Castrol euro 5/30 a3/b4

[Bullwinkle007]

I found a 5qt jug of Castrol 5/30 euro, api SL A3/B4,
Price 43 bucks

Is this a version of the GC 0/30? Seems like it from reading the data sheet off Castrol web page.

Also noted that this is the oil to use in EU and and also Australia, for Honda engines 2.4L and 3.5L V6. I don't want to hear you can't use that here because it's API SL. A3/B4 , ACEA is far better specifications than API IMHO

This oil also carries the VW 500/502 MB 229.5 and BMW LL01

 

[LotI]

Expensive for an ancient oil. I would bet it's A3/B4-12(maybe older), not as good as Castrol 0w-40 which meets the current A3/B4-16 for much less at Wally World.

 

[Gokhan]

Nope, it's fully Group III according to the MSDS. Most Castrol's are Group III or mostly Group III these days, even in Germany. The only exception is the 0W-30 A3/B4, which is PAO, but that could change soon as well.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by LotI
Expensive for an ancient oil. I would bet it's A3/B4-12(maybe older), not as good as Castrol 0w-40 which meets the current A3/B4-16 for much less at Wally World.

Actually, it's not an ancient oil. It says, "Passes all engine test performance requirements of API SN and SM but exceeds Phosphorus limits of those classifications."

Note that the API phosphorus limits apply to the ILSAC viscosity grades -- 10W-30 and thinner oils, no xW-40 or thicker. Since this is a 5W-30, it's not exempt from the limits.

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by LotI
Expensive for an ancient oil. I would bet it's A3/B4-12(maybe older), not as good as Castrol 0w-40 which meets the current A3/B4-16 for much less at Wally World.

Actually, it's not an ancient oil. It says, "Passes all engine test performance requirements of API SN and SM but exceeds Phosphorus limits of those classifications."

Therefore, if you're a ZDDP fan, it's a good oil for you. It's fully Group III though. There is no PAO in it.

How is this any different from. RL 5/30 which has the same specs pretty much

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
How is this any different from. RL 5/30 which has the same specs pretty much

Red Line doesn't carry any certifications as far as I know. It says "suitable" or "recommended" for applications requiring those certifications.

 

[Impatient]

Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
I found a 5qt jug of Castrol 5/30 euro, api SL A3/B4,
Price 43 bucks

Is this a version of the GC 0/30? Seems like it from reading the data sheet off Castrol web page.

Also noted that this is the oil to use in EU and and also Australia, for Honda engines 2.4L and 3.5L V6. I don't want to hear you can't use that here because it's API SL. A3/B4 , ACEA is far better specifications than API IMHO

This oil also carries the VW 500/502 MB 229.5 and BMW LL01


To BMW LL01 fans, at least its got that going for it. There used to be (or maybe still is) a BMW 5w30 oil, which I thought was A3/A4. Maybe it is similar to it???

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Nope, it's fully Group III according to the MSDS. Most Castrol's are Group III or mostly Group III these days, even in Germany. The only exception is the 0W-30 A3/B4, which is PAO, but that could change soon as well.


What about the Castrol 0w40? is it not PAO? And what makes you say GC/BC 0w30 is about to not be PAO?????

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by Impatient
What about the Castrol 0w40? is it not PAO? And what makes you say GC/BC 0w30 is about to not be PAO?????

Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 sold-in-US version is somewhere between about 20% to 50% PAO according to the MSDS data.
Castrol 0W-40 A3/B4 sold-in-US version is somewhere between about 20% to 50% PAO according to the MSDS data.

So, the sold-in-US versions of Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 and 0W-40 A3/B4 could be optimistically close to half-PAO.

Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 sold-in-Germany version says full synthetic in German on the bottle. According to the German law, it should be mostly PAO. At least 1/3 of the base oil is not PAO according to the MSDS. There is some Group III (20% or less) according to the MSDS and the remaining is probably ester.

I didn't say that Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 is to be not PAO in the future. I said that it could be not PAO in the future, given the trends.

