It turns out that Syntec is what's called a Group III oil. It's supposed be nearly as good as synthetic, but cost half the price. So Castrol has been overcharging us for Syntec.

I've always used Castrol GTX and have had excellent results (long, clean engine life). When I decided to make the switch to synthetic, I went with their oil. It was only $3.51 at a local Walmart. But I don't like being lied to and I want real synthetic, so I'll be switching to Mobil 1 at the next oil change. I've already changed my sig.

Couple of things to read:
http://www.theautochannel.com:8080/n...ess023679.html
http://www.goa-northcoastoil.com/tips/apicateg.html

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Danny
'98 F-150 Std., RC, SB, 4x2, 4.2L, 5-sp, 3.08, AC, speed control, rear slider.
Mods: Mobil 1 engine oil, Red Line MTL trans fluid, Edelbrock IAS shocks,
50 Series Flowmaster, K&N with airbox mod, electric radiator fan, Superchip

 

I don't know if I should be pissed or what! I've been using Syntec for 9 years. Although I've never had an oil related failure, (my engines are all modified-naturally aspirated, one Vortec Supercharged and a couple of Turbocharged engines) but this might explain why Syntec didn't do so good in Amsoil's test. I, like the rest of you, don't like being lied to. I still have 12 quarts of the stuff, but I'm in the process of switching to Amsoil anyway.

 

gaudenti,

Those are two great links..thanks for posting them!!

I bought MOBIL 1 Synthetic oil for my next oil change...it is actually 50 cents per bottle cheaper than the SYNTEC that I have in my truck right now. ($3.78 vs $4.29)

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2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, Pendaliner bedliner, K&N air filter, cabin filtration system, Bugflector II, engine build 10/4/99

 

Fella's, I wouldn't put anything produced by castrol in any piece of machinery I own. I happen to be a machinery specialist and I have been to many seminars and schools and there is not one major corporation in industry that uses any castrol product that I am aware of. Castrol has never been able to control the quality of there product enough to give a determined break down period. The oil they process is the absolute cheapest they can find on the market. Since they're not a company that is able to produce their own stocks they have to do this to stay competitive (suposedly). I work for the only petrochemical manufacturing facility that produces Mobil One C-4's and C-6's hydrocarbon base stock, no other company, not even Mobil plants can produce these hydrocarbons at the narrow specifications allowed by Mobil. So I feel confident that Mobil One is one of the best sythetics on the market. However, I don't use sythetics because their benfits can't justify the price, unless you push the frequency of oil changes back to every 10,000 or 12,000 miles. Then you would almost have to replace the filter somewhere about 1/2 or2/3 the way to that mileage, and replace a quart due to what the filter contained. If I lived up north which I don't I would use sythetic due to it's cold flow characteristics, (much better than conventional). But that's really the only reason I could justify using sythetics. Let me add that Texaco Havaline fmla 3 has an epdm additive produced by DSM Copolymer that gives it the closest sythetic properties of any mineral (hydrocracked) oil. It adheres to metal parts after the oil has drained off of them and really helps on start up before you establish pressure on the system. I don't work for any on these companies mentioned (mines bigger and better) so I'm not advertising, just sharing a little insight.

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'97 Ford SC 4X4 XLT Off Road 4.6,A/OD, 3:55, premium sound w/CD chg, Black clct, line X, Flowmaster true duals, chip, K&N air filter, smittybilt stainless nerf bars

 

Nickster:
Since you work in that industry, what do you know about Valvoline, or Mobil's new "Drive Clean Oil". Both are fairly inexpensive, less than a dollar per qt. and usually you get what you pay for. I was thinking of going to Castrol until I found this link the other day, now I may continue to use Valvoline unless there is something better out there other than a synthetic. As soon as I hit 1200 on my replacement engine I will be changing. What are everyone elses thoughts as well on this subject. From the data sheet Castrol GTX is better than most other conventional oils but that was last updated in 1995, I am inquireing the major oil companies to get thier latest data. Its to bad companies can get away with what Castrol did.

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1999 F150 S.Cab 4x4
Northland Edition,5.4
Off road pkg. Fleetside
Black w/grey int.

 

Nickster..

I have been using Castrol GTX in several vehicles for about 8 years without a problem. When I was stationed in Germany..I use to beat the crap out of my 4 cylinder Mazda 626 on the Autobahn..speeds over 100 mph all of the time.and the Castrol oil was great. When I drained it every 3,000 miles..it still looked new.

When I traded the Mazda in for my first F-150 (1998), I had 180,000 miles on the vehicle and the engine ran like new...very strong. I also have a 1992 Mazda 626 and it has had nothing but Castrol GTX in it... it also runs like new...plenty of power (for a 4 banger that is). It has 116,000 miles on it.

Sorry..I can't agree with you on this one...Castrol GTX IS a great product..as this is from experience. I plan to continue using it in my car and MOBIL 1 in my truck.

Thanks for the info though!!

---------------------------------------------
2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, Pendaliner bedliner, K&N air filter, cabin filtration system, Bugflector II, Mobil 1, engine build 10/4/99

 

Bob's f-150,

Don't know much about Mobils new oil, but I do know Valvoline is a good motor oil. It's sythetic additives aren't quite as good as Texaco's Havoline line, but it's still good oil. I would definitly use it or any other oil on the market before castrol. I've heard some horror stories from people about quaker state, but haven't seen any testing results that are so bad. I would advise not to use castrol for certain! I would tend to think that Mobils new oil is also a quality oil if there name is on it. I know we don't manufacture their base stock for it if it's a mineral oil, so that's why I'm not familiar with it, but like I said, if Mobil makes it, it's more than likely a good product.


