http://www.tds.castrol.com.au/default.aspx?txtProdName=slx professional
Fuel Saver the only one not available here.
Fuel Saver the only one not available here.
Castrol SLX Professional 4718M
- Thread starter MGregoir
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I went through those TDS files and I can't find anything for the 4718, all the other SLX oils are VW/Audi/BMW spec products with higher HT/HS ratings and additive content so they are rated SL/A3 rather than SM/GF-4.
This is a fairly recent product so I am waiting for a spec sheet on it from Castrol, e-mailed them today.
This is a fairly recent product so I am waiting for a spec sheet on it from Castrol, e-mailed them today.
Patman
Staff member
I kinda hope they don't bring this over here, I was just getting comfortable with using PP 5w30 in my Corvette for a long while, but if this stuff comes here I'm going to be very tempted to try it out, in case this is the second coming of GC. 
Seriously though, it's nice to see another player in the 4718M field, and it would be nice to see Castrol take a big bite out of Mobil 1's stranglehold on the Corvette oil change market.
Seriously though, it's nice to see another player in the 4718M field, and it would be nice to see Castrol take a big bite out of Mobil 1's stranglehold on the Corvette oil change market.
For those who are familiar with the requirements of 4718M, any reason why GC wouldn't qualify? Looking at the list of "accepted" oils, I would have a hard time believing it wouldn't given its specs and general performance in UOAs.
I've been using it in my 2005 Corvette for a couple years and still have about 25 bottles of green GC.
I've been using it in my 2005 Corvette for a couple years and still have about 25 bottles of green GC.
Originally Posted By: Patman
I kinda hope they don't bring this over here, I was just getting comfortable with using PP 5w30 in my Corvette for a long while, but if this stuff comes here I'm going to be very tempted to try it out, in case this is the second coming of GC.
A quick Google shows that someone in the Ottawa area is selling it for the same price, but in cases of 6 only.
I wonder why GM went with Castrol for this...they've been using Petro-Canada oils for a long time for bulk oil and other lube products.
I kinda hope they don't bring this over here, I was just getting comfortable with using PP 5w30 in my Corvette for a long while, but if this stuff comes here I'm going to be very tempted to try it out, in case this is the second coming of GC.
A quick Google shows that someone in the Ottawa area is selling it for the same price, but in cases of 6 only.
I wonder why GM went with Castrol for this...they've been using Petro-Canada oils for a long time for bulk oil and other lube products.
German Castrol is an SL rated oil that does not pass GF-4 (too high phosphorous, not "energy conserving" because it has to be heavy enough to pass A3 for HT/HS) so it does not pass the two most minimal requirements to be licensed for 4718M.
It's not that it's a bad oil, it's that it is not playing in that bracket. North American oils are about protecting emissions systems and being heavily friction modified to save fuel, and having a lower HT/HS viscosity to reduce drag and improve fuel economy. European oils are about...lasting a long time protecting vital engine parts as well as possible mileage be ****ed.
It's not that it's a bad oil, it's that it is not playing in that bracket. North American oils are about protecting emissions systems and being heavily friction modified to save fuel, and having a lower HT/HS viscosity to reduce drag and improve fuel economy. European oils are about...lasting a long time protecting vital engine parts as well as possible mileage be ****ed.
Patman, it is already over here. It says right on the bottle made for GM Canada, the only place to buy it is GM parts departments, and I walked past a pyramid of cases with a brochure/merchandiser on it and snagged the brochure at my local GM dealer.
There's a coupon on the GM Goodwrench site for $15 off an SLX Professional synthetic oil change right now, in fact. GM is putting a big marketing push on this, and I think they went with Castrol because Castrol offered them the ability to really market it in a strong way.
There's a coupon on the GM Goodwrench site for $15 off an SLX Professional synthetic oil change right now, in fact. GM is putting a big marketing push on this, and I think they went with Castrol because Castrol offered them the ability to really market it in a strong way.
I e-mailed Castrol to see if I could get a PDS for this oil. This is the response I got back:
Thank you for contacting Castrol.
>
> We have developed and manufacture oils for a number of customers under
> their
> brand. The companies and the specifics of their oils is confidential
> information that we cannot share.
>
> Please contact your local GM dealer for more information on the Castrol
> 'SLX
> Professional 4718M'.
