Fully synthetic oils - are they all mostly the same?

Gimpymoo · 23 Jul 2014 at 11:21

Would brand A be any worse off for my engine than brand B?

leigh_boy · 23 Jul 2014 at 11:24

edit: wrong thread

snapdragon69 · 23 Jul 2014 at 19:42

Gimpymoo said:
Would brand A be any worse off for my engine than brand B?

A brand is something dreamed up in a marketing department - you need to comapre technical data from a technical deprtment and thet is not readily available.

VAG 507.00 is the highest overall spec :
http://sas-origin.onstreammedia.com/origin/lubrizol/EOACEA2009/RPTOOL2010Dep/rp/pc/index.html

but it is very complex and another spec may have higher requirements in 1 or 2 other areas.

energy · 23 Jul 2014 at 20:52

Yes they vary greatly both in spec and price, either use the spec your manufacturer requires or use something to Mercedes 229.5/229.51 or the VW 507 spec which are high spec oils. I use 229.51 in my Mondeo since the Ford spec is quite poor and it feels warm and fuzzy to know my turbo's bathing in the highest quality amber nectar

PMKeates · 23 Jul 2014 at 20:54

oil is oil

miikeeyy92 · 24 Jul 2014 at 08:37

PMKeates said:
oil is oil

It's really not

PMKeates · 24 Jul 2014 at 13:22

miikeeyy92 said:
It's really not

What other revelations do you have Sherlock?

AshD93 · 24 Jul 2014 at 13:42

I think most people should be more concerned with whether it actually has the right amount of oil in vs being a very specific type.

Some cars with dpf can be picky I've heard though.

PobodY · 27 Jul 2014 at 11:40

miikeeyy92 said:
It's really not

Seconded.

"Oil" just means it's a non-polar viscous liquid that's not thick enough to be a grease.

There's a fair degree of variation in the definition of synthetic oils; all the way from remanufactured mineral oils (catalytic hydrogenation), to blended esthers.

miikeeyy92 · 27 Jul 2014 at 12:31

PobodY said:
Seconded.

"Oil" just means it's a non-polar viscous liquid that's not thick enough to be a grease.

There's a fair degree of variation in the definition of synthetic oils; all the way from remanufactured mineral oils (catalytic hydrogenation), to blended esthers.

There's a wealth of different additives used depending on the uses too

PMKeates · 27 Jul 2014 at 13:17

Technically my statement is correct. Oil is oil.

Are you saying that oil is not oil?

Dogbreath · 27 Jul 2014 at 15:12

PMKeates said:
Technically my statement is correct. Oil is oil.

Are you saying that oil is not oil?

The phrase "oil is oil" implies that there is no difference between the various brands and grades. Resorting to pedantry because you are wrong just makes you look foolish.

PMKeates · 27 Jul 2014 at 15:19

Dogbreath said:
The phrase "oil is oil" implies that there is no difference between the various brands and grades. Resorting to pedantry because you are wrong just makes you look foolish.

Resorting to name calling as you are so obviously led down the garden path makes you look...

Housey · 27 Jul 2014 at 15:54

Next you'll be trying to convince me water is all the same!

Gaygle · 28 Jul 2014 at 00:13

PMKeates said:
oil is oil

Too subtle for some

leaskovski · 28 Jul 2014 at 13:14

So if Tescos did a value range of oil, you would put that in your motor?

Hagar · 28 Jul 2014 at 13:36

leaskovski said:
So if Tescos did a value range of oil, you would put that in your motor?

If the SAE temp and viscosity ranges were the recommended ones and the type of oil, synthetic etc. was correct then yes.

Notwithstanding I do not like Tesco much, but in principle I would buy an oil on price and judgement that it would do the job.

My car has done 120,000 miles and has had main dealer servicing throughout so the majority of oil used has been bulk Honda synthetic. The 1 litre top up between servicing is down to me and has not been Honda oil.