Oil... Back to basics

oilman

Online Trader
Official MSC Trader
When it comes to choosing oil for your car, this post may seem like going back to basics but we at www.opieoils.co.uk are constantly surprised by the amount of people who do not understand what is written on a bottle of oil and therefore have no idea of what they are buying or using.

This article should help most car owners as a basic guide, for more detailed information you can always contact us at www.opieoils.co.uk and will be happy to help you.

So, to be blunt about the subject, if a bottle of oil does not contain the following basic information then DO NOT buy it look for something that does!

1) The purpose for which it is intended (i.e. Motor oil, Gear oil, ATF etc)

2) The viscosity (i.e. 10w-40, 5w-30 etc for Motor oils and 80w-90, 75w-90 etc for Gear oils)

3) The specifications that it meets (should contain API and/or ACEA ratings)

4) The OEM Approvals that it carries and the codes (i.e. MB229.5, VW504.00, FORD 913A, BMW LL04 etc)

Ignore the marketing blurb on the label it is in many cases meaningless and we will explain later what statements you should treat with some skepticism.

So, what does the above information mean and why is it important?

THE BASICS

All oils are intended for an application and in general are not interchangeable. You would not for example put an Automatic Transmission Oil or a Gear Oil in your engine! It is important to know what the oils intended purpose is.

VISCOSITY

Most oils on the shelves today are “Multigrades”, which simply means that the oil falls into 2 viscosity grades (i.e. 10w-40 etc)

Multigrades were first developed some 50 years ago to avoid the old routine of using a thin oil in winter and a thicker oil in the summer.

In a 10w-40 for example the 10w bit (W = winter, not weight or watt or anything else for that matter) simply means that the oil must have a certain maximum viscosity/flow at low temperature.

The lower the “W” number the better the oils cold temperature/cold start performance. I.E. 5w is better than 10w etc

The 40 in a 10w-40 simply means that the oil must fall within certain viscosity limits at 100 degC. This is a fixed limit and all oils that end in 40 must achieve these limits.

Once again the lower the number the thinner the oil, a 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100 degC etc. Your handbook will specify whether a 30, 40 or 50 etc is required.


SPECIFICATIONS

Specifications are important as these indicate the performance of an oil and whether it has met or passed the latest tests or whether the formulation is effectively obsolete or out of date.

There are two specifications that you should look for on any oil bottle and these are API (American Petroleum Institute) and ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Europeens d’Automobiles) all good oils should contain both of these and an understanding of what they mean is important.

API

This is the more basic of the two specs as it is split (for passenger cars) into two catagories.

S = Petrol and C = Diesel, most oils carry both petrol (S) and diesel (C) specifications.

The following table shows how up to date the specifications the oil are:

PETROL

SG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge.

SH - Introduced 1993 has same engine tests as SG, but includes phosphorus limit 0.12%, together with control of foam, volatility and shear stability.

SJ - Introduced 1996 has the same engine tests as SG/SH, but phosphorus limit 0.10% together with variation on volatility limits

SL - Introduced 2001, all new engine tests reflective of modern engine designs meeting current emissions standards

SM - Introduced November 2004, improved oxidation resistance, deposit protection and wear protection, also better low temperature performance over the life of the oil compared to previous categories.

Note:

All specifications prior to SL are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date SL and SM specifications, so if you’ve a recent model, don’t bother.

DIESEL

CD - Introduced 1955, international standard for turbo diesel engine oils for many years, uses single cylinder test engine only

CE - Introduced 1984, improved control of oil consumption, oil thickening, piston deposits and wear, uses additional multi cylinder test engines

CF4 - Introduced 1990, further improvements in control of oil consumption and piston deposits, uses low emission test engine

CF - Introduced 1994, modernised version of CD, reverts to single cylinder low emission test engine. Intended for certain indirect injection engines

CF2 - Introduced 1994, defines effective control of cylinder deposits and ring face scuffing, intended for 2 stroke diesel engines

CG4 - Introduced 1994, development of CF4 giving improved control of piston deposits, wear, oxidation stability and soot entrainment. Uses low sulphur diesel fuel in engine tests

CH4 - Introduced 1998, development of CG4, giving further improvements in control of soot related wear and piston deposits, uses more comprehensive engine test program to include low and high sulphur fuels

CI4 Introduced 2002, developed to meet 2004 emission standards, may be used where EGR ( exhaust gas recirculation ) systems are fitted and with fuel containing up to 0.5 % sulphur. May be used where API CD, CE, CF4, CG4 and CH4 oils are specified.