>
> Castrol Consumer Relations
I've e-mailed GM Canada to see if I can get any further on this, but it seems like this oil is a fairly close co-operation between GM and Castrol, and that GM is holding the details close to its chest.
I'll update if I hear anything from GM Canada on this...
Thank you for contacting Castrol.
>
> We have developed and manufacture oils for a number of customers under
> their
> brand. The companies and the specifics of their oils is confidential
> information that we cannot share.
>
> Please contact your local GM dealer for more information on the Castrol
> 'SLX
> Professional 4718M'.
>
> Castrol Consumer Relations
I've e-mailed GM Canada to see if I can get any further on this, but it seems like this oil is a fairly close co-operation between GM and Castrol, and that GM is holding the details close to its chest.
I'll update if I hear anything from GM Canada on this...
I got the same thing, it's just Castrol's form letter for it.
Well, lets see, if I had to guess on what this oil would 'look' like, it would go like this:
It has to meet GF-4 and be fuel conserving, so it is thinner than the A3 rated, 12-cst oils such as GC or BMW 5W-30. But at the other end, regular Syntec is 9.7 cst, and it doesn't meet the 4718M spec, so is it to thin? It would probably be between 10.5 cst and 11.5 cst.
B/C it is a 'dealer' oil, only designed to survive max OEM drain intervals, I think it would have lower, 'economy' levels of additives - moly around 40-60 ppm; calcium at 1700-2100 ppm; boron maybe 20 ppm and others at SM limits.
And, of course, it's be a group III oil!
What say the board?
It has to meet GF-4 and be fuel conserving, so it is thinner than the A3 rated, 12-cst oils such as GC or BMW 5W-30. But at the other end, regular Syntec is 9.7 cst, and it doesn't meet the 4718M spec, so is it to thin? It would probably be between 10.5 cst and 11.5 cst.
B/C it is a 'dealer' oil, only designed to survive max OEM drain intervals, I think it would have lower, 'economy' levels of additives - moly around 40-60 ppm; calcium at 1700-2100 ppm; boron maybe 20 ppm and others at SM limits.
And, of course, it's be a group III oil!
What say the board?
Originally Posted By: MGregoir
$8.95 a litre is the price, $53.70 for a case, and Goodwrench is pushing it for their "synthetic oil changes" now.
Maybe that was then but not now. I called 3 GM dealerships in my neck of the woods (GTorontoArea) and it sells at $11.95 per bottle
$8.95 a litre is the price, $53.70 for a case, and Goodwrench is pushing it for their "synthetic oil changes" now.
Maybe that was then but not now. I called 3 GM dealerships in my neck of the woods (GTorontoArea) and it sells at $11.95 per bottle
Originally Posted By: MGregoir
They had it in six by 1 litre cases and said it was custom blended for GM Canada by Castrol
but they had the ILSAC GF-4 standards for deposit control, viscosity increase, etc. posted alongside those of the 4718 standard, and then showing the SLX exceeding it.
Traditionally GM's synthetic product for those applications was Mobil 1 5W-30.
Funny you mention this as I was speaking on the phone to the parts person at Chevy dealer and he said they had recently just shipped all their SLX stock to another dealer in return for an equivalent amount of M1 5W30. Corvette owners werent biting on using this new Castrol for their oil changes. They were hung up on using only their good old M1.
They had it in six by 1 litre cases and said it was custom blended for GM Canada by Castrol
but they had the ILSAC GF-4 standards for deposit control, viscosity increase, etc. posted alongside those of the 4718 standard, and then showing the SLX exceeding it.
Traditionally GM's synthetic product for those applications was Mobil 1 5W-30.
Funny you mention this as I was speaking on the phone to the parts person at Chevy dealer and he said they had recently just shipped all their SLX stock to another dealer in return for an equivalent amount of M1 5W30. Corvette owners werent biting on using this new Castrol for their oil changes. They were hung up on using only their good old M1.
Too bad. I would have liked to see M1 start to look over its shoulder...some competition. But then again at almost $12 a bottle SLX isnt helping here.
Originally Posted By: MGregoir
I just found this oil and picked up a brochure on it at my local GM dealer. I had seen it on the approval list, but never seen it on the shelf or even a data sheet from Castrol on it.
had the ILSAC GF-4 standards for deposit control, viscosity increase, etc. posted alongside those of the 4718 standard, and then showing the SLX exceeding it.
