German Castrol 0W-30 vs Mobil 1 0W-30

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MinnesotaNole

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Just picked up 5 quarts of the authentic German Castrol 0W-30 at my local Autozone. There was only 1 quart left on the shelf! Couldn't believe I found it!!!! I plan on running it this winter. I normally run Mobil 1 0W-30 during the winter.

Some questions for the board:

Which oil is better in your opinion?

Mobil 1 has kept my engine EXTREMELY clean. Will the German Castrol do the same?

Does the German Castrol have esters in it? Are esters superior to PAO's?

Will I be able to run the German Castrol for the conservative drain inetrval of aprox. 6K?

Can I run the German Castrol 0W-30 year round? My owners manual calls for 5W-30 (94 Honda Accord EX 93K on it)in all four seasons.

What are your experiences with the German Castrol?

Thank you for your help!!
 
quote:
Which oil is better in your opinion?
Click to expand...
IMO, Castrol 0w-30 is a better oil. I don't like M1 0w-30. Take a sample from both and lets see what you get.
 
'Nole,

Obviously, we are still REALLY NEW in our experience with German Syntec so my answer to some of your questions will be "we'll have to see." Also, I like to caveat my answers to "Is this a good motor oil for me?" Certain oils seem to match better with certain engines...while oil C may, on paper, be better than, or as good as oil M, oil M may prove to work better in your engine. So we are kind of talking "paper facts" here.

Q1 While I too have had good experiences with M1 0W30, I'll go with the German Castrol because it is formulated to meet what I consider to be more demanding specs than the M1 (A3/B3 vs A1/B1 and A5/B5); in a nutshell, it (according to specs) can handle more severe use and meets a higher level stability requirement and a higher resistance to shearing requirement than M1 0W30.

(2) It should, given the ACEA specs it meets (A3 has an extended drain interval requirement); it also has been approved by Mercedes as a 229.3 oil. This means if you have a post 1998 engine and their Flexible Servicing System, Mercedes will allow drain intervals up to 25,000 miles. Obviously that doesn't apply to other OEMs but it is an indication of what it can do. M1 0W30 is not formulated to meet this requirment.

(3) We'll have to get one of our resident chemists/tribologists to answer this one (or someone who has seen the tech data or MSDS).

(4) If you have been doing it with M1 0W30, theoretically the Castrol should do just as well (I'd do UOAs and watch as other folks post theirs for this oil.)

(5) I have run M1 0W30 year round with no problems so I think Castrol should do as well, especially since one of the characteristics of an A3 oil is that it can be used year round despite its lighter viscosity.

(6) Won't be able to tell you this until I get it uploaded in one of my cars.

Hope this gets you started and then some of our REAL experts can add their info.

[ July 22, 2003, 12:32 AM: Message edited by: pscholte ]
 
I agree with pscholte. On paper the German Castrol Syntec 0W-30 is a much better oil than the Mobil 1 0W-30 but only time will tell if the German Syntec 0W-30 is really better. Castrol Syntec 0W-30 is more similar in performance to Mobil 1 0W-40 and meets most of the same specs. The viscosity is also very close. The 0W-30 Syntec is a little thinner than the Mobil 1 0W-40. We will only have a clear answer when we have a lot of UOA's on both these oils.

[ July 22, 2003, 01:13 AM: Message edited by: Sin City ]
 
There are many posts about this oil. Do a search on "German" and pick them out.

Now that you have this oil, please report the lot and production numbers from the bottom of the bottles. An example: M023386B TAG785 2013
 
I am biased. I am an Amsoil dealer. I dislike Castrol for the things they and their advertising did to my cars when I was an impressionable youth. I think folks should be free to use whatever oil they like, just like I am allowed to think there are much better oils than Castrol.

All that said: Can someone, please, please explain to me this romance, this torrid love affair with Castrol 0W-30? It certainly isn't an abundance of spectacular UOA's (the ultimate proof, yes?). The stellar VOA? The perfect oil on paper? Is it simply because it's from Europe and rare?

Of these two my money is on M1 and I apologize for the rant.
 
I'll tell you why people love this oil (since I'm one of them)

It's extremely good cold weather performance.

It's higher 30wt viscosity (which doesn't thin out according to the UOA I posted).

It's ability to pass so many of the European tests, many for long drain capabilites.

It's 3.6 HTHS.

The good TBN, which holds itself well too according to the UOA I posted.

