Oil - You get what you pay for!
21 November 2005, 08:45 PM
#1
Oil - You get what you pay for!
I posted this a very long time ago but for the benefit of the newer members and those that missed it first time around, some enlightening facts from and expert!
A word of caution – You get what you pay for!
Below is an article written by John Rowland, Silkolene Chief R & D Chemist for 40 years.
Quote:
Costs of synthetics vary considerably. The most expensive are the “Ester” types originally only used in jet engines. These cost 6 to 10 times more than high quality mineral oils. The cheapest synthetics are not really synthetic at all, from a chemists point of view. These are in fact specially refined light viscosity mineral oils known as “hydrocracked”. These have some advantages over equivalent mineral oils, particularly in lower viscosity motor oils such as 5w-30 or other oils with a low “W” rating such as 5w-50 etc and they cost about 1.5 times more than good quality mineral fractions.
We use several different grades of this base oil, where appropriate. This is the “synthetic” which is always used in cheap oils that are labelled “synthetic”.
Yes it’s a cruel world, you get what you pay for!
Now, you may ask, why are these special mineral oils called “synthetic”?
Well, it was all sorted in a legal battle that took place in the USA about ten years ago. Sound reasons (including evidence from a Nobel Prize winning chemist) were disregarded and the final ruling was that certain mineral bases that had undergone extra chemical treatments could be called “synthetic”.
Needless to say, the marketing executives wet their knickers with pure delight!
They realised that this meant, and still does, that the critical buzz-word “synthetic” could be printed on a can of cheap oil provided that the contents included a few percent of “hydrocracked” mineral oil, at a cost of quite literally a few pence.
So, the chemistry of “synthetics” is complex and so is the politics!
The economics are very simple. If you like the look of a smart well-marketed can with “synthetic” printed on it, fair enough, it will not cost you a lot; and now you know why this is the case.
But, if you drive a high performance car, and you intend to keep it for several years, and maybe do the odd “track day”, then you need a genuine Ester/PAO (Poly Alpha Olefin) synthetic oil.
This oil costs more money to buy, because it costs us a lot of money to make, very simply, you always get what you pay for!
Unquote:
This article is something that all car owners should read and understand before buying oil and I’ve posted this with Johns permission.
Cheers
Simon
A word of caution – You get what you pay for!
Below is an article written by John Rowland, Silkolene Chief R & D Chemist for 40 years.
Quote:
Costs of synthetics vary considerably. The most expensive are the “Ester” types originally only used in jet engines. These cost 6 to 10 times more than high quality mineral oils. The cheapest synthetics are not really synthetic at all, from a chemists point of view. These are in fact specially refined light viscosity mineral oils known as “hydrocracked”. These have some advantages over equivalent mineral oils, particularly in lower viscosity motor oils such as 5w-30 or other oils with a low “W” rating such as 5w-50 etc and they cost about 1.5 times more than good quality mineral fractions.
We use several different grades of this base oil, where appropriate. This is the “synthetic” which is always used in cheap oils that are labelled “synthetic”.
Yes it’s a cruel world, you get what you pay for!
Now, you may ask, why are these special mineral oils called “synthetic”?
Well, it was all sorted in a legal battle that took place in the USA about ten years ago. Sound reasons (including evidence from a Nobel Prize winning chemist) were disregarded and the final ruling was that certain mineral bases that had undergone extra chemical treatments could be called “synthetic”.
Needless to say, the marketing executives wet their knickers with pure delight!
They realised that this meant, and still does, that the critical buzz-word “synthetic” could be printed on a can of cheap oil provided that the contents included a few percent of “hydrocracked” mineral oil, at a cost of quite literally a few pence.
So, the chemistry of “synthetics” is complex and so is the politics!
The economics are very simple. If you like the look of a smart well-marketed can with “synthetic” printed on it, fair enough, it will not cost you a lot; and now you know why this is the case.
But, if you drive a high performance car, and you intend to keep it for several years, and maybe do the odd “track day”, then you need a genuine Ester/PAO (Poly Alpha Olefin) synthetic oil.
This oil costs more money to buy, because it costs us a lot of money to make, very simply, you always get what you pay for!
Unquote:
This article is something that all car owners should read and understand before buying oil and I’ve posted this with Johns permission.
Cheers
Simon
22 November 2005, 08:55 AM
#4
A comment from Oilman would be appreciated: I currently have Silkolene Pro S 10w/50 in my 03 STi (following the 2yr. service by Xtreme Scoobies) This time of year it's pretty normal for the car to stand 3 days without use and what with the cold snap the oil pressure gauge climbs very slowly at cold start-up. I would much prefer a thinner oil (eg 5w/40) at this time of year but having coughed up thirty odd quid for the 10/50 I'm loath to drain it yet!
I need reassurance here!
JohnD
I need reassurance here!
JohnD
22 November 2005, 12:13 PM
#5
Without a doubt the Pro S would be better for the winter cold starts. Better flow on cold and less engine wear.
The 10w-50 is still a good oil and fine or cold mornings but we tend o recommend the 5w-40 in post 2000 cars that are not heavily modded and running normal oil temps between 80 and 100degC.
Cheers
Simon
The 10w-50 is still a good oil and fine or cold mornings but we tend o recommend the 5w-40 in post 2000 cars that are not heavily modded and running normal oil temps between 80 and 100degC.
Cheers
Simon
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