Real world "Rekluse owners and oil brand opinions"

[usmcpaul]

I just bought a Rekluse for my 05 YZF450 and was looking for "real world' opinions about which oil to run. Please tell me how long you have had your Rekluse, what oils you have tried, your service intervals, and your opinions.

My searches have come up with many threads that get off topic and lead into "the Great Oil Debate". So please lets not start that.

I have searched and found that many say that Rotella stinks when hot, and they change it after every ride. Is anyone out there using Maxima oil with their Rekluse? I am currently running that in my engine and have no complaints. If you have used it with a Rekluse , how did it work?

I know that Rekluse recommends using Rotella, and if that the best ..fine, it will make life easier for me, because I run that in my truck also, so I always have plenty of it laying around.

I don't care about price, I figure it's "just the cost of doing business". I will gladly pay 10 bucks a quart for oil, if I can get a longer service life from it. I don't want to have to change the oil after every ride, if I can avoid it.

I am considering switching to Amsoil, but haven't read about many guys running it with a Rekluse?

I track ride for the most part, and I am not exactly the fastest guy around, I just like to jump.

[ombomb]

I have used the Rotella and had excellent results. I have used Klotz and the clutch squeeled a ton. my2c

[080]

Here's my opinion. I used rottela in my crf450 for 3 1/2 years with no problem as well to date in my rm250 and it works fine. In both cases I would start to feel the auto clutch slipping at about 6-7 hrs (vescosity break down I guess). Keep in mind both cases its use is only in the tranny. For my 07' yz450 the oil is shared both motor/tranny and probably the reason I could only get 3-4 hrs out of the it before I noticed any slipping. I have tried the MB1-R, Amsoil, and they both allowed 6-7 hrs before any slipping was noticed. It depends alot to I guess on how hard you are on the clutch so different riders are going to experiance different outcomes. Either way this is what works for me, hope that helps.

[TD-3]

I have been using Rotella in all my bikes for 4 years with no oil related issues. I change it every other ride regardless of the run time, although most rides are in the 20 to 60 mile range. The auto clutch works great using Rotella.

[642MX]

I've had the older z-start Rekluse and now I have the Pro version. I use Rotella per Rekluses recommendation. I also change it every ride. No slipping here, even with the big bore kit...same deal on the wifey's 290F.

My boss has a YZ450 with the z-start (older version) and he is all about Amsoil.... and I can't count how many times he burned up the fibers in it. I've even replaced his fibers and set the gap and it still burns them... I have no hard evidence, but I think its the oil.... but he won't listen.

My best advice is to use the Rotella... it works, its recommended by Rekuse and its used by thousands of us. ?

[usmcpaul]

Thanks guys for the replies.

Judging from the responses thus far, I am leaning towards the Rotella.

Besides it cant smell too much worse than I do, after a day of riding:lol:

One other question is; are you guys talking about the 'Rotella' or the

'Rotella T'? From the way I understand it, the "T" version is synthetic, I run just the regular stuff in my truck.

Any other experiences in the matter would be greatly appreciated.?

[642MX]

One other question is; are you guys talking about the 'Rotella' or the

'Rotella T'? From the way I understand it, the "T" version is synthetic, I run just the regular stuff in my truck.

I use the Rotella T 15W40 dino oil. Its in a white jug.

The Rotella synthetic also has a "T", but its in a blue jug and its a 5W40, not a 15W.

[usmcpaul]

I use the Rotella T 15W40 dino oil. Its in a white jug.

The Rotella synthetic also has a "T", but its in a blue jug and its a 5W40, not a 15W.

Thanks, I did not know that. I just get the stuff in the white jug for my truck.

So I assume you use the 15-40 with your rekluse?

edit: sorry I did not read your post close enough; you already answered my question.

[ombomb]

I use the 5w 40 synthetic. blue jug

[LVThumper]

I was using the Rotella synthetic in my bike ('01 426) and my buddy was running the same in his '06 yz450 for over a year and it worked great!! When I changed the piston out (after WAY too many hours) the cylinder walls still looked brand new! We both made a switch to Mobil 1 4t full synthetic in both our bikes, almost a year ago, as we were preparing for Vegas to Reno this past August, and it last much longer with no noteable slippage. We both changed the oil after every 100 miles on the Rotella, it's cheap insurance, but on longer races (120+ miles) by the end, the oil was spent. It always made me nervous to push it very hard if I was worried about going much more than 100 miles. The Mobil 1 4t was recommended by Grayracer, and we haven't switched back. It is a bit more spendy, but seems to be worth it.

