Is Mobil1 ATF a "true" synthetic.

[Hammer]

I know Mobil generally likes to only classify groupIV & V base oil products as synthetic unlike some of their competitors Castrol. Now here is a cut & paste of the first part of Mobil1 ATF's MSDS:

520205-00 MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC ATF
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA BULLETIN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRODUCT NAME: MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC ATF
SUPPLIER: EXXONMOBIL OIL CORPORATION
3225 GALLOWS RD.
FAIRFAX, VA 22037

24 - Hour Health and Safety Emergency (call collect): 609-737-4411

24 - Hour Transportation Emergency:
CHEMTREC: 800-424-9300 202-483-7616
LUBES AND FUELS: 281-834-3296

Product and Technical Information:
Lubricants and Specialties: 800-662-4525 800-443-9966
Fuels Products: 800-947-9147
MSDS Fax on Demand: 613-228-1467
MSDS Internet Website: http://emmsds.ihssolutions.com/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL NAMES AND SYNONYMS: SYN. HYDROCARBONS AND ADDITIVES

GLOBALLY REPORTABLE MSDS INGREDIENTS:

None.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

Substance Name Approx. Wt%
-------------- -----------
SUBSTITUTED HYDROCARBYL 1-5
SULFIDE
------------------------------------------


Now, notice the part that says: CHEMICAL NAMES AND SYNONYMS: SYN. HYDROCARBONS AND ADDITIVES

Reading that would make me think that it is actually a GroupIII "synthetic." Am I off base here?

Hammer

 

[pitzel]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hammer:
Now, notice the part that says: CHEMICAL NAMES AND SYNONYMS: SYN. HYDROCARBONS AND ADDITIVES

Reading that would make me think that it is actually a GroupIII "synthetic." Am I off base here?

---

I don't see any evidence there to suggest that the oil is a Group III 'synthetic'. All synthetic motor oil, whether it be Group III, IV, or V, would have an identical description.

 

[Ray H]

Let the rumor bell ring! (How soon can we ramp this up to 'urban myth' status?) "SYN. HYDROCARBONS AND ADDITIVES" means just what it says - synthesized molecules composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms. PAOs are hydrocarbons. Mineral oil is hydrocarbons. Get it? The term "hydrocarbon" is generic and neither bestows blessing nor curse. It's how those little buggers are arranged and the end purity of the base stock that counts.

 

[MolaKule]

Synthetic or synthsized Hydrocarbons generally infer PAO, but can also refer to group V synthesized hydrocarbons as well.

You can bet your bippy that Group V esters are incorporated into this ATF as well.

 

[dcale101]

Motorcraft says that it's oil is semi synthetic because it is Hydrocracked. What actually does hydrocracked mean? How much synthetic is the MC oil? Thanks

 

[MolaKule]

Motorcraft 5W20 for example, and others to follow, are using Group II, III, PAO, and some esters, to tune their oils for G4 specifications.

Unfortunatley, many manf. are still passing off Group III oil as synthetic. So a blend to them is Group I, II oils with some Group III.

 

[Ray H]

I'm curious, MolaKule, how would you classify the upcoming GTL Group III+ base stocks derived from methane?

 

[MolaKule]

I would have to see the exact step-by-step process and resulting chemistries in detail before coming to any conclusion.

I am convinced that the Shell Internal Olefin process results in a true synthetic fluid as I have stated elsewhere. The paper that the Shell chemists' published in Lubrication Engineering was very convincing in terms of processing and chemistry.