joeveto

I wanted to pass this by you geniuses before I reacted.

side note "synthetic oils" like castrol synthec or mobil 1 are not full synthetic oil....

real synthetic oil is like motul or the purple one....(cant remember the name)
they are made in laboratory with a composite called ester

other oils like the mobil1 is mineral based oil with a lot of additives in it...

This is what someone posted. And I'm left confused (nothing new) and speechless (something new).

Who wants to weigh in on this one? Is it :bs as I think it is? Or is this guy right? Synthetic is as synthetic does. Right?

Thanks in advance.

grapeknutz

As far as I know Mobil 1 was the first to be a true synthetic oil not a semi synthetic.

jfb

Mobil 1 is not petroleum based and for this reason it is called, "synthetic". I think the purple oil they are talking about is Purple Triton which is a petroleum based oil from base stocks that are the highest quality petroleum crude and has a natural purple color.

SouthernSon

Old discussion from times past. Castrol is not all it is 'cracked' (hehehe)up to be as far as being synthetic. Lawsuits involved between companies. Hard feelings are all that prevailed because of ignorant court. Stick with Mobil 1 because it is as synthetic as one will ever find. It is the original and still number one. And no, it is not half way processed as is castrol. Your confusing source is out in left field.

vader86

Mobil 1 is a true synthetic.

onedef92

To complicate matters worse, BOTH Mobil 1 and Castrol Syntec MEET or EXCEED GM lubrication specs. I've used both and have never had an oil-related failure or problem.

Why Choose a Synthetic?
Synthetic lubricants are engineered to do the job of a conventional lubricant - but they do it much, much better. Think of them as bionic lubricants, if you will! Though a bit more costly to produce and, therefore, more expensive to buy, these "super lubricants" can actually save you money in the long run.

The primary function of motor oil is to provide lubrication between moving metal parts in the engine. The friction caused by these parts when they move together creates high levels of heat that cause damage unless a lubricant is introduced to the mechanism. A lubricant will smooth the surfaces and enable the parts to move freely against one another with reduced friction and, consequently, reduced wear and heat. This is a function that conventional motor oil can perform quite well but a synthetic can perform far better.

All lubricants fall into one of three categories: liquid (oil), semiliquid (grease), and solid (graphite). All three are derived from vegetable, mineral, or synthetic base stock. However, were these raw materials alone used to lubricate modern, high-precision machinery; they would quickly overheat, catch fire, evaporate or emulsify. To guard against this, all lubricants are doctored to a certain extent - processed to remove impurities and bolstered with chemical additives.

Synthetic lubricants, however, are manufactured specifically to stand up to the severe conditions under which conventional oils might falter. They are designed to possess viscosity characteristics superior to those of mineral oils. The resulting lubricants have a molecular structure that is tailored to meet and often exceed manufacturers' criteria for high-performance engines.

Among the many performance advantages that synthetic lubricants offer is their ability to remain stable at high temperatures (under which conventional oils can begin to breakdown) and remain fluid at very low temperatures (under which conventional oils begin to thicken). This provides optimum lubrication at extreme temperatures, reduces wear and tear, and makes for a cleaner, more efficient engine. Synthetics are sometimes mixed with conventional oils to produce a cost-effective middle ground between the two, referred to as a "blend." However, while blends and conventional oils are both capable lubricants, there is no contest when it comes to which type of oil does the best job. For the highest level of engine protection, synthetics like Castrol Syntec come out on top every time.

Source: http://www.castrolusa.com/expert/ae_...8&section_id=3

Steel Blue 91

Here's the real deal. In another life (15 years ago), I worked for Mobil Oil, Reasearch and Development, Paulsboro Engine Test Facility. Mobil 1 was, at the time, the only completely synthetic oil. We would run it as a base line and run comparison tests of competition oils and newly developed test oils. Mobil 1 is pure synthetic.

BTW - I bought my pick up new in '86, and have used nothing but Mobil 1 since. I just rolled over 191,000 miles and it has never been opened. Not heads, intake, nothing. I am a believer.

HammerDown

The engineers who designed the engine recommend the use Mobil 1 synthetic. I use Mobil 1 synthetic.

See how easy that was? :D

joeveto

Steel Blue, this is going to you, since you come right from the field. But first off, I love your car.

That said, here is another post...