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'97 Ford SC 4X4 XLT Off Road 4.6,A/OD, 3:55, premium sound w/CD chg, Black clct, line X, Flowmaster true duals, chip, K&N air filter, smittybilt stainless nerf bars

 

Dustoff,
I'm glad to hear your success with castrol, and I'm sure there are many more like you that believe in their product. I also know the flip side, several people I know personally that had the same opinion as you, until the oil broke down prematurally. It may never happen to you, hopefully it won't, but just beware of their products. In my opinion there are too many other products and manufacturers to gamble on my vehicles and machinery. You may not feel like it's a gamble, and if you've had good service with it that's justifiable. I just suggest doing a little research. Good Luck!

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'97 Ford SC 4X4 XLT Off Road 4.6,A/OD, 3:55, premium sound w/CD chg, Black clct, line X, Flowmaster true duals, chip, K&N air filter, smittybilt stainless nerf bars

 

Nickster,

I do appreciate the advice! I do not use Castrol in my F-150...just started using Mobil 1. I have also heard the flip side about other brands of oil failing. I am sure that people will have the same problem with Mobil 1 now and again (maybe not??). EVERY product can and will fail, no matter what. I have always heard from other Castrol users how good the oil has been for them.

If Castrol can survive in my car on the Autobahn in Germany..then it is fine with me..however..that was 6 years ago..it is possible their quality control has gone down hill. There is not that much REAL information on motor oil brand quality posted on the net for passenger vehicles..so it is difficult to find out information beyond advertisement. I have always had great luck with Castrol GTX..so I have to go with that until PROVEN different. I welcome any information that you have/know.

Thanks again.

---------------------------------------------
2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, Pendaliner bedliner, K&N air filter, cabin filtration system, Bugflector II, Mobil 1, engine build 10/4/99

 

ok you retards. According to this guy who put syntec in his truck and it came out black, If you drink orange juice and it comes out yellow(or whatever color your urine is) then it's not orange juice. So in conclusion the teachers you thought were teaching you valuable information were really teaching you bull**** because that's all that seems to be comming out. And just because it has a mineral content doesn't mean it's not synthetic. Did you morons know you can chemically alter just about anything, including mineral oil. Yeah i can't spell well but at least i don't have your mentality (or drive a ford f150).

 

Hello folks,
Refer back to post #8 and the term hydrocracking.
Then go the the Ford Motorcraft website and product info about 5w20 blend oils.
There you will see the term hydrocracked again in the formulation of Ford's blend 5w20 oil that is recommended these trucks use. and all the reasons why.
I would say that the hydrocracking process is not to be condemmed as a method of oil formulation but the uses of discriptions by others to mislead the public, is.

 

I hope this isnt true, but still i have 158000 mi on my 97-4.6 and have been useing 5-50 since 3000mi new and have not had any failures except o2 sensors and between 4500mi changes the oil level is always only down a half a qt. In the first 3000mi i added 2qts to keep it full, I was afraid i got a bad engine but since i put the Syntec in it has been half qt ever since.

 

You are the moron for digging up a 6 year old post! Go away troll.

 

Some people here claims they have been using Castrol GTX and that they don't like been lied to as far of the synthetic capabilities of this oil, but as far as I know, Castrol GTX is not a Syntec oil, and of course, "Castrol Syntec Blend" is not FULL synthetic oil and it says right there on the bottle, the only Synthethic oil I know Castrol produces is "Castrol Syntec" which is the black bottle. I have been using castrol for a long time and never had an oil related problem, I don't buy this sh*t.... that guy saying..."Mobil is good, Castrol sucks" makes me wonder if he is not in the Mobil payroll, it makes you wonder.

 

Lets see if I can help straighten some things out for you guys. Castrol Syntec, there are two available for sale in the US. One is in a green bottle and is not bottled here but in Germany. I have only seen it in 0w-30. It is a PAO basestock oil and a darn good one. The other is a mostly Gp III basestock oil and is not quite the strength of the other but a good oil none the less. Don't judge an oil by how quick it turns black. For some engines, that means that it is cleaning better than the previous oil and you are seeing washout. Don't believe that PAO synthetics have more natural cleaning power as they have no more solvency than a regular dino. Also, don't buy into advertizing hype. Amsoils 4 ball bearing test has no application in regards to the internals of your engine. They might as well be telling you that it's better because it heats up fast. Makes about as much sense. Also, there is no more lubricity in a PAO synthetic so the "friction tests" are advertizing hype or just blatant lies. If you want an oil for extended changes, use an oil built for it like Amsoil, Delvac 1, and Mobil 15,000. If you have artic conditions where cold starts are below zero, you might want to consider a synthetic. If you are an average driver, you don't need a synthetic and don't buy into the advertizing hype that your engine will last longer because it won't. Thermal properties are about the only advantage anymore of a synthetic and that they will carry longer for extended changes. Someone asked about Mobil 5000. We have been seeing far too much of it lately that is grossly out of grade. I'm not sure what is going on over at M/E but their quality has been slipping. If you have the oil analized, expect large quantities of sodium to come back with a recommendation to have the cooling system checked. The sodium is an additive, not a coolant leak. Also, you might want know that the normal M1 has been reformulated since the hurricanes. I'm not a fan of the new formulation and only when enough UOAs have been trended will the verdict be in. For a regular dino oil, Havoline has the best formulation today. Tomorrow, I'm sure it will be somebody else as the formulas rarely stay the same for long. If you are using a 930 speced oil, it's pretty darn hard to find a bad one including store brands like Walmart, Auto Zone, etc. The spec doesn't allow it to be out of grade, viscosity, allows fewer deposits, etc. But hey, if you have a favorite and want to run high priced oil- it's your money and your engine, do what makes you comfy. Today, most folks trade long before the engine is due to die.