Castrol 0w40

[TrevorS]

So I picked up 10 quarts of Castrol 0w40 Euro for my next Mercedes oil change. It says it is made in Germany.

They had 0w30 available as well and I was tempted given the history but I suppose newer is better and the 0w40 was in jugs which makes disposal easier than quarts.

Will be interesting to see how the car runs although the oil change is months away. Although it has been 10 months, mileage is low so I'm looking at pushing the oil change to 18 months if not longer.

How should I go about using the Mityvac to draw a sample for a UOA?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: TrevorS
How should I go about using the Mityvac to draw a sample for a UOA?

I wouldn't use it to collect a sample, as there is a high chance the sample will get contaminated by old leftover oil or by whatever lubes/greases may have been applied to the Mityvac at the factory. The best/cleanest/easiest way to collect a sample is to buy one of those sample pumps. Both Blackstone and Amsoil sell them.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: TrevorS
So I picked up 10 quarts of Castrol 0w40 Euro for my next Mercedes oil change. It says it is made in Germany.

They had 0w30 available as well and I was tempted given the history but I suppose newer is better and the 0w40 was in jugs which makes disposal easier than quarts.

Will be interesting to see how the car runs although the oil change is months away. Although it has been 10 months, mileage is low so I'm looking at pushing the oil change to 18 months if not longer.

How should I go about using the Mityvac to draw a sample for a UOA?


Made in Germany 0W40???

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: edyvw
Made in Germany 0W40???

Yes, BP recently switched production of this oil from Belgium to Germany.

 

[dparm]

Who cares where it is made? Companies change production locations all the time. The formula is what matters.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: dparm
The formula is what matters.

I guess some BITOGers were wondering if the formula changed. I know the TDS hasn't changed, but I suppose a VOA could help confirm, based on how it compares to the VOA you did last year.

Still, in general, I'd say it's all irrelevant as long as the oil still meets the same mfg specs, which it does.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: dparm
The formula is what matters.

I guess some BITOGers were wondering if the formula changed. I know the TDS hasn't changed, but I suppose a VOA could help confirm, based on how it compares to the VOA you did last year.

Still, in general, I'd say it's all irrelevant as long as the oil still meets the same mfg specs, which it does.

I agree, just trying to figure out, because people were saying 0W30 moved to Belgium. So I am thinking: what is going on with Castrol.

 

[dailydriver]

Was their 0W-40 EVER made in Belgium??

We know their 5W-40 was.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Was their 0W-40 EVER made in Belgium??

We know their 5W-40 was.

When I used their 0w40 6 months ago, it was from Belgium. It surprised me to discover on this forum that Castrol makes a 0w40 in Germany.

 

[97tbird]

And where do people see the GERMAN 0w/40? AAP? AZ?

Mine were also Belgian made, got at AAP BOGO sale when it first arrived ... but that was over an yr ago I think..

 

[skyactiv]

I bought a 5 qt jug of Castrol 0W40 at Wal-Mart for my WRX. It was priced odd at $25.17. It's made in Germany. I suspect very few Wal-Mart stores stock this oil. The store had 2 jugs left.

If anyone lives in central Ohio and wants to know which Wal-Mart, PM me.

 

[edyvw]

Now that is strange lol

 

[supercity]

Why do people get hung up on where it is made? Surely if the oil is made for export to a massive market like the USA the packaging will be made for export too.

FWIW The Edge 0w40 sold in Australia is made in Malaysia, and it states that it is manufactured for BP Australia Pty Ltd. Is that the same for the USA market products? The way I see it there is nothing stopping the same plant in Malaysia blending a different formulation 0w40 for a different market or country if that is what they want. I'm sure it happens.

 

[bigjl]

After years of stocking the same old Castrol Edge 5w30, 5w40. Magnatec 10w40 semi, 5w30 full A3/B3/B4 and 5w30 full A5/B5. And 10w40 GTX.

My local Costco now sells well priced, for the UK, 0w30 Castrol Edge. £30 for 4 litres.

Of course the car that is could have used it in has now been sold......

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: supercity
Why do people get hung up on where it is made? Surely if the oil is made for export to a massive market like the USA the packaging will be made for export too.

FWIW The Edge 0w40 sold in Australia is made in Malaysia, and it states that it is manufactured for BP Australia Pty Ltd. Is that the same for the USA market products? The way I see it there is nothing stopping the same plant in Malaysia blending a different formulation 0w40 for a different market or country if that is what they want. I'm sure it happens.

