Which Synthetic Oil to use?

[cbrmale]

I use Motul 8100 X-Cess which is 100% esther / pao synthetic. 0W40 for Australia's hot climate. Costs about the same as other proper synthetics here ($75 for 5 litres).

[Curmudgeon]

I use Motul 8100 X-Cess which is 100% esther / pao synthetic. 0W40 for Australia's hot climate. Costs about the same as other proper synthetics here ($75 for 5 litres).

That converts to $14.52/quart USD.

[cbrmale]

What is a quart?

[UHF3]

25% of a gallon

[cbrmale]

What the hell is a gallon?

[cheferman65]

What the hell is a gallon?

Approximately 3.78 L

[RayT2]

What the hell is a gallon?

There is a handy reference guide to do the conversions for you mates outside the USA, it's called GOOGLE. I'll bet you could find it on your iphones too............. just say'in...............

[BHT225]

My brother likes Royal Purple when he had his Mustang, I used Mobile 1 in my Tib. I think I'll use Mobile one in my VT. I mean seriously they Sponsor Tony Stewart. If he says they are good they must be good.

[cheferman65]

My brother likes Royal Purple when he had his Mustang, I used Mobile 1 in my Tib. I think I'll use Mobile one in my VT. I mean seriously they Sponsor Tony Stewart. If he says they are good they must be good.

and his opinion means what? LOL

[Turbo BP]

Every time Costco has their sale on Mobil1 Synthetic Oil 5W30, I'm on it like hot cakes.

Can't go wrong with Mobil1 Synthetic.

[SLRRedline]

Changed the oil at 3972 km for Castrol GTX 5W20 regular oil. Noticed the oil was very dirty, probably from the break in period and the next oil change will be between 8000 - 9000 km with the same GTX. At around 12000 km will make the switch to Castrol Edge 5W20 synthetic. All the regular oil at shorter intervals will have collected all the break in crap and the synthetic will work with a cleaner engine. Oh and all changes have been and will be done with OEM filters.

On a side note whoever lives in Canada and uses Mobil 1, change to another brand. The real Mobil 1 is sold in the USA, but we get a licensed version from Imperial Oil, which is Esso made from the oil sands in Alberta containing high sulphur. Very dirty oil if you look at the chemistry.

[Curmudgeon]

...On a side note whoever lives in Canada and uses Mobil 1, change to another brand. The real Mobil 1 is sold in the USA, but we get a licensed version from Imperial Oil, which is Esso made from the oil sands in Alberta containing high sulphur. Very dirty oil if you look at the chemistry.

The Product Data Sheets for Mobil 1, e.g. 0W40 & 0W20, indicate that the sulfated ash numbers are 1.3 & 0.8 respectively for oils from both the Canadian Imperial-ESSO & U.S.Mobil-EXXON sources.

On paper, it appears the Mobil 1 oils are the same products regardless of which side of the border you reside.

[SLRRedline]

Quite possible for the 0W20, but obviously the 0W40 is the same since its considered European formulation. I'm talking about 5W30, 5W20, 10W30, which for the longest time have been a license and are still marked as so on the bottles.

Plus most people consider Mobil 1 to be the best motor oil based on factory fills. Now i'm not saying it's the worst oil, but many times it's agreements between the manufacturer and oil companies to make money for marketing purposes, hence when they claim which cars come factory filled and the infamous oil fill caps that have a Mobil 1 emblem.

[MTD]

I just picked up a few 5L jugs of the Castrol Edge on sale at Walmart. $25 each if I remember correctly.

[Ricky-D]

I just purchased a case of Amsoil Signature Synthetic and plan on using it on the next oil change. The first oil change was on the dealer and I couldn't pass it up.

The way I see it is: how well does the oil stand up to the heat?

The higher grade of oil the better the characteristics because the oil is in a more pure state with less volatile elements.

Heat burns off the parts in the oil that make it a good lubricant. The better the oil, the more stable and heat resistant it is.

A turbocharger definitely makes more heat and the oil sees the heat, so with a turbocharger you need better oil.

I feel that you cannot do better than Amsoil - the top grade of Amsoil. There are different grades in case you didn't know that!

***

[Curmudgeon]

Quite possible for the 0W20, but obviously the 0W40 is the same since its considered European formulation. I'm talking about 5W30, 5W20, 10W30, which for the longest time have been a license and are still marked as so on the bottles.

Plus most people consider Mobil 1 to be the best motor oil based on factory fills. Now i'm not saying it's the worst oil, but many times it's agreements between the manufacturer and oil companies to make money for marketing purposes, hence when they claim which cars come factory filled and the infamous oil fill caps that have a Mobil 1 emblem.