The fact that it's less expensive than a lot of synthetics out there.

It is a true synthetic, most likely heavily ester based, unlike the other Syntecs.

It's German! Everybody loves Germans!
smile.gif
 
Patman - what is the qt price? (I for one have not looked for this oil)

Cold weather performance? better than Amsoil 0W-30?

Cheap and ester based? Hmmmm.....

Joat - I don't know if you are a young person but us "older" guys will remember the 70's/early eighties Castrol ads for high reving engines and thicker preferably their petroleum 20W-50. This oil is the namesake of early "black death", mostly from the high ratios of low tech VI enhancers and pour point agents which would simultaneously either break down or leave. In worst case scenarios what was left behind was tar sludge and a dead engine. In my cases (and yes I changed the oil at 3K intervals) was unacceptably high wear - which I thought to be normal! (I don't think people were into UOA's back then)
 
quote:
Originally posted by Pablo:
Patman - what is the qt price? (I for one have not looked for this oil)

Cold weather performance? better than Amsoil 0W-30?

Cheap and ester based? Hmmmm.....
Click to expand...
Amsoil 0w30 pour point = -60°F
Castrol Syntec 0w30 (German) pour point = -81°F

Early on I speculated that the only way this oil could post a pour point this low is the predominant component in the base oil blend is esters. This has been confirmed by MolaKule.

As to cost, Castrol is a rather large company and the quantities they buy in can no doubt affect the bottom line. That being said, it would not surprise me at all to learn that the base oil blend for their 0w30 is in fact Group III (say around 20% wax isomerate) and Group V esters (say around 80%). This would be cheaper to produce than an ester/PAO blend.
 
Pablo, I believe this oil sells in the US for the same price as the other Syntec viscosities (around $4)

In Canada it's $6.66 per liter, Mobil 1 is $7.12 (but is cheaper when the big jugs come out)

For comparison, Redline is $17 per quart up here, Amsoil is around $9 to $10, Royal Purple is around $8. Most dino oils are about $2.50, unless on sale then they are $2.
 
No, Pablo, there isn't an abundance of specatacular UOAs on the oil. There is only one UOA, actually, on this board. It wasn't too bad, really. Oil compares favorably to Mobil1 at this point. No trends yet discerned.

If this oil does turn out to be a good product, will you still not even think of it because of your past experience with Castrol the company? You imply as much.

I'm not writing to defend this oil. I'm just calling you on your self-stated bias. Sure, you can think whatever you want, as you said. But you've cast aspersions in this thread that are unwarranted and unsubstantiated. I'd counsel a wait-and-see attitude at this time.
 
Well I am impressed by the pour point. Does anyone know the cold crank simulator (CCS) numbers?

The base oil chemistry would be interesting to know!

Price does sound very good.

Cast aspersions? I guess so. I thought I was asking questions. People seem to be falling over themselves for this oil in thread after thread. YZF150, your suggestion to do a search was excellent.

I will change my tune and give the thumbs up if the UOA's (over 5k miles) look good.

I'll just shut up and climb back in my cave now.
wink.gif


[ July 22, 2003, 11:33 AM: Message edited by: Pablo ]
 
quote:
Originally posted by MinnesotaNole:
Question:

Why isn't the German Syntec 0W-30 API-certified? Do I risk engine damamge by running it in my Honda Accord?
Click to expand...
Who said it wasn't certified? AFAIK it is.
 
quote:
Originally posted by MinnesotaNole:
Question:

Why isn't the German Syntec 0W-30 API-certified? Do I risk engine damamge by running it in my Honda Accord?
Click to expand...
It is API certified. It has the API doughnut, but not the "starburst" because it's not "energy conserving."
 
quote:
Originally posted by ikeepmychevytoo:
I didn't buy well-admired-since-introduced Castrol 0w 30 becouse it doesn't carry API energy conserving certificate.
Click to expand...
Well, that's certainly your prerogative. However, the fact that it's not an energy conserving oil in no way means it's deficient in some way. It would be very difficult for any Xw30 oil with HT/HS numbers that can meet A3 standards to also meet the GF-3 starburst requirements for fuel economy.
 
quote:
Originally posted by MinnesotaNole:
G-Man II:

What exactly does "energy conserving" mean? Will I get bad gas mileage or something with the German Castrol?
Click to expand...
It means that instead of getting 31.3 MPG with your car, you'll get 31.1 MPG. That's basically it.
 
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