Shell Helix the actual factory fill for Mercedes

[SR5]

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
There are about a dozen different versions of both Shell Ultra and Castrol Edge. The OEM approvals relate to just one specific oil that is often one of the so called professional series.


Yes of course. Lots of different versions from all manufactures and in different countries too.

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK

A good break in oil will have as much Zinc based additives as the exhaust system will allow, but will often have Redline race oil levels (Near 1000 ppm) of Moly, with normal detergent levels. They are not designed for long term use due to potential corrosion or spark plug fouling issues.


Yes I like Moly, and many oils and some assembly lubs contain it. And yes a real breaking-in oil is not designed for long term use. And yes assembly lubes are used on engines.

However not all Racing Oils or Breaking-In oils are heavy in Moly.
Penrite 10-Tenths Racing oil (PAO & Ester) claims Zn 1760 ppm, Boron 630ppm and Moly 100ppm.

Penrite Running-In oil (mineral) claims Zinc at 1610ppm, and no Moly. It also says "non friction modified, low detergent & dispersant engine oil, designed for the critical running in period ", so not normal detergent levels from Penrite. Not saying what you describe doesn't exist, I'm sure it does, just saying it's not the only way of doing things.

Here is a link for anybody that wishes to read some more.
[Penrite Running-In Oil]

Anyway, that's all going off on a tangent above. All I was doing, is just commenting that this is another 5W30 A3/B4 oil (with other OEM specs) that is also API SL (not SN), just like the Castrol Edge 5W30 A3/B4 is in Australia. So my local Edge isn't the odd one out.

To the OP, thanks for posting, yes I did find it interesting. I like Shell GTL oils, and I wish we got this one in Australia.

 

[Hounds]

Shell losing money on the FF (or anything else for that matter)? Unlikely. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2...ing-oil-s-slump

 

[SonofJoe]

It's a big extrapolation from Shell's overall results how they fare on FF profitability. Engine oils, however important they may seem to the average BITOG reader is the spot on the elephant's bum as far as most oil companies are concerned.

In many respects, you really have to admire what Shell have done in the lubricants market. The general rule of thumb is that when crude prices are high, engine oil is a real horror show. No-one makes money as you have huge speciality costs supporting a commodity business that never quite 'catches-up' in price. However when crude prices take a tumble, the economics of engine oils are transformed overnight as costs fall while prices remain relatively stable. Shell's genius (or luck) was to buy Pennzoil, Quaker State, Monarch and probably a few other lubricant companies when the crude price was high. Today those companies must be making money hand over fist.

Ironically, the economics of GTL work the other way and needs the crude oil price to be high. I don't know but I'd guess the original Pearl plant investment logic was driven by fuels, not lubes considerations, with GTL base oil just being the residual junk that's left over from Fischer-Tropsch conversion of natural gas. And that plant turned into a money pit to rival the Concorde. Just to put it in context, $US16 billion is BP's entire annual capital investment budget for 2017!

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: SonofJoe
It's a big extrapolation from Shell's overall results how they fare on FF profitability. Engine oils, however important they may seem to the average BITOG reader is the spot on the elephant's bum as far as most oil companies are concerned.

In many respects, you really have to admire what Shell have done in the lubricants market. The general rule of thumb is that when crude prices are high, engine oil is a real horror show. No-one makes money as you have huge speciality costs supporting a commodity business that never quite 'catches-up' in price. However when crude prices take a tumble, the economics of engine oils are transformed overnight as costs fall while prices remain relatively stable. Shell's genius (or luck) was to buy Pennzoil, Quaker State, Monarch and probably a few other lubricant companies when the crude price was high. Today those companies must be making money hand over fist.

Ironically, the economics of GTL work the other way and needs the crude oil price to be high. I don't know but I'd guess the original Pearl plant investment logic was driven by fuels, not lubes considerations, with GTL base oil just being the residual junk that's left over from Fischer-Tropsch conversion of natural gas. And that plant turned into a money pit to rival the Concorde. Just to put it in context, $US16 billion is BP's entire annual capital investment budget for 2017!


IIRC, I think Mobil lost somewhere in the neighbourhood of that amount on their one GTL facility in Qatar as well, the one that they backed out of.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
I find it interesting that German car companies have been turning to Shell to supply engine oil, but they often use Pentosin for power steering fluid and transmission fluid.

Shell and Mobil certainly don't even have appropriate cross references for the power steering stuff, at least not here. For me, it was Pentosin, Febi, or the OEM VW fluid.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: Piston_slap
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Shell Helix Ultra is also the factory fill for all new Ferraris ( i think )

Does the Shell Helix add any noise to the engine?
You can perform this simple test with a taut string threaded through your mastoid bone an one end and rigidly affixed to the valve cover on the other. A practical comparison will decide the winner.
From this my preferred oil is "Quaker Maid Piston-ease Deluxe" API SB


This is hilarious.