...some Mfg make oils by taking a petroleum oil and putting it through a proccess called isohydromerization, then they can legally call it 100% synthetic. That does not mean the oil is not good! Some use PAO's which may be a bit better, but you also have to factor in the additive package.
Also don't think Toyota engineers are so smart they just consult the oil mfg to make sure it meets the reqired spec.
NOTE: any API SL oil will easily go 8000 km.

Also, on the Amsoil site, just below their logo, is the Amsoil slogan The first in synthetics

And below that they claim to be First to develop an API-rated 100 percent synthetic motor oil.

How does this wash with you? :confused:


[Modified by joeveto, 2:19 PM 11/21/2003]

BowTieBlood

I use Valvoline :D

Steel Blue 91

I can not speak to the advertising claims of Amisol (or any other company)as I have no first hand knowledge of the company or their product. Brand loyalty? Perhaps. Actually, the term "oil" in reference to Mobil 1 (or any true synthetic) is wrong. Mobil 1 was (and I assume still is) a laboratory produced high performance fluid, not an actual oil. It has always been produced not refined. The additive packages used to create various viscosities and detergent were also lab creations. Some may advertise 100 percent synthetic but are actually a blend of 100 percent synthetic base stock plus whatever additive package is required.

Disclaimer: The above statements are true to the best of my recollection. I have been out of that world since 1989 and cannot comment on developments since that time nor on the effect in production caused by the creation of the new ExxonMobil.


[Modified by Steel Blue 91, 6:20 PM 11/21/2003]

Steel Blue 91

Forgot to mention it is a Chevy truck (305 4bbl). Perhaps that helps.

jackdaroofer

:D I believe (meaning IMHO), That AMZOIL is the first and maybe,,I said maybe , the only true synthetic.

They have a 20/50 Racing Gold which is "off the charts" on wear comparisons. It is pricey!

From what little I know and I know very little, Mobil and Castrol got into litigation and both wound up having to admit their oil wasn't "synthetic"

I could be very wrong and readily stand corrected

:seeya

onedef92

Actually, I've heard the FIRST synthetic oils and lubricants were developed by Germany toward the end of WW II as allied attacks on petroleum refineries forced them to develop alternative methods of producing lubricants for Hitler's various war machines. :yesnod:

Jim85IROC

No they don't, the bean counters recommend it because Mobil pays them to.

larrybsp

When Castrol came out with their Synthetic oil, Mobil 1 sued them because it was not 100% synthetic oil and they were advertising it as such. It was processed regular oil. To make a long story short Mobil 1 lost the case. Because Castrol could make and sell their oil for less than Mobil 1 and call it synthetic, Mobil 1 came out with a "reformulated" Mobil 1 which is not 100% synthetic. It uses processed oil base stock and additives just like Castrol. I don't know about "Royal Purple" but to the best of my knowledge "Red Line" is the only truly 100% synthetic on the market. :eek: :eek: :eek:

froggy47

Hi Steel,

I've got an 02 Sub with 12,000 miles on it - dino oil. Would you switch it to M1? It's not like the 5.3 in a Sub is a highly stressed engine. It rarely sees over 3500 rpm. What do you think?

Will I spring leaks?

Steel Blue 91

I wouldn't think so. With 12000 miles, you have a almost new engine and there should be very little if any deposits or sludge build up (assuming regular maintainence). As long as you have no current oil leaks, you should be fine (should, being the operative word here).

vetteman9368

Royal Purple, Synergyn, Red Line, Amsoil, and Mobil 1 are all synthetics as far i as i know.

89'Bowtie

Maybe this helps the timeline...And to the above comment, I belive synthetics made their first apperance in aviation applications.

"Though AMSOIL Inc. was founded in 1972, its story begins in the mid 1960s, when Lt. Col. A.J. "Al" Amatuzio, a jet fighter squadron commander, was impressed by the superb performance of synthetic lubricants in jet engines (in fact, only synthetics stand up to the performance demands of jet engines) and began studying their possible automotive applications. In 1972, after an intense period of research and development, Al Amatuzio introduced the first synthetic motor oil in the world to exceed API automobile service requirements."

Amsoil Website

Its got nothing to do with brand preferance, I've used Amsoil, Castrol, Modil1, and they all seem to stand up fine do their job. However, I have a hard time justifying to my wallet the cost of Royal Purple, Redline, and other brands like it for the street.

Vic




[Modified by 89'Bowtie, 9:02 AM 11/26/2003]