There has already been quite a bit of discussion about this oil, so if you do a search you can find a lot of answers to your quetions. Here's the gist of it, however:quote:
Originally posted by MikeW:
Is this stuff a true synthetic (PAO or other) , or just legally mislabeled hydroisomerized dead dino juice?
Since all Castrol has done is import Formula SLX in bulk and bottle it as Syntec, albeit an "improved European formula," they probably have not tested it against GF-3 fuel economy requirements. The specs the bottle states the oil meets are the same specs it meets in Europe.quote:
Originally posted by williar:
I notice the bottle doesn't say "energy conserving". Interesting.
The toughest specs that this oil meets are: MB 229.3, BMW LongLife, VW 505, ACEA A3 and B4, and Porsche approval. There is only one oil sold in the US that meets all these specs, and that's Mobil 1 0w40.quote:
Originally posted by YZF150:
Nice work on the photos. Thank you.
I don't know much about the various specifications that are listed on the label. Could I have a brief tutorial, please, with a comparison to other oils/types of oils? Are these specs difficult to achieve?
Well, I care if it's not PAO. If I'm going to pay a PAO price, then I want PAO performance. I'd have absolutely NO problem with the non-PAO Syntec if it were a dollar cheaper per quart. But it's not. And since Castrol has decided to sell its SLX 0w30 (which is one of the most EXPENSIVE oils you can buy in Europe) for the same price as the other grades of Syntec, and since its specs are vastly superior to the other grades of Syntec, which one do you think I'll buy?quote:
Originally posted by Dr. T:
Wanted to add....1. who cares about -400F pour points anyway (we've discussed this...unless you're trying to drive you Hummer in Antarctica...) and 2. the other syntec grades come from the same family...who cares if they're not PAO...the general formula and addatives will still be Castrol's, not Penz's or someone elses. I'll bet the other 3 grades will be just as good as the 0-30, save #1 above.
Let's not forget that Mobil 1 0W-40 originally had no "energy conserving" label, either--perhaps this German Castrol 0W-30 will be certified as such at a later date.quote:
Originally posted by G-Man II:
Since all Castrol has done is import Formula SLX in bulk and bottle it as Syntec, albeit an "improved European formula," they probably have not tested it against GF-3 fuel economy requirements. The specs the bottle states the oil meets are the same specs it meets in Europe.quote:
Originally posted by williar:
I notice the bottle doesn't say "energy conserving". Interesting.
Since this oil has a vis of 12.1 cSt and 100°C, it's almost a 40 wt. Provided it holds this viscosity over its lifespan, it may not be able to meet the GF-3 fuel economy requirements.
In Canada it's $6.66 per liter and only at Walmart so far. In the US it's $4.99 per quart and only at Autozone so far.quote:
Originally posted by Mystic:
How much does this motor oil cost, and where is it sold?