German Castrol 0w-30: 1 month impression.

[StratGT]

Hey guys: When I first installed the Castrol 0W-30 as a replacement for my Ford 5W-20 I immediately noticed a quieter running engine. I also replaced the K&N filter with the original Ford Motocraft air filter. The GC poured noticeable thicker than the Ford 0W-20. Here's a 1 month conclusion: The car feels like its lost some hp. By the way, my car is a 2000 Ford Mustang GT so each HP counts. I'm making 60 miles per tank less with this new setup. This is with 5 different gas fillups. Is it the oil or the air filter? Cause I'm a little pissed about spending so much extra for Castrol 0W-30 and a K&N oil filter. Any advise or comments, Thanx.

 

[Patman]

It could be another factor. In all the cars I've switched to GC, I've never felt a loss in power. In fact my LT1 engine runs stronger than ever since putting this oil in it. I immediately noticed better low end and midrange throttle response, and this has not gone away. I've been running it now for 9,300km. My wife's car also continues to exhibit the same increase in low end and midrange response, and it's been in her car for 2000km now. I don't think your air filter would slow you down that much, most people who swap back and forth between a K&N and a paper air filter find no noticeable difference on either the dyno or the dragstrip. Don't give up on the GC/K&N oil filter combo just yet, it's working very well in my cars! One more note, my gas mileage is the same or slightly better since putting in GC, in both of my cars, so it's probably something totally unrelated which is causing you problems. Perhaps an 02 sensor going bad or something along those lines?

 

[javacontour]

quote:

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Originally posted by StratGT: Hey guys: When I first installed the Castrol 0W-30 as a replacement for my Ford 5W-20 I immediately noticed a quieter running engine. I also replaced the K&N filter with the original Ford Motocraft air filter. The GC poured noticeable thicker than the Ford 0W-20. Here's a 1 month conclusion: The car feels like its lost some hp. By the way, my car is a 2000 Ford Mustang GT so each HP counts. I'm making 60 miles per tank less with this new setup. This is with 5 different gas fillups. Is it the oil or the air filter? Cause I'm a little pissed about spending so much extra for Castrol 0W-30 and a K&N oil filter. Any advise or comments, Thanx.

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Do you have different fuel formulation in the winter? I know many areas in the US have a summer and winter mix, and the winter blend offers less fuel economy. So before you totally blame the oil, check if your fuel changes blends and when. TB

 

[JMM]

I tried the "highly rated" GC in my 2002 Mustang GT. Only used it for approximately 500 miles before going back to M1 0W-20. I have no dyno figures to back it up, but car seemed little down on power , throttle response not as crisp, etc. Also, idle RPM dropped +/- 300 RPM. Wonder just how many disappointed German Castrol users will be honest and speak up?

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by JMM: I tried the "highly rated" GC in my 2002 Mustang GT. Only used it for approximately 500 miles before going back to M1 0W-20. I have no dyno figures to back it up, but car seemed little down on power , throttle response not as crisp, etc. Also, idle RPM dropped +/- 300 RPM. Wonder just how many disappointed German Castrol users will be honest and speak up?

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If you go from a 20wt oil to a thick 30wt oil though, it's only natural that you will lose a tiny bit of top end power, although it should be less than 5hp on a 260hp Mustang GT, so you honestly wouldn't notice that small of a change. On an engine close to 300hp you typically won't notice horsepower changes under 10hp.

 

[Matt_S]

FWIW, I'll bet that the biggest difference is from the air filter change. K&N's are supposed to flow better than paper. His computer can probably detect that difference and will inject more gasoline with the K&N filter. Have you tried simply swapping the K&N back in? That would be my first step. I can tell you that I definitely feel better performance when I install a new, clean air filter, always have. I'll bet the same will be true in this case. If the K&N helps, you'll have to decide whether the extra protection of the paper filter is worth the HP & mileage loss.

 

[Whimsey]

That's intersting because in 2000 Ford was still recommending 5W-30 for their engines. Maybe the newer Ford engines are "tight" and work better with a "light" 30 or even better, a 20 weight oil. Also was your K&N just the filter element or the FIPK set-up? If it was just the element you most likely could not tell a power difference between that and the Motorcraft paper element. Whimsey

 

[Leo]

I dont know how people say cars idle higher/lower with certian oils when for the last 15 years, all ECI cars adjust the idle speed via closed loop?

 

[Alan]

This engine probably has small oil passages that a lighter viscosity can get through faster causing less drag.Bobistheoilguy says easy flow goes a long ways toward reducing wear.I am really starting to become a fan of light XW30 weight oils.

 

[2K2AcuraTL]

I think I will take this opportunity to add my .02c worth about GC...(also after approx 1 month of service) Using -the seat of pants dyno/VOA- I immediatly noticed that the GC was a thicker oil, the engine lost a bit of -get up and go- even after the all is at normal operating temp. Gas mileage has suffered also. So I am a little dissapointed with GC.... NOT saying its not protecting my engine as it should. it most likely is, but I expected better performance. (my next satement will probably not impress some...) But RP gave me the impression I got the most (value) out of oil/fuel/engine. Jean

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Patman's comments were spot on. However, he did an auto-rx treatment first!