I have a feeling this stuff is uber expensive (I didn't ask how much six litres was) but it looks like it is for sure a better oil than Syntec
Just wondering why we think it is for sure better than Syntec? For sure it is way more expensive.
I just assumed given its name that it was the only Castol that was 4718 compliant but looking at a bottle of Syntec the other day it lists 4718 and ILSAC GF-4 and etc. I dont have a bottle of this Castrol SLX or a product info sheet to compare the two; has their been a virgin analysis done on the SLX to then compare to 'regular' Syntec?
I just found this oil and picked up a brochure on it at my local GM dealer. I had seen it on the approval list, but never seen it on the shelf or even a data sheet from Castrol on it.
had the ILSAC GF-4 standards for deposit control, viscosity increase, etc. posted alongside those of the 4718 standard, and then showing the SLX exceeding it.
I have a feeling this stuff is uber expensive (I didn't ask how much six litres was) but it looks like it is for sure a better oil than Syntec
Just wondering why we think it is for sure better than Syntec? For sure it is way more expensive.
I just assumed given its name that it was the only Castol that was 4718 compliant but looking at a bottle of Syntec the other day it lists 4718 and ILSAC GF-4 and etc. I dont have a bottle of this Castrol SLX or a product info sheet to compare the two; has their been a virgin analysis done on the SLX to then compare to 'regular' Syntec?
It just says it 'exceeds' 4718M. Castrol hasn't actually had regular Syntec tested and certified to 4718M.
But it does beg the question, if regular Syntec DOES meet 4718M, WHY develop a different oil to meet it? Why not just have Syntec tested and certified to 4718M?
Something is fishy here. Either that statement above is just bunk, or 4718M oil is just re-bottled Syntec, sold at a higher price.
But it does beg the question, if regular Syntec DOES meet 4718M, WHY develop a different oil to meet it? Why not just have Syntec tested and certified to 4718M?
Something is fishy here. Either that statement above is just bunk, or 4718M oil is just re-bottled Syntec, sold at a higher price.
The semantics are ridiculous i.e. one cannot "exceed" something unless at some point one "meets" it...as it moves beyond it!
To belabor the point "exceeds" implies better than "meets"!
And again it seems ridiculous that Castrol has the SLX which officially meets 4718 yet the same company advertises another very similar oil as exceeding the spec (but not officially
).
Now that I think of it does the American packaged Syntec 5W30 also say "exceeds 4718M"?
I think I am willing to pay for a VOA on ONE of these oils to see what we can see. But I am confused as to which one I need to do i.e. the Canadian only SLX 4718 or the Canadian bottle of Syntec shown above? Has either been done?
To belabor the point "exceeds" implies better than "meets"!
And again it seems ridiculous that Castrol has the SLX which officially meets 4718 yet the same company advertises another very similar oil as exceeding the spec (but not officially
Now that I think of it does the American packaged Syntec 5W30 also say "exceeds 4718M"?
I think I am willing to pay for a VOA on ONE of these oils to see what we can see. But I am confused as to which one I need to do i.e. the Canadian only SLX 4718 or the Canadian bottle of Syntec shown above? Has either been done?
Originally Posted By: addyguy
Something is fishy here. Either that statement above is just bunk, or 4718M oil is just re-bottled Syntec, sold at a higher price.
at a MUCH higher price! Depending on the dealer I have seen it recently quoted as high as $13
and currently this week one can get the "exceeds" Syntec at less than $7 a bottle on sale at CDN Tire.
Something is fishy here. Either that statement above is just bunk, or 4718M oil is just re-bottled Syntec, sold at a higher price.
at a MUCH higher price! Depending on the dealer I have seen it recently quoted as high as $13
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: buster
I just called Castrol US in NJ. The girl didn't know if this line of oils will be released in the U.S. They were only released a month ago. Looks like they are finally getting serious about the syn lube market.
They main office is like 2 minutes and 3 blocks from my house. Its a nice building, wonder if they would let me in?
I just called Castrol US in NJ. The girl didn't know if this line of oils will be released in the U.S. They were only released a month ago. Looks like they are finally getting serious about the syn lube market.
They main office is like 2 minutes and 3 blocks from my house. Its a nice building, wonder if they would let me in?
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