I'm trying to carefully analyze a couple of Castrol oils for use in my truck.
I have a 2004, 2WD Toyota Tacoma with the 2.4 motor which has appx. 171,000 miles and runs great. I obtained the truck with appx. 155,000 miles on it and I have no idea what was used in it before I owned the vehicle. The factory specs call for a 5W-30 grade oil, so I switched to Castrol EDGE Extended Performance 5W-30 and a Fram Ultra filter when I took possession.
Walmart has the Castrol EDGE Extended 0W-40 "European" (Made in Belgium) that I'm thinking of switching to (because my local store has stopped carrying the 5W-30). It looks like a great oil and it's BMW Longlife-04 as well as Porsche A40 approved.
I'm specifically trying to understand the Sulphated Ash measurement of 0.8 and its effect on a motor that burns American gas -vs European gas? *If* I understand the Sulphated Ash measurement, the lower the value means it's easier on your catalytic converter but you (at least theoretically) sacrifice some of the anti-wear components of the oil, is this correct?
What's a "high" Sulphated Ash measurement -vs a "medium" or "low" Sulphated Ash measurement?
Also, the Kinematic Viscosity 100C is 13.1 for the Castrol 0W-40 -vs 10.8 for the 5W-30 that I'm currently running, but I don't know if that makes a good/bad difference one way or the other? Here in Sacramento, it's not uncommon to be 100 degrees + in the Summer and rarely gets below 40 degrees F in the Winter. Is the 2.3 difference in viscosity a difference I should take into account when choosing between the two oils or a big nothing-burger?
Thank you, as always, for your thoughts and opinions.
Ed
I have a 2004, 2WD Toyota Tacoma with the 2.4 motor which has appx. 171,000 miles and runs great. I obtained the truck with appx. 155,000 miles on it and I have no idea what was used in it before I owned the vehicle. The factory specs call for a 5W-30 grade oil, so I switched to Castrol EDGE Extended Performance 5W-30 and a Fram Ultra filter when I took possession.
Walmart has the Castrol EDGE Extended 0W-40 "European" (Made in Belgium) that I'm thinking of switching to (because my local store has stopped carrying the 5W-30). It looks like a great oil and it's BMW Longlife-04 as well as Porsche A40 approved.
I'm specifically trying to understand the Sulphated Ash measurement of 0.8 and its effect on a motor that burns American gas -vs European gas? *If* I understand the Sulphated Ash measurement, the lower the value means it's easier on your catalytic converter but you (at least theoretically) sacrifice some of the anti-wear components of the oil, is this correct?
What's a "high" Sulphated Ash measurement -vs a "medium" or "low" Sulphated Ash measurement?
Also, the Kinematic Viscosity 100C is 13.1 for the Castrol 0W-40 -vs 10.8 for the 5W-30 that I'm currently running, but I don't know if that makes a good/bad difference one way or the other? Here in Sacramento, it's not uncommon to be 100 degrees + in the Summer and rarely gets below 40 degrees F in the Winter. Is the 2.3 difference in viscosity a difference I should take into account when choosing between the two oils or a big nothing-burger?
Thank you, as always, for your thoughts and opinions.
Ed