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Not on my wife's car though. And on my own car, I did the Auto-rx treatment a few intervals before putting in GC, not the interval prior.

 

[geeeman]

JMM... Your idle dropping +/- 300 rpm has NOTHING!!! to do with the oil, but if you need to blame something go ahead...!!! Using a MUCH! thicker oil can impact an engines performance slightly. The frictional losses and pumping losses at operating temp. are very small, however, and unless you have a stopwatch measuring in tenths of a second, you probably would never know the difference...

 

[geeeman]

And... Changing from a 20 weight to an almost 40 weight,(as is the case for GC 0W30)... What did you think would happen...?

 

[Drew99GT]

All the talk about lower fuel mileage: ever thought about the fact that on average now, it is 30-40 degrees colder? Even more at night and in the mornings when you start your engine? That will have a DRAMATIC decrease on fuel mileage. Remember having to seriously richen up an old carb on certain motors during cold weather? Like dirtbikes and such?

 

[StratGT]

Wow, this topic has really taken off. I thought I'd give it a day for a response. Once again I'm probably on the right website. Here goes: My car has 22K miles on it when I switched to Castrol 0w-30. I've owned quite a number of performance cars including 3 Mustang GT's and when I'm telling anyone that the car is slower I'm not pulling anyones leg. As for cold weather start-up's; the car has responded better with the Ford 5w-20. My car also had at least another 5 hp with the Motorcraft oil, maybe thats were the filter comes in. On my Vette, I immediately noticed a difference when I switched from a dirty Delco air filter to a K&N. I know what your thinking, but, would you throw away a new/good AC Delco filter for a K&N. On the Stang: My idle is fine, and the car runs smoother with the Castrol. My car doesn't have alot of milage. When I first bought the car new: I changed the oil. Then again at 5000km, then at every 5000km intervals. So around 8 times with the same Motorcraft 5w-20 oil, Motorcraft oil filter, and a K&N air filter after the first 5000km. My 1 month review is based on the Castrol 0w-30, K&N oil filter and the stock OEM Ford air filter. After 1 month of driving and 5 tanks full of gas, my milage went from 400kms (250 miles) per tank to 275kms or 172 miles per tank. This is approximate, and for all 5 fill-ups. If the Ford oil isn't hurting my car, does anyone recommend going back to a 20wt oil?

 

[Patman]

I say run this oil out to your normal interval, then do a UOA on it and see how the engine wear is. What happens if you drop out this oil and go back to the 5w20 but then the engine feels no quicker than before? If you do end up going back to 5w20, why would you buy the Ford stuff? I know the only place to buy it here in Mississauga is from the Ford dealer, and I'm sure they charge more $$$ for this stuff compared to Pennzoil 5w20 from Walmart. By the way, it still amazes me that after 5w20 has been specified in many cars since 2001, the only brand of 5w20 sold in Walmarts and Canadian Tires up here in Canada is Pennzoil.

 

[TooSlick]

A thinner oil is always going to give you more power and fuel efficiency (until the engine siezes). Why do you think Ford/Honda went to 5w-20 in the first place. The GC, 0w-30 WILL provide better performance if your point of reference is a 10w-30 or 10w-40 petroleum oil. It is a 15% thicker than the Mobil 1, 5w-30/10w-30, so the engine might seem sluggish compared to running the really thin stuff. Certainly the Mobil 1, 0w-20 is much thinner than the GC, 0w-30 (2.6 Cp vs 3.6 Cp). I just drained the 0w-20 Synergyn and put in the Series 2000, 0w-30. Fuel efficiency looks to be 1%-2% lower, but subjective NVH is much improved, and I expect bearing wear to return to < 1 ppm/1000 miles. You can maximize performance or protection - but never both. ANY viscosity you choose will be a compromise of those two conflicting goals. If you go too thick or too thin, performance and protection will both be adversely affected. The answer is not black or white - the answer is various shades of grey

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by StratGT: My 1 month review is based on the Castrol 0w-30, K&N oil filter and the stock OEM Ford air filter. After 1 month of driving and 5 tanks full of gas, my milage went from 400kms (250 miles) per tank to 275kms or 172 miles per tank. This is approximate, and for all 5 fill-ups. If the Ford oil isn't hurting my car, does anyone recommend going back to a 20wt oil?

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I won't say the oil didn't make *some* difference, and I won't badmouth the Motorcraft 0W-20 since we've seen good UOA's from it, but you're talking about a 30%+ change here. IMO, the only way to get that much difference with just oil is to leave it out. You have other more important things going on here, most notable are the air filter change and also possibly cooler temps in your area. As an example, since I changed to GC about a month ago I've seen about a 15% drop in fuel economy over running M1 5W-30. But, 4 days before the oil change I put new tires on my truck that are 5% to 7% larger and the weather has gotten much colder. Any small change caused by the oil is swamped by the larger change caused by the tires and the cold... [ December 05, 2003, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: jsharp ]

 

[Drew99GT]

Wouldn't larger tires give you better economy? Lower rpms at same mph?

 

[TooSlick]

Drew, Look up the definition of "angular momentum" and then take a look at the composite wheels Lance Armstrong races with