Oil TDS to determine the best oil

[rxv667]

Hi guys

I have a Lexus IS300H in the UK. I do no more than 6000 miles a year. Toyota oil and all other major oil brands here are £60+ for 4 or 5 litres. I am looking for a cheaper alternative. Toyota recommend 0w20.

I have been researching and reading this forum for a while but still cant make out whats better?

Below is the technical data sheet of 3 different oils.

Which one is better from the data you see?

Oil 1

https://www.smithandallan.com/media/7mt8m22vxUQzbGyWJkNe.pdf

Oil 2

https://zsu.hu/uploads/dokumentumok/MANNOL TDS/7918.pdf

oil 3

https://www.napa-oil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/N237-VE-0W-20-ECO-TDS-issue-4.pdf

I did try copying and pasting the information to make it easier but it just gets mixed up.

Any reccomendations would be appreciated.

 

[ceecbtg]

Smith and Napa seems similar base oil and additive. Obviously they are remarked oils from other main producer.
Mannol is little ticker because different chemistry or worst quality. Mannol usually is low-range oil.

 

[rxv667]

I did see the similarities between the Smith and Napa oil. I just don’t know what it means. I did try googling it too but lucked out.

 

[rxv667]

I totally forgot about

Oil 4

https://epliportal.pli-petronas.com...cumentId=d3abfc4b-6f52-45b3-89f5-08d9b7327aa1

 

[FowVay]

Petronas or NAPA. I'd choose the Petronas if I were in Europe. Good TBN, Viscosity Index, and a string of high standard ratings is why I choose Petronas.

 

[rxv667]

Really appreciate the response.

 

[dnewton3]

I realize you're new here, so I shall give you some benefit of the doubt.

There is no "best" oil that you'll even find via a TDS.

Part, perhaps most, of the problem is that you haven't defined what "best" means.
- cheapest oil that can be safely used?
- oil that could last the longest in extended OCIs?
- lube that can protect at start-up in extreme cold temps?
- etc ...

The PRIMARY JOB of any lube is to reduce wear. The other things it does are beneficial, but secondary to the purpose of oil. No TDS can tell you if one product is better than another, because unless you test those oils in the very conditions that represent your specific application, it's just a guess on your part. A TDS can tell you about some of the properties and contents of any one lube, but it cannot tell you that it's superior or inferior to another. You may make assumptions from the TDS, but that does not mean you're correct.

If saving money is your goal, and given that you drive not a lot of miles annually, find an inexpensive lube that meets the specs for your engine and don't worry if it's the "best". You only need worry if it's good enough for the expected conditions of operation and environment.

 

[JavierH19]

A P/TDS's can't say. The formulation is much deeper than that. But If I were you I'd get the cheapest that meets spec and change a bit more frequently than what the olm says to be extra safe since you can't go by miles if you drive that little and possibly idle more. Toyota doesn't really have a spec. They just want you to use whatever 0w-20 since they know it's gonna be full syn or a really good syn blend since we're seeing syn blend 0w-20's now. They also let you run up to a 40 or 50 grade over there. If I were you I'd use 5w-30 instead. Not too thick or thin.

 

[rxv667]

Thanks for the informative reply.

Yes I understand. Basically what you said I just want to choose an oil that will do the job for my low mileage yearly service.

 

[dnewton3]

Thanks for the informative reply.

Yes I understand. Basically what you said I just want to choose an oil that will do the job for my low mileage yearly service.

Well, sort of ...
What you "want" and what your engine "needs" are often two different things.

Your engine needs a reasonble lube that meets the OE spec. Then you tailor the choice of any lube meeting/exceeding that spec to the application for OCI duration, environment, etc.

People often way over-buy their lubes, thinking somehow it's "better", when in reality it's just a waste of money.
As an example, if you "needed" a liter of paint to touch up a few holes in a wall in your home, is it "better" to buy a huge 10 liter container?
Or, if you are to put some new tires on an older car, only for the purpose of selling it, do you buy the most expensive tires just to satisfy some "want"?
My point is that buying more than you "need" may satisfy a "want", but it's also inducing waste.

Given your moderate environment, moderate OCI and desire to save some money, you can then select a lube that meets those criteria and still will safely protect your engine. Of any lube you would consider, ask yourself these questions, in this order ...
- does it meet/exceed the OEM spec?
- does it fit into my proposed use and maintenance plan?
- is the least expensive?

 

[rxv667]

Cheers guys