Let me state up front that (1) it is not my intention to start a dispute, (2) I have never used a Mobil product, and (3) I have no ax to grind with Mobil, but also have no intentions of ever buying a Mobil oil product. Personally, I use ConocoPhillips oils, but consider SOPUS products in favorable light. However, I am invested in nearly every major oil company worldwide.

I have compared all the motor oil Product Data Sheets of both Imperial Oil and ExxonMobile and found them to be identical. Imperial is a ExxonMobile affiliate, nearly 70% owned by ExxonMobile and also corporate partners in the CDN Kearl oil sands, the output of which is shared with both companies. Mobil 1 motor oils are formulated from a variety of base stocks (Grp III, IV, V) and additive packages which are derived of common sources regardless of whether sold by a licensee under the Esso banner or some other world affiliate of ExxonMobil. However, the conventional additive carrier oils may vary between product offerings, but they are not of significant % in synthetic oils, especially Euro oils which define synthetic more stringently to exclude Grp III.

Bottom line: Whether labeled as Mobil 1 from the U.S. or Mobil 1 as a licensee under the Imperial-Esso banner, I can't find any evidence that would convince me that the products of either affiliated companies are anything other than identical. As to the claim of 'sulphur' and 'very dirty oil' contaminating the Imperial-Esso synthetic oils labeled as Mobil 1, the Grp III refining process itself would dictate that the claim is not correct.

I would welcome any refutation of my evidence and conclusions on this matter.

[Curmudgeon]

I just purchased a case of Amsoil Signature Synthetic and plan on using it on the next oil change. The first oil change was on the dealer and I couldn't pass it up.

The way I see it is: how well does the oil stand up to the heat?

The higher grade of oil the better the characteristics because the oil is in a more pure state with less volatile elements.

Heat burns off the parts in the oil that make it a good lubricant. The better the oil, the more stable and heat resistant it is.

A turbocharger definitely makes more heat and the oil sees the heat, so with a turbocharger you need better oil.

I feel that you cannot do better than Amsoil - the top grade of Amsoil. There are different grades in case you didn't know that!

***

Just curious...what oil change interval do you intend with the Amsoil?

[cbrmale]

There is no reason to run a car in on mineral oil (the first however many thousands of kilometres). European cars have grade IV synthetic oil as the factory fill and are specified to be changed to grade IV synthetic thereafter. It's a myth that synthetic oil somehow doesn't bed in components (it does, but it takes a bit longer). My previous car from Opel had a factory fill of grade IV synthetic, and the Opel spec was full grade IV synthetic only.

I run Motul grade IV synthetic in my VT and ran a used oil analysis and the heat most certainly got to the oil, but not to the point of serious degradation. The VI improvers broke down so it ended up a 5W32 rather than the 5W40 that went in. This oil was run during an extended period of hot weather with many days in the mid to high thirties, which didn't help. Do those who are running 20-weight oil in a turbo engine realise what the consequences of that may be? I'm more than comfortable with 5W40 because that's a recommended alternative by Hyundai (the other being 5W30 which I believe is too thin, especially if the VI improvers break down).

An advantage of a good grade IV synthetic oil is that less oil degradation means less oily residue through the PCV system and onto the back of the inlet valves.

On Mobil 1, I am aware of a trend of used oil analysis of Mobil 1 showing high levels of iron, indicating excessive cranksaft or camshaft wear. On that basis I would not recommend this oil.

In Australia oil change intervals are 1,500km, 7,500km and then every 7,500km. Based on the degradation of my oil (run from 1,900km to 7,200km), that seems about right.

[Ricky-D]

Curmudgeon writes:

Just curious...what oil change interval do you intend with the Amsoil?

That's a good question.
If I stay true to pattern, I'll drive less than 10k a year, so I will change the oil yearly.
Right now I've less than 4k miles & bought the car Oct 2012, so it seems that'll be the case.
And, if I take a vacation and put on a lot of extra miles I feel I still won't have to change the oil, but yearly.
This will be my first vehicle using AMSOIL. I previously used Shaffer which is a blended oil w/moly. (Still use Shaffer in my bike)
***

[cbrmale]

There is a handy reference guide to do the conversions for you mates outside the USA, it's called GOOGLE. I'll bet you could find it on your iphones too............. just say'in...............

Sorry, the rest of the world went metric decades ago. It's starts with a metre, and 1/100th of a metre is a centimetre, and litres derive from cubic centimetres, and 1 gram is the weight of 1 cubic centimetre of water, and 0 degree is the temp where water freezes at sea level, and 100 where it boils and so on. It's very logical and very French, no doubt formulated by a committee in the true French style.

Quite literally the rest of the world IS metric, all of us, every other country (as far as I'm aware).