Motorcraft vs. Phillips Trop Artic for a V10 ford

[Ray H]

The assumption's been that since ConocoPhillips is the U.S. distributor for Korean S-Oil's Group III base oils, that's what goes into the synthetic and synthetic blend finished oils blended by ConocoPhillips for sale domestically. I can't say the mechanic who told you domestically available Motorcraft uses base oils imported from the U.K. is wrong, but it doesn't seem to make any sense, either. It makes more sense to me that U.K. Motorcraft oil uses U.K sourced base stocks. But, what do I know?...

I do know that with nearly 1,000 miles on the first batch of buck-a-quart TropArtic 10w30 SM Synthetic Blend I scored at Dollar Tree last summer, my Hyundai 2.7L V6 is running at least as well as it did with my former motor oil: Havoline 10w30 SL.

[ March 03, 2006, 02:07 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[cmlind]

I haven't heard about England, but the Korean base is correct for Trop Artic. Either are great oils. I have never seen Trop Artic 5w20 though.

 

[ImaginThat]

It's made, but might have to use one of there marketers to get it.
http://www.phillips66lubricants.com...6-7EA69CB96CED/0/66_TropArtic_SynBlend_MO.pdf
http://lubricants.conocophillips.com/locator/world.asp?div=LP

 

[Ray H]

When Dollar Tree briefly had TropArtic, I now realize I could've made a mint buying up all the 5W-20 they had (and the three stores in my area that I cleaned their 10w30 stock out of had P-L-E-N-T-Y of the 5W-20 on hand...) and selling it for twice the purchase price to the "5W-20 uber alles" crowd on BITOG. If I'd thunk ahead, the profit would've meant my 21 gallon stash of TropArtic 10w30 would've been free, too...

 

[Ken2]

dr

There is a worldwide shortage of base oil. ConocoPhillips may indeed import some base oil from Europe in addition to what they produce here and what they import from Korea.
http://www.imakenews.com/lng/e_article000540117.cfm?x=b6RNPnh,b19p9DCt

In any case, don't fret. Both those oils will be excellent. My choice would be an even better oil...Schaeffer #704 5W-20. Schaeffer has given the best oil analyses in my engines of any oil I've used, and is usually good for more than 10,000 miles as determined by the testing lab.


Ken

 

[dr-herzog]

I just ordered a new Superduty with a V10...of course, Ford recommends Motorcraft 5w20.

I was under the impression that the MC oil is made by Conoco Phillips from the Conoco Hydroclear.

I was told by a mechanic that well it is still hydro clear. however the motorcraft is made with the basestock from england. it has lower amounts of GP III. its still a good oil and produces good results. but compare it to the cold flow properties of the trop artic oil and the difference is huge! the cheaper trop artic is made with 68% GP III basestock imported from Korea which allows them to make it chepaer and sell it cheaper.

Can anyone confirm this??? I have used Trop Artic over the years with good results, and the new syn-blend is cheap but supposedly a great oil.

 

[Mr Nice]

How much Group III does T/A Synthetic Blend have ?

Someone once said this oil is 50% Group III.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Are the rumors true that Conoco cannot produce a SM dino without raising the prices alot due to add-pack costs? Is this why they went to syn-blends on all their 5/10W-20/30 oils?

Is this a knock on Conoco quality??? - especially since other oil companies like Valvoline, Castrol, Pennzoil... etc ... produce SM dinos. The UOAs/VOAs for Conoco have always looked good. Just seems kind of strange. I would like to know the facts instead of rumors why the dinos have disappeared.

 

[Ray H]

quote:

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Originally posted by LT4 Vette:
How much Group III does T/A Synthetic Blend have ? ... Someone once said this oil is 50% Group III.

---

ConocoPhillips issued slick four-color online press releases in September, 2004 on their website about the upcoming SM/GF-4 oils that would go on sale in November, 2004. There were separate versions with the logos for each of the ConocoPhillips brands: Phillips 66, Conoco, 76, and Kendall, though, except for brand names, the text was otherwise identical for all of them. These particular online documents were not, nor part of, the current product data sheets. Part of the blather included information that their new entry-level oils would not only be a synthetic blend, but would carry approximately 45% - 50+% synthetic content (presumably Group III) - the actual ratio varying between the particular viscosity designations: 5W-20, 5w30, & 10w30. (The initial general product press release about the upcoming SM/GF-4 formulations, issued in August, 2004, only indicated that the 5W-20 and 5w30 viscosities would be synthetic blend of indeterminant synthetic content. (Nice that the decision makers decided to upgrade the 10w30 viscosity, too!) That general August 2004 press release is still archived on ConocoPhillips website, but the later September, 2004 press releases were the only official notifications I've ever come across from any motor oil formulater that indicated actual synthetic content in a blend. I have not been able to find those September-dated press releases anywhere on ConocoPhillips website since the company's new oils were released for sale. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody in the company got his butt in a sling for releasing too much info.