Will all GF-4 Oils Be Synthetic Blends?

[jthorner]

The various brands of ConocoPhillips (CP for short) conventional oils are all now saying that they will be synthetic blends at conventional oil prices. For example, here is the Union 76 blurb:

http://www.76lubricants.com/GF4.htm

We also know that CP makes the Motorcraft motor oils and that the Motorcraft 5W-20 has been a synthetic blend for some time.

Is this what we can expect to see from all of the GF-4 generation of oils?

The reasons for using >$2.00 per quart motor oils except for highly extended drain intervals seem to be falling by the wayside.

Personally I'm glad for what I have learned reading through much of the data here on BITOG as it is saving me a bunch of money. In an excess of caution my SOP for years have been to use the auto manufacturers severe service schedules and expensive ~$5 / quart synthetics.

I'm still sticking with the severe service schedules at the moment, but now am quite comfortable running any of the well regarded conventional oils.

I'm also now a believer in annual oil analysis as a blood test of the engine and caught the failure of a GM 3.4l intake manifold gasket early as a result.

Thank you to the many posters here, you have answered many questions for me and saved me some serious money over time.

John

 

[Ken2]

GF-4 oils can be made from Group I base plus a lot of an expensive additive package.

or,
Group II or II+ base plus a less expensive additive package.

or,
Group I plus some Group III or Group IV base oil as a correction fluid plus a less expensive add pack. (A synthetic blend, but not a big deal.)

or,
Just about any combination of base oils and additive packages depending on the quality of the final product the blender wants and the cost of the product the blender wants.

5w30 requires a higher quality base oil than 10w30 because of the viscosity spread. 5W-20 requires the higher quality base oil and add pack to meet the tough Ford WSS-M2C153-H and Honda specs.


Ken