How to tell if full synthetic?

[speedtc]

I have looked at all the available info on their sites and don't see the group 3, pao, or iv. I looked at castrol syntec 5w20(which i use) that is a known group 3 and compared them to 3 other oils. I looked at penzoil platinum, synpower , and Q-power.
I'm really trying to understand how some of you read and understand the differences between oils of the same weight from different manufacturers. I have been told by valvoline that synpower is a new full synthetic but the msds sheet is from 2002? What gives. I'm interested in the 5w20's for winter driving in my 2005 focus.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

If what Valvoline is saying is true I wish they would release updated MSDS's The CAS # is one key method of determining PAO content.

 

[Greaser]

http://www.oetg.at/website/wtc2001cd/html/M-21-P58-614-CERNY.pdf

 

[speedtc]

Greaser. I may have missed it but on the websites i did not see any PAO %'s.

 

[speedtc]

I found on penzoils site that they use synthetic base oils so it is a full synthetic.

 

[dave1251]

speedtc its true pennzoil uses a synthetic that is not groupIII its EOP. Mobil-1 is of course PAO based. Redline is ester. Royal Purple who cares? German Castoral (GC) is a very good blend. The other major sys here in the US are groupIII hydrocracked dino. Which I add is still a very high quality oil.

 

[lyle]

quote:

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German Castoral (GC) is a very good blend.

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Be careful around here about calling something a blend. Most will assume a GrIV/GrIII blend when in reality GC is a PAO/PAO-based-ester blend.

 

[speedtc]

dave1251-royal purple is excellent oil.

 

[1040 WreckerMan]

Royal Purple may be an excellent oil in some cases, however my experience with it was quite poor. 5w30 caused a dramtic increase in lead and copper compared to the Chevron Supreme 5w30 I had been running in a 2001 4.0l Ranger. I ran two OCI's of RP then gave up on it. Of the choices listed above I'd pick M1, RedLine, GC - I've had good UOA's with all of those.

I have used RP gear oil, though no UOA. The gear oil seems to have held up fine, however I probably won't use it again. RP's customer service isn't great either, IMO.

Parick

 

[speedtc]

[ December 26, 2005, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: speedtc ]

 

[speedtc]

I stand corrected.For Platinum and synpower it says they both use synthetic base oils.

 

[Ken2]

Mobil 1 is Group IV, PAO.
Pennzoil Platinum is Group V, EOP, Ethylene Alpha-Olefin Polymer base oil.

Just about all the others are a Group III base oil...German Castrol 0W-30 is PAO, most Amsoil is PAO, Redline is Group V, Royal Purple is unknown.


Ken

 

[Propflux01]

So which is a 'better' synthetic, group IV or V?

 

[MolaKule]

In my view, a combination of both group IV or V oils.

Group III mineral oil can be helped immensely by adding Group IV and V base oils.

 

[speedtc]

In synpowers data sheet it says fully synthetic base oil. Why not believe them?