Note:
All specifications prior to CH4 are now obsolete and although suitable for some older vehicles are more than 10 years old and do not provide the same level of performance or protection as the more up to date CH4 & CI4 specifications.

If you want a better more up to date oil specification then look for SL, SM, CH4, CI4

ACEA

This is the European equivalent of API (US) and is more specific in what the performance of the oil actually is. A = Petrol, B = Diesel and C = Catalyst compatible or low SAPS (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur). These specs are more commonly found on European oils and in many respects are more important than API for European Manufactured cars.

Unlike API the ACEA specs are split into performance/application catagories as follows:

A1 Fuel economy petrol
A2 Standard performance level (now obsolete)
A3 High performance and/or extended drain
A4 Reserved for future use in certain direct injection engines
A5 Combines A1 fuel economy with A3 performance

B1 Fuel economy diesel
B2 Standard performance level (now obsolete)
B3 High performance and/or extended drain
B4 For direct injection car diesel engines
B5 Combines B1 fuel economy with B3/B4 performance

C1-04 Petrol and Light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 low SAPS, two way catalyst compatible.
C2-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible.
C3-04 Petrol and light duty Diesel engines, based on A5/B5-04 mid SAPS, two way catalyst compatible, higher performance levels due to higher HTHS.

Note: SAPS = Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur.

Put simply, A3/B3, A5/B5 and C3 oils are the better quality, stay in grade performance oils.

APPROVALS

Many oils mention various Car Manufacturers on the bottle, the most common in the UK being VW, MB, BMW, Ford or Vauxhall but do not be misled into thinking that you are buying top quality oil because of this.

Oil Companies send their oils to OEM’s for approval however some older specs are easily achieved and can be done so with the cheapest of mineral oils. Newer specifications are always more up to date and better quality/performance than the older ones.

Some of the older OEM specifications are listed here and depending on the performance level of your car are best ignored if you are looking for a quality high performance oil:

VW – 500.00, 501.00 and 505.00

Later specs like 503.00, 503.01, 506.00 are better performing more up to date oils but as far as VW is concerned even these have now been superseded by the latest VW504.00 and VW507.00 specifications.

MB – 229.1, 229.30

Later specs like 229.31, 229.5, and 229.51 are better performing more up to date oils.

BMW – LL98

Later specs like LL01 and the latest LL04 oils are better performing more up to date.


FINALLY

Above is the most accurate guidance we can give without going into too much depth however there is one final piece of advice regarding labelling.

Certain statements are made on labels that are meaningless and just marketing hype; here are a few to avoid!

Recommended for use where……………

May be used where the following specifications apply……………

Approved by………………………..(but with no qualification or specification)

Recommended/Approved by (some famous person, these endorsements are paid for)

Racing/Track formula (but with no supporting evidence)

Also be wary of statements like “synthetic blend” if you are looking for a fully synthetic oil as this will merely be a semi-synthetic.

Like everything in life, you get what you pay for. The cheaper the oil the cheaper the ingredients, lower the performance levels and older the specs it meets so beware!

