German Syntec 0w30 @ AutoZone

G-MAN · May 28, 2003

I'm going to change my 300M over to the German Syntec 0w30 this weekend, so I stopped by AutoZone this afternoon to pick up 5 quarts. And 5 quarts was all they had. The rest was the OLD yellow label 0w30. And when I say OLD, I mean OLD. This was pre-snowflake SJ/GF-2 rated 0w30 with the OLD Syntec label. So, it's pretty obvious my AutoZone doesn't rotate their stock, and when they got some of the NEW German Syntec in, they just put it on the shelf in front of the old stuff.

I've already posted a VOA of this oil for a baseline, and I'll be doing a UOA of it when I change it out. I only put about 10,000 miles a year on my car, so it will take quite a few months for me to put 6-7000 miles on it. Look for a UOA in early spring 2004, more than likely.

Patman · May 28, 2003

So it looks like my sister's UOA on this stuff will be the first one here. It's going to be delayed two extra weeks though, she told me she's going on vacation from June 1-14 now. So she should hit the 5k mark on her oil around the end of June instead of the middle of June now. I'm still worried about that 9ppm of iron in the virgin sample you sent in though, I hope mine isn't like that too.

I also forgot to mention, I've got a change of plans regarding the use of this oil. Instead of putting it into my wife's car this fall, I'm going to run Mobil 1 5w30 in her car. Then instead of continuing with Castrol GTX HM in my mom's Probe GT, I'm going to use the German 0w30. I probably won't do a UOA on my mom's first interval with it (which will be Oct 2003 to spring 2004), I'll wait for the warm weather interval instead (spring 2004 to fall 2004)

So why my change of plans? I decided with the good results lately that we've seen, that I need to run Mobil 1 in one of my "test vehicles" and I figure a Royal Purple vs Mobil 1 test in the same vehicle will be very interesting! I'll compare this year's spring to fall run of Royal Purple with next year's spring to fall run with Mobil 1 (which will be it's second interval with M1, just like this run of RP is it's second interval with that oil too)

[ May 28, 2003, 04:53 PM: Message edited by: Patman ]

buster · May 28, 2003

Is this the stuff they use in BMW's? My friend who has a 330i said the Castrol they use is not the oil sold here and is $12qt.

jason07-1zzfe · May 28, 2003

That's the RS 10w60 and I thought it was only used in the M3. The rest of BMWs get 5w30 synthetic and it only costs about $4/qt.

cryptokid · May 28, 2003

isnt sj better than sl? i think it has more phosporus or somthing?

G-MAN · May 28, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Patman:
I'm still worried about that 9ppm of iron in the virgin sample you sent in though, I hope mine isn't like that too.

Well, since I know the 5 qts going into my car are from this same lot, I'll be deducting 9ppm of iron from the UOA figures.

I'm assuming starting out with this much iron in the oil isn't going to cause any harm to the engine.

G-MAN · May 29, 2003

Okay, I'm running the German 0w30 now. It's supposed to rain Saturday, so I went ahead and changed it this afternoon.

The Mobil 1 10w30 that I changed out had been in there 5 months and had 3066 miles on it. I'll be sending it off for a UOA to compare wear numbers with the Syntec when I change that at 6-7000 miles.

buster · May 29, 2003

Do all autozone's carry it? I didnt see it the last time i went.

quadrun1 · May 29, 2003

A bit excited to try this new 0W-30, G-Man II?

3000 miles/5 months seems a bit early to dump out M1

G-MAN · May 29, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by quadrun1:
A bit excited to try this new 0W-30, G-Man II?

3000 miles/5 months seems a bit early to dump out M1

Ordinarily, I'd agree with you. But I changed it for a couple of reasons: this oil was in my car during one of the coldest winters we've had around here in decades, with lots of under two mile trips at single digit temps with the engine never getting warmed up. Indeed, most of the 3000 miles on this oil was short trip. I'm planning to take a couple of long trips this summer, and I'd feel better with fresh oil in the crankcase. So...since I'd planned to use the German Syntec at my next change, this seemed like the perfect time to "take the plunge."

YZF150 · May 29, 2003

G, any first impressions to share? Valve noise? Pickup? Pressure? Temp? Warm up time?

G-MAN · May 29, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by YZF150:
G, any first impressions to share? Valve noise? Pickup? Pressure? Temp? Warm up time?

Funny you should mention that. The 3.5 litre HO V6 in the 300M is know to have start up valve noise. It comes from the lifters of the SOHC engine leaking down somewhat after shutdown. In fact, it's not uncommon if you let one sit long enough that one or more lifters will leak down completely and you start up with a colapsed lifter. That happened to me once shortly after I got the car and before I switched to Mobil 1. It sounds like the engine is going to come apart until the lifter(s) get pumped up.

