Is Shell Helix Ultra & Castrol RS fully synthetic like Mobil 1?

[Ken4]

These oils are available in my country and I've been using it in my 2000 Camry 2.2L for the last few years, changing the oil every 5000km. But after reading in this forum that only Mobil 1 is the only true fully synthetic, that came as a shock to me.


[URL]http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=sg-en&FC1=&FC2=%2FLeftHandNav%3FLeftNavState%3D4&FC3=%2Fsg-en%2Fhtml%2Fiwgen%2Fshell_for_motorists%2Foils_lubricants%2Fhelix%2Fshellhelix ultra_10171154.html&FC4=%2Fsg-en%2Fhtml%2Fiwgen%2Fimpulse.html&FC5= [/URL]

http://www.bighealey.co.uk/castrol/

[ August 14, 2002, 03:12 AM: Message edited by: Ken4 ]

 

[Johnny]

Ken4: Well, your in luck. These two products are PAO/ESTER synthetics. Neither is available in North America.

 

[Chris J.]

Ive researched these two oils for months now and all that i can say is....check the MSDS if you can. I think that i read on a MSDS from an Asian country (i think Taiwan, or maybe not...and no i couldnt read it. the CAS# is the same everywhere though and the 'ingredients' were in english.) that, the Shell Helix ULTRA 5w30 was a mix of PAO/and Shell's Slack Wax.

The Helix Ultra 5w40 though, was similar in its ingredients to our(in the U.S. I mean..)Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5w-40. Meaning its a Group III. You'd do better to go w/ BP Visco 5000 or 7000(if you can get it.)

The Castrol RS is, to my knowledge, a PAO/Ester oil. The Castrol SLX is an Ester based-I believe. If I were you (and I envy the oil choices you have available), I would gladly buy the Castrol Formula RS. The 0w-40 grade that is...

 

[Ken4]

Please advise whether this Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 is a Group III?

http://www.equivashellmsds.com/getsinglemsds.asp?ID=194137

 

[TooSlick]

Ken4,

Yes, it's a Group III oil ...petroleum "slack wax" is the feedstock used to make the finished product ....

Tooslick

 

[Ken4]

I've been using it in my camry for years!

All the stupid Michael Schumacher & Ferrari ads sure fooled me.

 

[sprintman]

Ken4
You dont even want to ask how bad this is on a Timken machine. If this is in Schueys racer I'll eat my hat!!!