Castrol Magnatec 0w20 vs Castrol GTX Full syn 0w20

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Mar 3, 2012
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181
Location
new brunswick canada
I've recently noticed that here in Canada, we have now Castrol GTX full synthetic (gray jug). I actually run Castrol Magnatec 0w20 in my 2.0L Skyactiv engine an I'm very pleased with cold start performance (less clatter) in -20 degrees Celsius or often lower.

The Castrol GTX full synthetic is on sale here at Canadian tire for 34.99$ a 5 liter jug, which is a good price for the current market on oils, it claims 6X better wear protection and up to 16 000 km.

Is this oil the same or very similar to the Magnatec? I heard the Magnatec had some group V base oil, which could be the clinging molecules lol, but I have no idea.

Anyone knows if Magnatec is really superior? It's probably been talked on here before, but I'm still curious about different opinions.

Also, the GTX mentions suitable for hybrids, and not the Magnatec, so I assume the formulation is different to suite hybrids that don't run to full temperature? I'm not quite sure of this either.

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A big Magnatec fan. Even the semi synthetic version had stellar UOAs on here if you search. A premium oil. I still have a stash I use. No longer offered in the USA

The hybrid line is just sales smack as it's the in thing these days.
 
The Magnatec has been discontinued in the USA. Not sure if it's still in production for Canada.
You are right. Have not seen Castrol Magnatec in my area for several years. A popular syndicated radio show in the U S southeast some years ago regularly advertised the Castrol Magnatec oil as having "intelligent oil molecules that cling to engine parts" to provide superior lubrication properties at engine starting.
 
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yes it is sold here in many part stores.
It’s not listed on Castrol Canada’s website anymore so if you’re still seeing it then it’s just leftover stock. Canadian Tire doesn’t sell it anymore or Walmart.
Take Five Oil Change used to offer Magnatec as their lower cost synthetic option and they stopped using it a couple of years ago now.
 
Perhaps there's something in the GTX Brew that's absent from the Magnatec Brew, which favors the GTX's recipe, for use inside Hybrid engines.
I don;t recall any mention of Hybrid engine inclusion, on the Magnatec jug labels.
 
Former member Gokhan was not a big fan of the SP rated Castrol ‘Full Synthetic’ 0w20 due to its ‘thin base oil and high VII content’.
See his opening post of November 2022 thread “Could Castrol Edge EP be the best 0w20 out there”.
 
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It’s not listed on Castrol Canada’s website anymore so if you’re still seeing it then it’s just leftover stock. Canadian Tire doesn’t sell it anymore or Walmart.
Take Five Oil Change used to offer Magnatec as their lower cost synthetic option and they stopped using it a couple of years ago now.
my local Canadian tire never sold Magnatec, only Edge black and gold, and regular GTX and High Mileage. Magnatec is sold at NAPA, Carquest and Uniselect here in Canada. No idea why its not on the castrol website in Canada.
 
I ran Magnatec for a good many changes. It was a cheaper synthetic compared to some others. Some weigh versions, like 0W-20 was full synthetic, but others, at least some people claimed, were semi synthetic.
 
What is different in a hybrid engine that would affect lubrication?
The #1 definition of 'perhaps' is uncertainty.
Reasons have been posted here at BITOG. Multiple members have contacted Castrol offices about the switch. But you may have to go back 1-1/2 to 2 years to find any old threads / posts. Formula changes are constant in this industry, to keep up with new Standards and Approvals..

Both the Hybrid mention on the newest jugs and the newer GF-6A Standard on the back of the jugs are the only difference I've seen on the outside. I also like the GTX name change, versus-that of Magnatec and the switch of colors from green to white.
 
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A big Magnatec fan. Even the semi synthetic version had stellar UOAs on here if you search. A premium oil. I still have a stash I use. No longer offered in the USA

The hybrid line is just sales smack as it's the in thing these days.
Didn’t know you had this stash 🤔🤔

I wouldn’t mind having some
 
Back in 2015-2016 when I had the Honda Civic, the 0w-20 magnatec was spoken and Whispers of being a group 3 and group 5. It had an hths of 2.785. It was what I referred to as the poor man's Red Line Oil. I think it was the most stoutest over the counter budget friendly oil in its weight. I had cleaned out the auto parts stores around Kansas City and I think I posted about it long time ago but I managed to get all the qts for like under 75 cents a piece
 
I like Castrol as a whole. Between those two, i'd pick Magnatec. Nothing based on chemistry or science. Just the UOAs and some discussion years ago, on here by @Shannow .
 
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