The start up valve noise was much less noticeable with Mobil 1, but still there. (Keep in mind that the average motorist proably wouldn't notice it at all. But I have good ears and I pretty much know the source of various "noises" any engine can make.)

Now...this is preliminary...but, since putting in the German 0w30, I've not heard ANY valve noise on start up. And one start up was after the engine had sat for over 8 hours and was cold. Normally, I'd hear a little for sure with that scenario. Time will tell for sure, and I'll see what happens when I start it up tomorrow after it sits all night.

Fillherup · May 29, 2003

The thinner oil does seem to help on the valve noise at startup. My older Pathfinder engine start-up noise was quite reduced with M1 0W-30 vs dino 5W-30.

G-MAN · May 29, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Fillherup:
The thinner oil does seem to help on the valve noise at startup. My older Pathfinder engine start-up noise was quite reduced with M1 0W-30 vs dino 5W-30.

Yeah, but that's just it...this 0w30 isn't thinner at the warmer temps we've got around here now. It's actually thicker than the Mobil 1 10w30.

Jimbo · May 29, 2003

No German Syntec here. I don't think my local Autozone has sold any of the original 0W-30 that they first got. 0W-30 M1 also just collects dust, the bottles are still the Tri-Syn formula.

0W-XX is a tough sell where it never gets below 40F!

tenderloin · May 30, 2003

Anyone find the German Castrol 0w-30 at any outlet other than Autozone? Any show up in Southern California? TIA

Chris Jefferson · May 30, 2003

ill second the lifter rattle reduction thing with my car too. Although my car is a 02' Protege5 w/ a 2L 130hp(over-rated numbers for sure!) 4cylinder engine, it too was noisy on start-up unless i used a 0w-40 or at least a 5w-XX oil. This stuff looks like its clingling to the inside of the valve cover way more than M1 0w-30 or 0w-40 ever did!

Interesting note is that this is only the 2nd time an xW-30 oil has been in my engine and ive got almost 25,000 miles on it! Its been all M1 0w-40 and 1 stint of 0w-30(it was only $3/qt!) and one 3K mile stint of Kendall Syn. 5w-40 (i love this stuff as much as M1 0w-40!).

Change intervals are almost always at least 4-5K miles and you can still see the white dots on the camshafts from a "mechanics pen" and everything still looks brand new with NO varnish or build up anywhere in sight!

But, i always had valve train noise with M1 products and even the Kendall syn. but, not anymore with this 0w-30 'SLX' quasi-Syntec! My gas mileage w/ the M1 0w-40 was almost 30mpg (with some lead footed driving

) and 25-27mpg with 4K rpms shifts for regular driving.

This new SlX stuff has it at the same MPG as the 0w-40 M1 so, this stuff is a thick 0w-30 for sure! But, my engine does rev smoother in the higher temps of summer here in atlanta.

G-MAN · May 30, 2003

I can report that my start up valve noise (faint as it was with Mobil 1) is now completely gone with the 0w30 Syntec. When I started her up this morning after sitting all night, there was none at all.

Whether this is the product of a somewhat heavier oil, or the ester-rich base oil sticking to everything, who knows. But it does seem to be making a difference.

Chris Jefferson · May 31, 2003

If anyone wants any of the Kendall pure syn. 5w-40 oil i can get it from the distributor that about 13miles from me. Its only like $20 for 6 quarts! The dist. tole me that if it were sold in stores it would be about $5/qt! Talk about a mark-up! I really dig this oil and they (ConocoPhillips) claim its a pure PAO syn. oil and its the only "real" full syn they sell under the Kendall brand.

The other three real syn. (PAO based) they sell/make are 76 full syn. 5w-40 (it also meets the MB 229.3 as does the Kendall) and the top dollar Phillip66 full syn. 5w-30 and 5w-50. Both have pour points indicitive of PAO based oils, although not as low as Mobil 1's pp's. They way the dist. talked, the Phillips66 syn. oils are quite a bit more expensive than the Kendall and he has to order them.

I may just do a virgin sample of it soon. Any good place that'll do it for under $20? Im also gonna be coming up on 1st change of SLX and its gonna be after 5K miles. Unless i decide for 6K miles....I wish i had done a VOA w/ the M1 0w-40 Ive been running for the past 20,000 miles. That wouldve gave us a REAL good analysis huh? Sorry, i need to be slapped for not contributing to our data flowchart.

Ken2 · May 31, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Jefferson:
...one 3K mile stint of Kendall Syn. 5w-40 (i love this stuff as much as M1 0w-40!).
....

Not much info here about the Kendall products. Kendall is now just another brand owned by ConocoPhillips Corp., they've dropped some Kendall lines and reformulated others, not widely distributed across the country, and we need more info.

Ken

German Syntec 0w30 @ AutoZone

Similar threads