Opinions, opinions, opinions. Aren't you full of them Pete! Come to think of it, you're full of something else too, you 25-stone lard bucket you!

 

Pics Pete, we want to see your scooby!

 

Has PS Lewis ever posted his own 'engineering qualifications' up here? He does seem to mention them frequently.

My humblest appologies to you if you have Pete.

 

Come on Pete, post your car up here. i want to look!

 

Here's the plans he uses whilst "engineering"

http://www.lysator.liu.se/~unicorn/lego/

 

http://synlube.com/oilv.htm

They are the company that supplied lubricants for NASA, for The Moon Rover and such like, so they are a good company.

This web site makes interesting reading for all the 'fully synthetic' afficianados out there.
And I have to admit to using a 'fully synthetic oil' or I think I am.
So I have been 'convinced' of its better quality? for many years.


Click on the link and select the OILv SYN button.

Here is a snippet:
*******************************
Allow Easy Starting

Synthetic PAO:

b.) "Serious problem"

PAO fluids however do not stick to surfaces like Conventional Petroleum Oil and run off in matter of hours, rather than days as is the case with Petroleum Oil. Therefore at cold start the surfaces are less protected and therefore MORE wear occurs at cold starts than it would with Conventional Petroleum Oil.

Typical wear in Tribological tests is increased by about 20% when PAO is compared to Conventional Petroleum Oil with no Additives. (Identical viscosity grades of 4 cSt when tested @ 70°F)

Mixing polar compounds with PAO, like some Esters, does to some degree reduce this "run-off" tendency.



Prevent Wear

Synthetic PAO:

"Normal or Better"

When compared to Conventional Petroleum oil, PAO fluids do not posses any properties that improve oil film formation or reduce wear in any way, at best they are equal to petroleum in this respect, and without proper Additives can actually cause MORE mechanical wear than Conventional Petroleum Oil.

*******************

Then have a read of the section under the 'SYNTHETIC' button.

Synthetic oils

Oils produced by "synthesis" (chemical reaction) rather than by extraction or conventional refinement.

Oils that previously were NOT considered as "synthetic" such as those that are produced by "severe refining", "hydrogenation" or other complex chemical processes that yield a more stable molecular uniformity and higher degree of purity that is not achievable through normal "conventional" refining process are NOW also labeled as "synthetic" by their respective producers (SHELL, ExxonMobil, BP, SUNOCO) - they however still are made from Petroleum Crude.

These "quasi-synthetics" are almost as good as PAO but much cheaper.


******************

The more you delve into it the more cynical of you may start to be of the opinion that we consumers may well be being taken for a ride.
Certainly with some of the oil manufactures. But which ones, as NONE appears to be keen to let you know what they are really selling you.
I haven't seen a container with a chemical analysis printed on it.
They do with food but not oil.

I am currently trying to arrange chemical analysis of some Halfords oil to find out what it really is. (not with Oilman, but an independant lab)
I've been using it for years, I do hope its what its says it is on the tin. But who knows.

Cheers
MTR

 

Talk about my sales pitches!

Syn-lube clearly know how to promote their special basestocks. I just wonder why the likes of Castrol, Mobil, Fuchs, Redline, Amsoil, Silkolene, Valvoline, Millers, Shell, Esso and all other major oil manufacturers don't use this top basestock?

I'm guessing it's unconventional.

Surely motorsport and the avaiation industry would benefit from such a great product wouldn't it so why do they use synthetic esters?

Intresting stuff nevertheless and I guess the only way to tell what it's actually all about is to buy some and test it. I'll ask whether any test reports are available.

Cheers
Simon

 

PETE! We want pics!!!!!

 

Small chance! he is like a 100 years old! not sur eif he will have a digital camera....... he struggles with this!

G.

 

Why is this issue so murky ? in the subaru manual it says

for temp range -30 to 40 C use 5W-30 ( now we don't get -30 ever )
so looking at the other recommendation it says

for temp range -12 to 50 C (and up) use 10W-30 or 10W-40

this being generally an off the shelf semi-synthetic

Given the high temperature ranges of a fast road car in Britain aren't you better using the one that offers more protection at higher temperatures - regardless of it's synthetic or non-synthetic natures ?

 

Indeed you are correct sae 40 gives more high temp protection than sae 30.

The "w" number is merely the cold crank flow rating so it merely indicates how quickly the oil gets around the engine when you turn the key and the lower the number the better this is.

Explained simply:

If you see an expression such as 10W-40, the oil is a multigrade.

This simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades, in this case 10W & 40.

This is made possible by the inclusion of a polymer, a component which slows down the rate of thinning as the oil warms up and slows down the rate of thickening as the oil cools down.

It was first developed some 50 years ago to avoid the routine of using a thinner oil in winter and a thicker oil in summer.

