Thread: synthetic oils

Originally Posted by tombraider

Ermm... Why?

Semi-Synthetics have the best of both worlds and at a cheaper price than full synthetic.

I cannot find my book mark, but recently there was a release showing the benefits of both blended as one...Semi Synthetics.

Seriously, give the Penrite HPR 5 a go.

Semi-Synth, engine runs so damn nice on it (quiet, smooth) and at $65.00 for 10 litres its a bargain...

Dont be fooled by the hype, Mobil synth etc is a waste of your wallet.

We test oils here, the HPR D 5 is showing excellent performance in a highly modified TD5.

Isn't penrite owned by castrol now?

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

The defender intervals are 1 year or 20k. I've just been changing it every 6 months as we struggle to do 20k.

Maybe you should read the fine print , 20 000km unless you are stop start driving, short trips, hot conditions, towing, extreme cold, etc, etc. Then it reverts to 10 000km intervals.

We don't have a single LR that we service at 20 000km intervals, all at 10 000km.

Originally Posted by ladas

Likewise I have seen compressors as well as engines stripped after using both mineral and synthetics - and there is just no comparison.

You should ring Perkins Race Engines (yes, Larry Perkins)

He ALWAYS specified Mobil 1 in all his race engines (he hires them to V8 supercar teams).

Anyhow, Smerdons crew chief is a mate of mine and was running a full Dino Oil called ULX-110 in the Supercar...

Did the complete season, and was sent (as per contract) to Larry for rebuilding before Bathurst.

A phone call from Larry to my mate went along the lines of "What oil you running?"

When he was told he was shocked...

Larry commented that the engine could have happily ran the Bathurst race without a rebuild...

Not all that is artificial is best....

Yes but at least I don't have to buy 55 gallons of the stuff at one time !!!!

Note: ULX-110 products are NOT sold by the quart or gallon. The Per Quart and Per Gallon prices are for comparison purposes only

As per their web site

Plus the reference "proudly made in the USA for 16 years" also worries me

............bugger no distributors in Victoria - thought I might get some to test.

I think the main differences between synthetic and non-synthetic from what I understand, is that non-synthetic has better lubricity. The synthetic though has better service intervals, a better ability to keep the engine clean which is especially important for turbos and AFAIK can be formulated to be a lot more consistant - which I suppose is one of the many factors in the longer service life. I wouldn't ever try to do a service interval of 20,000km as per LR specs on a non-synthetic oil.

I have been recommemded to use Redline oils. Apparently it uses a completely different base to most oils.

Has anybody used it or know any real facts about it?

Redline use a Polyol Ester base stock, which are generally good

...............but are extremely hygroscopic - which means they asborb moisture/water like a sponge - typically a Poly oil will have a KFindex of greater than 5000 ppm, compaired to a simple mineral that would have a KFindex of <60 ppm.

When Poly oils absorb moisture the properties change, they begin to emusify and in the end turn into Goo