What lubricants ?

[Goreripper]

Can you explain the synthetic rip-off please?

 

[Shannow]

Yep,
Up until a few years ago, "synthetic" oils were considered to be those oils that were built up from a component of natural gas, until all of the molecules were the same, and the right length whatever to provide the properties that the lubricants engineers were after.

These synthetics, (Polyalfaolefins (Group IV), polyolesters and diesters (Group V)) had extremely low pour points, and very high flash points. They didn't have so many viscosity index improvers in them, as they naturally didn't thin out as much with heat as dead dinosaurs do.

There was another group that were called "semi-synthetic" (Group III), that were "hydrocracked". They took the heavy waxes from crude oil, and reacted them with hydrogen under heat and pressure, with a catalyst. They broke up into smaller molecules, but were still a pretty random assortment of chain lengths and orientations.

These used to be solds as XHVI (Xtra High Viscosity Index). Shell and Mobil sold them also as semisynthetics, and XHVI. They didn't flow as well cold, nor have as good a high end properties.

There was a court case between Mobil and Castrol, when Mobil realised that Castrol were selling XHVI as "full synthetic", and still charging the same as they had been when using proper synthetics.

Turns out that Castrol's liars (I mean lawyers) were better than Mobil's liars, and Castrol's side was upheld.

So they continue to sell inferior oils at superior prices. Shell have now declared their XHVI as "full synthetic", as have BP.

If they'd all pass their cost savings on to the customer, it'd be OK by me, but they are all charging for the good stuff, and supplying inferior stuff.

 

[Goreripper]

OK. So maybe I should just stick to using the stuff in a black container you can buy at Woolies?

 

[Shannow]

My first car was really badly sludged up....last serviced 7 years previously.

I scraped what I could get out of the rocker cover and sideplates out with a paint scraper, filled it with kero, and ran it for 10 minutes. It came out like diff oil.

4litres of cheap shit, and it used half of it in a week.
Another 4 litres of cheap shit, and it used half of it in a week.

I thought that I was looking for a rebuild, at about 5 times what I paid for the car, and chucked in Valvoline XLD - used 1 litre in 5,000km.

So decent oil (even if it is Valvoline) is still better than Woolies stuff.

 

[Goreripper]

Yeah I know. But my car uses fuck all oil.

 

[Shannow]

I'd still use something a little better than Woolies (which is rated "SF", while the ratings now run all the way to SL).

Whatcha driving ?

 

[Goreripper]

I have a Camry. Whoever engineered those fuckers needs a medal.

 

[Shannow]

I saw the inlaws car used, abused, and flogged to death.

It got sold still running (just), only with a couple bottles of chemiweld in it. Can't boil them dry and not expect cracks.

 

[mattt]

Yep,
Up until a few years ago, "synthetic" oils were considered to be those oils that were built up from a component of natural gas, until all of the molecules were the same, and the right length whatever to provide the properties that the lubricants engineers were after.

These synthetics, (Polyalfaolefins (Group IV), polyolesters and diesters (Group V)) had extremely low pour points, and very high flash points. They didn't have so many viscosity index improvers in them, as they naturally didn't thin out as much with heat as dead dinosaurs do.

There was another group that were called "semi-synthetic" (Group III), that were "hydrocracked". They took the heavy waxes from crude oil, and reacted them with hydrogen under heat and pressure, with a catalyst. They broke up into smaller molecules, but were still a pretty random assortment of chain lengths and orientations.

These used to be solds as XHVI (Xtra High Viscosity Index). Shell and Mobil sold them also as semisynthetics, and XHVI. They didn't flow as well cold, nor have as good a high end properties.

There was a court case between Mobil and Castrol, when Mobil realised that Castrol were selling XHVI as "full synthetic", and still charging the same as they had been when using proper synthetics.

Turns out that Castrol's liars (I mean lawyers) were better than Mobil's liars, and Castrol's side was upheld.

So they continue to sell inferior oils at superior prices. Shell have now declared their XHVI as "full synthetic", as have BP.

If they'd all pass their cost savings on to the customer, it'd be OK by me, but they are all charging for the good stuff, and supplying inferior stuff.

You sure do know your stuff Shannow!

 

[Shannow]

(Would you beleive that there are whole bulletin boards where us analy retentive idiots discuss the merits of particular oils and their additive packs ?)

 

[Southy]

yep, the net is full of weirdos