Syntec vs. Maxlife vs. PP

[blackdiamond]

Please review the following data for each of the three brands:

Castrol Syntec 0w30 (German Castrol)
100 degrees, cst 12.1
Low Temp, cP 6200 @ -35

Castrol Syntec 5w30
100 degrees, cst 9.7
Low Temp, cP 6600 @ -30

Castrol Syntec 10w30
100 degrees, cst 10.1
Low Temp, cP 7000 @ -25

Pennzoil Platinum 5w30
100 degrees, cst 10.3
Low Temp, cP 5150 @ -35

Pennzoil Platinum 10w30
100 degrees, cst 10.5
Low Temp, cP 4570 @ -30

Valvoline Maxlife 5w30
100 degrees, cst 11.5
Low Temp, cP 5800 @ -30

Valvoline Maxlife 5w30
100 degrees, cst 11.5
Low Temp, cP 6200 @ -25

I knew that Maxlife was "thicker" when compared to non-high mileage oil and was also expecting GC to the "thick."

What surprised me was the cP of GC 0w30 compared to Pennzoil Platinum 5w30. Is the GC not as super duper as I thought? I was expecting it to be both the thickest and the thinnest of the bunch.

 

[2KBMW]

Blackdiamond. That cold cranking viscosity of Pennzoil
Platium of 5150 cP is probably at -30 C instead of -35 C.
Isn't -35 C used to measure a 0w oil?

 

[blackdiamond]

Originally Posted By: 2KBMW
Blackdiamond. That cold cranking viscosity of Pennzoil
Platium of 5150 cP is probably at -30 C instead of -35 C.
Isn't -35 C used to measure a 0w oil?


I'm fairly certain that it is the information listed on the website, but it could be an error.

It looks like Pennzoil Platinum rates their oils 5 degrees higher than Syntec does. Any idea how much the value changes with a 5 degree increase?

 

[2KBMW]

Originally Posted By: blackdiamond
Originally Posted By: 2KBMW
Blackdiamond. That cold cranking viscosity of Pennzoil
Platium of 5150 cP is probably at -30 C instead of -35 C.
Isn't -35 C used to measure a 0w oil?


I'm fairly certain that it is the information listed on the website, but it could be an error.

It looks like Pennzoil Platinum rates their oils 5 degrees higher than Syntec does. Any idea how much the value changes with a 5 degree increase?



Blackdiamond. Acually -35C vs -30C is a lower temp. value.
It may be an error. I checked different sites and every
5w30 oil's cold cranking viscosity is measured at -30C

 

[dwcopple]

why is there two Maxlife 5w30's?

 

[brian12]

Originally Posted By: dwcopple
why is there two Maxlife 5w30's?
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. I believe one of them is suppost to be 10w30. Either that or one is Full Synthetic and the other is not.

 

[blackdiamond]

Sorry for the copy/paste error. Each brand is 5w30 and then 10w30 with the exception of 0w30 from Syntec.

 

[blackdiamond]

Originally Posted By: 2KBMW
Blackdiamond. Acually -35C vs -30C is a lower temp. value.
It may be an error. I checked different sites and every
5w30 oil's cold cranking viscosity is measured at -30C


I know -35 is a lower temp than -30, but I don't know enough about oil viscosity to understand how much of an apples to oranges comparison it is. Obviously, the oil will thin some over five degrees, but how much.

 

[Nick R]

So wait, I Maxlife 10W-40 is thicker than Pennzoil 10w40 conventional? For some reason since putting in the new oil (it turns out to be the valves) my cavalier has been ticking, and since topping the last half quart to the fill line off, its a bit louder, and if you put your ear by the wheelwell, you can hear more than just one. Maybe its just too thick for it, but I thought that a thicker oil would prevent tappet noise, not make it more pronounced.

 

[unDummy]

Did they measure the oil for their spec's?
or just quoting the SAE < requirements?
http://www.widman.biz/Seleccion/Viscosidad/SAE_J300/SAE_J300_English/sae_j300_english.html

 

[blackdiamond]

I confirmed the information from the Product Data Sheets provided on each website. I added some additional information for PP and Maxlife, but it wasn't included for Syntec. It appears that Pennzoil Platinum rates their CCS 5 degrees lower than Syntec and Valvoline.

Castrol Syntec 0w-30
100 degrees, cst 12.1
CCS, cP 6200 @ -35

Castrol Syntec 5w30
100 degrees, cst 9.7
CCS, cP 6600 @ -30

Castrol Syntec 10w30
100 degrees, cst 10.1
CCS, cP 7000 @ -25

Pennzoil Platinum 5w30
100 degrees, cst 10.3
40 degrees, cst 57.5
CCS, cP 5150 @ -35

Pennzoil Platinum 10w30
100 degrees, cst 10.5
40 degrees, cst 63.4
CCS, cP 4570 @ -30

Valvoline Maxlife 5w30
100 degrees, cst 11.5
40 degrees, cst 67
CCS, cP 5800 @ -30

Valvoline Maxlife 10w30
100 degrees, cst 11.5
40 degrees, cst 75
CCS, cP 6200 @ -25

It also appears the Pennzoil Platinum 10w30 is "thinner" at -25 than 5w30 is at -35 degrees. It seems to be the opposite of the normal trend where the temperature decreases and the oil still gets more "thin."