Australia Forums

[sprintman]

W E both posted at the same time.

 

[crinkles]

penrite is nuts. a 30w-70 oil? yeah sure real good idea.

 

[Shannow]

 Originally Posted By: Pablo

It's pretty simple. Aussies have "thicker is better" mentality. No logic really. They'll come around with enough time.

WRT to the "no logic", Australians would NEVER accept 1qt/1,000 miles as "normal" oil consumption, and the neutering of additive packs to prevent "normal" oil consumption from wrecking catalytic converters. Holden jad an issue a few years ago when commondores were draining their sumps, as nobody could fathom going from full to destroyed inside a single OCI...when the country was accustomed to 1 litre/5,000 km being consumption worthy of concern. Yep, 20W-50 reigned for nearly ever. In the early/mid 80s, Shell introduced XMO 15W-30, and it quickly gained a reputation as massively increasing oil consumption (deserved) and wrecking engines (undeserved). The hyper thick movement started around 20 years ago with the likes of STP producing 25W-60s and 70s, and selling them as "ideal" for outback Australia.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

The majority of US motors do not consume 1 qt per 5k mile OCI on 5w20. I check mine ecessively and complusivly and it is hard to detect any real consumption in an OCI. I have a fleet ford f150 that gets 150 miles a day average, a personal 4.6 powered explorer and a 3.8 jeep all running on 5w20. All of them have undetectable oil consumption or so little that none can be added in a 5k mile OCI. I believe some Americans have misconceptions about Australian conditions as much as some australians have of American conditions. The reality is that they are pretty similar conditions.

 

[Shannow]

Won't argue with you on that, except for the really cold end of the equation...but that's moot.

 

[XS650]

 Originally Posted By: crinkles

penrite is nuts. a 30w-70 oil? yeah sure real good idea.

Why do some Ozzies use 30W-70? Because they can't get bitumen to pour out of a bottle.

 

[Shannow]

Worst I ever did was 40W-70, 25W-70 in winter was just to prove that it wouldn't blow up after joining BITOG.

 

[sprintman]

XS650 your comment is the crux of the problem. 25W70 (no 30W70 I've seen) doesn't flow like bitumen. Going from one grade say 30W to 40W makes stuff all difference in real life.

 

[XS650]

 Originally Posted By: sprintman

XS650 your comment is the crux of the problem. 25W70 (no 30W70 I've seen) doesn't flow like bitumen. Going from one grade say 30W to 40W makes stuff all difference in real life.

That wasn't a 'roo that just went over your head.

 

[sprintman]

XS I did get it but seriously Americans think going up a grade is like changing from water to treacle and that idea gets currency here all the time.

 

[BuickGN]

 Originally Posted By: chevrofreak

Australians just haven't figured out that they're getting no better protection with that super thick junk. It may eventually happen. Maybe.

And you know this how?

 

[sprintman]

Exactly!

 

[Drew2000]

 Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh

They also experience a very different climate than North America and I'd probably use a slightly thicker oil in that environment as well.....

How so? The swath from the southwest US up through Cali's Central Valley sees daily temps from '90's through 110 and more for a good chunk of the year. Not that many folks in Aus. live in the outback, most live near the coastal area's.

 

[sprintman]

40C+ in coastel areas so your point is?

 

[Drew2000]

 Originally Posted By: sprintman

40C+ in coastel areas so your point is?

Alot more motorists drive in very hot conditions in the US than all of Aus. combined, using 5w30 or 5w20 oils with no problems.

 

[StevieC]

It wasn't the 5w20, it was the Dingo that ate your motor.

 

[sprintman]

Don't get me started on that one, I was working at Parliament House at the time and know more about it than most folks.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

 Originally Posted By: Drew2000

 Originally Posted By: sprintman

40C+ in coastel areas so your point is?

Alot more motorists drive in very hot conditions in the US than all of Aus. combined, using 5w30 or 5w20 oils with no problems.

That's very true and a statistical point that is often ignored. 40c in a coastal area...I grew up there is south texas. The fact is that thick oil is a crutch for a poor supply of high quality lower viscosity base stocks due to a poor local refining capacity. The middle east for example has plenty of oil production but very poor overall refining capacity. They end up importing most of their fuel and oil. I would not use these locations as good points of research on motor oil technology. North America is at the leading edge of lubrication technology.

 

[Gary Allan]

 Quote:

North America is at the leading edge of lubrication technology.

Yep. It's just that we've had cause to engage in more development of lighter weight oils. Lots of factors involved. I'm sure that Western Europe has no technological road blocks to do the same, but probably has no compelling reason to do so. Their main thrust seems to lean toward increased power density and wrapping around that with hoop jumping. For the rest of the globe (and this is just opinion) appears to adopt a parallel to the term "the cheapest way to horsepower is cubic inches" ..but apply it to oil. The cheapest way to functional lubricants is with viscosity.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I agree with that opinion. We have a driver for development of better technologies. The Taxation and penalties for not complying fall on the automakers. In countries with high gas taxes as a method of curbing usage there is no antecedant to developing or using better lubrication technology.