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by Impatient
What about the Castrol 0w40? is it not PAO? And what makes you say GC/BC 0w30 is about to not be PAO?????

Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 US version is somewhere between 20% to 50% PAO.
Castrol 0W-40 A3/B4 US version is somewhere between 20% to 50% PAO.

Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 German version says full synthetic in German on the bottle. According to the German law, it should be mostly PAO.

I didn't say that Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 is to be not PAO in the future. I said that it could be not PAO in the future, given the trends.



GC 0/30 is also API SL. A3/B4.

Screw it, I'll try motul acess 8100 5/40 API SN a3/b4

 

[double vanos]

Just looked at the PDS for US Castrol Edge 0w-40 and the pour point is listed as -60 degrees F. I wonder what percentage of PAO it takes to do that.....

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
GC 0/30 is also API SL. A3/B4.

Screw it, I'll try motul acess 8100 5/40 API SN a3/b4

Same story: Phosphorus is more than 800 ppm and since it's an xW-30, it can't have SM or SN.

That Motul is 100% Group III according to the MSDS. There is also no ester.

Interestingly, I was looking at the 8100 X-Clean+ and it's a Group III oil with 1% - 2.5% ester. This is in line with our suspicion that if an oil contains ester, it's usually around 2%.

You will be fine with either Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 (US version, German version not sold here) or Castrol 0W-40 A3/B4 -- both have a lot of PAO.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by double vanos
Just looked at the PDS for US Castrol Edge 0w-40 and the pour point is listed as -60 degrees F. I wonder what percentage of PAO it takes to do that.....

The pour point is greatly affected by the pour-point depressant (PPD).

 

[Snagglefoot]

How would you guys think this Pennzoil 5w30 Euro L C3 fits into the scheme things?

It's mid SAPs catalyst compatible.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by Impatient
What about the Castrol 0w40? is it not PAO? And what makes you say GC/BC 0w30 is about to not be PAO?????

Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 sold-in-US version is somewhere between about 20% to 50% PAO according to the MSDS data.
Castrol 0W-40 A3/B4 sold-in-US version is somewhere between about 20% to 50% PAO according to the MSDS data.

So, the sold-in-US versions of Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 and 0W-40 A3/B4 could be optimistically close to half-PAO.

Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 sold-in-Germany version says full synthetic in German on the bottle. According to the German law, it should be mostly PAO. At least 1/3 of the base oil is not PAO according to the MSDS. There is some Group III (20% or less) according to the MSDS and the remaining is probably ester.

I didn't say that Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 is to be not PAO in the future. I said that it could be not PAO in the future, given the trends.

Castrol sells 0W30 A3/B4B3 B4 only in certain markets and formula is same. Only two oils currently in Castrol line up are PAO:
Castrol 0W30 LL04 (specifically developed for BMW)
Castrol 10W60.
Castrol does not offer anymore 0W30 A3 /B3 B4 in EU. 0W40 took that place.

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
GC 0/30 is also API SL. A3/B4.

Screw it, I'll try motul acess 8100 5/40 API SN a3/b4

Same story: Phosphorus is more than 800 ppm and since it's an xW-30, it can't have SM or SN.

That Motul is 100% Group III according to the MSDS. There is also no ester.

Interestingly, I was looking at the 8100 X-Clean+ and it's a Group III oil with 1% - 2.5% ester. This is in line with our suspicion that if an oil contains ester, it's usually around 2%.

You will be fine with either Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 (US version, German version not sold here) or Castrol 0W-40 A3/B4 -- both have a lot of PAO.



So what your saying Castrol 0/40 is better? What's the big rave about motul then? I ordered some motul xcess 5/40. Will try it. Maybe I'll go back to Castrol 0/40.

I have also heard that Castrol 5/40 US version is not a PAO. It's group 3

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
So what your saying Castrol 0/40 is better? What's the big rave about motul then? I ordered some motul xcess 5/40. Will try it. Maybe I'll go back to Castrol 0/40.

