Which best? Cheap Sl or medium grade SG oil??

[edwardh1]

How about the question: Your car requires SG oil per the owners manual.
Is a present day , "cheaper" oil like Super tech Sl rated oil
better than the older specification SG, but "better brand" oil say Penn or Exxon etc?

In other words does the specification upgrade form SG to SL over the years override any cheapening resulting from going from a "better" brand oil to say super tech?

 

[Whimsey]

As I understand the updated oils, ie. SL vs SG, supercede the previous grades. Anyway, I don't thing you can even buy an SG grade motor oil unless it's for some very specific use. The newer SL oils are vastly improved in all aspects of overall engine protection when compared to previous oil grades.

Whimsey

 

[WeyounDS9]

I wouldn't say they are improved in "all" aspects but certainly in most.

THey took a hit in the amount of ZDDP they are allowed to contain, but otherwise they certainly perform to a higher standard.

Fred....

[ January 18, 2003, 11:34 AM: Message edited by: palmerwmd ]

 

[csandste]

All SL's are pretty good oils, probably better than anything before. Perhaps a SG rated Mobil 1 would be superior but if you're talking dino v. dino, then SL oils are all pretty good. Some oils such as SuperTech do contain some moly. Personally given the choice I'd take an oil with that in at least some concentration. I chose SuperTech for an inexpensive oil change because it's bottled. Personally given the chance for contamination by an unscrupulous manager putting crap in that barrell and taking payoffs from some crooked supplier-- that's worth something to me. SuperTech may be shifted over to a Shell refinery in the next few months. Whether the product will be as good as it is now will have to be answered later.

 

[RTexasF]

Here's something I encountered and can't explain. I had an older car that called for 10W30 SJ oil. As the years went by and the oil progressed SL was the new standard. I used Castrol GTX SL and saw no consumption @ 3000-3500 mile change intervals. One day, while at Pep Boys, I decided to buy their brand (sorry, the name evades me) of 10W30SL. The car used a quart between changes! The next change I returned to the Castrol and the consumption - none- returned to normal. They both met the SL standard but the name brand did not burn off. It got me to wondering if sometimes name brand IS worth the price. In my case I felt it was and haven't strayed since.

 

[edwardh1]

so the cheapest oil that meets the newer standard (SL) is better than "medium" quality/price oils from the old Sg standard - 3 specifications back?

Thus the cheap oil meets the need of your older car

[ January 18, 2003, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: edwardh1 ]

 

[Flimflam]

RtexasF: I have only this to say: "Yayyyyyy Castrol!!!!!!!!"

 

[csandste]

I think that Valvoline has a very big house brand production. There is a good chance that your Pep Boys oil was Valvoline.

 

[Ray H]

quote:

---

Originally posted by RTexasF:
One day, while at Pep Boys, I decided to buy their brand (sorry, the name evades me)...

---

"Pro-line". I've used their stuff in the past with no problems or noted any difference in oil consumption (3K mile intervals). A Pep Boys "associate" told me one time that their Pro-line oil was re-labled Valvoline and Pro-line oil filters were made by Purolator. Maybe, now, though, another refiner has Manny, Moe, and Jack off Valvoline...

 

[dragboat]

Some current SG's are using great base stocks still and are not typical of the years that they were made. I just bought Conoco HD Fleet Supreme 10/30 SG and the MSDS shows 60-95percent CAS# 64742-54-7-
which is a group II or II+ base oil. I sent some to the lab a week ago to look at the additive package. FWIW the oil has a pour point of -45F