Engine Oils and Specs
11-24-2009, 02:59 PM
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BMW now recommends that Castrol Syntec is used as an alternative to their BMW LL oil correct? First let me state.... I do not believe in "Lifetime Tranny Fluid" or "Lifetime Gear differential Oils" this is complete B.S. It's all a marketing and endorsement scheme and we're the succers. When I had a 1999 328i it was Mobil Fully Synthetic that was endorsed by BMW. During some research and experiments I learned quite a bit. I now run both my BMWs with Napa Gold Fully Synthetic 5w30. This is manufactured for Napa by Valvoline and is pretty much Valvoline Synpower. FYI................... Castol Syntec, Valvoline Synpower (Napa Gold Synthetic) are not fully synthetic. They are group III. Valvoline Syntec is a blend of Groups III and IV.... So if BMW is stating that Group III is good by them, I'll stick to my Napa Gold Fully Syn. I do not change oil every 15,000mi anyway. I may go 8000mi.
Base Oil
Category Manufacturing Method
Group I Solvent Freezing
Group I base oils are the least refined of all of the groups. They are usually a mix of different hydrocarbon chains with little or no uniformity. While some automotive oils on the market use Group I stocks, they are generally used in less demanding applications.
Group II Hydroprocessing and Refining
Group II base oils are common in mineral-based motor oils currently available on the market. They have fair to good performance in lubricating properties such as volatility, oxidative stability and flash/fire points. They have only fair performance in areas such as pour point, cold crank viscosity and extreme pressure wear.
Group III Hydroprocessing and Refining
Group III base oils are subjected to the highest level of mineral oil refining of the base oil groups. Although they are not chemically engineered, they offer good performance in a wide range of attributes as well as good molecular uniformity and stability. They are commonly mixed with additives and marketed as synthetic or semi-synthetic products. Group III base oil products have become more common in America during the past decade.
Group IV Chemical Reactions
Group IV base oils are chemically engineered synthetic base stocks. Polyalphaolefins (PAOs) are a common example of a synthetic base stock. Synthetics, when combined with additives, offer excellent performance over a wide range of lubricating properties. They have very stable chemical compositions and highly uniform molecular chains. Group IV base oils are becoming more common in synthetic and synthetic-blend products for automotive and industrial applications.
Group V As Indicated
Group V base oils are used primarily in the creation of oil additives. Esters and polyolesters are both common Group V base oils used in the formulation of oil additives. Group V oils exhibit a wide variety of properties specific to each individual oil's formulation. Group V base oils are generally not used as base oils themselves, but add beneficial properties to other base oils.
In the days non synthetic oils were group 1 and group 2 base stocks. These are crude oils and polyphenins. Synthetic was as it was stated group 4 and group 5 base stocks which are PAO and POA esters (man made extreme quality esters which mimic esters once used from whale fat).
Then came the big Mobil 1 vs Castrol lawsuit. Mobil 1 contended that Castrol was using false advertising. Castrol had changed there formulation on there Full Synthetic oil. It NO longer was made from group 4 synthetic base stocks but was indeed made from group 3 base stock which is a conventional crude base stock, then severely hydro cracked and refined. group 3 is much higher quality than group 2 oils. Well it made it all the way to the supreme court. The court ruled that oils made with group 3 base stocks are indeed synthetic due to the extreme amount of refinement; it isn't anything naturally occurring anymore. So Castrol was allowed to continue marketing the oil as fully synthetic. After this lawsuit a precedence was set for the definition of synthetic oil, one by one manufacturers started reformulating their synthetic motor oils from group 4's to group 3's , since group 3 is much cheaper to use.
Which brings us to present day......most so called synthetics are just dino oil (conventional). Dont get me wrong the group 3 is far superior to group 2 it has much better flow characteristics in the cold and better resistance to heat. But you still are only using a conventional crude oil that is ultra refined.
Here is a list of the only Oils that are true full synthetic (groups 4 or 5).
Mobil 1, Amsoil, Royal purple, Redline, some Schaffers, some Motul, Valvoline synpower is a blend of goup 3 and 4, Castrol makes (1) full synthetic it is 0w-30 only and has to say made in Germany on the bottle otherwise it is group 3.
]
Base Oil Category.................Sulfur (%)......................... Saturates (%)............Viscosity Index
Group I......................... >0.03 and/or......................... <90......................... 80 to 120
Group II......................... <0.03 and...............................>90............. ............ 80 to 120
Group III.........................<0.03 and...............................>90............. ............ >120
Group IV......................... All polyalphaolefins (PAOs)
Group V......................... All others not included in Groups I, II, III or IV (Esters)
Base Oil Category.................Sulfur (%)......................... Saturates (%)............Viscosity Index
Group I......................... >0.03 and/or......................... <90......................... 80 to 120
Group II......................... <0.03 and...............................>90............. ............ 80 to 120
Group III.........................<0.03 and...............................>90............. ............ >120
Group IV......................... All polyalphaolefins (PAOs)
Group V......................... All others not included in Groups I, II, III or IV (Esters)
Base Oil
Category Manufacturing Method
Group I Solvent Freezing
Group I base oils are the least refined of all of the groups. They are usually a mix of different hydrocarbon chains with little or no uniformity. While some automotive oils on the market use Group I stocks, they are generally used in less demanding applications.