Cheers

Guy
 

Antony

Ex. Club Member
All halfords own brand oil (product of Comma and distributed by Exxon-Mobil) has these specifications and all relevant technical data on the bottle. there is a selection of 5 different 5w-30 oils specificaly formulated for the reccomendations of the vehicle manufacturer. (the 501.00 for VW eg.)

all mobil oils also carry this info as do comma and most Castrol oil's. with the execption of 20w50 classic oil which is rubbish..lol

Dont Buy morrisons own brand or the stuff you find at the back of Netto...
 

superls

K10 Tuner
All halfords own brand oil (product of Comma and distributed by Exxon-Mobil) has these specifications and all relevant technical data on the bottle. there is a selection of 5 different 5w-30 oils specificaly formulated for the reccomendations of the vehicle manufacturer. (the 501.00 for VW eg.)

all mobil oils also carry this info as do comma and most Castrol oil's. with the execption of 20w50 classic oil which is rubbish..lol

Dont Buy morrisons own brand or the stuff you find at the back of Netto...

why not?

we had a d reg sunny and did at least 60000 mile on it if not getting upto 80 or 90k on morrisons stuff,

all i ever put in my micra is morisons oil never had too many problems.
 

Antony

Ex. Club Member
because if you read about 3 post above yours...lol

morisons own brand is ok for pre 1995 cars (mostly) as its a simple oil for simple cars. modern engines need a very much more soffisticated engine oil as tolerances are closer and materials are more exotic. own brand oil from a petrol station just dont measure up.

they are very basic and are more of an emergency "ive run out of oil" stop gap than an "im gonna run my car on this stuff" oil

this is the reason manufacturers and retailers are producing these posts as above... to educate.
 
OP
OP
oilman

oilman

Online Trader
Official MSC Trader
Glad you chaps found it interesting... There is more!

Even though the likes of Halfords own meet the same specs as the premium brands does not mean they are in the same league.

Imagine tyres, you can get realy cheap budget tyres that are ####e, but they pass the same specs to be used on the road by joe public as top of the range rubber... But there is a big difference between the two.

Cheers

Guy
 

Antony

Ex. Club Member
that is true, but when the halfords oil is actualy the very same stuff you get in the mobil 1 conatainers....kinda begs the question.. why buy branded?

i know this, i have worked on the halfords parts dept for 6 years and have been to countless exxon-mobil seminars and such. its the same stuff.

but the info you provided is usefull
 
OP
OP
oilman

oilman

Online Trader
Official MSC Trader
Depsite what they may tell you seminars, its not the same stuff by a long shot.

Base stock maybe, addtive packs - no.

Cheers

Guy
 

superls

K10 Tuner
that is true, but when the halfords oil is actualy the very same stuff you get in the mobil 1 conatainers....kinda begs the question.. why buy branded?

i know this, i have worked on the halfords parts dept for 6 years and have been to countless exxon-mobil seminars and such. its the same stuff.

but the info you provided is usefull

doubt it.
 

Antony

Ex. Club Member
doubt it.

why would you doubt it. you actualy think halfords makes its own oil?
it Comma oil. the company who is one of the brands of Exxon-Mobil. the company that makes Mobil 1 oil. having spoken to the guy that makes the bloody stuff i think i should know. its bottled on a production line specificaly for halfords but apart from the colour and shape of the bottle its the same oil. halfords 0w-50 Motorsports oil is mobil 1 in a different bottle. the chemical formulae is identical as is the specifications. argue all you want, you havent been and spoken to the guy.


however. i dont currently work for halfords anymore so i dont give 2 hoots...lol
 

Low Rider

Poindexter
Founding Member
Moderator
Club Member
Depsite what they may tell you seminars, its not the same stuff by a long shot.

Base stock maybe, addtive packs - no.

Cheers

Guy

I would tend to agree, although admittedly chemical analysis would be needed to be final on the matter. Like fuels, they eminate from a small selection of sources as a base feed stock but have varying additives/detergent packages depending on the vendor, resulting in sometimes quite different final end products.
 

superls

K10 Tuner
why would you doubt it. you actualy think halfords makes its own oil?
it Comma oil. the company who is one of the brands of Exxon-Mobil. the company that makes Mobil 1 oil. having spoken to the guy that makes the bloody stuff i think i should know. its bottled on a production line specificaly for halfords but apart from the colour and shape of the bottle its the same oil. halfords 0w-50 Motorsports oil is mobil 1 in a different bottle. the chemical formulae is identical as is the specifications. argue all you want, you havent been and spoken to the guy.