Returning to a 10w-40, to attain the specification target a 10W ( W = winter) the oil must have a certain maximum viscosity at low temperature. The actual viscosity and the temperature vary with the viscosity grade but in all cases the lower the number, the thinner the oil, e.g. a 5W oil is thinner than a 10W oil at temperatures encountered in UK winter conditions.

This is important because a thinner oil will circulate faster on cold start, affording better engine protection.

For a 10w-40 to attain the other specification target a 40 oil must fall within certain limits at 100 deg. C. In this case the temperature target does not vary with the viscosity grade, if there is no "W", the measuring temperature is always 100deg. C. Again the lower the number the thinner the oil, a 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100 deg. C., which is typical of maximum bulk oil temperatures in an operating engine.

The engine makers are, of course, very well aware of this and spec. oils according to engine design features, oil pump capacities, manufacturing tolerances, ambient temperature conditions etc. It is important to follow these guidelines, they are important and are an are stipulated for good reasons.

If the engine has been modified, the operating conditions may well be outside the original design envelope. The stress on the oil caused by increased maximum revs, power output and temperature may indicate that oil of a different type and viscosity grade would be beneficial.

Cheers
Simon

 

I was told ( here we go!) that the synthetic thinner oil will not protect the turbo at the extreme revolutions they perform - is this more bunk ?

and on a general thing why do I instincitvely WANT to buy a 'synthetic'. I feel somehow its an 'advancement in oil technology' - am I subconciously regurgitating ideas picked up from TV adverts ( which we all know talk utter sh*te). This seems to be like buying shampoo - I'd hate for my oil to have colour conformitasms and hydro-recitivital-neutro-sipids like most shampoos

 

Allegedly he does have a digital camera, a Canon 300D DSLR no less, as we had to endure the thousands of posts as to whether he should buy it or something else, what lenses to choose etc. His Photobucket gallery is here: http://photobucket.com/albums/0803/MrRee/?start=0

No Scoob pics though only the ghey boy MX5 I think you lot are right in that he doesn't actually own one. Just likes to wind us lot up about oil, brake pad longevity, running stupidly high tyre pressures, etc. etc. It's really boring....

Come on prove to us you have a Scoob

 

So we're all agreed.

Anything from 5w-30 to 10w-40 (semi-synthetic) is fine ?

(and pslewis is f00kin old and doesn't own a car, let alone a Scooby).

 

Thinner oils are actually better for turbos, they circulate and disspate heat better. The last thing you want is cavitation and this is always possible if the oil is too thick.

I must just qualify this statement by saying thin oils that are genuinely synthetic and therefore heat resistant are better because they cool the centre bearing and resist cokeing better than mineral oils, especially thick ones.

On the other hand, the actual engine itself may need a thicker oil to maintain oil pressure due to earlier design features.

Cheers
Simon

 

that is sick....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/08...etesWebCam.jpg

 

Pic pics pics, we want pics!

 

How do you know that my Scooby ISN'T posted on the album??

Pete

 

Ok, OK, here we go ........................... never seen before!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/08...e/Teign009.jpg

Pete

 

awwww Pete, why did you do that?

This thread is finished now

Cheers
Simon

 

It needed finishing ................. didn't it?

Pete

 

For once I actually agree with you

Cheers
Simon

 

thank you everyone for the advise once sifted through it helped a lot have gone for valvoline 5w 40 fully synthetic.
i also posted on exhausts and for the record i have just fitted a mongoose cat back and it is perfect for my use
cheers

 

If you are doing lots of short journeys, town driving, and often on a cold engine what oil would you go for then.

Does a fully synthetic offer any advantages over a semi synthetic ??

Also I'm sure my local dealer is about to put 10W 60 fully synthetic into my MY03 WRX, OK or not OK ??

Rgds
Neil

 

You want an oil that flows quickly when cold as this means less engine wear so a 5w-40 is what I recommend.

10w-60 no, the car requires sae 40, not sae 60.

Cheers
Simon

http://www.opieoils.co.uk

 

I've just gone to mobil 1 0w 40 super synthetic from 15 w 50. Its £35 +vat for 4L . It comes highley recomended on a fair few web sites. My local motor independent factor chap highley recommended it for my car but did say 15w 50 or 5w 40 would also be fine. but for the sake of a few quid i got the all singin all dancing stuff.

 

Simon, Just went to the link to your shop and noticed your 4L's 0f 0w 40 mobil 1 is more expensive than the price i paid.

 

Handsome looking kids you have there Pete ==>

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/08...SNAnalClub.jpg

Nice bass too!

 

Carriage tends to kill the 4L only prices, gets better the more you buy.


1 x 4 litre £37.99
2 x 4 litre £66.99
4 x 4 litre £124.99

Silkolene and Motul are bargains though

Cheers
Simon

 

That explains why the 1L's worked out cheaper.

Martin