Group II Hydroprocessing and Refining
Group II base oils are common in mineral-based motor oils currently available on the market. They have fair to good performance in lubricating properties such as volatility, oxidative stability and flash/fire points. They have only fair performance in areas such as pour point, cold crank viscosity and extreme pressure wear.
Group III Hydroprocessing and Refining
Group III base oils are subjected to the highest level of mineral oil refining of the base oil groups. Although they are not chemically engineered, they offer good performance in a wide range of attributes as well as good molecular uniformity and stability. They are commonly mixed with additives and marketed as synthetic or semi-synthetic products. Group III base oil products have become more common in America during the past decade.
Group IV Chemical Reactions
Group IV base oils are chemically engineered synthetic base stocks. Polyalphaolefins (PAOs) are a common example of a synthetic base stock. Synthetics, when combined with additives, offer excellent performance over a wide range of lubricating properties. They have very stable chemical compositions and highly uniform molecular chains. Group IV base oils are becoming more common in synthetic and synthetic-blend products for automotive and industrial applications.
Group V As Indicated
Group V base oils are used primarily in the creation of oil additives. Esters and polyolesters are both common Group V base oils used in the formulation of oil additives. Group V oils exhibit a wide variety of properties specific to each individual oil's formulation. Group V base oils are generally not used as base oils themselves, but add beneficial properties to other base oils.
In the days non synthetic oils were group 1 and group 2 base stocks. These are crude oils and polyphenins. Synthetic was as it was stated group 4 and group 5 base stocks which are PAO and POA esters (man made extreme quality esters which mimic esters once used from whale fat).
Then came the big Mobil 1 vs Castrol lawsuit. Mobil 1 contended that Castrol was using false advertising. Castrol had changed there formulation on there Full Synthetic oil. It NO longer was made from group 4 synthetic base stocks but was indeed made from group 3 base stock which is a conventional crude base stock, then severely hydro cracked and refined. group 3 is much higher quality than group 2 oils. Well it made it all the way to the supreme court. The court ruled that oils made with group 3 base stocks are indeed synthetic due to the extreme amount of refinement; it isn't anything naturally occurring anymore. So Castrol was allowed to continue marketing the oil as fully synthetic. After this lawsuit a precedence was set for the definition of synthetic oil, one by one manufacturers started reformulating their synthetic motor oils from group 4's to group 3's , since group 3 is much cheaper to use.
Which brings us to present day......most so called synthetics are just dino oil (conventional). Dont get me wrong the group 3 is far superior to group 2 it has much better flow characteristics in the cold and better resistance to heat. But you still are only using a conventional crude oil that is ultra refined.
Here is a list of the only Oils that are true full synthetic (groups 4 or 5).
Mobil 1, Amsoil, Royal purple, Redline, some Schaffers, some Motul, Valvoline synpower is a blend of goup 3 and 4, Castrol makes (1) full synthetic it is 0w-30 only and has to say made in Germany on the bottle otherwise it is group 3.
11-24-2009, 10:38 PM
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My Ride: 2007 530d M Sport Automatic, Le Mans Edition.Le Mans Blue Individual Paint Special, Syrah Blue Individual Leather, Piano Black Individual Interior Trim, Front seat heating,M Double Spoke 172 19
Thanks for the information.This is now becoming very confusing for the owner wishing to do DIY oil changes because of the ever changing oil specifications.
We have ACEA specs for Europe ,API specs for USA,and the manufacturer's specs which are usually claimed to be higher than both ACEA and API in some tests.The synthetics have been specified since extended drain periods were introduced.With the latest Euro V emmission requirements and the fitting of diesel particulate filters (DPF) there is now a newer range of synthetic oils which are low SAPS and increase the life of the DPF.
Gone are the days when all we needed to do was choose the viscosity range!!
I see nothing wrong in manufacturers specifying an oil made for them,but I do object to alternatives not being listed to assist an owner.
Also,an owner does not know what is put in the sump at the dealers.They normally have bulk delivery of an oil which is used for the whole range of models.
We have ACEA specs for Europe ,API specs for USA,and the manufacturer's specs which are usually claimed to be higher than both ACEA and API in some tests.The synthetics have been specified since extended drain periods were introduced.With the latest Euro V emmission requirements and the fitting of diesel particulate filters (DPF) there is now a newer range of synthetic oils which are low SAPS and increase the life of the DPF.
Gone are the days when all we needed to do was choose the viscosity range!!
I see nothing wrong in manufacturers specifying an oil made for them,but I do object to alternatives not being listed to assist an owner.
Also,an owner does not know what is put in the sump at the dealers.They normally have bulk delivery of an oil which is used for the whole range of models.
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