however. i dont currently work for halfords anymore so i dont give 2 hoots...lol

i know what your saying, i work for an industrial control systems company as a design engineer, a few months ago we were commisioning the pastie line at a food factory.

the line right next to us was making apple pies for mr kippling when we arrived in the morining, and at about lunch time they had made what the needed to for mr kippling and then started making apple pies for (dont quote the company as i cant remember exactly what the line manager said) but im sure the 2nd run was for Aldi or summerfield or something like that, the exact same line the exact same ingredients just in a different box.

its just with my experience of halfords own brand stuff not being too great, i cant imagine there oil being the same as one if not the best oil on the market.
 

Antony

Ex. Club Member
i know what your saying, i work for an industrial control systems company as a design engineer, a few months ago we were commisioning the pastie line at a food factory.

the line right next to us was making apple pies for mr kippling when we arrived in the morining, and at about lunch time they had made what the needed to for mr kippling and then started making apple pies for (dont quote the company as i cant remember exactly what the line manager said) but im sure the 2nd run was for Aldi or summerfield or something like that, the exact same line the exact same ingredients just in a different box.

its just with my experience of halfords own brand stuff not being too great, i cant imagine there oil being the same as one if not the best oil on the market.

that as may be, 99% of halfords products are just re-boxed branded items.

Brake pads made by Federal mogul (ferrodo)
Wiper blades made by Valeo (and actualy out perform the bosch ones)
Halfords professional tools (made by tool tech who manufactuer large quantities of snap on tools)
Boardman bikes (these are made by merida who make 60% of the bikes available on the market and all of the olympic gold medalists in beijing including sports personality of the year chris hoy were riding halfords own brand boardman bikes!)
Air oil and fuel filters made by champion, some even carry the same part numbers in the box.
All ripspeed products manufactured in japan by Super Autobacs (massive company running its own car brand and sponsoring the JGTC)
Bulbs made by Ring (who supply 80% of the OE market)
Paint is made for halfords by Holts bodycare.
lots more too. only the very cheapest of the cheapo stuff is made by halfords. stuff like the trax bike range, made of cheese in veitnam and will last about 4 minutes.

but like i said your oppinion is different and i respect that, however wrong it may be.:laugh::laugh:
 

superls

K10 Tuner
that as may be, 99% of halfords products are just re-boxed branded items.

Brake pads made by federal mogul (ferrodo)
wiper blades made by valeo (and actualy out perform the bosch ones)
halfords professional tools (made by tool tech who manufactuer large quantities of snap on tools)
boardman bikes (these are made by merida who make 60% of the bikes available on the market and all of the olympic gold medalists in beijing including sports personality of the year chris hoy were riding halfords own brand boardman bikes!)
air oil and fuel filters made by champion, some even carry the same part numbers in the box.
All ripspeed products manufactured in japan by super autobacs (massive company running its own car brand and sponsoring the jgtc)
bulbs made by ring (who supply 80% of the oe market)
paint is made for halfords by holts bodycare.
Lots more too. Only the very cheapest of the cheapo stuff is made by halfords. Stuff like the trax bike range, made of cheese in veitnam and will last about 4 minutes.

But like i said your oppinion is different and i respect that, however wrong it may be.:laugh::laugh:

some really interesting reading, which alot of people (inc me) didnt know.
 
OP
OP
oilman

oilman

Online Trader
Official MSC Trader
I cannot comment on the other stuff, I just know the oil... Is not the same.

Cheers

Guy
 

rlees85

Ex. Club Member
I know this is a weird comparison. But if you work into a computer shop, you can buy a cheap crappy chinese router (for example) or a branded say 'netgar' router. Sometimes they will use exactly the same chipset....

So why the £30 price difference??

When each chipset is produced it is tested throughly and blah blah... and basically the 100% pass ones will be sold to netgear and the 99% ones will be sold alot more cheaply to say the dodgy chinese company or whatever...

Maybe the oil situation is the same with halfords and comma/mobil/etc?

walk*
 
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