I have also heard that Castrol 5/40 US version is not a PAO. It's group 3

Both Castrol 0W-30 and 0W-40 are somewhere between about 1/4 - 1/2 PAO. Some here said that 0W-30 US is same as the 0W-30 Germany and mostly PAO but they have different MSDS. Motul is all Group III, with no PAO.

I think there is one or two PAO Motul oils out there and people falsely assume that most Motul oils are PAO, whereas in reality they are Group III. Nevertheless, they are fine oils.

All other Castrol oils (including 5W-40) except A3/B4 0W-30, 0W-40, and 10W-60 are Group III.

You will be fine with either Castrol or Motul but if you want PAO, Castrol 0W-40 has a lot of it and it's cheap and easy to get.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
So what your saying Castrol 0/40 is better? What's the big rave about motul then? I ordered some motul xcess 5/40. Will try it. Maybe I'll go back to Castrol 0/40.

I have also heard that Castrol 5/40 US version is not a PAO. It's group 3

Both Castrol 0W-30 and 0W-40 are somewhere between about 1/4 - 1/2 PAO. Some here said that 0W-30 US is same as the 0W-30 Germany and mostly PAO but they have different MSDS. Motul is all Group III, with no PAO.

I think there is one or two PAO Motul oils out there and people falsely assume that most Motul oils are PAO, whereas in reality they are Group III. Nevertheless, they are fine oils.

All other Castrol oils (including 5W-40) except A3/B4 0W-30, 0W-40, and 10W-60 are Group III.

You will be fine with either Castrol or Motul but if you want PAO, Castrol 0W-40 has a lot of it and it's cheap and easy to get.

There is no Castrol 0W30 ACEA A3/B3 B4 offered for sale in Germany.
Only four oils offered in Germany are full synthetic, PAO, and two that are HTHS 3.5 and above. Apparently in last few weeks Castrol reformulated LL04 to get approvals: MB229.51 etc.
Here is a list of PAO oils in Germany:

PAO oils in Germany

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
Originally Posted by Gokhan
Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
GC 0/30 is also API SL. A3/B4.

Screw it, I'll try motul acess 8100 5/40 API SN a3/b4

Same story: Phosphorus is more than 800 ppm and since it's an xW-30, it can't have SM or SN.

That Motul is 100% Group III according to the MSDS. There is also no ester.

Interestingly, I was looking at the 8100 X-Clean+ and it's a Group III oil with 1% - 2.5% ester. This is in line with our suspicion that if an oil contains ester, it's usually around 2%.

You will be fine with either Castrol 0W-30 A3/B4 (US version, German version not sold here) or Castrol 0W-40 A3/B4 -- both have a lot of PAO.



So what your saying Castrol 0/40 is better? What's the big rave about motul then? I ordered some motul xcess 5/40. Will try it. Maybe I'll go back to Castrol 0/40.

I have also heard that Castrol 5/40 US version is not a PAO. It's group 3

You gonna be fine with both Motul and Castrol.
Do not hang up on PAO etc. Final product is what matters. Also, when you ask question about Euro oils, ask it in European oils subforum. You will get better answers there.
Thing with Castrol 5W40 in US is that it does not meet MB229.5 which is very stringent approval. Castrol 0W40 does meet that as well as 0W30 or Motul X-Cess 5W40.
Is Castrol 0W40 better than Castrol 5W40 in US (there is European version that is not on sale in North America)? Yes. Is Castrol 0W40 better than Motul X-Cess 5W40? Who knows!

 

[Gokhan]

You can also ask OVERKILL for his opinion, who is an expert on the Castrol line of oils.

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Motul xcess 5/40 has a lot of mfg approvals.

My Acura 3.7 says run 5/20.
In Europe and Australia, Castrol says use per website 5/30
Shell says use shell helix ultra 5/40.
She runs good now on Castrol 0/40. I'll try and see how she does on the motul. I don't live in a cold climate. Gets into the mid 20s at night and the 50s during the day in the winter. Do run her hard quite a bit into her power band of 3800-7000, [censored] VTECH. Wish they had more low end.