Because of specific requirements that Germany has for synthetic oils. This 0W40 looks same as European 0W40 on pds, which means it is Group IV oil. American 5W40 Castrol is something I would not put in a car even if they paid me.

 

[supercity]

Originally Posted By: edyvw

Because of specific requirements that Germany has for synthetic oils. This 0W40 looks same as European 0W40 on pds, which means it is Group IV oil. American 5W40 Castrol is something I would not put in a car even if they paid me.


The oil is not manufactured for, or sold on the German market. It states not for sale outside of the Americas. So why would it comply with German packaging or other legal requirements? It will have to comply with American legal requirements to be sold in America. It may well be PAO, but I don't believe made in Germany has anything to do with it.

At the end of the day it is the buyer that specifies what formulation they want manufactured. They don't just get what they are given.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: supercity
Why do people get hung up on where it is made? Surely if the oil is made for export to a massive market like the USA the packaging will be made for export too.

I suppose this is a hang-up from the past for some of the US folks here.

Many many years ago (10+), we used to have Castrol Syntec 0w-30 available at retail. Some of it was "made in USA", and some of it was "made in Germany". Lab tests were ran and it was determined that they were in fact different formulations, with the "made in Germany" one being the better one. That's when the name "GC" was born (German Castrol).

I suppose as a result, many people continue to think that if it says "made in Germany" on the label, then it's a better product, whether rightly or wrongly.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: supercity
Why do people get hung up on where it is made? Surely if the oil is made for export to a massive market like the USA the packaging will be made for export too.



I've asked that question numerous times and been harassed for even bringing it up.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: supercity
Originally Posted By: edyvw

Because of specific requirements that Germany has for synthetic oils. This 0W40 looks same as European 0W40 on pds, which means it is Group IV oil. American 5W40 Castrol is something I would not put in a car even if they paid me.


The oil is not manufactured for, or sold on the German market. It states not for sale outside of the Americas. So why would it comply with German packaging or other legal requirements? It will have to comply with American legal requirements to be sold in America. It may well be PAO, but I don't believe made in Germany has anything to do with it.

At the end of the day it is the buyer that specifies what formulation they want manufactured. They don't just get what they are given.



Because this 0W40 is same on the paper as 0W40 for the EU market (or German market). If you go on amazon.de it will say Voll-Synth.
Second, it has to do everything since it is made from same base oils. Castrol imports in the U.S. Low-SAPS LL03 for a reason, because it does not make sense to make it here (though, Shell is making PU Ultra L, and it is bit different then Shell Helix Ultra in EU). Why making 0W40 in the U.S. if you are already making it in Germany? Canister does not have to do anything with it. With GC is same thing. Actually 0W30 was made in the U.S. and there was big difference between 0W30 Made in the U.S. and one Made in Germany.
So that is why people pay attention on that.

 

[Mathson]

Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: supercity
Originally Posted By: edyvw

Because of specific requirements that Germany has for synthetic oils. This 0W40 looks same as European 0W40 on pds, which means it is Group IV oil. American 5W40 Castrol is something I would not put in a car even if they paid me.


The oil is not manufactured for, or sold on the German market. It states not for sale outside of the Americas. So why would it comply with German packaging or other legal requirements? It will have to comply with American legal requirements to be sold in America. It may well be PAO, but I don't believe made in Germany has anything to do with it.

At the end of the day it is the buyer that specifies what formulation they want manufactured. They don't just get what they are given.



Because this 0W40 is same on the paper as 0W40 for the EU market (or German market). If you go on amazon.de it will say Voll-Synth.
Second, it has to do everything since it is made from same base oils. Castrol imports in the U.S. Low-SAPS LL03 for a reason, because it does not make sense to make it here (though, Shell is making PU Ultra L, and it is bit different then Shell Helix Ultra in EU). Why making 0W40 in the U.S. if you are already making it in Germany? Canister does not have to do anything with it. With GC is same thing. Actually 0W30 was made in the U.S. and there was big difference between 0W30 Made in the U.S. and one Made in Germany.
So that is why people pay attention on that.


EU market and German market are two different things. Only if it says Vollsynth in the German market it requires Grp IV. Full Synthetic in France, or Sweden or any other EU country may contain Grp III and it says Full Synthetic in english on the label.