Ducati tech says not to use Redline oil?

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92GTA

92GTA

Joined
Mar 16, 2012
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So my 899 is at the dealership getting it's 7,500 mile service and I took them the Redline oil I wanted them to use. Same oil I put in at ~4,200 miles.

I just got a call from the tech saying that Ducati came out with a bulletin a few years ago that specifically says warranties will be void if Redline is used. When I asked for details and if it was an issue with the new superquadro engine series, all he had to say was that he knew personally of a 1098 and that it was also related to living at high RPM doing racing.

I was polite and listened then I told him to continue to use the Redline oil I supplied. He was trying to sell me on Shell saying they don't use the Motul any longer like what my bike had in it when they sold it to me new.

Anyone else ever heard of these Redline oil issues?
 
Ask for copy of the service bulletin.

While I personally wouldn't use Redline Oil (primarily because of cost), I'd be suspicious of any tech claiming Ducati issued a specific directive against a JASO rated/certified oil.
 
If a warranty issue ever arises I will for sure ask for it but I'm not too worried since I don't race it. I think they would have a difficult time denying my warranty claim on that basis especially when I keep receipts/details and do meticulous maintenance on it.
 
I would have to see that service bulletin first..

that said, Oil brand is a "comfort level" thing for most people.

I have never used anything other than Motul (for my 4 strokes) and Silkolene (for my 2 strokes) and I don't see any reason to change that trend.
 
reganc said:
can't see the dealer being happy with you bringing in your owm oil
Click to expand...

My dealer (BMW) never had any issues with me bringing my own TWS 10W60 instead of the Castrol 5W30 they wanted to use for my E39 M5.

They didn't really give me much of a discount for bringing my own, and I didn't care. For the few times when I couldn't change my own oil, I was happy to just have it done without having to do it myself with the life schedule... small price to pay for one's own OCD :)
 
reganc said:
can't see the dealer being happy with you bringing in your owm oil
Click to expand...

Well they can eat a .... if their attitude was simply for a reason like that. They should respect my decision and what I have been using in the bike already, especially since I bought the bike from them and also used them for my 600 mile service.

I have used Redline in ALL my vehicles for years and best of all it's made in the USA just 2 hours south of me.
 
reganc said:
can't see the dealer being happy with you bringing in your own oil
Click to expand...

I have to think that has more to do with it than anything. Just like how they dont like it when people bring in their own tires to be changed instead of buying tires from them.

In situations like that, i will say "I am going to use what i want/bought. You can either make some money off labor for doing the work/change, or i can go elsewhere, it is up to you". I have never had a shop/dealers turn down the labor money.

Redline is a popular oil that has been around for years and years. Not to mention it has all of the required certs/ratings. I would also want to see a copy of that bulletin.
 
I wouldn't use Redline in my lawnmower. It is overpriced and nothing special. The only product they make good is the water wetter.
I would run Rotella T6 way before Redline. Royal purple is another overpriced ...... oil. Redline and Royal purple came out about the time as slick 50. Maybe you could run Redline and slick 50 together :)
 
pigpenracing said:
I wouldn't use Redline in my lawnmower. It is overpriced and nothing special. The only product they make good is the water wetter.
I would run Rotella T6 way before Redline. Royal purple is another overpriced ...... oil. Redline and Royal purple came out about the time as slick 50. Maybe you could run Redline and slick 50 together :)
Click to expand...

You would have had a point if you referenced Advance Ultra 4T, but Rotella T6 is positioned as Shell's mid-range oil and certainly not as good as RP or Redline.
 
My thought would be to run the oil that Ducati recommends if your bike is under warranty. But I am no rocket scientist.
 
Redline is ok, but it never does that well in standardized tests or UOAs - Amsoil blows it out of the water

Not just opinion - fact
 
When using a full synthetic oil and changing the oil regularly, has there been any documented cases of engine damage or failure due to the brand of oil?

I just ask because all this "X-brand is better than Y-brand" talk sounds like gibberish. "This oil blows that oil out of the water" but no supporting documentation to prove it? Am I crazy for thinking that a person should just stick with the oil that makes them happy?
 
I use Motul V300... the fact that is green makes it the best oil on the planet... Go green everyone :)
 
Notec said:
I just ask because all this "X-brand is better than Y-brand" talk sounds like gibberish. "This oil blows that oil out of the water" but no supporting documentation to prove it? Am I crazy for thinking that a person should just stick with the oil that makes them happy?
Click to expand...

The information is out there if you look for it, it's not gibberish, but independent oil testing is rare because it gets expensive. Standardized tests aren't the only performance standard but they do matter. I will say the gap has closed significantly in the past 10 years and most modern synthetics are very good. Redline and RP are consistently near the bottom of the pile.
 
Notec said:
When using a full synthetic oil and changing the oil regularly, has there been any documented cases of engine damage or failure due to the brand of oil?
Click to expand...

You always hear this comment but it's never the point. It's increased wear by degree - far more difficult to quantify. Comparative UOAs help, which very few people bother with but they should, it's like checking your blood. I was a member on S2K for years and some of those guys were true fanatics, they posted UOAs and standardized test results for many different oils.

Amsoil is not just hype (which is what I used to believe, I thought it was the Amway of oils) - it really is superb stuff. The only other oil I use is Neo in (car) transmissions. It's harder to find information on Motul because so few people use it - it seems to be good but some of the test results have been mediocre at best. I'm not convinced it's worth the high price but guys like Kent K (Sport Rider) swear by it.
 
Yea, Amsoil is darn good stuff. The Tdi forums had a dust up about oil years ago when the VAG came out with the Pumpe Duse Diesel. 502.11 shear tests were debated hotly.

Of course they went back to the common rail but that is another story.

This cat has some interesting info on oils: Bob Is The Oil Guy | The Internet's Number One Motor Oil Site

Here is one from the Tdi Forums that will make your head explode: Fuels & Lubricants - TDIClub Forums

I run Mobil 1 fully synthetic and have never had any problems, but also don't do too many track days either. I run 20-50 on hot track days. And for the street I run 5-50.

I'll use Amsoil when I'm near a local dealer. Ran Motul when I lived in Stuttgart. But it is expensive!
 
fzr100098 said:
The information is out there if you look for it, it's not gibberish, but independent oil testing is rare because it gets expensive. Standardized tests aren't the only performance standard but they do matter. I will say the gap has closed significantly in the past 10 years and most modern synthetics are very good. Redline and RP are consistently near the bottom of the pile.
Click to expand...

PHD, MBA, Master of law, etc... Stating facts without resources and telling someone to go look it up to support your claims makes your claims nothing more than a guess or opinion. "Redline and RP are consistently near the bottom of the pile."

Has anyone experienced this bottom of the pile performance that this man speaks of? Has anyone prematurely worn an engine out or suffered engine failure due to using Redline or RP?
 

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