Why so few synthetic 10w40s?

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TallPaul

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I can only think of one company, Redline, that makes a synthetic 10w40. Mobil One makes 0w40 and a 5w40 (which I believe is a HDMO) and then it jumps to 15w50. NAPA Synthetic goes from 10w30 to 15w50. Valvoline Synpower goes from 10w30 to 5w40 to 20w50.

I see folks on this site have mixed half and half M1 10w30 (or 5w30) with M1 15w50 and have been pleased with the results. They are getting approximately a 10w40.

So why don't the mainstream oil companies make synthetic 10w40?
 
Marketing. Most auto makers don't require a 10w-40 grade oil. Most 0w-40, 5w-40, and 15w40 syn oils could be called a 10w-40. This is true for the group 4/5 based products.
 
As far as I know there just isnt much market for PCMO 10W-40 Synthetics .

Castrol, Amsoil, Torco also make PCMO 10W-40 Synthetic.

It is a commonn grade MCO Synthetic however.

Gene
 
quote:
Originally posted by Terry:
Marketing. Most auto makers don't require a 10w-40 grade oil. Most 0w-40, 5w-40, and 15w40 syn oils could be called a 10w-40. This is true for the group 4/5 based products.
Click to expand...
True, but I am thinking more Group III and IV and am wondering if the 10w40 would be free of VIIs that may be present in the 5w40 and 0w40. Maybe would make a difference in Group III anyway.

quote:
Originally posted by Gene K:
As far as I know there just isnt much market for PCMO 10W-40 Synthetics .
Click to expand...
There is for PCMO dino and blend. Maybe the die-hard 10w40 folks are as wary of synthetics as they are of "thin" oil. I use 10w40 in one vehicle because clearances seem to warrant it (assumed from oil pressure readings, but could simply be a weak pump bypass spring). Thanks for the list of other synthetic 10w40s.
 
Motul 300V has a 10W40 and Silkolene in semi.

In UK M1 is only 0W40 (one size suits all) or 15W50motorsport
 
Guess there are quite a few. Should'a done my homework.
blush.gif


Still I think if Mobil made a M1 10w40, a lot of folks would buy it.

Thanks all.
 
I think both marketting and the fact that most synthetics are, by nature, high-range viscosity lubes. In other words, a 5-40 or 0-40 comes 'standard', so there's not much of a need to restrict things to a 10-40 IMO.

But, Amsoil has one if you're interested....
 
quote:
Originally posted by TallPaul:

So why don't the mainstream oil companies make synthetic 10w40?
Click to expand...
Question might be why don't main stream companies make synthetic 30wts ?
smile.gif


Actually we know the answer to that .

Synergyn believes their 30wts will do anything a 40wt will do so they don't make one .

Mobil says their 10w30 Supersyn can be used with confidence in any engine calling for a plain 10w-40 dino above 86F .

When oil formulas and superior base oils are looked on like tools , there are two tools above that do the job of a 40wt dino most engines .
 
Castrol Syntec had a nice 10W-40. Motorbike posted a voa and I tried it and liked it. I didn't do a uoa because I figured they will be making it a GF-4 and weaken the additive pak.
mad.gif


My car is liking the GC even better, anyway. Nice thick 30wt.
grin.gif
 
You can only have so much overlap. M1 Makes 0W40,5W20,5W30,5W40,5W50,10W30,and 15W50 adding a 10W40 would be silly for them! I am sure it is the same for a lot of companys. In the USA 10W40 is frowned upon by most manufactures and in Europe and Asia 0W40 and 5W40 are more popular then 10W40. As you have seen plenty of companys make a synthetic or semi-synthetic 10W40 but I wouldnot expect that to continue much longer.
 
quote:
Originally posted by TallPaul:
I can only think of one company, Redline, that makes a synthetic 10w40. Mobil One makes 0w40 and a 5w40 (which I believe is a HDMO) and then it jumps to 15w50.
Click to expand...
There is a Mobil 1 10W-40:

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/NAUSE2PVLMOMobil_1_Motorcycle_Oils.asp

Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 is a 4-cycle motorcycle engine
oil.

It meets API Service Categories SH, SG/CF, and CD.

It's a dumbbell blend PAO base with a very small amount of VI, a robust additive package without friction modifiers, a high flash point, that is extremely shear resistant.

I keep a case of it around for older vehicles for
which an SAE 30 was originally called for. It and its 20W-50 sibling are two little-known and underrated Mobil 1 engine oils.

Around these parts Pep Boys carries it as well as some motorcycle shops.
 
Funny to look back on this thread, and see that Mobil now makes a M1 10W-40 HM oil. Looks like they were listening to people like TallPaul......
 
Makes you wonder if Tall Paul is not a Mobil Marketing lackey ???
wink.gif
Or just full of Wisdom and Foresight (which seems the better explanation hehe).
 
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Probably the reason that there are not many companies that make synthetic 10W-40 is because not many car companies have this as there specification in their owner's manuals.

I changed the oil on my uncle's 1976 Chevrolet Malibu and in the owner's manual it listed 10w30 as the preffered grade of oil.

Amsoil and Redline are the only companies that I know that make a 100% synthetic oil.
 
Originally Posted By: c3po
Probably the reason that there are not many companies that make synthetic 10W-40 is because not many car companies have this as there specification in their owner's manuals.

I changed the oil on my uncle's 1976 Chevrolet Malibu and in the owner's manual it listed 10w30 as the preffered grade of oil.

Amsoil and Redline are the only companies that I know that make a 100% synthetic oil.


Huh?

Mobil 1 is a 100% synthetic oil, so is Royal Purple and so is RLI.
 
OVERKILL, I meant to say that Amsoil and Redline were the only companies I know of that made a 100% synthetic 10W-40.

I thought Royal Purple was a Group III synthetic
 
Tolerances are tighter on most engines now. They like a thinner oil and work fine with them. The companies will throw their money where the biggest profits will be made.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
...

Still I think if Mobil made a M1 10w40, a lot of folks would buy it.

Thanks all.


Originally Posted By: Mickey_M
quote:
Originally posted by TallPaul:
I can only think of one company, Redline, that makes a synthetic 10w40. Mobil One makes 0w40 and a 5w40 (which I believe is a HDMO) and then it jumps to 15w50.
Click to expand...
There is a Mobil 1 10W-40:

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/NAUSE2PVLMOMobil_1_Motorcycle_Oils.asp

Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 is a 4-cycle motorcycle engine
oil.

It meets API Service Categories SH, SG/CF, and CD.

It's a dumbbell blend PAO base with a very small amount of VI, a robust additive package without friction modifiers, a high flash point, that is extremely shear resistant.

I keep a case of it around for older vehicles for
which an SAE 30 was originally called for. It and its 20W-50 sibling are two little-known and underrated Mobil 1 engine oils.

Around these parts Pep Boys carries it as well as some motorcycle shops.


Um, Mobil1 does make a 10W-40 (for cars). It's the second of their two "high mileage" viscosities...
 
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