I'm quite happy to lean somthing new but just telling me something is FACT in the manner of of a priest preaching the bible to the uneducated is meaningless to me.

Sorry but I see no shred of evidence in your claims. 40 years ago it would have been correct but not in the 21st century.

Castrol has been part of BP plc for the last 10 years a company cited as one of the ten worst corporations in both 2001 and 2005 based on its environmental and human rights records.

Fortunatly in Europe it is still illegal to call a mineral oil, however refined, synthetic. It's only America where common sense gives way to coporation power, in this instance at least.

I'm not sure why you think the Castrol UK site is a mess. Only two oils are labled GTX in the engine oils sectionhttp://www.castrol.com/castrol/secti...tentId=7027413

The site does contain saftey and technical sheets for all the oil they have made in an alphabetical list so of course that is a very long list indeed, but the oils they make now are linked to their specfic sheets.

The oils on the site are the correct ones for the UK market, and as they have to call a spade a spade here because of European legislation they are unable to use the phrase semi synthetic if it has no synthetic oil in it. ie only more highly refined mineral oil.

Are you aware Volvo have been filling their engines in the factory with fully synthetic oil? I'm not sure exactly for how long but I think it's about 10 years now. They do say you can use mineral oil in their cars but only recommend using a full synthetic.

Only a full synthetic can fully protect the modern turbo charger.

We only have modern air travel because of synthetic oil, as only they can enable the modern jet engine to f*u*c*tion at the extremes of temperature it has to cope with.

Roy, I'm sorry, but it is scientifically impossible to make a w20 or w30 oil perform as per a w40 at high ambient temperatures, no matter how much high tech you throw at the problem.
As I wrote earlier, and it is a well recorded fact, that MB went through a phase of recommending w30 oils for all temperature use, and landed themselves with massive warranty claims as a result.

You obviously haven't even looked properly at the Castrol Uk site - where EVERY regular engine oil is referred to as GTX somethimg or other; i.e GTX, GTX Magnatec, etc. the site is NOT up to date, and that is witnessed, not least, by the fact that the 'fact sheets' are out of date and don't even recognize that many of the oils listed are out of production, as stated previously. Plus, as with the US site, many of the options just aren't functioning. i.e selecting an operating temperature.

As for Volvo using fully synth oils from the factory, I have never talked about NEW engines in relation to this subject, so what relevance you think it has is purely in your head, as does bringing air travel into this conversation!!

"Only a fully synthetic can properly protect the modern turbo charger" - Quite frankly, that is palpable nonsense!


If you don't care to research this subject properly, then, quite frankly, Roy, it is your problem, but really you're way out of your depth here.

Cheers,

T

I have researched the subject very fully, hence my postition. If you have any info you wish to impart I would be very please to look at it though. All my research leads me to belive that fully synthetic oils give the best engine protection, and as that's what Volvo recommend for my engine that's what I use.

I also used it in my 940 TD which now has 237,000 miles on it. I've never seen the temperature gauge go above normal on that either.

I did have a Merc for a short while but I didn't like it so I'm not up on the ins and outs of their engines nowdays and I'm only really interested in Volvo's.

Yes I have looked at the Castrol site properly. Magnatec is called Magnatec just like it says on the can lable. It has no GTX prefix. This is what I'm seeing http://www.castrol.com/castrol/secti...tentId=7063969 That's what is in the shops. Ditto Edge. Those can lables are what we see in the shops here. Are you seeing a different site to us in the UK?

From experience, Castrol UK do have a very helpful tech department and I'm sure they would answer any questions you have re the products they market or have marketed.

You spoke of "high milage engines" You made no specific exclusion of new engines. I assumed that you meant modern engines with high miles that are designed to run with full synthetic oil in them as that is what the thread is related to really.

I don't know during what period Mercs had engine temperature problems.

I mention jet engines as an example of temperature extremes that mineral oils simply cannot cope with.

Most people with very old designs of engine have engines that are designed for a different oil technology and I agree it is asking for trouble to change the design parameters. To quote Irv Gordon "If it aint broke don't fix it" He uses a 20-50 diesel rated Castrol oil in the summer. Of course he changes the oil every 3000 miles. All very different to modern engines.

I've been using full synthetic oils myself in my cars since 1964 and I've never had any temperature issues myself, regardless of milage. I didn't use it in my 1926 Rolls Royce though as I used a straight oil and not a multi grade as per their recommendation. All the other cars though had the synthetic stuff in them.

And if you are not already confused, here is a bit more info to chew through.............

http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

My B200E engine loves 0/30 fully synthetic oil
 

Signature Amsoil oil has kept the engine clean, oil consumption low and the engine turned 481 000 miles today. Introduced at 151k.

Head off last week showed no significant wear on the bores. The old second-hand head was down to 11 bar on number 2 cylinder, but squirting in some oil into the cylinder showed the problem to be valves. Now the origonal (off at 403k) refurbished head is performing really well. Now to re-check the pot pressures.

Changed full flow, by-pass filter and oil, on head change. Na Sodium up to 1084ppm (much too high) indicating coolant/head gasket leak to engine.

Meanwhile.........Don Miles please send me two oil sample kits.

BrianH

New order for Signiture 0/30 and manual gearbox oil
 

Don,

Please place on order and send .......2x 5lt engine oil and 3x bottles of MTF 5/30 gear oil. Your manual shift oil. (oil change)

Could'nt find the 5 ltr option online.

BrianH