......

[trailrider894]

Whats the best oil for mx? or what about Kal-Gards oils?

[01 400EXer]

Originally posted by hocman123
u know of all the people that i have seen that have belly plates on any atv i am the only one that has a hole for the crank drain :)

I have the hole but it still can be messy if I don't tilt the quad.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by trailrider894
Whats the best oil for mx? or what about Kal-Gards oils?

I have never heard of Kal-Gard. I searched and didn't find much info on it.


Some of my top picks for MX oils in the 400EX:
(50 weights are best in the summer months when it's 85 degrees +)

- Maxima Maxum 4 Extra 15w50 (group V ester-based full synthetic)--Current favorite.

- Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10w40, 15w50, and 20w50 (group IV PAO-based full synthetic)

- Amsoil 10w40 and 20w50 (group IV PAO-based full synthetic)

- Shell Rotella T 5w40 (group III hydrocracked petroleum-based synthetic)

- Shell Rotella T 15w40 heavy duty conventional (won't hold up as long to the heat as full synthetic, change more often)

[Cruiser78]

I run 5-40 in my Victory 8-Ball (wet clutch) with a 100 cubic inch motor & the clutch has never slipped & believe me I have rode it hard. It's over 800 lbs. & I've pulled the front wheel off the ground. I didn't even think about putting in my EX but I know I will from now on.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by Cruiser78
I run 5-40 in my Victory 8-Ball (wet clutch) with a 100 cubic inch motor & the clutch has never slipped & believe me I have road it hard. It's over 800 lbs. & I've pulled the front wheel off the ground. I didn't even think about putting in my EX but I know I will from now on.

Yep it's JASO MA compliant which means it passes the test for wet clutch use in motorcycles. The 400EX definitely likes this oil, my engine ran and shifted quite smooth when I had the 5w40 Rotella synthetic in it.

Quite versatile oil as well. Like I said I run it exclusively in my KLX110 pitbike and have even run it in my F-150 pickup.