PS - We will be running it again in the race bike for Vegas to Reno '09. This year it's 3 days at 300 - 350 miles a day!! ?

[DMC707]

I havent had my clutch on long, but i put in some straight 30 weight dino oil (quaker state i think--- it was a Sunday and i really had no other alternative) and it was only good for 2 hours before the shifting quality degraded ----------- so it will be Rotella for me from here on out

[usmcpaul]

Thanks guys, based on my other research, and this thread, I am going to go with Rotella synthetic for now.

Now I hope I like the Rekluse as much as I think I will.?

LVthumper; that ride sounds like a blast, I have read about it before. I sure envy you west coasters. Good Luck.

[cubera]

Maxima MTL 85wt

[642MX]

Maxima MTL 85wt

You use 85wt in a YZF?

[grayracer513]

Maxima MTL 85wt

This is what happens when a Honda guy starts handing out advice for an engine he doesn't know about.

The Honda has the luxury of using dedicated gear oil in the trans, whereas the Yamaha and most others share the same oil between the trans and engine, so it has to use engine oil. That's also the reason a YZF needs its oil changed often; most engine oils get beat up in transmissions and loose their viscosity because they aren't blended for that use. A few are, among them, Amsoil MCF/MCV amd Mobil 1 Racing 4T/V Twin, most Maxima oils, and some others. More are following along. The Amsoil products mentioned are actually labeled for transmission use, and carry the API GL-1 grade in addition to their engine oil gradings.

This accounts in part for the favorable remarks earlier in the thread concerning the durability of the Amsoil and Mobil oils.

[642MX]

This is what happens when a Honda guy starts handing out advice for an engine he doesn't know about.

Thats what I thought. ?

[642MX]

Thanks guys, based on my other research, and this thread, I am going to go with Rotella synthetic for now.

Paul- Keep in mind that Rekluse doesn't recommend synthetics. It has something to do with the synthetic being too slick for the different clamping pressure the Rekluse creates. I'd stick with the 15W40.

[grayracer513]

It has something to do with the synthetic being too slick

Good Frickin' Grief. How many times does a myth need to be debunked before it goes away and dies?

SYNTHETICS ARE NOT "SLICKER" THAN PETROLEUM OILS unless they are friction modified, API Energy Conserving Class II (labeled EC II) oils. You will find any number of synthetic oils labeled JASO MA (or MA1, MA2 now), indicating they conform to industry standards for wet clutches of every kind, and the fact is that the base oil stock in many synthetics is chemically distinguishable from many petroleum engine oils only by its purity (there being no impurities to remove, because none were put in when it was "built"). Whenever you hear anyone say anything along the lines of "synthetic oil is slicker than dino oil", you should nod your head and ignore it. It's categorically false, and calls their credibility into question.

Besides, you have two users in this thread who have stated that the synthetics they used worked better for them.

[642MX]

Good Frickin' Grief. How many times does a myth need to be debunked before it goes away and dies?

SYNTHETICS ARE NOT "SLICKER" THAN PETROLEUM OILS unless they are friction modified, API Energy Conserving Class II (labeled EC II) oils. You will find any number of synthetic oils labeled JASO MA (or MA1, MA2 now), indicating they conform to industry standards for wet clutches of every kind, and the fact is that the base oil stock in many synthetics is chemically distinguishable from many petroleum engine oils only by its purity (there being no impurities to remove, because none were put in when it was "built"). Whenever you hear anyone say anything along the lines of "synthetic oil is slicker than dino oil", you should nod your head and ignore it. It's categorically false, and calls their credibility into question.

Besides, you have two users in this thread who have stated that the synthetics they used worked better for them.

Don't shoot the messenger.... this isn't my theory, its the engineers at Rekluse. ?

[grayracer513]

Don't shoot the messenger.... this isn't my theory, its the engineers at Rekluse. ?

Doesn't matter who said it, or who repeats it, it's just as wrong, regardless. My guess is they're blowing smoke up your chute to get you to use an oil they know will work because they don't know why the clutch misbehaves with some other oils. Don't buy into BS, regardless of where it comes from.